Trevor Ng
Tennessee is home to some of the best golf courses in the United States. The state's top-ranked golf courses include The Honors Course, Holston Hills, and Sweetens Cove Golf Club. Tennessee's golf scene offers a mix of classic and modern designs, with courses designed by renowned architects such as Donald Ross, Tom Fazio, Jack Nicklaus, and Brian Silva. The state's golfing profile has been elevated by new millennium layouts, including Silva's Black Creek course in Chattanooga and Nicklaus' Spring Creek Ranch in Collierville. With a rich history dating back to the 1920s, Tennessee's golf culture is thriving, providing a range of options for golfers of all skill levels.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Golf Courses | 274 |
| Number of Golfers Per Capita Rank | 40 |
| Average Public-Course Greens Fees | \(out of\) |
| Average Daily Temperature Rank | 14 |
| Annual Precipitation Rank | 6 |
| Top Golf Courses | The Honors Club, Holston Hills, Memphis Country Club, Chattanooga Golf & Country Club, Troubadour Golf & Field Club, The Golf Club of Tennessee, Spring Creek Ranch, Black Creek Club, Hillwood Country Club, Belle Meade Country Club, Tennessee National Golf Club, The Grove, Colonial Country Club, Richland Country Club |
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What You'll Learn
The top-ranked golf courses in Tennessee
Tennessee is home to some of the best golf courses in the country. The state's rich history in the sport dates back to the early 20th century when five private clubs founded the Tennessee Golf Association in 1914. Today, the Tennessee Golf Association looks after the interests of around 37,000 amateur men and women golfers across 220 clubs in the state.
The Honors Course, nestled in a secret valley north of Chattanooga, is widely considered the best golf course in Tennessee. Designed by Pete Dye, the course has consistently ranked in the top third of national rankings since its opening in 1983. Dye continued to tweak the course over the years, making subtle improvements to maintain its prestige.
The Golf Club of Tennessee, a Fazio design, is another top-ranked course in the state. Located in a beautiful river valley south of Nashville, the course offers stunning views and a variety of holes to challenge golfers of all skill levels. The course incorporates Brush Creek multiple times, providing both a scenic backdrop and compelling shot options.
For those seeking a blend of history and modern design, Holston Hills in Knoxville and the Chattanooga Golf & Country Club showcase the state's golf heritage with their classic Donald Ross designs from the 1920s. Belle Meade in Nashville is another notable Donald Ross course, although it has undergone several revisions over the years.
Modern designs like Tom Fazio's Troubadour Golf and Field Club, Jack Nicklaus' Spring Creek Ranch, and Brian Silva's Black Creek Club offer a fresh take on golf course architecture. Spring Creek Ranch, in particular, is known for its demanding design, with length and water hazards defining much of the challenge.
Other notable mentions include the Hillwood Country Club, Tennessee National Golf Club, and The Legacy in Springfield, which was designed by PGA Hall of Famer Raymond Floyd and ranked the #2 Public Course in Tennessee by Golf Advisor.
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Tennessee's best golf clubs
Tennessee is home to some of the best golf courses in the United States. The state's golfing profile has been raised by several new millennium layouts, including the Jack Nicklaus-designed Spring Creek Ranch in Collierville and Brian Silva's Black Creek course in Chattanooga.
The Honors Course, designed by Pete Dye and located in a secret valley north of Chattanooga, has been ranked No. 1 since it opened in 1983 and remains a mainstay in the top third of national rankings. Dye continued to tweak the course over the years, and after his passing in 2020, Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner were brought in to ensure the Dye classic remained one of the best.
The Golf Club of Tennessee, designed by Tom Fazio, is set in a beautiful river valley south of Nashville. The course offers stunning views and a variety of holes, with high shot option value both off the tee and around the greens. It has been described as a "tough but fair test of golf". The club's second course, called the Upper, was designed by Hanse and Wagner and opened for play in 2024.
Chattanooga Golf & Country Club is another top-ranked course in Tennessee. Founded in 1896 on the banks of the Tennessee River, the course was designed by Donald Ross in the early 1920s and remains largely unchanged today, despite renovations by Bill Bergin in 2005.
Other notable mentions include the Holston Hills Country Club, which is considered one of the best-preserved Donald Ross designs in the USA, and Sweetens Cove Golf Club, which has been touted as one of the best 9-hole courses in the country. Tennessee National Golf Club, Hillwood Country Club, and Belle Meade Country Club are also ranked among the best golf courses in the state.
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Tennessee Golf Association
The Tennessee Golf Association (TGA) was founded in 1914 by five private clubs. It now represents the interests of approximately 37,000 amateur male and female golfers, who play at 220 clubs across Tennessee. In 1991, the TGA joined the Tennessee Section of the PGA to create the Tennessee Golf Foundation, which promotes golf at both amateur and professional levels.
