Bear's Best Atlanta

Title says it all! If it isn't busy, I'll drop a ball in each of the different types of traps/bunkers and grasses to see how different each hole is.

I'm from the north and enjoy playing golf in the winter here in the Atlanta area when I visit my in-laws. I was very much looking forward to playing Bear's Best ATL having never played here before.

First, let me note the great people on staff. Checking in was a breeze and the young man at the register was very pleasant. The starter/cart guy was also a very nice gentleman while we chatted before we hit the practice range. Overall, the golf round was off to a great start with these 2 individuals.

Practice range: You can see the range through the window in the pro shop. It's even better in person and very very wide. There are several tiers of grass with 2 large practice greens to the left and right of the clubhouse. There are numerous target greens with flags. The only caveat might be all flags play downhill. This is very helpful as the course is very much a hilly course as is most ATL area golf courses.

Course Conditions: Wet morning in late December weather. We teed off with some rain/drizzle but the course played moist but not muddy. The fairways were kept green (or painted not sure) and the greens too. There were some moist areas of the fairways but not wet. The greens were playing quick and true. I believe only 1 hole out of 18 had leaves that I had to move.

Course Layout: What can I say except you should definitely play here! I shot an 83 which shocked me since I couldn't hit a putt to save par for my life. Like I mentioned earlier, many of the holes play downhill but not all. They built the course using different courses from the U.S. And at least 1 from Scotland. Make sure you get the yardages right. There some flags placed in the lower areas of greens where a missed shot will cause you to leave it short and lose it in a hazard. There were numerous greens where you had to carry a hazard putting pressure on your iron game. Challenging but not impossible, and more importantly, not tricked out. You can see how each hole fits the layout and the houses surrounding the golf course are stunning.

There were 1 "island" green par 3s. Not entirely island per se, but felt like it as there was a lot of water in front. I believe it was Hole 6 and Hole 11, which were just stunning and unnerving. Don't miss short on either and go left for your miss. Par is great on both.

I enjoyed this course very much and I hope to be back playing it. I played from the blue tees which is the middle. It has a slope of 137-ish. If you hit fairways, you will have a shot at par. Memory of the day - hole 17 - I missed my drive to the right and had a blind shot to the green. I could've played conservatively back into the fairway but my GPS app told me it was only 125 yards to the middle of the green. I haven't played here before and the only way I could do this was hit a punch shot 5-iron along the cart path between two pines. Eh, why not? Hit a low 5-iron solidly and by the time I got toward the green, it was on the front section of the green, about 50 feet from a back flag. Lag putted and somehow it dropped for birdie impressing my father-in-law and out of town relative! 38 on the back 9!

The course layout is fun to see where the original design came from on each hole. It was difficult for me and a lot of bunkers but I had a great time and we had the course mostly to ourselves.

The homes are nice to see along the way some are really spectacular! Everyone is polite and welcoming. I will be playing this course again.

Greens are mostly straight for most holes.

As always Bears Best never disappoints, course was in good shape given the time of the year, the pace of play was excellent and the proshop and starter staff were very professional in their approach. Our tee time was 12:30 and on hole #5 we ran into the beverage cart girl and said to her that we were good. She responds, in a not so nice a manner “this is my last go round. We said it’s just after 1:00 and this time she responds with an attitude, “it’s slow out here and I am done”. We looked at each other and shook our heads. Really, some people do not belong in the service related industry at all if they lack the basic customer service skills to interact with customers. We noticed players on every hole, in some cases, on the tee box, the fairway and the green on the same hole, so clearly the course appeared to be full. Well, she negatively impacted our experience for a short while and we simply continued play without a beverage or snack and will for sure, bring our own beverages and snacks the next time we play Bears Best.

Loved the course but was so slow and we only saw the course Marshall once

Friendly staff, fair course, great shape for the season, will play again!

Good track. Only played nine. Tee time was delayed due to a late-finishing daily event.

Nice layout. Tough holes that really challenge your game. I would play there again and will...

I usually pass on taking the reviews. But, I have played this course multiple times and the experience always not great.. Either crowded, over priced, club house people are not very friendly.. (Just ok). Starters are super nice.. This was one of the worse experiences that I ever had.. I have played golf all over the country.. Bears best is just not a good place to play a quality round of golf.. It was a terrible experience for me.. I will never go back.. Regards,

Each hole is designed like one of Jack's favorites!

Even TPC Dearborn MI! It's amazing and of course Jack's signature sand is strategically placed. A must play if you're in Georgia

Fantastic experience at Bear's Best. The staff was the friendliest at any course I've played this year. Really enjoyed talking to Marty Topper! Appreciate him working us in so quickly because I was late for the original tee time due to Atlanta traffic. The course and greens were in excellent shape! Will definitely be back!!

wish the course would play better in pace. waiting 15 mins per each hole is frustrating

Two days after Irma downpoured, I woke up wanting to play golf, they said it might be wet but they have people playing today. It was beautiful. Greens were a lot faster than I was expecting after that much rain. Only downfall were the bunkers. They weren't raked up or they were filled with water (hard to control mother nature). Will be back when the weather is better.

Bear's Best is honestly my favorite public course in town. I love the layout and especially the greens. Generally they roll well, roll quickly, and are a blast to putt on. Seeing as putting is the only phenomenal part of my game, I will pay the premium pricing out there a few times a year. My budget is generally under $40, and you can forget about that out here, so I consider it a special occasion to play here.

On my most recent visit, on a gorgeous day, I was let down by the greens. They were quite shaggy and bumpy, with signs of what I assume were weed patches on a few. Nothing like I expect from Bear's Best. Of course, the layout is fantastic, and aside from a few barren spots on the edges of the fairways, it was in decent shape. But those greens...

I hope the course isn't trending this way like St. Marlo nearby has, where it's just a money grab. I was actually contemplating their annual golf pass for 2018, which seems like a spectacular deal, but now I have to seriously reconsider, as I can't pay that price for average conditions.

But it really is a fun track...

I have played Bears Best before so I know the layout very well. I knew the greens were aerated within the past 2 weeks so my expectation weren't great for their condition. Surprisingly, the greens were not bad at all and the overall round turned out to be quite enjoyable. I always like Jack Nicklaus designed courses. There are always holes that are very challenging and holes that are fairly easy and give you good chances to score well. The practice areas at Bears Best are great. Nice grass range, multiple practice putting greens and a nice short game/chipping area with with a practice bunker.

I will be back again and again to play Bears Best.

Lovely property, well maintained.

Staff was excellent in pro shop

Par 3's are the course strength

Greens just aerated--known issue but didn't really effect play.

I love Bear's Best, but only in the fall. The normal rates for this golf course are a bit steep at over $100. The course is a moderate challenge from the blue tees, with generous fairways and despite the recent aeration, the greens are pretty slick. An excellent value for the fall.