Played Montgomery Bell this weekend not knowing they had just top dressed the greens and still really enjoyed my (second) round out there ever. Course was crispy so balls were running forever which added a sense of mayhem my group all appreciated. You had to control you shot shape AND distance since a drive carrying 240 could easily rollout 40 yds into the woods never to be seen again. Love the setting and overall quietness of the course (no houses, not “overly designed” with fake waterfalls etc, decent pace both times I have been there). I feel like this course looks and plays similarly to RTJ Oxmoor but fixes a lot of the annoying aspects of that course (waaaay to may uphill drives and blind approaches). However, since this is a message board, I do have a couple of critiques.
#Critique 1 - As I noted the first time, several of the holes look and play almost exactly the same. I find holes 3-6 forgettable (like I actually can’t remember what those holes look like without google maps) and a lot of the front 9 of the course runs together in my mind overall.
#Critique 2 - Just a ton of dogleg rights on repeat. I think I count 8 dogleg rights to 2 dogleg lefts. As someone who hits a push hook at times maybe I am just being selfish here.
#Critique 3 - A brutal walk, with the setting I would love to walk this course but it is just too much (for me).
In an effort to have a compliment sandwich, I want to shout the stretch of holes from #9-#13, just a joy to play. 9 is a semi-blind tee shot with an inviting, downhill second shot. 10 is a downhill dogleg left that requires a precise tee shot to keep from running through the fairway into the right trees (but cleverly puts a bunker on the left side to keep you from bailing out too much). 11 is another blind downhill hole that doglegs right and, when crispy can add 50 yds of roll to your tee shot so look out, it has a beautiful greensite that preens from the top of a hill (probably my favorite hole). 12 is a short, sharp dogleg right (green is obscured) that you can take a really crazy line on if you are feeling “on” and has a relatively tricky green. Finally 13 is a straight, gentle uphill 4 that has a very nice (also intimidating) view and line from the blue tee box. Just a nice variety of design that demands strategy, different shots and patience all while packaging them with very attractive natural use of terrain. Would play this course on repeat if I lived anywhere near Dickson.
@PairedUpGolf posed the question on his Instagram a couple weeks ago asking what the best three hole stretch is at the Nashville munis and I’m curious to hear the board’s opinions. IMO, 11-13 at Two Rivers is the best stretch. 11 is kinda whatever, but 12 is a fun, challenging par 4 with an intimidating tee shot and a tricky green. I’ve gone long trying to stick one close to a back pin and gotten absolutely fucked.
13 is my favorite hole out there. As a somewhat shorter hitter, a good drive puts me in the go zone, and watching the second shot roll down the hill and creep up on the green is as fun as it gets.
My absolute inability to hit a draw clearly had an impact on my choices.
@NoKillerAllFiller I think 11 at Two Rivers is the best looking par 3 of all the munis. Just a really cool looking hole. I actually fall into the “12 is whatever” camp but do agree that the tee shot is interesting. I love #13 now that the tree is gone from the fairway and it is harrowing to watch your second shot go into that green, especially if it has any type of fade to it.
I think my favorite 3 holes are also at Two Rivers but are 3-5. Three may not be a triumph of traditional design but I find myself “engaged” every time I play it. Truly a kitchen sink par 5 where it has potential trouble off the tee, at times very tall grass left, water (not really in play but it’s there), bunkers in play on the tee shot, layup and shot into the green, some hard runoffs to penalize going for it and a two tiered green. Four is a ridiculous 90 degree dogleg BUT you can aim directly at the green and try to fit a driver through the trees or play down 5 fairway (OPTIONS, PEOPLE!). Five is just a tough hole that can be borderline unfair when it is really dry. A dogleg right with the fairway sloping hard in the direction of the dogleg but also towards the OB. 2nd shot is into an exposed green that can get rolling very quickly if you are above the hole with subtle breaks. Two Rivers has its flaws but is, on the whole, I think underrated. It is a course that looks easier than it is and maybe doesn’t pop like Harpeth Hills or have the quirk of Ted Rhodes but probably deserves a little more love and TLC from the city.
Great question. Without hesitation I would say 11-13 at Two Rivers. I love 12 and 13 especially. I’ve found 12 more fun once I realized the play is to push your drive as far up the left side as possible. You can get some really flat lies up there. For the longest time I always tried to cut the corner but it left a much more uphill approach and often an uneven lie.