Tennessee is known for its great golf courses, with a mix of classic and modern designs. The state's best courses include The Honors Course, Holston Hills, and the Chattanooga Golf & Country Club, which showcase Tennessee's roots as a golf state. The Honors Course, designed by Pete Dye, has been ranked No. 1 since it opened in 1983 and has consistently featured in the top third of national rankings. Holston Hills, located near the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, is regarded as one of the best-preserved Donald Ross designs in the USA. The Chattanooga Golf & Country Club, founded in 1896, features a course designed by Donald Ross in the early 1920s that is still in use today, despite renovations.
Tennessee also offers modern designs like Tom Fazio's Troubadour Golf and Field Club, which entered the in-state rankings at 3rd as of 2024. The Golf Club of Tennessee, also designed by Fazio, provides a beautiful setting with stunning views and a large creek running through the property. The Spring Creek Ranch course, designed by Jack Nicklaus, is another modern layout known for its length and water hazards.
Other notable mentions include the Hillwood Country Club, Belle Meade Country Club, Tennessee National Golf Club, and The Grove, all ranked among the best golf courses in Tennessee.
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Golf course design in Tennessee
Tennessee is home to some of the best golf courses in the United States. The state's top courses showcase a mix of classic and modern designs, offering a variety of architectural styles to suit different tastes.
Some of the most renowned golf courses in Tennessee include the Holston Hills Country Club, nestled near the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, and the Chattanooga Golf & Country Club, founded in 1896 on the banks of the Tennessee River. Both of these courses were designed by the legendary Donald Ross, showcasing the state's rich golf history. Holston Hills, in particular, is known for preserving the original design, with its 18 holes remaining largely unaltered since the 1920s.
Modern designs, such as Tom Fazio's Troubadour Golf and Field Club, and The Golf Club of Tennessee, offer a fresh take on golf course architecture. Fazio's courses are known for their beauty and playability, incorporating stunning natural features like Brush Creek and granite formations. The Golf Club of Tennessee, designed by Fazio, provides a unique experience with two distinctive courses, the Upper and Lower, catering to a range of handicaps.
Another notable modern design is Spring Creek Ranch, designed by Jack Nicklaus. This demanding course features length and water as its defining characteristics, with aquatic hazards on fourteen holes. Nicklaus also designed the Richland Country Club course, showcasing his ability to create modern and challenging layouts.
Tennessee is also home to exceptional golf courses designed by other renowned architects, such as Brian Silva's Black Creek Club, which pays homage to the style of Seth Raynor, and Pete Dye's The Honors Course, consistently ranked as one of the best in the state and the nation. The state also boasts other highly-ranked courses, including The Grove, Colonial Country Club's South Course, and Hillwood Country Club.
With a mix of classic and modern designs, Tennessee offers a diverse and exciting golf landscape, attracting players from all over the country. The state's golf courses continue to evolve, with new developments like the upcoming Andrew Green golf course at Firefly, a luxury golf and residential community in Spring Hill, adding to the state's impressive portfolio of golf destinations.
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Tennessee's golf courses for beginners
Tennessee is a state with a rich history of golf boasting 275 golf courses, including 146 public, 64 municipal, and 68 private facilities. The state's golf courses are known for their scenic beauty, diverse layouts, and accessibility to players of all skill levels.
For beginners, here are some of the best golf courses that Tennessee has to offer:
Concord Golf Club in Knoxville is considered the easiest public golf course in Tennessee, with a course rating of 60.9. It's the perfect spot for a relaxed game, offering a forgiving layout and a calm environment for those new to the sport.
The Golf Club of Tennessee in Nashville is another excellent choice for beginners. While the course offers a challenging climb from the second green to the third hole, it also provides stunning views from the par-3 fourth hole. The course is designed by Tom Fazio, known for his beautiful and playable layouts that offer risk-reward options without being overwhelming.
Sweetens Cove Golf Club in South Pittsburg is a 9-hole gem that has been touted as one of the best in the country. While it may be shorter in length, it offers an exciting challenge with its undulating greens and surrounding hazards. It's a great place for beginners to test their skills and improve their short game.
Island Pointe GC in Kodak and Ruggles Ferry GC in Strawberry Plains are both scenic and challenging courses located in East Tennessee. These courses offer a mix of natural beauty and golfing excitement, providing a fun test for beginners looking to improve their game.
Tennessee's golf scene also includes a variety of public-access layouts that cater to players of all skill levels. Here are a few more notable mentions for beginners:
- Montlake Golf Course in Soddy-Daisy
- Bear Trace at Cumberland Mountain
- Bear Trace at Harrison Bay
- Gaylord Springs
- GreyStone
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Frequently asked questions
Some of the best golf courses in Tennessee include The Honors Course, Holston Hills, Chattanooga Golf & Country Club, and Sweetens Cove.
The Honors Course has been ranked No. 1 since it opened in 1983 and has been a mainstay in the top third of national rankings.
Holston Hills is ranked 3rd in Tennessee as of 2024.
Chattanooga Golf & Country Club is ranked as one of the best golf courses in Tennessee.
Sweetens Cove is a nine-hole course that is included in the shortlist of the best golf courses in Tennessee.
