Best Public Courses in TN

[MrDuke005]

What are some of the best public courses from the entire state of TN?

[redbaron515]

Im a fan of Country Hills in hendersonville. Its open, but very long and hilly.

[Shula Backer]

Windstone and Bear Trace in Chattanooga are nice.

[Mckenzie-Maniacs]

Carrol Lake

[barnburner]

Yea I'll have to go with Shula Backer on this one, Windstone and Bear Trace are pretty nice. Also, I think it is public, Old Fort in Nashville is a pretty good course.

[Shula Backer]

You can also cross the TN/GA line and play Nob North. It has an Augusta feel to it with all the tall pines, and the fast undulated greens. And too, #11 is one of the best holes I've ever played at any course!

[shrtstop2000]

A good course in Middle Tennessee is Windtree in Mt. Juliet. Easy front 9 with a more difficult back but a great public course

[HAMMATIME03]

Some of the best courses in TN are located in the Chattanooga area. For example, we have Chattanooga G and CC, Lookout Mtn. G and CC, Council Fire, Signal Mountain G and CC, and Black Creek. I know that all these are private, but if you can get on them then you'll understand why many people consider them to be incredible courses. I agree that Nob North is an excellent course and it does have that Augusta feel to it. The better public courses are Windstone, Bear Trace, and Brainerd.

[dahc]

River Islands is a great track in Knox County. It is on the Sevier County line. It has 6 holes on an island and 2 par 3's that are long and all carry over the French Broad River. They have the best fairways in Tennessee, but they have a little trouble with their greens. The greens are better than most, but are not as good as some of the better coarses in the state.

[thetruth1]

Bear Trace at Ross Creek in Clifton is definitely among the top courses...

[CoachMac65]

Any of the Bear Trace courses have to be considered. Also, Shiloh Golf Course in Adamsville is an outstanding and underrated course.

[clipper]

Out of the public courses I HAVE PLAYED ranked by the fun factor, condition, layout and scenery.

 

Number 1 thru #6 =make a special trip to play

Number 7 thru #15= be sure to play if you're in the area

 

#1 Stonehenge in Crossville-prettyest course around. Good layout, at times you feel like you're miles from anyone. Always in good shape (sometimes their bentgrass fairways are too wet and soft, but nobodies perfect).

 

#2 River Islands- East side of Knoxville (really Kodak) very scenic, plays all around the French Broad river and an Island. Zoysia fairways are plush. All holes around water are special. Most holes not around water are pretty ordinary (but there's not many of them)

 

#3 Graysburg Hills-just north of Greenville(Jeroldstown?) Pretty scenic, great layout 27 hole course. The older two nines are better than the new 9. This is a hidden gem most people outside of upper E. TN have never heard of. Just good golf.

 

#4 Hermitage-Nashville 36 hole facility, although I havn't played the newer course. Not real high on scenic scale but good condition and a strong layout. Lots of fun and challenging.

 

#5 Bear Trace Ross Creek-Clifton Beautiful layout in the middle of nowhere. Typical Nicklaus layout. Bring all your shots. When this course matures, I expect it will move up on the list.

 

#6 Bear Trace Cumberland Mtn-Crossville- see above. The onle thing that keeps this from being ahead of Ross Cr is ole Jack didn't have as nice a piece of property to work with.

 

#7 Wood Lake-Tazewell- Very scenic, on Norris Lake. Good layout, very few ordinary holes, usually in good condition.

 

#8 Egwani Farms-Alcoa-Good layout, usually in good shape, very playable, has some good holes and one stupid one (if you've played it, you know which one). Gets bonus points for staff friendlyness and service.

 

#9 Eagles Landing-Sevierville- Arnold Palmer design. Toughest course on the list. You must bring all your shots on this one. Not as scenic as you might think being in Sevierville (but neither is the town of Sevierville). Usually in good condition.

 

#10 Willow Creek-Farragut (West Knoxville)- This is a real golf layout, no tricks, just good golf. Always in good shape. Used to have bad pro shop service but seems to have gotten much better lately.Former Nike Tour course.

 

#11 Three Ridges-Knoxville-Another former Nike course. Pretty good layout with a coulple of silly holes and several excellent ones. Stays in decent shape, gets a lot of traffic. Sometimes slow play hinders course.

 

#12 Windtree-Mt. Juliet-Decent layout, decent conditions (both times I played this course was early in the year). Fun layout with several really good holes and several ordinary ones.

 

#13 Centinnial-Oak Ridge-Several really nice holes and several goofey golf holes. Generally in good shape.

 

#14 Millstone-Morristown-Just good golf holes. Minus points for scenery. A friend calls this one planes, trains and automobiles. Usually in good shape. Gets a lot of play but moves pretty quick.

 

#15 Ruggles Ferry-E. Knox Co(Strawberry Plains?). Good layout, several good par fives. New course that will move up on list as it matures.

 

As you can tell, I do a fair amount of travelling across the state. If you have a reccomendation, I would love to hear it. This list definitely has an E TN bias because that's where I play most of my golf. I'm looking forward to adding to the list soon.

 

One course just over the line I would reccomend is Wasioto Winds in Pineville, KY. (just above Middlesboro). It's a fairly new layout, very scenic and very challenging (be sure to play the appropriate tees).