Description of the Course

By John R. Bibb, Club Historian
Past President Golf Writers Association of America

Hole No.1-As a rule, great golf courses begin with a strong par 4, and Nashville Golf certainly is no exception. The opening hole is a true attention-getter, a 4-star beauty which offers an indication of the various challenges to follow. A player who drives to the crest of the hill is better served if the ball is left of center in the fairway. From that position the slender green, protected by a lake on the left and bunkers to the right, affords a wider target from approximately 150 yards. Long hitters may choose a target to the right of the fairway, driving the ball to the flat. Here, however, the approach shot may be blocked by a large oak tree located 100 yards from the center of the green making No. 1 without question one of the most difficult holes on the course. Bogey not a bad score.

Hole No.2-This straightaway par 4 is played into the prevailing southerly winds. Mounds along the left side of the fairway often protect an errant shot from the out-of-bounds stakes, but the well-placed drive is center or right-center. Bunkers are both front and rear, and the contour of the green slopes smartly toward the left front. There is a tendency to underclub on the approach shot. If the pin is located to the left, the landing area shrinks considerably and the rear trap becomes a prominent factor. In order to have a run at a birdie, the ball must be below the hole. Par here well earned.

Hole No. 3-This is the first of 5 pure 3-shot par 5's on the course. Two fairway bunkers guard the right side of the fairway. The fairway graciously flows with the gentle sloping mounds so that distance of the second shot must be decided in order to determine direction. The third shot from the rough can be disastrous. The undulating wide but very shallow green, designed to accept short iron shots, is protected front and rear by sand. The third shot requires pin-point accuracy on club selection. There is virtually no room for error if the pin placement is in the center of the green! and there is little opportunity for a rolling third shot. Contours on the green are easy and 20-foot birdie putts can be made.

Hole No. 4-This hole often is regarded as the strongest of the par 4's. It's uphill from the tee to the fairway landing area requiring both length and accuracy to reach the sharply sloping green in 2 shots. The plateau landing area for the drive is protected on the right by a lateral hazard, and the left rough leaves an awkward, above-the-ball stance for a long iron or wood shot to the narrow entrance to the green. There are green-side bunkers on the right front and rear. This is probably the most deceiving green on the course to read accurately. Long approach putts get out of position very easily. Bogey here quite possible.

Hole No. 5-This is the shortest of the front nine par 4's. The strength of the hole is the severely sloping, lightning-fast putting surface. The elevated tee gives a perfect view of the dogleg left and the waste area that requires a 140-yard carry to. the fairway. The approach iron is struck from. a position well below the green that is guarded front and left rear by traps. The strategy here is to keep the ball below the pin. The putts from above the pin are extremely quick. 5-foot birdie putts from above become 25-foot par putts. Good birdie opportunity if putting uphill.

Hole No. 6-This is the signature hole of Nashville Golf & Athletic Club. The danger here is for a golfer to lose concentration while enjoying the natural beauty of this par 3. [It was included in Sports Ilulstrated's presentation of the "Great 18 Holes in America?'] The star-shaped green is surrounded by bunkers and the entrance is narrow, eliminating chances of a bounce-on shot. The four different tee locations significantly change the approach to this green. Slope and contours of putting surface must be understood. Lots of pars, few birdies.

Hole No. 7-The fairway turns slightly to the left and is the only par 5 that does not have fairway bunkers. The tee shot danger is to the left, and the second shot, too, must be played to the right to avoid a brook. An extremely long second shot must avoid the two large stonehenge like rocks on the right side of the fairway. Greenside traps are to the right front left and left fringe side of the green includes a severe slope down to the brook. Good birdie opportunity.

Hole No. 8-The putting surface on this outstanding par 3 is not visible from the tee, but the huge bunker at the left front and the elevated right rear bunker afford the player a clear view of the trouble. It is uphill all the way, and the depressed fairway across the front of the green stops any ball that lands short of the entrance to the green. A high soft shot sets up a good birdie putt on this gentle rolling green.

Hole No. 9-From the tee, this hole offers another spectacular view and a truly fine challenge for conclusion of the front nine. The ideal drive stops on the landing area plateau 150 yards from the green. Long hitters who move the ball past the plateau are confronted with a downhill lie to a green that is both narrow and protected by bunkers front and rear. Again, there is no chance to roll the ball into this putting surface. A missed approach shot brings on a very difficult chip from the bunkers or the fringe. Good chance for par.