I’ll throw a somewhat wildcard from Harpeth. I really like 14-16. I think 14 green is an absurdly difficult green in the summer. Holding it is tough but you can have less than PW if you take on the creek on the right side of the green and push a drive up there. 15 has a similar feel as Two Rivers 11 and I like the way it is framed by the hills. 16 is probably controversial but I just like the classic overgrown muni trees that pinch in around the approach area of the green. The undulation is cool.
Gentlemen. I’d like to take a moment to thank this great platform we have courtesy of our friends at No Laying Up. Today, I had the pleasure of meeting and playing @littleCoreyPavin in the 1st round of The High Cotton Classic. First off, the event wouldn’t have been possible without this platform and without you all, so thank you. Second, what an absolutely pleasure it was to play with and compete against a class act like Mr. Pavin. Finally, I’m fired up thinking about the second and third editions of The High Cotton Classic, and I can’t wait to get more of you involved. If anyone wants to be involved in the field of 32 starting at the beginning of September, shoot me an email with your GHIN to chendrickson2014@gmail.com and I’ll get you on the list. Next one is bigger and better, and the next the same. #getinvolved
MBSP is one of my favorite courses in the Nashville area. I do think it is one of the more intimidating courses when your trying to get off the tee. If you don’t have a second or even a third option off the tee out there outside of your driver it’s going to be a long day…They have good par 3’s out there as well and usually some of the best greens. I think that course plays best in the spring or fall. When I play in the fall I literally bring my small battery powered blower in the cart with me.
I didn’t know there was such a fond feeling about #12 at Two Rivers lol. I do think its a hard/good hole but not one that sticks out to me. I will say the 11th is an amazing par 3…Maybe one of the best? I really like the par 3 8th next to Briley. I absolutely adore the 13th, 14th and the 18th is awesome because I always think that bunker is in the fairway but in reality its right by the green…
I really enjoy the first three holes at ole Ted Rhodes… #2 is a great hole.
Played Old Natchez yesterday and man those greens are CRISPY and FAST. Probably some of the best greens I have putt on in a long time.
Howdy y’all. Been a Nashville resident for years but new to golf. What courses are newbie friendly? I’m thinking wide fairways, friendly, and not crazy expensive.
Welcome! I would say Two Rivers is a good mix of all of those things. Other municipal courses are decently open as well (Ted Rhodes). Harpeth hills is the toughest of that group.
The nice thing about our munis (which I defend vociferously), is that I believe there is something for everyone and a good ladder of challenge. Depending on your skill level, I would say this:
Vinnylinks - par 3 course with one 250 yd par 4. A specialty course to be sure.
Percy Warner - not a full size golf course but has some par 4s that are quite short. This course looks easier than it is and probably plays harder than it was intended to. Even though the holes are short, for the most part, the trees are very overgrown and narrow the fairways considerably. The greens are small and turtlebacked in many spots. BUT, this is a very beginner friendly golf course. Almost no one out here will be taking it seriously and if they are, remind them that Harpeth Hills is like 2 miles away if they want a “test.”
McCabe - pretty wide open, no forced carries and no water. OB down the sides on a few holes. Probably the easiest of the munis to get around. Not a very compelling design but a good place to hack around if you are starting out.
Shelby - This course is Quirky with a capital Q. Greens are typically in bad shape and the layout of the course feels like it is on the side of a hill. I don’t really know who this course is intended for but I typically avoid it at all costs. Personally, I think they should just take the best 9 holes and make a 9 hole course. As an 18 hole course I think it makes almost no sense.
Ted Rhodes - Step up in difficulty compared to McCabe. Pretty open on the front, tightens a bit on the back. Has water in play on at least 7 holes. Has a lot of variability in the design of holes which is neat.
Two Rivers - Step up in difficult compared to McCabe. Mostly open but has two par 3s with forced carries over water. I think this is a very good all around golf course and at times during the week is a ghost town which makes it easy to get around in a few hours. The weekend is a completely different story.
Harpeth Hills - As already stated, this is the hardest of the municipals in my opinion. Less so because of water (there isn’t any other than the creek on 1) but more so because of elevation changes, doglegs and large trees. I play quite regularly and there are days where this course just absolutely nukes me.
Good summary of the munis. As I’ve gotten back into the game over the past couple years, I’ve been super impressed with the quality and variety of Nashville’s munis.
