Golfing is one of the most popular activities in Tennessee (TN). In the U.S., Tennessee is famous for its great golf courses because the climate is friendly, so you can play golf throughout the year.
When we talk about the best golf courses in Tennessee, these are the places where PGA Tour professionals compete.
Still, they are ideal for fun outings and those moments when you just want to calm your mind with breathtaking views.
The diversity of golf experience in Tennessee will satisfy golfers at all skill levels. Prestigious golf clubs like the TPC Southwind and Sweetens Cove offer natural beauty and challenging layouts.
That said, note that you’re in the right place if you’re looking for the best golf course in Tennessee.
The Best Golf Courses In Tennessee
Here are the top-notch options that that won’t disappoint you:
- The Honors Course
- Spring Creek Ranch Golf Club
- Holston Hills Country Club
- The Golf Club of Tennessee
- Troubadour Golf & Field Club
- Black Creek Club
- Hermitage Golf Course
1. The Honors Course
- Location: Ooltewah, TN.
- Length: 7,400 yards.
- Par: 72.
- Total holes:18
- Designed by: Pete Dye.
- Year built: 1983
- Championships hosted: U.S. Junior Championship, NCAA Championships, U.S. Amateur and U.S. Mid-Amateur.
Over time, the Honor Course at Chattanooga’s northeast has hosted several amateur championships. This private golf club is solely focused on amateur golf.
Jack Lupton, the Coca-Cola bottling heir, founded the honors course while Pete Dye designed it. According to Golf Digest’s list of the top 1000 golf courses in the United States, The Honor course in Tennessee ranked 28th.
Getting to its details in entirety, it is ranked as the number one best golf course in Tennessee state.
2. Spring Creek Ranch
- Location: Collierville, Tennessee.
- Length: 7475 yards.
- Par: 72.
- Total holes: 18.
- Designed by: Jack Nicklaus
- Year built: 1999
- Championships hosted: Tennessee Boys’ and Girls’ Junior Amateur.
History has shown that golf courses in the U.S. were usually developed in rural areas with open properties.
The most utilized places were the former ranches and farms.
The willing lad could help detect the hole’s character. This simple description is all that the Spring Creek Ranch golf course in Tennessee is all about.
The Spring Creek golf course is located on an old ranch. The holes at this golf club zig-zag around wetlands and ponds. This par-5 double fairway occupies a whopping 20 acres of land.
You’ll find immense satisfaction navigating through Spring Creek Ranch Golf Club’s many outstanding and demanding holes.
However, discipline is key when taking on Spring Creek’s layout.
Every par 3 offers a formidable test, while par 5 tempts you with opportunities for risk and reward if you dare to go for the green in two.
The green complexes at Spring Creek Ranch Golf Club pose serious challenges, with slopes, hazards, and other troubles lurking around.
Moreover, the design and length ensure you’ll utilize every club in your bag. Overall, it’s nearly an impeccable golfing experience that awaits at Spring Creek.
3. Holston Hills Country Club
- Location: Knoxville, Tennessee.
- Length: 7037 yards.
- Par: 72.
- Total holes: 72.
- Designed by: Donald J. Ross.
- Year built: 1927.
- Championships hosted: Tennessee 2007 PGA Championship and USGA Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship in 2004.
Holston Hills Country Club has reaped unexpected benefits over the years despite being on the less favored side of town.
Unfortunately, the club had to undergo financial constraints, which spared it from the sweeping modernizations.
Still, the essence of Donald Ross’s 1927 design remains intact.
The outstanding features of the Holston Hills Country Club are the thoughtful layout branching out from the clubhouse and the undulating terrain offering challenging yet fair play.
In addition, the strategic cross-bunkering is meant to unpredictably influence shot choices. Since Holston Hills Country Club has original greens, they reveal graceful internal contours.
Regarding the key aspects of the game, par 5s vary from achievable to treacherous. On the other hand, the sixth’s artful bunkering elevates it to a standout hole.
At the Holston Hills Country Club, sequences 14, 15, and 16 offer a diverse experience: a demanding par 3, a mid-length par 4 with natural obstacles, and a tantalizingly drivable par 4 with an elevated green.
This trio epitomizes the course’s unique charm in the state.
4. The Golf Club of Tennessee
- Location: Kingston Springs, Tennessee.
- Length: 7184 yards.
- Par: 71.
- Total holes: 18.
- Designed by: Thomas Fazio.
- Year built: 1991.
- Championships hosted: U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship in 2018, The Vinny Pro-Celebrity-Am, and The DICK’S Sporting Goods Collegiate Challenge Cup.
