The state of Tennessee has several big cities, each with its fair share of upscale daily fee golf courses, private clubs, and resorts. But it’s the small town of Crossville, with a population of less than 15,000, that is recognized as “The Golf Capital of Tennessee.”
Crossville is located in Cumberland County, up on the Cumberland Plateau. It’s right off I-40, two hours east of Nashville, and about an hour west of Knoxville. Crossville garnered this distinction because of the high concentration of championship courses, a wide variety of layouts suitable for all skill levels, and a mild, year-round climate. The temperature on the plateau runs 5 – 12 degrees cooler than cities like Knoxville, Nashville, and Memphis.
Of the ten or so golf courses in the Crossville area, three facilities offer “golf packages” that include both golf and accommodations on the property: Fairfield Glade, Bear Trace at Cumberland Mountain State Park, and Lake Tansi Golf Resort.
Fairfield Glade is the most recognized golf property in the area, if not the state. It’s a resort/retirement community in eastern Cumberland County. Fairfield Glade is home to over 9,000 residents and five stunning championship golf courses: Druid Hills, Dorchester, The Brae and The Crag at Heatherhurst Golf Club, and Stonehenge. It’s the biggest reason that Crossville holds the title.
Druid Hills Golf Club is where it all started at Fairfield Glade. The first 9 holes opened in 1970; the 2nd nine wasn’t completed until 1973. Druid is located at the property’s highest point and offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains. There’s a plaque behind the back tees on the 14th tee with the names of all of the mountains you see off in the distance. The course has some modest elevation changes and features tree-lined fairways, lots of water hazards, and well-undulated Bentgrass greens. It’s not the longest course out here, so keeping driver in the bag on most holes is the best way to score well.
Druid Hills is also home to The Golf Garage, an indoor/outdoor teaching, training, and practice facility with two Trackman hitting bays. These bays are used for private lessons, club fittings, clinics, and training; they can also be rented and used as virtual golf courses. The Garage also does grip replacements and club repair.
In August of 2024, Druid Hills unveiled The Quarry, an 18-hole putting course that will challenge the best of putters. Each hole has multiple breaks and undulations, many of which break a lot more than you think. It’s a great place to settle bets or recoup some of your earlier losses. It too can be rented out for private functions.
What Dorchester Golf Club lacks in length, it more than makes up for in accuracy and control. Many of the fairways are narrow and framed by trees, starting with Number 1, the course’s No. 1 handicap. Water comes into play on 6 holes, and bunkers dot the landing area on many holes. Several holes have some noticeable elevation changes, but nothing like what lies ahead. Well-groomed fairways lead to challenging Bentgrass greens that can leave you shaking your head.
Heatherhurst is home to two challenging courses, The Crag and the Brae. The Crag is the more player-friendly of the two and begins with a short par 5 that is easily reachable with a good drive. Rolling fairways rise and fall as you play. Bentgrass tees and greens, wide fairways, plenty of wildlife, and stunning views on the 17th tee are several reasons why you’ll enjoy your round on the Crag.
The Brae features two unique nines. The front nine is home to arguably the most challenging par-5 in Tennessee. The 4th hole is a double dogleg par 5 that requires two carries over Otter Creek. The back nine has three par 3s, three par 4s, and three par 5s. It starts with one of the most visually stunning courses on the property, a downhill par 5 with a green that overlooks Lake Dartmoor. The Brae is the area’s only course with Zoysia fairways, which is a very tolerant hot-weather grass. Golfweek ranks The Brae #5 in their list of the Best Public Golf Courses in Tennessee for 2025.
Stonehenge is Fairfield Glade’s premier layout and is ranked #3 on that same list. The course was designed by legendary architect Joe Lee, who took the best piece of land he could find on the property and carved out the golf course. As you play, you’ll pass large, natural rock outcroppings and walls of native stone, which is where the course gets its name. Stonehenge’s signature hole is the par 3, 14th, which plays about 80 feet downhill and is photographed by just about every player who’s part of a golf package! Stonehenge Golf Club features Bentgrass from tee to green, providing optimal playing conditions.
Bear Trace at Cumberland Mountain was designed by Jack Nicklaus and was quickly named “One of the Top Ten Courses You Can Play in North America” when it opened in 1999. The course blends in nicely with its surroundings, capitalizing on several elevation changes that create a mix of both uphill and downhill shots. Mother Nature adds some natural features like flowing streams and clusters of mature pines, and Nicklaus adds strategically placed bunkers and a handful of risk/reward opportunities. Recently, the course underwent a huge transformation that involved switching 28 acres of cool-season grass to warm-weather Bermudagrass. Not only does it make it better for golfers, but it also looks a lot better. Everyone I’ve spoken with raves about the conditioning.
As you make your way around the course, you’ll find native woodlands bordering many of the rolling fairways and rock formations that need to be avoided at all costs. Elevated tee boxes offer panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and valleys, and the Nicklaus greens will keep even the best of players guessing. There’s nothing better than hitting a drive from an elevated tee box and watching it fly over valleys and ravines and catching a downslope when it lands. It’s the downhill shots I’m not fond of!
In my opinion, the most underrated golf course in Cumberland County is Lake Tansi. Over the years, Lake Tansi Golf Course has received numerous accolades, including being rated one of the Top 10 courses in Tennessee by Golf Advisor. Golf Course Superintendent Todd Mathews and his staff do a tremendous job keeping the course green year-round with a closely guarded secret mixture of Bentgrass, Kentucky Bluegrass, and Fescue. “Lake Tansi lies at an elevation of 1,900 feet, making the daytime temperatures considerably cooler than other areas of the state. The grasses don’t lose a lot of their color when they go dormant in cooler weather,” says Mathews. Early in the season, the greens may throw you off. They are various shades of green until fully grown, but still roll true.
It’s probably my favorite, not because I had a hole-in-one a couple of years ago on the 15th hole while playing with Head Pro, Gavin Darbyshire, but because the staff is great, the course is challenging, yet fair, and green year-round. But seriously, it’s the hole-in-one!
A couple of the par 5s are reachable in two with a good drive, and the par 3s, while not the longest, will challenge your shot-making and putting abilities. The two par-3s on the front side feature greens with a lot of slope, and if you’re not below the hole, putting can be an adventure. Number 17 is a long par 4 with an approach shot over water, and unless you’re long off the tee, you’ll have a long to mid iron into the green. Number 18 is a three-shot par 5 with an elevated green that also has a lot of slope to it. Good rounds are often spoiled on these finishing holes!
This charming lake-resort community has a lot going for it besides the golf course; there’s the 550-acre lake, complete with a beach area and boat rentals.
All three properties offer accommodations, whether it’s a cabin at Cumberland Mountain State Park, a lakeside cottage at Lake Tansi Village, or a condo rental at Fairfield Glade. Each one also has a restaurant or two on the property, with plenty of choices nearby. So, when you’re done with golf for the day, and you’ve enjoyed a good meal at one of the restaurants, sit back on the patio and look around at all of the wonderful views up here on the Cumberland Plateau. With a low cost of living, a modest climate where golf can be played year-round, and the friendliest people you’ll meet, it’s enough to make Crossville your home. I did.
For more information or to book your next golf vacation to Tennessee’s Golf Capital, visit them online www.explorecrossville.com/explore/golf/