The only thing I’d push back on is your summary of McCabe. That course doesn’t look like much (a bunch of straight holes routed side-by-side and around it’s revenue-generating driving range), and it’s definitely short, but I’d argue those greens – especially with the new bermuda – give that course a compelling design. They vary in size, slope and shape, and they promote some fun approach and short game shots. Don’t sleep on McCabe
That’s fair! In truth, I play about 70% of my golf at McCabe. Easy to jump out there for 9 (most of the time) and it’s not like I am taking it super deep out there. So many other people crap on it that I try not to build it up to people but I find it fun and only have issues with like 2 of the 27 holes (I am looking at you #5 par 3 and #9 par 4 both on the North). The new greens, I agree, are much more resilient and true which makes it more enjoyable. I just think, design-wise, it is behind Ted Rhodes, Harpeth and Two Rivers.
My vote for best 3 hole muni stretch would be Ted Rhodes 7-9.
7 - Straight ahead par 4 that’s long and often plays into the prevailing SSW wind. You have a long green that yields many GIRs and three putts.
*JohnnyRock Design Renovation - Add a speed slot on the left side of the fairway that cants away from the cart path. Make the green our city’s biarritz.
8 - Play safe by hitting 3 wood and you have a long iron approach, play aggressive and you risk water left or a sandy lie with tree issues right.
*JRDR - Better define the former bunker right into a waste bunker that punishes the long right miss past the trees. Punchbowl the green and add kicker short to assist the long iron approach.
9 - Thunderdome par 3 with wind exposure. Heroic shot for the average golfer over water and a line of bunkers.
*JRDR - Extend and slope the back of the green off the mounds, tier the green back right high, front left low.
Other Considerations
Harpeth 14-16 - Would possibly win if you inserted 17 in 16’s spot.
14 - *JRDR Option 1: Extend green or soften right edge to increase possible pin locations with modern stimp. Option 2: Remove one or two trees (Sorry Gary Player) right of the fairway which would allow a better angle to the standard back left pin.
15 - A great par three, *JRDR extend tightly mown grass left of the green
16 - Green approach can get goofy in the summer with the grain and slope going left to right. *JRDR Add a kicker left of the green.
17 - Perfectly placed fairway bunkers left and perfect green to protect a short par 5.
Two Rivers 5-7 - These holes all reward executing good shots, *JRDR cross bunker on 7
I believe I’ve said this before but here is my redesign of HH #16 -
Move cart path to the left of the fairway so it is on the high side and balls naturally feed away from it.
Shift fairway right a bit off the tee to bring the creek more into play.
Remove the cluster of trees to the left around the landing area for the second shot and replace with 2-3 fairway bunkers that can be carried but only if you hit a good second.
This would allow a player to go at the green but would have to carry the fairway bunkers to do it. Would also allow more layups in the fairway that is currently between the cluster of trees and the green. Hopefully then 80% of the second shots wouldn’t feed down to the tree behind the 17th tee.
Would introduce a nice risk/reward. Play over the bunkers to get a good view of the green and not be pitching up the hill or play right to avoid the bunkers and have the blind pitch over the green side bunker.
I’d argue 6-8 is better than 7-9. 6 is an incredible short par 4 that is not a very easy birdie and the bunkering is damn good. In play for lay ups as well as going for it.
Big fan of 6, would love to hear how everybody plays it. I always go for it and don’t see much risk in doing so because the bunkers are tame.
*JRDR Make these greenside bunkers more punitive.
The other hole I’m curious how people play is the par 5 13th. I was very cool once and hit a draw on purpose to about 185 from the whites. Tried it again from the blues and double crossed my life away into 14. I’m prepared to hit back to back 5 irons next time.
*JRDR Trim the trees left of the tee box to revive the risk reward cape aspect.
I might have to question your geography a *little tiny bit there, haha. Henry Horton is a legit 1 hr drive from central nashville. As someone who has two kids there is no chance I get out there on a regular basis.
I hear you but it’s only 13 miles farther than Greystone and I can make it in 40-45 min from Green Hills if I’m trying.
I also have 2 kids but they are pretty self sufficient at this point and my wife grew up with a father that played a lot of golf so she is far more accommodating than I deserve. Some day my son-in-law will thank me for conditioning my daughter as my father-in-law did for me.
