Best golf courses near Nashville, TN

Richland Country Club was chartered as the Nashville Golf Club in 1901, though it has moved locations several times and played a handful of different golf courses, including one laid out by Donald Ross in 1921. In 1988, the club moved to a new site in the hill country south of the city and hired Jack Nicklaus to design it course up to the modern standards of the day. Atlanta-based architect Bill Bergin conducted a significant transformation of that design in 2021 that focused on expanding greens and fairways, removing excess trees and rebuilding (fewer) grass-faced bunkers notched into upslopes as Ross might have on this site. Significantly, the two nines were flipped and the first and ninth holes (formerly 10 and 18) have been directionally reversed for better flow. Richland placed third in the 2023 Best Transformation awards.

Hillwood Country Club is ranked as one of the best golf courses in Tennessee. Discover our experts' reviews and tee time information

Belle Meade Country Club is ranked as one of the best golf courses in Tennessee. Discover our experts' reviews and tee time information

This Nashville municipal course was originally designed in 1965 and underwent an extensive renovation in 1991. Often considered one of the best public options in Nashville, Harpeth Hills features numerous domed greens that require precise iron play and deft short-game touch. The greens, which were resurfaced in 2017, often play firm and fast, placing further emphasis on short-game finesse. With rates on weekdays under $30 and under $40 on weekends, it’s hard to find a better value.

Three-time major champion Larry Nelson designed this Nashville links course that plays along the Cumberland River. Nearly every hole runs in a north-south direction, allowing golfers to get a sense of the wind direction, which is key to navigating this exposed layout. Golfers are greeted with a straightforward par-5 opener, but water lurks on 10 of the remaining 17 holes. Despite the water, there is generally ample room to bail out, leaving players to choose how much trouble to take on.

Just outside Nashville, President’s Reserve at Hermitage Golf Course offers wide and forgiving fairways with few doglegs, allowing players to hit a variety of shot shapes. There are plenty of risk-reward opportunities, including at the reachable par-5 18th—hug the water on the left to have a chance to get home in two or play safely out to the right, likely making it a three-shot hole. Many holes play along the scenic Cumberland River.

This Nashville-area layout hosted an LPGA event from 1988 to 1999 with World Golf Hall of Fame members Nancy Lopez, Meg Mallon and Laura Davies all winning at General’s Retreat. With a balance of some wide, generous fairways and several tighter, more demanding holes, the course tailors to a variety of strategies. The layout boasts four strong par 5s, three of which—Nos. 8, 11 and 16—offer exciting risk-reward opportunities with water in play. Along with the President's Reserve course, Hermitage Golf Course is an attractive destination for Tennessee golf with cottages available for stay-and-play deals.