Our Picks for The 10 Best Golf courses in Tennessee
1. The Honors Course
Address: 9603 Old Lee Hwy, Ooltewah, Tennessee 37363, Hamilton County
Type of field: Links
Course access: Private
Length of play: 18-hole course
Slope index: 152
Course Rating: 76.8
Total par (men’s tees): 72
Total yardage (men’s tees): 7,450
Scorecard: Link
Established in 1983, The Honors Course is a private golf club located just northeast of Chattanooga, Tennessee in a community known as Ooltewah. The club was founded by Coca-Cola bottling heir Jack Lupton and designed by Pete Dye in 1983. The U.S. Amateur was the first major event held at The Honors Course.
2. Golf Club Of Tennessee
Address: 1000 Golf Club Drive, Kingston Springs, Tennessee (TN) 37082, USA
Type of field: Parkland
Course access: Private
Length of play: 18-hole course
Slope index: 140
Course Rating: 73.6
Total par (men’s tees): 71
Total yardage (men’s tees): 6,844
Scorecard: Link
Golf Club of Tennessee was formed in 1988 by billionaire businessman Bronson Ingram along with Toby S. Wilt and George N. Gillett, Jr. As of 2017, Golf Digest rated the course as number 163 of Americas 200 Greatest Golf Courses. The club hosted the US Women’s Amateur Golf Championship in 2018. The Golf Club of Tennessee is planning to add a second Gil Hanse-designed course to its portfolio.
3. Holston Hills Country Club
Address: 5200 Holston Hills Road, Knoxville, Tennessee (TN) 37914, USA
Type of field: Parkland
Course access: Private
Length of play: 18-hole course
Slope index: 134
Course Rating: 73.4
Total par (men’s tees): 72
Total yardage (men’s tees): 6,932
Scorecard: Link
The golf course was designed by Donald Ross. Recognized as the finest course in the state and hosted all the important regional events. Holston Hills Country Club is one of Ross’s most famous designs and is widely considered to be one of the more untouched Donald Ross designs left in the United States. As of 2016 Holston Hills Country Club is owned and operated by McConnell Golf.
4. Spring Creek Ranch Golf Club
Address: 149 Collierville Arlington Rd, Collierville, TN 38017, USA
Type of field: Parkland
Course access: Private
Length of play: 18-hole course
Slope index: 145
Course Rating: 77.1
Total par (men’s tees): 72
Total yardage (men’s tees): 7,433
Scorecard: Link
Spring Creek Ranch Golf Club is primarily a “green course” with limited residential development planned in the future. It was the fifth course from Nicklaus Design to appear in Tennessee when it was unveiled at the start of the new millennium, following on from Richland Country Club in 1988. Spring Creek Ranch hopes to host a PGA Tour event sometime in the near future.
5. Sweetens Cove Golf Club
Address: 145 Payton Dr, South Pittsburg, TN 37380, USA
Type of field: Links
Course access: Public
Length of play: 9-hole course
Slope index: 123
Course Rating: 36.5
Total par (men’s tees): 36
Total yardage (men’s tees): 3,301
Scorecard: Link
Opened in 2014, the 9-hole course at Sweetens Cove Golf Club was built by architect Rob Collins. Featured in The New York Times and ranked the 49th ranked Modern Golf Course and the 21st Best Course You Can Play in the United States by Golfweek. Additionally, the golf course was rated the #1 ‘Course You Can Play’ in Tennessee by Golfweek.
6. Black Creek Club
Address: 4700 Cummings Cove Dr, Chattanooga, TN 37419, Hamilton County
Type of field: Links
Course access: Private
Length of play: 18-hole course
Slope index: 138
Course Rating: 74.6
Total par (men’s tees): 72
Total yardage (men’s tees): 7,204
Scorecard: Link
A Brian Silva layout which he designed with more than a passing nod to the work carried out by Seth Raynor during the Golden Age of golf architecture. The course is the centrepiece of a substantial residential development on the outskirts of Chattanooga.
7. Chickasaw Country Club
Address: 3395 Galloway Ave, Memphis, TN 38122, USA
Type of field: Parkland
Course access: Private
Length of play: 18-hole course
Slope index: 128
Course Rating: 72.3
Total par (men’s tees): 72
Total yardage (men’s tees): 6,608
Scorecard: Link
Chickasaw Country Club was founded in 1922, it is a classic southern golf club conveniently located in the heart of Memphis. It opened its William Langford-designed course in 1924. The course has been renovated numerous times down the years and much of Langford’s original design intent had been lost, so Bill Bergin was tasked with returning Chickasaw to its Golden Age roots.
8. Chattanooga Golf & Country Club
Address: 1511 Riverview Road, Chattanooga, Tennessee (TN) 37405, USA
Type of field: Links
Course access: Private
Length of play: 18-hole course
Slope index: 132
Course Rating: 75.4
Total par (men’s tees): 71
Total yardage (men’s tees): 6,685
Scorecard: Link
The golf course was designed by world renowned Scottish architect Donald Ross in the 1920’s. It was enhanced by Bill Bergin in 2005 bringing it back to the original design. Consistently ranked top 5 in the state by Golf Digest our course has been the site of many prestigious tournaments at the local, state and national level.
9. TPC Southwind
Address: 3325 Club at Swind, Memphis, Tennessee 38125, Shelby County
Type of field: Parkland
Course access: Private
Length of play: 18-hole course
Slope index: 145
Course Rating: 75.6
Total par (men’s tees): 70
Total yardage (men’s tees): 7,230
Scorecard: Link
TPC Southwind opened in 1988. This 18-hole championship golf course was designed by Ron Prichard, in consultation with tour pros Hubert Green and Fuzzy Zoeller. A member of the Tournament Players Club network operated by the PGA Tour. The layout features rolling zoysia fairways and champion Bermuda greens, with numerous lakes and streams adding to the challenge.
10. Memphis Country Club
Address: 600 Goodwyn St, Memphis, Tennessee 38111, Shelby County
Type of field: Links
Course access: Private
Length of play: 18-hole course
Slope index: 138
Course Rating: 72.9
Total par (men’s tees): 70
Total yardage (men’s tees): 6,589
Scorecard: Link
Founded in 1905, when James Foulis set out a 9-hole course for the membership. Expanded its original layout to eighteen holes in 1915 with Donald Ross somehow managing to fit the fairways into a 105-acre property located close to downtown Memphis. The club has hosted a number of national golfing events down the years: the US Women’s Amateur in 1937 and 1979, the US Amateur in 1948, and the US Senior Men’s Amateur in 1959.
