Golf in Tennessee
Overview
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This page explains golf in Tennessee. The sorter handles the local question by city or ZIP.
Golf in Tennessee
Nashville Metro Parks operates several public golf facilities including Harpeth Hills Golf Course, set within Percy Warner Park. A Senior annual membership is available at $600 per year, and regular green fees at Metro courses are among the more affordable options in the region. Tennessee's mild climate allows golf from late February through November in most years.
Published local price
Weekday 18-hole greens fee at Shelby Golf Course (municipal, Nashville); rates vary by season and tee time
Published range: $34 to $44.
Nashville Metro Parks - Shelby Golf Course · as of 2025-04Golf score
20th of 51 states for retirement golf
Golf score blends year-round playability (34%), playable access (16%), affordability (16%), course pedigree (12%), and statewide course density (22%).
Courses
A sample of marquee courses across Tennessee, with where to play and how to book.
Plateau layout using elevation changes, brooks, and clustered mature pines · Jack Nicklaus
A Jack Nicklaus design inside a state park on the Cumberland Plateau, where the elevation changes and tall pines do the talking. It has been ranked among the top public courses in Tennessee, and you can play it without a membership.
Opened 1998 · $$ · Slope 141
Seven greens sit at the water's edge, including a par-3 on the riverbank · Jack Nicklaus
A Nicklaus design on the Tennessee River about twenty minutes north of Chattanooga, with seven greens right at the water's edge. The riverside par-3 fourth is the one you will want a photo of.
Opened 1999 · $$ · Slope 138
Course profile
Wild contoured greens, bold bunkering, and drivable par 4s · King-Collins (Rob Collins and Tad King)
A nine-hole cult favorite in the Sequatchie Valley with wildly contoured greens and a relaxed, bring-your-dog spirit. Walking is welcome here, and the dual pins let you play a fresh second loop.
Opened 2014 · $$$
Scottish links style bordered by limestone bluffs and wetlands · Larry Nelson
A links-style course from U.S. Open champion Larry Nelson, minutes from the Opryland resort in Nashville. Limestone bluffs and wetlands frame the round, and it is open to every golfer.
Opened 1991 · $$$ · Slope 133
Course profile
Rolling hills and freshwater ponds in the Smoky Mountain foothills · D. J. DeVictor and Steve Melnyk
A city-owned, two-course complex in the Smoky Mountain foothills with friendly rates and senior pricing. Carts are included in the green fee, which keeps things simple on a warm day.
Opened 1994 · $ · Slope 128
Native grasses and an environmentally certified layout north of Memphis
A public course among native grasses about a half hour north of Memphis, known for its environmental stewardship. Pull-carts are welcome if you would rather walk, and weekday rates stay reasonable.
$$
We've mapped 29 courses across Tennessee so far.
What Tennessee costs
Cost of living
92
BEA index, U.S. = 100
State income tax
None
Social Security
Not taxed
How people start
Most metros list city-run courses with published fee schedules. Those set the affordable floor before any private club enters the picture.
Many courses post a reduced weekday senior rate and a season pass. The difference between pay-per-round and a pass is the number that usually drives the yearly cost.
In warm states the season runs most of the year; in cold ones it is a few months. The yearly cost is rounds-per-year times rate, plus cart and equipment.
Towns in Tennessee
Brainerd Golf Course is a city-operated 18-hole course in Chattanooga where seniors age 60 and older pay $19 on weekdays and $30 on weekends and holidays. Harrison Bay State Park, on Chickamauga Lake about 12 miles from downtown, offers a second publicly accessible option managed by Tennessee State Parks.
City of ChattanoogaThe City of Knoxville manages three 18-hole public courses: Knoxville Municipal Golf Course on Schaad Road, Whittle Springs Golf Course on Valley View Drive, and Williams Creek Golf Course on Dandridge Avenue, operated in partnership with golf organizations and open daily dawn to dark. Knox County separately operates Three Ridges Golf Course, The Barn at Beverly short course, and Concord Park Par 3 overlooking Fort Loudon Lake.
City of Knoxville Golf CoursesMemphis Parks operates seven public golf courses under the Memphis Public Links brand, including the 18-hole Links at Galloway at 3815 Walnut Grove Rd where senior rates (age 62 and older) run $18 for 18 holes on weekdays and $35 on weekends. Children under 18 play free at all city courses, and PGA Hope clinics for veterans operate at no cost.
Memphis Parks Golf, Memphis Public LinksMetro Nashville Parks operates multiple public golf courses including Harpeth Hills Golf Course and Shelby Golf Course, both of which list a senior annual membership at $600 (resident) versus $1,000 for a regular adult membership following fee updates that took effect April 1, 2025. Harpeth Hills is frequently cited as one of the more technically demanding public layouts in the city.
Nashville.gov - Harpeth Hills Golf CourseCommon questions
Nashville Metro Parks operates several public golf facilities including Harpeth Hills Golf Course, set within Percy Warner Park. A Senior annual membership is available at $600 per year, and regular green fees at Metro courses are among the more affordable options in the region. Tennessee's mild climate allows golf from late February through November in most years. Towns like Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis have their own local options.
Tennessee has a cost-of-living index near 92 (U.S. = 100), no state income tax, and does not tax Social Security. The full state guide breaks down property tax, sales tax, and long-term-care costs, each sourced.
Sources
The life your money is for