What golf course is 7,190 yards, plays to a par 70 and would take at least two days to play?

The AJC's Dream 18.

After talking things over with numerous PGA professionals and several average Joes, we have selected 18 of the best holes from the metropolitan Atlanta area to tempt your fantasy foursome.

The criteria were simple. The courses included had to be open to public play, so you won't find any of the great holes from Peachtree or Settindown Creek or The Golf Club of Georgia. And only one hole per 18-hole layout was allowed.

And, while most of the holes are difficult, we were looking for more than just the longest and toughest hombres out there. These are holes that you'll be talking about after the round, mental postcards that you can carry.

As far as greens fees, you can play all the courses for less than $100, with most in the $50 range.

So get out there and hit it. And let us know where we missed. E12-13

THE HOLES

Bear's Best No. 18

BridgeMill No. 16

Browns Mill No. 3

Chateau Elan (Chateau Course) No. 14

Cherokee Run No. 3

Cobblestone No. 2

Crystal Lake No. 14

Durham Lakes No. 15

Heritage No. 2

Mystery Valley No. 15

North Fulton No. 9

Orchard Hills (Rock Garden) No. 7

PineIsle No. 18

St. Marlo No. 16

Stone Mountain (Lakemont) No. 3

Stone Mountain (Stonemont) No. 1

Trophy Club of Apalachee No. 10

Woodmont No. 16

AJC'S DREAM 18

From a 196-yard par 3 to a 601-yard par 5, a spectacular metro Atlanta round

Par 3s

Cherokee Run No. 3, 196 yards

Plays into a wide, shallow green that has a huge pot bunker in front. The hole plays uphill and requires a carry over a gully. There are a pair of bunkers in the back, but that's no fun either.

www.cherokeerun.com

Stan Awtrey of the AJC says: "The back tee is three paces from the woods. Make sure you take plenty of lumber, because anything short could land next to a copperhead. Take a drop and move on."

Heritage No. 2, 238 yards

One of many memorable holes on the original 18. Better grab a biscuit at the nearby chicken place before showing up for an early tee time. This one plays uphill to a well-bunkered green. Shots are typically launched into the prevailing western wind.

BridgeMill No. 16, 199 yards

Golfers play to an island green that's encircled two-thirds by sand. It's one of the area's most scenic holes and requires proper club selection. Better to miss long and play from the sand than flirt with the lake.

www.bridgemillathleticclub.com

Stan says: "Wow. A birdie. From eight feet. This one's going in my golden memory scrapbook."

St. Marlo, No. 16, 216 yards

The tee shot on this visually stunning hole —- on one of Atlanta's prettiest courses —- must carry a pond, and there's more water to the left. A bunker in the front and another on the right compound the danger.

www.stmarlo.com

General manager Mark Lin says, "It encompasses a lot of what our course is about, with the stonework, the pond, the stone bridge. It's a beautiful par 3, but it's quite difficult, especially from the back tees."

Par 4s

Stone Mountain (Stonemont) No. 1, 451 yards

You get the picture early that this isn't going to be an easy day. The opening hole is long —- so is the entire course —- and the fairway slopes to the right, making this a true slicer's nightmare. Just remember, everything breaks toward the big rock.

www.stonemountaingolf.com

Stan says: "The course is a Robert Trent Jones special. It's long and mean. The first hole tells all visitors that this could be a long day. At least the green is big enough to make it playable."

Mystery Valley No. 15, 408 yards

There's no room for error on this tight little number. A 3-wood off the tee isn't a bad choice. And if you keep it in the fairway, you're playing to an elevated green.

www.mysteryvalley.com

North Fulton, No. 9, 388 yards

A classic risk-reward hole is the toughest on the course. Long hitters can try to fly it 270 yards over the creek, which sets up an easy shot to the green. Others prefer to lay up and grab more lumber.

www.northfulton.americangolf.com

Browns Mill, No. 3, 435 yards

There are out-of-bounds stakes, as well as a fairway bunker, on the left and trees on the right. The hole plays uphill —- about 30 degrees from the tee —- to a green with a bunker on the right front. Play it like a par 5 and feel good about a bogey.