Tom Fazio and Tom Marzolf came together in the early 1990s to design The Golf Club of Tennessee. This golf field sprawls across 317 acres. This vast area blends forest, ridges, and a river valley.
The Golf Club of Tennessee’s first two holes follow Brush Creek’s flat valley. Additionally, the third climbs through dense trees to a bluff green.
Visit The Golf Club of Tennessee knowing that hole four demands a 200-yard carry over a chasm to the river below. More than that, the eighth hole crosses the river directly, and the ninth hugs its rocky edge.
5. Troubadour Golf & Field Club
- Location: College Grove, Tennessee.
- Length: 7157 yards.
- Par: 71.
- Total holes: 18.
- Designed by: Von Hagge, Smelek, Baril andTom Fazio
- Year built: 2016.
- Championships hosted: Tennessee Junior PGA Championship, Tennessee Senior State Open, and Yamaha Players Championship, among others.
Do you know Discovery Land Company’s fancy development is just a short drive south of Nashville?
Yeah, Troubadour? Well, it’s like the VIP section of golf courses. They named it after those traveling musicians, the troubadours.
So, get this: the Troubadour Golf & Field Club used to be the Hideaway at Arrington. It was initially designed by this big-shot firm, von Hagge, Smelek, and Baril.
Troubadour’s got these tee boxes that give you killer views of the Tennessee hills. Architects which further renovated Troubadour Golf & Field Club, didn’t just slap some paint on it.
They smoothed out the rough edges and got rid of those crazy steep hills and complicated bunkers.
Moreover, they moved some greens to easier spots, especially on those tricky par five holes like 3, 9, and 12.
Fazio and his friend Blake Bickford came in and expanded the Troubadour Golf & Field Club. That created more room to play and made it easier to see where you’re aiming. Again, they added big bunkers strategically placed to help you hit those sweet spots.
6. Black Creek Club
- Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Length: 7204 yards
- Par: 72.
- Total holes: 18
- Designed by: Brian Silva.
- Year built: 2000.
- Championships hosted: N/A
Apart from playing golf, this is a place where you can enjoy parties and social gatherings.
The golfing experience at Black Creek Club is quite captivating.
Ultimate fun from unique and challenging holes is disseminated over its 7,204-yard field.
When Brian Silva designed Black Creek Club, he wanted the seasoned golfers to reconsider their tactics.
Still, this course is ready to accommodate golf beginners who want to embrace the timeless sport.
Regardless of your skill level, Black Creek Club has natural undulations and precise greenery that will leave you in awe.
7. Hermitage Golf Course
- Location: Old Hickory, Tennessee.
- Length: 7157 yards.
- Par: 72.
- Total holes: 18.
- Designed by: Denis Griffiths.
- Year built: 2000
- Championships hosted: 1949 PGA Championship and LPGA Sara Lee Classic, among others.
Hermitage Golf Course in Old Hickory has incredible tee placements, perfect for any skill level. Still, they’ve got not one but two courses: the President’s Reserve and the General’s Retreat.
So, whether you’re a pro or just starting, there’s something for you at Hermitage Golf Course. The General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course is something else in terms of fun.
It has been voted the best golf destination in Nashville. Historically, the General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course has hosted the LPGA Sara Lee Classic.
Since you will be playing along the Cumberland River, you’re set to capture the surrounding spectacular views. Amazing tee placements and scenery are some of the cool features that set Hermitage apart.
Again, the friendly atmosphere makes Hermitage Golf Course a great spot for a round of golf near Nashville. It features in our list of best golf courses in Tennessee, so why don’t you try it out?
Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Golf Courses In Tennessee
Tennessee has 247 golf courses. For the specifics, you will find that 70 are private, 143 are public, and 61 are municipal.
The answer is a resounding yes.
In fact, TPC Southwind has a championship-level golf course. It’s the only private golf club in Tennessee for the PGA Tour.
It’s possible to play golf at any time of the year in Tennessee. However, remember that the eastern part of Tennessee typically experiences mild temperatures during winter, unlike the other parts of the state.
Snowfall is less common in Tennessee; it can’t accumulate to great depth if it happens. This means golfers are welcome to enjoy golf in Tennessee at any time of the year.
Final Thoughts
Since now you have an overview of the best golf courses in Tennessee, don’t get confused choosing the way you can go.
I would say, the Honors Course in Ooltewah is the place to be if you’re seeking a classic and prestigious golfing experience with challenging yet fair play.
Ideally, when considering strategic challenges and breathtaking views, visit Spring Creek Ranch in Collierville.
Ultimately, remember that Tennessee will book you in for a treat with top-tier golfing options.
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