The Atlanta Athletic Club added golf in 1904 by building a course at East Lake, and it became Bobby Jones's home course. In 1963 Arnold Palmer captained the U.S. to a 23-9 Ryder Cup win there, according to the club. Then the surrounding area declined, the Athletic Club moved north in the 1960s, and the course went through difficult decades.
What happened next is why East Lake is unlike any other private club in Atlanta. Developer Tom Cousins bought it, restored the course and tied the club's finances to the revival of the neighborhood around it. Three decades later, as the PGA Tour prepares to move its season finale into a rotation, the club is changing again.
From Bobby Jones to Tom Cousins
Tom Bendelow laid out the first course, and Donald Ross redesigned it in 1913. Jones went on to inspire a second great Atlanta course, Peachtree Golf Club, which opened in 1948. After the neighborhood around it declined in the 1960s, a group of 25 members formed East Lake Country Club in 1968 to keep it going. Cousins bought it in the early 1990s; sources differ on whether it was 1993 or 1995.
Rees Jones restored the Ross layout in 1994. Andrew Green completed another restoration that debuted in 2024, working from a previously unknown 1949 aerial photograph, and the course now plays par 71 at 7,455 yards.
The Tour Championship was first played at East Lake in 1998 and has been held there 25 times. In June 2026 the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that East Lake has a contract to host through 2027 and will no longer be the permanent home; Atlanta News First reported it will still be considered in the rotation that begins in 2028.
How Membership Works, and What It Costs
East Lake was rebuilt on corporate memberships. Accounts differ on the exact numbers Cousins used at the start, so we will not repeat them, but the structure is clear: companies joined, and the money went to the community as well as the club. According to Wikipedia, all proceeds from the club's operations, more than $20 million to date, go to the East Lake Foundation.
The most credible fee figure is from the AJC in 2019: a $125,000 membership fee set by Cousins, plus a suggested $200,000 donation to the foundation. It is dated, and it describes what Cousins set rather than a current price. Higher numbers online, such as a $250,000 initiation plus a $150,000 donation, come from a golf blogger who says he heard them and from pricing sites repeating him.
The club's website publishes nothing on membership beyond a member login. If East Lake is on your list, expect the conversation to start with someone who already belongs. For how initiation, dues and assessments fit together elsewhere, see our guide to how club costs work.
The Homes Around the Club
The club is at 2575 Alston Drive SE in East Lake, which Wikipedia describes as the easternmost of the City of Atlanta's neighborhoods, in DeKalb County. It borders Kirkwood and Oakhurst, the latter in Decatur.
The revival Cousins started went well beyond the course. The East Lake Foundation, which he helped create in 1995, has invested more than $600 million since, and the Drew Charter School opened nearby in 2000 as Atlanta Public Schools' first charter school. In 2009 Cousins founded Purpose Built Communities with Warren Buffett and Julian Robertson to apply the model in other cities, according to the foundation's history.
For buyers, the established luxury options nearby are in and around Decatur, where our guide puts typical luxury pricing at $800,000 to $2.5 million and up, and the older streets of Kirkwood and Oakhurst. Our Decatur and Avondale guide and Grant Park guide cover the area.
Before You Buy Near East Lake
- Treat membership as relationship-driven. The club publishes no process.
- Factor in the Tour Championship change. Tournament week has been an annual fixture, and from 2028 whether it returns will depend on the rotation.
- Buy for the neighborhood you want to live in. Decatur, Kirkwood and Oakhurst are strong on their own.
For the other clubs in the city, see our Atlanta country club communities guide.
The Short Version
- Bobby Jones's home course, founded by the Atlanta Athletic Club in 1904.
- The only credibly reported fee: $125,000 plus a suggested $200,000 donation, per the AJC in 2019.
- Its permanent hold on the Tour Championship ends after 2027. It moves into a rotation.
- Club proceeds fund the East Lake Foundation, which is unusual among private clubs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does East Lake Golf Club membership cost?
The club does not publish membership information. The most credible figure is dated: the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in 2019 that Tom Cousins set a $125,000 membership fee plus a suggested $200,000 donation to the East Lake Foundation. Higher figures circulating online, such as a $250,000 initiation, come from a blogger who says he has heard them and from sites repeating him. No current figure has been confirmed.
Is East Lake Golf Club still hosting the Tour Championship?
Through 2027. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in June 2026 that East Lake has a contract to host through 2027 and will no longer be the event's permanent home, though it is expected to be considered in the PGA Tour's rotation from 2028.
Who designed East Lake Golf Club?
Tom Bendelow laid out the original course, and Donald Ross redesigned it in 1913. Rees Jones restored the Ross layout in 1994. Andrew Green completed a restoration that debuted in 2024, working from a 1949 aerial photograph; the course now plays par 71 at 7,455 yards.
Was East Lake Bobby Jones's home course?
Yes. The club describes itself as the historic home of Bobby Jones. It began in 1904 as the golf course of the Atlanta Athletic Club, which later moved to Johns Creek.
Where does East Lake Golf Club's money go?
According to Wikipedia, all proceeds from the club's operations, more than $20 million to date, go to the East Lake Foundation, which Tom Cousins helped found in 1995 to support the surrounding community.
What neighborhood is East Lake Golf Club in?
The club is at 2575 Alston Drive SE in East Lake, the easternmost of the City of Atlanta's neighborhoods, which sits in DeKalb County. Kirkwood and Oakhurst, in Decatur, are next door, and Decatur Square is a short drive.
Disclaimer: The Luxury Realtor Group is not affiliated with East Lake Golf Club. Membership terms, fees, categories and waitlists are set by the club and change over time; confirm them directly with the club. History is drawn from the sources linked in the text. Home price ranges are general market observations, not appraisals.
