Hole 1 at East Lake Golf Club

Atlanta, Georgia
Par
5
Yardage
535 yds
Stroke index
15
Hazards
6 bunkers · Water
Hole 1 aerial at East Lake Golf ClubHole 1 map
Hole 1 green slope contour at East Lake Golf Club

30 yd wide × 35 yd deep · 8 ft total elevation range

Light = gentler slope · Red = steeper slope
White lines: 1 foot of elevation. Arrows: downhill. General terrain, not a pin read.

Approach from bottom

Contour source

USGS 1 Meter 16 x75y374 GA_Statewide_2018_B18_DRRA · collection 2018–2019

Map source & reference

Mapbox Satellite composite · capture date not provided. Green at the top; the labeled map reference is below.

Scorecard yardage is for Championship tees. The aerial shows its labeled reference position; distance rings measure to the green.

Championship tees · Par 5 · 535 yards

The plan for No. 1

A par-5 opener shaped in layers: first carry the lake, then choose a side of the dogleg for the second landing zone, and finally approach a two-level green. Build the hole backward from the pin section rather than treating every reachable bunker as a lay-up command.

Off the tee

The primary mapped line crosses water early, while a spine on the right and the restored left bunker shape the next decision. In the temporary 2026 TOUR setup, Rory McIlroy also identified trees from the right rough and out-of-bounds left as real constraints. Confirm the selected tee's front and clear edges on the aerial, then favor the side that leaves the preferred angle into the second landing area.

Approach & recovery

Paired bunkers around the second landing zone create the key decision. If the green is not realistically available, finish the lay-up short of or beyond that pair with a full view of the target.

On the green

The restored surface has two levels inspired by East Lake's former dual greens. Center of the correct level is more valuable than being closer but putting across the transition.

Watch for

  • Lake crossing immediately influences the primary tee route; use the selected tee's mapped front and clear edges.
  • A restored left fairway bunker shapes the dogleg, followed by a bunker pair around the second landing zone.
  • Sand and short grass guard multiple sides of the two-level green.

Hole 1 Green Complex & Slope

USGS 3DEP terrain analysis

Green Surface

Green size: 4,843 sq ft

Dimensions
35y Deep × 30y Wide
Mapped green boundary
Elevation Relief
8.0 ft
High-to-low drop
Max Slope
11.0°
Graded terrain

Course coverage

Tournament and creator videos about East Lake Golf Club — shared course coverage, not hole-specific clips.

Tournament coverage

TOUR Championship highlights

TOUR Championship | Final Round Highlights

2025

Official & tour

Tour & network videos

Official coverage mentioning East Lake Golf Club.

Why East Lake will be more challenging at the TOUR Championship

PGA Tour

COMPLETE restoration at East Lake Golf Club led by Andrew Green

PGA Tour

Featured by these creators

Creator videos about this course

YouTube creators who filmed or featured East Lake Golf Club. · Stats as of Oct 12, 2026 · 6d ago

Explore golf creators →

The New East Lake and the Same Old Tour Championship

Fried Egg Golf
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Frequently asked questions

Yardage reference: Championship tees · 535 yards.

How difficult is hole 1?

↓

This hole is a good scoring opportunity for most golfers.

How big is the green on hole 1?

↓

The green is medium-sized with moderate targets. Pay attention to pin placement when selecting your approach club.

Research notes

  • For the 2026 TOUR Championship, Rory McIlroy described No. 1 as a demanding opener: right rough can bring trees into play, left has out-of-bounds and a bunker, and the restored back-left green falloff is especially penal. — Rory McIlroy (Question on first hole)[1]
  • The restored first uses a right-side fairway spine, a left bunker to shape the dogleg, paired bunkers around the second landing zone, and a two-level green inspired by the former dual greens. (PDF p. 6)[2]
  • After a year of maturation following the restoration, East Lake offered the PGA TOUR greater setup versatility for changing challenge and difficulty. (Video description and course-setup overview)[3]
  • Andrew Green described moving green locations and finding width to create angles and force the course to turn, replacing many straight, narrow corridors with more varied lines of play. — Andrew Green (14:21)[4]
  • Andrew Green designed East Lake's restored greens so daily hole locations materially change how holes play, specifically citing distinct options on Nos. 3, 7, and 15. — Andrew Green (Press conference, greens discussion)[5]
  • Donald Ross was hired in 1913 to redesign East Lake; his routing, with each nine returning to the clubhouse, remains the basis of the course. (Golf Course Architect Donald Ross hired)[6]
  • East Lake began in 1904; its 18-hole course and clubhouse opened on July 4, 1908. (East Lake Country Club Established; Course and Clubhouse Grand Opening)[6]
  • East Lake hosted the 1950 U.S. Women's Amateur and 1963 Ryder Cup, then hosted the TOUR Championship for the first time in 1998. (U.S. Women's Amateur; 15th Biennial Ryder Cup; TOUR Championship)[6]
  • PGA TOUR's restoration documentary presents the one-year project as an effort to recover Donald Ross design elements and create a more dynamic, volatile TOUR Championship venue. (Video description and restoration overview)[7]
  • Scottie Scheffler described the 2026 East Lake Bermuda rough as the healthiest he had seen that year and effectively hack-out rough, a notable change from prior setups. — Scottie Scheffler (Opening course-conditions remarks)[8]
  • The 2023-24 restoration used a 1949 aerial photograph as inspiration and rebuilt every tee, green, fairway, and bunker; fairways changed from Meyer to Zorro Zoysia and greens from Mini Verde to TifEagle. (PDF p. 3)[2]
  • The official 2026 TOUR Championship setup is par 70 at 7,440 yards, with Nos. 1 and 14 played as par 4s and Nos. 6 and 18 as the only par 5s. (Key layout specifications and hole-by-hole breakdown)[9]

Sources

  1. 2026 TOUR Championship — Rory McIlroy Press Conference — ASAP Sports / PGA TOURhttps://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=221438
  2. Unveiling the New East Lake — Restoration Hole-by-Hole Notes — East Lake Golf Club / PGA TOURhttps://pgatourmedia.pgatourhq.com/static-assets/page/files/tours/2024/pgatour/tourchampionship/mondayQualifier/ELGC_Restoration%20Hole%20by%20Hole%20Notes.pdf
  3. Why East Lake will be more challenging at the TOUR Championship — PGA TOURhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve5E6yhe0ok
  4. The New East Lake and the Same Old Tour Championship — Fried Egg Golfhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOKc36_nwjs
  5. TOUR Championship — Andrew Green Press Conference — ASAP Sports / PGA TOURhttps://asaptext.com/orgs/pgatour/1017/browse_file.php?browse_file_name=transcripts/147709.html
  6. History — East Lake Golf Clubhttps://eastlakegolfclub.com/history/
  7. COMPLETE restoration at East Lake Golf Club led by Andrew Green — PGA TOURhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_DrG1E62Oo
  8. 2026 TOUR Championship — Scottie Scheffler Press Conference — ASAP Sports / PGA TOURhttps://asaptext.com/orgs/pgatour/1017/browse_file.php?browse_file_name=transcripts/170357.html
  9. TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club: Course preview and FAQs — PGA TOURhttps://www.pgatour.com/article/news/latest/2026/08/24/tour-championship-east-lake-golf-club-course-overview-atlanta-georgia