The management company that operates five Atlanta golf courses said it purposely chose not to submit a bid after the city of Atlanta issued a new request for proposals on its golf properties this summer.
American Golf said the primary reason was the city of Atlanta’s sale of one of its most lucrative golf properties, Bobby Jones, to the state.
American Golf has been managing five golf courses for the last 30 years: North Fulton, Candler Park, Bobby Jones, Brown’s Mill and Alfred ”Tup” Holmes.
New Management
On Nov. 1, the city will transition the courses to new management after it ends its lease of these properties with American Golf. It has not yet named a new operator to replace American Golf.
In a statement, Paul Ballam, vice president of business development, said American Golf had been trying till the last minute to negotiate with the city of Atlanta.
“American Golf did not participate in the most recent competitive bidding process to lease the City of Atlanta courses because Bobby Jones was not included in the RFP,” Ballam wrote. “It was our opinion that the removal of Bobby Jones from the City lease removed a key economic driver from the solicited lease, with the remaining group of courses not providing a viable economic option for a lessee and the City.”
To offset the loss of Bobby Jones from the courses it would operate, Ballam requested a new management agreement.
Under a lease, American Golf had been paying rent and taking on the operating risk. 
A management agreement would transfer both the revenues and the operating risk to the owner, the city of Atlanta, while paying the company a fee to manage its properties.
Two of the most lucrative golf properties in the city of Atlanta are Bobby Jones and North Fulton.
Bobby Jones
This summer, the Atlanta City Council voted to give Bobby Jones Golf Course to the state in exchange for property near Underground Atlanta.
Bobby Jones golf course is also where more than 60 years ago, Alfred “Tup” Holmes and his family were turned away because they were black. The course was one of seven public golf courses in Atlanta at the time.
Holmes sued in 1953 and two years later, in 1955, the case reached the U.S. Supreme Court.
Justices ruled in his favor and the decision desegregated America’s public golf courses. It is recognized as the first desegregation lawsuit in Atlanta.
Candler Park
Decatur resident Dennis Edmiston visits Candler Park Golf Course nearly every day. He said the nine-hole executive golf course is great for new golfers or those with a medium range of experience.
“You’ve got former city officials that I’ve played with and Lyft drivers and mechanics,” Edmiston said. “There are a lot of people who are very good and there’s others that like me just enjoy the game and not that good.”
The Candler Park Golf Course opened to the public in 1928.
Zaid Duwayri, the president of the Candler Park neighborhood association, lives across the street from the golf course. He said concerned neighbors have been in touch with the city of Atlanta.
“We still do not know who is going to run or maintain the golf course yet, but we’re hoping it will remain as it is because it is very much a cherished aspect of our neighborhood and a lot of people like it and they rally around it,” Duwayri said.
Ed Nelson, a resident of of Stone Mountain, said he plays twice a week at the Candler Park Golf Course.
“This is a beautiful park and part of the city and the real estate values would plummet if anything happened,” Nelson said. “People walk their dogs and we coexist with hikers and everything else here.”
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