Bobby Jones Golf Course: Fulfilling a Mission, Changing a Community

It’s been several years since the $33 million redevelopment project at Bobby Jones Golf Course was completed and stakeholders at the 144-acre facility adjacent to Atlanta Memorial Park often huddle to assess whether they believe they’ve fulfilled their lofty mission.

The course originally was built in 1932 as a tribute to Bobby Jones and the City of Atlanta transferred ownership of the property to the State in 2016. It reopened in late November 2018 – no public funds were used – transforming the 18-hole course into a nine-hole reversible layout. It took two more years before the other complimentary facilities were completed.

“We opened our doors and we didn’t really know what was going to happen,” said Jason Kuiper, Director of Instruction at the Grand Slam Golf Academy at the golf course. “We had a vision with junior golf and adaptive golf and serving veterans. We wanted to create this public golf atmosphere with all these different, new ideas for golf.

“We were going to try to redesign what urban golf redevelopment was and hopefully be successful to the point where other projects similar to this would look at us as the first one to do it.”

Kuiper and others at Bobby Jones meet frequently and constantly ask themselves if they’re on the right track.

“I think anyone you talk to from employees, staff, people within the community, donors of the project, I think would wholeheartedly say yes, we’ve done that,” Kuiper said

Marty Elgison is the President of the Bobby Jones Golf Course Foundation, which oversaw the redevelopment and remains in charge of its day-to-day decision making. He’s overwhelmed by early success stories.

“It’s turned out better than I ever expected it to be,” Elgison said. “It really has become a model for the renovation of municipal golf courses across the country.”

The logical question is how? How has Bobby Jones Golf Course been able to come so far so quickly? What are the keys to its overall success?

The simple answer is that there is something at the facility for anyone who is interested in playing the game. And much of it is free to the public. The Dan Yates Putting Course is free. Playing at Cupp Links, a five-hole par-3 course, is free. A new practice putting green and chipping green can both be used for no charge.

Bobby Jones Golf Course is the only outdoor publicly accessible range in the Atlanta area that uses the innovative TrackMan Range technology, which was added there in 2024. TrackMan Range's golf-ball tracking and tour-proven analytics make range sessions more dynamic, fun and focused on game improvement. Its data- and graphics-driven Virtual Golf, Practice, and Entertainment modes turn practice into a gamified experience and the Bobby Jones clientele enjoys the elevated experience TrackMan technology brings.

“Bobby Jones Golf Course means a great deal to so many golfers in the Atlanta area” said Jake Southards, Southeast Regional Manager for Trackman Range. “It has the perfect practice facilities for Trackman Range technology, with golfers of all skill levels now being able to benefit from a more rewarding and entertaining practice experience. ?Josh Deal and his team operate a first-class facility, so introducing our industry-leading technology has been a perfect fit.”

On top of that, Kuiper’s Grand Slam Academy, of course, is equipped with all the latest state-of-the-art cameras, software and technology.

A robust programming schedule and buy-in from every employee is another major determining factor in the course’s success. There are junior golf programs, adaptive golf programs, sessions for veterans, clinics for new golfers and women’s clinics, just to name a few. It is important that everyone marches in the same direction.

Bobby Jones Golf Course’s PGA Hope program, a free initiative that teaches golf to active-duty military and veterans, has made a significant impact in the lives of countless service people. The course’s PGA HOPE program boasts four different six-week clinics that are free to veterans and active-duty military. Kuiper has nine certified PGA of America professionals on staff who help with HOPE (helping our patriots everywhere). The course also does a similar clinic with the Salute Military Golf Association.

Dr. Funmilayo Aranmolate, a former Air Force optometrist and recovering stroke victim, has gained a great deal from being involved in PGA HOPE’s instructional sessions.

“My experience has really been life-changing because it’s making me get outside. I got into the program because I had a stroke, and one of the therapies was adaptive golf. And someone – one of the stroke survivors – at the Georgia State Golf Association adaptive golf told me about their other programs for veterans, including PGA Hope. I went to the clinic and, from there, I started volunteering with an adaptive golf program. PGA Hope has made me a better golfer and allowed me to realize I could play golf – despite my disability. The biggest thing is that it's helped me with my confidence. I was an athletic person, but I didn't know where sports could play a part in me being able to do something athletic.”

Bobby Jones’ PGA Junior League program had more than 250 children participate last summer. The weekly practice was on Sunday afternoons, which is prime real estate for tee times.

“What other golf course is going to give up three hours on a Sunday?” Kuiper asked. “Most courses would say absolutely not, but we do because we have the support of the foundation to make junior golf a priority.”

More than 4,000 juniors have come through the course in the last five years and the Youth on Course program allows juniors it play the course at any time for $5.

The centerpiece for the property is the Murray Golf House, which serves many roles. It’s the clubhouse for Bobby Jones Golf Course and is home to the Georgia State Golf Association, Georgia PGA Section and Georgia Golf Hall of Fame. Boone’s restaurant was originally designed to be a grab-and-go food center but has turned into an upscale experience that features American cuisine with beautiful views of the course.

“Five years in you catch wind of other projects,” Kuiper said. “They come visit us and want to learn about how we did this. How did you create a nonprofit, how did you raise the money? These are the things they want to know.

“There’s at least a handful of other projects that were born out of this idea. That’s a cool story.”

Bobby Jones Golf Course has come a long way in a short time and is pleased with its position in the “grow the game” conversations. But there is so much more left to be done and so many more people to serve.

“We’re going to continue to innovate and we’re going to stay at the forefront of golf and golf technology, both in terms of instruction and entertainment,” Elgison said, all as part of our mission to make a difference through golf.