Golf in the Smokies
There are four beautiful golf courses spread about Sevier County, and all but one is within 5 miles of the Smokies Corridor. Two are less than 10 years old. Two are municipally owned, and top-flight course architects designed all four. Greens fees vary slightly from course to course, and most have in-season and off-season rate schedules-all quoted rates are in season. Because the local temperatures remain moderate through December, it's not unusual to see golfers out on most of the area courses year-round, but the idea of com¬ing to the Smokies to play golf in January and February isn't really a good one.
Reserved tee times are recommended from spring through fall, and some forms of golf/lodging packages are available at most courses. They're described here from north to south, starting with the newest.
Eagles Landing Golf Club
1556 Old Knoxville Highway, Sevierville (865) 429-4223
Laid out along Tenn. 66 between 1-40 and Dolly Parton Parkway, Eagle's Landing opened in 1994. The course is owned by the City of Sevierville. From downtown Sevierville, go west on Dolly Parton Parkway (U.S. 411/441) less than a mile from the Tenn. 66 intersection to the next traffic light at Old Knoxville Highway. Turn right and go about 2.5 miles. You'll see the course on the right before you see the driveway. If you're somewhere on 66, take Boyd's Creek Road (Tenn. 338-there's a traffic light) west about 1.2 miles to Old Knoxville Highway and turn left. The course entrance is a little more than a mile on the left.
The course is essentially flat, wide open for now (that'll change as the trees planted along the fairways mature), and very forgiving. The par 72 layout runs from 6,900 yards at the championship tees to an almost pitch-and-putt 4,600 from the ladies' tees. Rough that isn't a real hazzard borders wide Bermuda grass fairways. The Little Pigeon River wanders through the course, providing more scenery than anything else, but it can jump up and bite you if you're not paying attention.
Information on course layout ap¬proaches the overload stage, with five tee levels to shoot from. Pin placements are changed daily according to a zone diagram, and all pins are placed in the same zone every day. The scorecard shows the zoning for each green, and they'll tell you before you tee off which zones to shoot for.
Eagles Landing breaks the day into three parts, with fees sliding to match the time of day. Regular fees (opening until 2:00 P.M.) are $41 weekdays and $51 weekends. From 2:00 to 4:00 P.M., fees are $36 and $46 respectively, and the twilight rate of $25 kicks in at 4:00 P.M. every day. Carts are required, and all fees include carts. Eagles Landing is a member course of the National Audubon Co-operative Sanctuary Program, a national organization dedicated to preserving wildlife on golf courses. Nonplay areas of the course are maintained as wildlife refuges, and sightings of deer, otters, beavers, several duck species, Canada geese, and even wild turkeys lend a grace note to playing the course. American bald eagles have been seen over the course as well. Eagle's Landing has golf package tie-ins with several area lodging facilities and has detailed information available on the Internet. Advance tee times are recommended during the summer to avoid long waits once you arrive.
River Islands Golf Club 9610 Kodak Road, Mascot
(865) 933-0100, (800) 347-4737 e-mail mikemurray@linkscorp.com
Let's just get this out of the way and be done with it: River Islands is a spectacular golf course. Laid out alongside and in the middle of the French Broad River, River Islands is visually as pleasing as any course you'll play anywhere. Getting there requires a little more attention to the road than the other three area courses, but it's worth it.
Coming out of Sevierville on Winfield Dunn Parkway (Tenn. 66), turn left at the traffic light at Tenn. 139 (Kodak Road). It's the first traffic light after you cross the river on 66. Look for the blue and white signs. About 3 miles in on Tenn. 139, look for the Northview fire hall on the right and take the next left (it's a four-way stop Less than a mile later, turn right at Kodak Road, and follow it about 3 miles to the course entrance on the left. You'll see mo, of the course before you get to the drive way.