Hole No. 10-A lake from tee to green adds zest to this par 3. Proper club selection is most important because the green is only 42-foot deep, yet it is over 170-foot wide, and there is little room for error off the tee. In addition to the water hazard in front, traps at the rear demand accurate club selection. The green is at an angle to the tee and there is a difference of four clubs depending on pin locations. The left neck of the green leaves no margin for error. Firing directly at the pin can invite a quick double bogey. Play for par.

Hole No. ll-This is the only par 4 hole on the course with. a blind tee shot. An acceptable target for the drive is the gap in the faraway hills. The fairway is protected by a small forest on the left and a hillside on the right. There is a tendency, as on No. 2, for the golfer to under club on the approach iron. .A grass greenside trap is in front of the green and sand is to the rear. This enormous green, too, is undulating and extremely quick toward the left side. Concentration is required to play the ball to the hole, rather than the front of the green. A ball left short of the green is almost impossible to get up and down. Best birdie opportunity on the back side.

Hole No. I2-A dogleg right, this hole challenges Nos. 1 and 4 as the most difficult par 4. Uphill gradually all the way, the fairway is guarded by a bunker at the elbow of the dogleg Well-placed drives are to the right center of the fairway, presenting a long iron or fairway wood second shot that frequently must clear trees and always carries huge traps at the front of the green. This is truly one of the most demanding approach shots on the course, without question a true test of golf. Par here gains ground on the field.

Hole No. 13-Thirteen sand traps and a high elevated tee with a boundary to the right. The fairway is infested with two sets of bunkers that demand the drive and second shot play to the center contour of this abruptly doglegging fairway. The third shot, from approximately 100 yards, is to another green designed for the short approach. Seven traps guard all four sides. Pin placement locations vary from a narrow neck on the right to a vast area accommodating several choice pin possibilities on the left. Soft approach shots definitely required to get the ball close to the hole. Good birdie opportunity.

Hole No. 14-This hole is the least scenic of the five par 3's but rather difficult. This hole can be extremely damaging to the score-card. The right front corner is guarded by overhanging trees, with the green partially blinded by the front left greenside bunker. The undulating putting surface slopes to the left. There is a considerable amount of local knowledge involved on the tee shot. Pin placements require a meticulous study for both approach and second putts. Good tee shots produce pars and birdies.

Hole No. 15-This elevated tee affords the luxury of a view of miles of Tennessee countryside and of this golf hole and the course lakes in the foreground. This green is reached in two shots more often than any of the other par 5's. The drive should be placed right center of the fairway for proper position of the second shot. A large, solitary cherry tree must be avoided on the left and a long fairway trap on the right demands a true second shot. Second shots frequently continue over a slight rise in the fairway and leave short iron shots into the green. There is a tiny passageway between two traps at the front of the green. There's a trap at the rear and the decided slope on the right can add to the player's problem if the shot does not land softly on the green. Three good golf shots are rewarded with short birdie putts.

Hole No. 16-An excellent par 4 test, this hole includes a double lateral water hazard on the left and three fairway bunkers to the right. The big hitters may gamble on carrying a corner of the lake, but the better line is toward the right corner of the second fairway bunker. Again, this huge green, the largest on the course, is protected by a series of bunkers front left and right. The putting surface slopes forward and to the right, affording numerous excellent pin placement locations for the long iron approach. Big swale contours produce double breaks on 20-foot putts. Bogeys frequent. '

Hole No. 17-A deep bunker at the front and a broad one at the rear protect the green, which is highlighted by a severely sloping surface. A long, high tee shot is required to put the ball close to the hole as there is no chance of a run up shot being effective. This green must be read properly to have any chance for a birdie. Many pars.

Hole No. 18-This par 5 can be a round-maker or heartbreaker. The drive is blind over the slope and most pars come when the opening shot is played on a line toward the willow tree that is visible from the tee. A grove of century-old tall trees overhangs the fairway on the right side, forcing the second shot to be played cautiously left. Drives frequently come to rest on downhill lies, and the player must beware of playing a second shot to the left of the fairway that is protected by two lakes. The green is narrow and over 150 feet long with a sharp appendage right center that is protected by bunkers front and rear. There is a pronounced slope at the front and to the left. The approach shot must be played with caution into the long green that is protected on the left by the lake. The front bunker blinds the right projection of the green and the rear trap, and a pin placement here demands accurate distance. The pin location from front to rear offers 4 different club selections for the approach shot. Length and direction must be true for approach and putts. Birdies can be scored here.