A JOB FOR ROCKY
For fans of nostalgic golf architecture, one of the Atlanta area’s newest courses provides a refreshing retro step back in time.
Canongate at Laurel Canyon, originally launched as Fairways of Canton, opened for play in November 2007. It is a unique Rocky Roquemore-design that channels favorite elements of his preferred old school designers, including Willie Park (Olympia Fields), Alistair MacKenzie (Augusta National) and William Flynn (Shinnecock Hills).
Roquemore, a Lakeland, Georgia., native, has more than 100 courses around the world to his credit. Layouts with Roquemore’s signature include designs or redesigns of well-known courses at locations such as La Costa Resort, Cog Hill and Lake Buena Vista at Walt Disney World.
His work is also heavily concentrated on Atlanta’s Southside. Roquemore was responsible for many of the Canongate portfolio of private courses. White Oak in Newnan, Planterra in Peachtree City and Canongate in Sharpsburg feature Roquemore designs.
Laurel Canyon, his latest contribution, provided Roquemore with the chance to take a chance.
“You might say we're taking the golfer back in time (at Laurel Canyon)," says Roquemore. "This course is very different from anything that I have ever done, and it's very different from any other course in this area."
The hilly and rugged terrain in this part of Cherokee County, according to Roquemore, reminded him of old North Carolina Mountain courses.
“I decided that the design for this property would work better if I tried to mimic some of the old designers who really had to follow the terrain, because they didn't have a choice. They didn't have the options we have today in terms of technology and, consequently, their designs fit more naturally into the flow of the land than a lot of today's courses."
The par-71, 6,500-yard layout features deep bunkers, narrow fairways and small greens, putting a premium on accuracy and shot-making over length.
“If you remember how Ben Hogan played positioning, strategic golf, that is the best way to play Laurel Canyon,” says director of golf John Spiroplaus, a PGA master professional who spent 28 years of his career at U.S. Open host course Olympia Fields. “You don’t hit driver off every tee. You may need to hit an iron or a fairway wood and get the ball in play. Approach shots are also at a premium because the greens are very well guarded by bunkers and taller grass around the greens.”
Roquemore integrated several holes into Laurel Canyon that were designed to resemble some of his favorite holes from famous courses. No. 6 draws comparisons to No. 13 at Augusta National, with the exception of it being a dogleg-right, not left, par 5. No. 7 was inspired by the seventh hole at Cypress Point.
Laurel Canyon represents the 20th Atlanta area private facility in the Canongate Golf Clubs family of courses. Other recent Canongate additions in the north metro area include Eagle Watch, Windermere, Olde Atlanta and Hamilton Mill.
Laurel Canyon was originally opened as a municipal course for the city of Canton. The city still owns the property and Canton residents have daily-fee access along with the Canongate private club membership. It serves as the home course for the Reinhardt College golf team.
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