River Islands is an Arthur Hill design and it is the only course in the area rated by Golf magazine (four stars). It's a classic links-style layout, with five holes distributed among three natural islands in the French Broad River. Being laid out entirely along a river bottom, its pretty level; it' also heavily forested. This course also has the interesting distinction of being located in two counties; from the tee at the par three third hole in Knox County, you drive crosses the river and the county line (hopefully) coming down 175 yards late on the green in Sevier County. Tee layout make River Islands whatever you want it to be: The forward tees neutralize the ever present river, and the back tees will test your club selection skills. The fairways are a particularly lush Zoysia grass that feel almost spongy but sets a ball up nicely. Of the four courses, this is the one that can bring you to your knees the quickest and for the longest time. Played from the championship tees, River Islands is a test of every shot-making skill in the game. From the two intermediate tees it's a con¬stant challenge, and from the ladies' tees it's not really a pussycat but it's a lot drier.
Greens fees are $55 Monday through Friday and $59 Saturday and Sunday until 11:00 A.M. Fees drop to $45 and $49 respectively from 11:00 A.M. until 3:00 P.M. when the twilight fee of $29 becomes effective every day. This is an arduous course despite its relative flatness, and carts and spikeless shoes are required. Due to its extreme popularity, River Islands requires reserved tee times during the tourist season.
Gatlinburg Country Club
520 Dollywood Lane, Pigeon Forge (865) 453-3912, (800) 568-4748 www.ci.gatlinburg.tn.os
The Gatlinburg Golf Course is the oldest and most mountainous of the bunch. Established in Pigeon Forge in 1955, because that's where the land was available - the club was closed for an entire year in 1993 and completely renovated. To get there, turn off the Parkway at traffic light #8 (the Dollywood light) in Pigeon Forge. You'll see the course on the right long before you get to the clubhouse driveway.
Gatlinburg is the only course of the four in the area that's landlocked, and the only water at all is two artificial lakes that play with your head on the 18th hole. The layout stretches about 6,300 yards and par 71 from the longest tees, 4,710 yards and par 72 from the ladies' tees, and it's like playing two completely different courses. The front nine is reasonably level and sandy, with three long par fives. Fairways are broad and most of them run downhill to the greens. Indian guides are no longer required on the back nine, but you may feel the urge to yodel from time to time. The 12th hole, aptly named "Sky Hi," is internationally known for its 200-foot drop from tee to green, making the 195 yard length look like a greenside chip shot. Play it long-there's nothing between the tee and the green but deep wilderness and the occasional cloud. There are very few sidehilllies on the back nine; most of the fairways look like canyons. Gatlinburg is a lot of fun to play if you really enjoy variety. Approaching 50 years old, the course lets its natural growth provide most of the challenge and scenery. Carts are required on this course, and you'll appreciate that fact after a round. Regular greens fees are $47 Sunday through Thursday and $57 on Friday and Saturday. Twilight fees of $38 and $48, respectively, start at 2:00 P.M.
A hundred memberships are available at $750 a year, but don't reach for your checkbook just yet. The waiting list for memberships is just slightly shorter than the one for annual tickets to the Masters tournament.
Bent Creek Golf Village
3919 East Parkway, Gatlinburg (865) 436-3947, (800) 251-9336 www.bentcreekgolfvillage.com
The farthest course from the Smokies Corridor, Bent Creek lies along the foot of Webb's Mountain about 10 miles east of Gatlinburg on u.s. 321. A word of warning: Bent Creek is situated on a large resort property named Sunterra Resort.
Don't be confused by the presence of signs bearing both names as you approach the course. The course is a Gary Player design, running from a fairly flat front nine to a couple of mountain goat specials on the back. At 6,200 yards from the championship tees to 5,100 for the ladies', the course is medium length par 73, with generous fairways and forgiving rough. Most of the greens are moderately sloped with practically no bunkers in front. There's a lot of water on the course, but it only comes into serious play on a couple of holes. Bent Creek is a very playable course for the intermediate golfer. For the fanatic who's only coming here to play golf, the resort has several combination golf/lodging packages available. Regular greens fees are $52 Sunday through Thursday and $57 on Friday and Saturday. Twilight fees are $30 and $34 respectively, starting at 3:00 P.M. Carts are required. Bent Creek easy accessibility and long-term reputation make it a local favorite, and tee times are at a premium during the season.
Insiders'Tip
The national move to spikeless golf shoes has finally made its way to the Smokies.
Most of the courses in the area "strongly recommend "spikeless” shoes
Gatlinburg Golf Club requires them.
Don't be surprised if you're turned away for spiked shoes, especially when the greens have been dried by the summer sun.