Chastain Park Golf Course

MAKE THIS COURSE PRIVATE AGAIN FOR GOD'S SAKE.

What was once an amazing, well-managed local course has now become the 'DMV' of Atlanta golf courses with poor management...

I used to love playing here growing up, the staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and you could tell they loved their jobs. Booking online was easy, the course was well-maintained. Ever since the City of Atlanta took over and the course went public, coupled with their newly-instated (and feeble) "COVID-19 Restrictions," management is spiraling the course into the ground and it is extremely sad and disappointing to watch.

Don't believe me? Here's what I've learned after playing and calling them over the past week:

1. Want to book online easily? You can't any more. You have to call their office (and pray that someone answers) and have a city of Atlanta employee answer the phone with the default answer of "we're fully booked today" before I can finish my request to book a tee time.

2. They charge your account at the time of booking, BEFORE YOU EVEN PLAY AND DON'T REFUND YOU. If you need to change your tee time same day, good luck, they'll swipe your Amex, take your money, and then tell you you can't change your tee time or get a refund. I used to book tee times online and not even show up, and they would only charge me upon check-in. What other golf course that you've played at has ever done this?

3. They now have elevated holes that look like a hockey puck in an effort to socially distance, yet you can still be paired up with random players and no longer provide drinking water(how is this legal???). Does this make any sense? No.

4. They don't answer the phone. Me and my buddy attempted to reach them a combined 24 times on the phone 2 days ago. Are you starting to see the DMV comparison here?

5. They've added in new sand to the bunkers, literally mountains of sand to a point of if you hit the beach, you're score is completely sabotaged.

6. During peak social distancing, the City opened the course as a park for dogs to dump on, littering, and defamation of the holes, and no they have not cleaned it up.

I'll be filing a formal complaint with the City of Atlanta, which I expect to result in a standard response time of 30 days or more, with someone telling me "they'll look into it."

It's so disappointing to watch our local government come in and ruin a formerly well-run private golf course cherished by so many local Buckhead residents. I'll post an update if I ever hear back from the city, but in the meantime, I suggest looking elsewhere to golf

THIS COURSE RECEIVES RATINGS WHICH ARE FAR BELOW IT'S QUALITY. I THINK IT BECAUSE THIS LAYOUT (BY BOBBY JONES AND WALTER HAGEN) IS TOTALLY NATURAL. I DOUBT THAT ANY EARTH WAS MOVED DURING ITS CONSTRUCTION IN 1927. AS A RESULT, THE GREENS ARE SLOPED ACCORDING TO THE WAY THE LAND SLOPES. AND THERE IS SERIOUS SLOPE TO THIS TERRAIN, ESPECIALLY ON THE BACK NINE. THIS IS SERIOUSLY OLD STYLE GOLF- YOU FIND THIS IN EVERY COURSE IN GREAT BRITAIN . THE FAIRWAYS RETAIN THE BUMPS AND ROLLS THAT RESULT FROM A COURSE BUILT BY CUTTING DOWN THE TREES AND SOMETIMES LEAVING THEM IN THE FAIRWAYS , THEN COVERING THEM AND DRAGGING LOGS , ETC BY MULES OVER THEM. THE DESIGNERS OF THOSE DAYS (AND LONG BEFORE IN SCOTLAND) DESIGNED THE COURSES BY USING THE NATURAL SLOPES OF THE TERRAIN. NOT BY USING BULL DOZERS TO ALTER THE NATURAL SLOPES AND CREATING ARTIFICIALLY ELEVATED AND CONTOURED GREENS. WHEN YOU PLAY NORTH FULTON, YOU WILL BE PLAYING A LEGITIMATE SCOTTISH TYPE DESIGN. UNLIKE MOST AMERICAN COURSES, YOU WILL GIVEN MANY DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR APPROACHING EACH GREEN-- YOU CAN PLAY A KNOCK-DOWN PITCH AND RUN, A HIGH PTICH TO AN ELEVATED GREEN , OR WHATEVER YOU CAN IMAGINE. YOU DON'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE YOUR IMAGINATION ON MOST TRADITIONAL "TARGET GOLF" COURSES IN THE U.S. THE GREENS CAN BE DIABOLICAL. THEY ARE BUILT ON THE SLOPES OF THE TERRAIN WITHOUT ANY CHANGES IN ELEVATION EXCEPT THOSE PROVIDED BY THE NATURAL TERRAIN. WITH CHAMPIONS BERMUDA AND LOTS OF GRAIN, IT IS NOT UNUSUAL TO HAVE A 1O FT OR MORE BREAK ON A 25 FT PUTT. TRUST ME. IT IS A SERIOUS CHALLENGE.
YOU SHOULD DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND GIVE THIS COURSE A SHOT. IF YOU CAN SHOOT YOUR HANDICAP HERE, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT IT. THE REVIEWERS WHO RATE THIS COURSE POORLY MUST NOT BE VERY GOOD PLAYERS. IT IS A SERIOUS CHALLENGE. IT WILL EAT YOUR LUNCH IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN OUTSTANDING SHORT GAME. THOSE WHO SUGGEST THAT IT IS TOO SHORT ARE PLAYING THE WRONG TEES.