www.brownsmill.americangolf.com

Cobblestone, No. 2, 472 yards

Approaches to this tree-lined toughie arrive at a two-tiered, undulating green guarded in the front by a rock and on the left by a bunker. And with the course's rolling terrain, players aren't guaranteed a flat lie.

www.cobblestonegolf.com

Director of golf Greg Ray says, "Not only do you have to hit the right club off the tee, you have to shape it right to left. You can make a birdie here —- I did from six feet a week ago —- but you can also walk away with an 'X' on your card."

Chateau Elan (Chateau Course), No. 14, 428 yards

A pretty hole, if it were not for the trouble that's waiting on both sides of the fairway. Playing a draw off the tee leaves an approach to a three-tiered green that's bordered on the right by a waterfall.

www.chateauelan.com

Stan says: "There's a pool with a waterfall to the right of the green. For some reason that sliver of water has a magnetic pull that draws any Titleist or Top Flite its way."

Bear's Best, No. 18, 483 yards

This hole on the Jack Nicklaus replication course is modeled after No. 18 at Castle Pines. It plays slightly uphill, and there's a big bunker protecting the left side. The second shot has to carry 11 additional bunkers. And there's sand waiting on three sides of the green.

www.bearsbest.com

Stone Mountain (Lakemont), No. 3, 408 yards

A rather unforgiving fairway that requires an accurate approach shot. The green is bordered on three sides by water, leaving little bailout room. The view from the green is fabulous.

www.stonemountaingolf.com

Crystal Lake, No. 14, 437 yards

An elevated tee shot requires accuracy; anything sliced is dead, and anything short turns the hole into a par 5. The approach shot must carry more wetland areas, so don't be short. And almost all putts slope toward the big greenside bunker on the left. A par here feels like a birdie.

www.crystallakecc.com

Stan says: "This baby is visually intimidating from the tee box. Play it from the back and you'll need a 260-yard poke to have a chance. There are catch areas on the left, and anything right is long gone."

PineIsle, No. 18, 356 yards

A pretty finishing hole, especially when Lake Lanier is at capacity. A solid drive will leave a short iron into a shallow green. Bold players can attempt to drive the green, if they can bomb it 320 yards.

www.lakelanierislands.com

Stan says: "It's simple. Drive it between the fairway bunkers and have an easy shot into the green. Only the green is narrow, and there's a bunker in the bailout area on the right. And the big area in front of the green —- once filled with water —- is laughing at you."

Durham Lakes, No. 15, 436 yards

A combination of beauty and beast. The left side of the fairway runs along one of the course's many lakes, and drives can easily find a bunker on either side. The green is protected by water on three sides and has sand traps on the front and left side.

www.durhamlakes.com

Trophy Club of Apalachee, No. 10, 465 yards

A good driving hole, with a creek that cuts through the middle that makes it a tougher decision for big hitters. The fairway runs uphill, which makes the second shot even tougher. Beware: Flying the green could land you out of bounds.

www.trophyclubapalachee.com

Par 5s

Woodmont No. 16, 573 yards

The hole is ruled by a creek, which starts to the right in front of the tee boxes, turns left to bisect the fairway, then turns back to the right and runs in front of the green. Short approach shots will find a watery grave.

www.woodmontgolfclub.com

Scott Shelton, head PGA professional, says, "It's a three-shot hole, and what makes it difficult is you have to hit three shots over water. The second shot is the toughest: Hit it left and you're in a creek, hit it long and you're in a creek, hit it right and you get caught on a hill with high grass."

Orchard Hills (Rock Garden) No. 7, 601 yards

Long and troublesome, this one begins to dogleg left about halfway down. The second shot is blind, and anything to the right is dead. Stay out of the woods and you'll have a chance despite the length.

www.orchardhills.com

Orchard Hills assistant professional Dano Korytoski says, "It's a good three-shot hole. A big hitter can get there in two if they know where to hit it, but they'll have a blind shot into a tough green."