A Proper Jones: Stone Mountain’s Stonemont Course

The Stonemont Course at Stone Mountain Golf Club outside of Atlanta is what you expect from stock, mid-century Robert Trent Jones: a straight-forward, thick-waisted course full of tree-lined doglegs, big elevated greens pinched in front by bunkers and, yes, some runway tees.

There’s a welcome what-you-see-is-what-you-get simplicity to the course as many of the holes play back and forth and up and down the hills of a property that slopes up from Stone Mountain Lake, and only two holes that feature water. So that part is rather un-Trent Jones

Some of the land isn’t suited for golf — big swoops of earth can send balls careening into the trees at the 1st and 9th — but there are some good transition holes like the short par-4 2nd and others like 13-15 that ride smartly along the gentler terrain.

This isn’t one of RTJ’s most memorable courses but it remains in original condition and there’s a purity and logic in the ground that represents a refreshing departure from the dozens of cart-ball development courses that clog Atlanta’s arteries. And regardless of larger cache, it’s definitely the one you want to play between the two courses here. (84)

Stone Mountain—Stonemont Course

Atlanta/Stone Mountain

Architect: Robert Trent Jones

Year: 1969