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Fairfield Glade – The Pinnacle of Golf in Tennessee

By David Theoret Tee Times Contributor

Golf may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Tennessee, especially the small town of Crossville on the eastern side of the state. Crossville is known as the “Golf Capital of Tennessee,” with no less than 10 championship golf courses in the Cumberland County area. Five of the area’s best courses are located in Fairfield Glade, a resort and retirement community located just north of I-40. About 8,300 residents call Fairfield Glade home; it’s situated on the Cumberland Plateau, between Nashville and Knoxville. Fairfield Glade is popular for “halfbacks,” retirees who moved from somewhere up north as far south as Florida and are now moving halfway back to be within easy driving distance of family and friends. Consequently, you’ll find a lot of people originally from Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana here. The area is blessed with four mild seasons and golf can be played yearround. No state income tax, low property taxes, and an overall low cost of living only add to the attraction of residing in the area. If you haven’t visited Fairfield Glade in a while, you may notice several differences. There’s now a clubhouse at Dorchester; it opened in 2015. Likewise, there have been some major renovations at Stonehenge, primarily at the grill and pro shop and a new maintenance building was added in 2018. The two courses

Druid Hills No. 14

at Heatherhurst and Stonehenge have all undergone extensive bunker renovation and now feature Better Billy Bunkers, considered by many to be the best bunker construction in the world. The five courses at Fairfield Glade play out of 4 clubhouses, each with its own practice facility. Three of the four facilities have short game practice areas complete with bunkers. Also, there’s a TrackMan simulator in the Fairfield Glade Community Center where you can play any number of courses from around the world or sign up to take a golf lesson on it. The original nine holes at Fairfield Glade opened for play in 1970 with the final nine 18 holes being completed in 1973. This championship course was located on the highest point in Fairfield Glade and was named Druid Hills Golf Club. The course provides several scenic views of the surrounding mountains and features rolling, tree-lined fairways, lots of water hazards, and well-undulated bent grass greens. At only 6,270 yards from the back tees, Druid Hills is one of the shortest courses at Fairfield Glade. But don’t let the length fool you; it also plays one of the toughest. The course was designed by Leon Howard. The waterfall on No. 14 is probably the most photographed feature on the golf course. There are two courses at Heatherhurst, the Crag and the Brae. The facility was built in stages; the front nine of the Crag opened in 1989 and the back nine opened in 2000. In 1991 the third nine

Druid Hills No. 5

was completed and from 1991 – 2000 Heatherhurst was a 27- hole facility. In 2000, another 9 was added and this now 36-hole facility had two separate and distinct 18-hole championship courses. Many consider the Crag the easier of the two, probably because it plays a lot shorter. That being said, the Crag course is as beautiful as it is challenging, especially when you get to the back nine. There are significant elevation changes and a rangefinder with a slope feature is a good asset to have. Many fairways are wide open off the tee and since the holes aren’t extremely long – a few of the par 5s are reachable in two with a good drive. The emphasis is on your approach shot if you want to score well. One of the more memorable holes on the Crag layout is No 17. This short par 4 is the course’s signature hole and its most scenic. The Crag course was designed by Gary Roger Baird and opened in 1989. In 2017, the Brae Course at Heatherhurst was named one of the Top 5 Courses you can play in Tennessee by Golf Week. It was also designed by Gary Roger Baird and opened in 1989. The Brae is the only course in the area with Zoysia grass fairways and the subtle undulations in them as well as the true rolling greens will keep you coming back. Each side features a pictur

Jeff Houston, PGA Director of Golf

“What makes Fairfield Glade such a great place is the quality and variety of golf courses we have,” Fairfield Glade Director of Golf Jeff Houston said. “Our most acclaimed course is Stonehenge that has been ranked in the top 5 courses in the state by Golfweek. We also have our Heatherhurst facility that has 36 holes that is perfect to spend your day working on your game with family or friends. Our Dorchester facility was once host to the state open and is a favorite among many who play it. Last, but not least, is our Druid Hills golf course that has many spectacular views and is in incredible shape every day.” Houston said Fairfield Glade can accommodate every need when it comes golf getaway. “In less than a two-hour drive from middle Tennessee you can play 18 holes in the afternoon, have a great dinner at Stonehenge Grille and play 36 holes at our Heatherhurst facility before heading back home,” he said. “If you wanted to play all 5 courses over several days we can accommodate that also. If you have not been to Fairfield Glade in several years, I invite everyone back and see the improvements to the golf courses and to Stonehenge Grille.”

The Brae No. 6

Stonehenge No. 14

The Crag No. 4

esque par 5. The fourth hole plays 495 yards from the white tees and features a double dogleg that requires two forced carries over Otter Creek; it’s said to be one of the toughest par 5’s in Tennessee. The 10th hole is a stunning par that is a slight dogleg left and starts with a blind tee shot. Pull your tee shot left and you’ll find the woods. It’s all downhill from there – literally – to a green that overlooks beautiful Lake Dartmoor. The same year that Golf Week recognized The Brae Course, it ranked Stonehenge No. 2. Architect Joe Lee used the rolling hills and woods of this Cumberland Plateau property to create a course that is as beautiful to look at as it is fun to play. Stonehenge features bent grass tees, greens, and fairways for some of the best playing conditions in the area. The course gets its name from the walls of native stone found throughout the course, the biggest and most eerie as you make the drive from 15 green to the 16th tee. More evidence can be found on the 14th hole, a downhill, 148-yard par 3 that plays considerably less. Rocks and water surround the green, which sits on the edge of Lake Dartmoor. It’s a beautiful and challenging hole. Narrow tree-lined fairways, numerous water hazards, strategically placed bunkers, and well-undulated Bentgrass greens define the Dorchester Golf Club,

Dorchester Golf Club

designed by Bobby Greenwood. At 6,400 yards from the tips, the course isn’t going to overwhelm most players, but a slope rating of 134 tells you that this course has some bite to it. With all of the hills, valleys, and creeks, the course requires accuracy off the tee and good shot selection, meaning driver may not be the best choice off the tee. Golf’s not the only thing Fairfield Glade has to offer its residents. There are two full-service marinas and a rac- quet sports center complete with clay courts, indoor tennis, and pickleball courts. Fairfield Glade has also been blessed with mile after mile of hiking trails. Fairfield Glade is a golfer’s paradise and with five spectacular golf courses, you can easily make a week of it. Several golf packaging companies have put together some tremendous Fairfield Glade stay and play packages; you can book through Fairfield Glade or one of several area golf packagers. Each clubhouse has a snack bar with the usual at-the-turn necessities or you can have a nice sit-down meal at the Stonehenge Grille or Legends, located in the Druid Hills clubhouse.

For more information on book- ing your next stay and play package to Fairfield Glade, visit www.fair- fieldglade.cc.