Courtesy of Dan Reynolds
Courtesy of Dan Reynolds
Courtesy of Dan Reynolds
The Honors Course
The Honors Course
9603 Lee Hwy
Ooltewah, TN 37363-6825
United States
Overview
Considered radical in the early 1980s because of its acres of tall, native-grass rough, durable Zoysiagrass fairways and terrifying greens perched atop bulkheads of rock, today The Honors Course is considered a well-preserved example of Pete Dye’s death-or-glory architecture. Other than reducing the contours in a couple of greens (particularly the 18th) in the late 1990s, and adjusting the bunkering in 2008, Dye left the course alone for most of his career. Georgia architect Bill Bergin did create a new practice facility at the club in 2015, and Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner touched everything up again in 2022.
About
Awards
Ranking history:
100 Greatest: Ranked since 1987.
2023-'24 ranking: 31st.
Previous ranking: 28th.
Highest ranking: 21st, 1987-'88.
Best in State: Ranked 1st in Tennessee since 1987.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“A treat any way you look at it. Challenging, even from the correct tees. Greens that will knock your socks off--very undulating and FAST. A lot of fun, with a wide variety of holes, and water ever-present to make sure if you cut a line too close you will pay a heavy price. A lot of fun to try to decipher how Pete is deceiving you on every hole."
Read More2024
Review
“The Honors Course is set in a beautiful and tranquil valley sandwiched between two foothills outside of Chattanooga. The setting provides a beautiful and private amphitheater for golf. I was impressed with both the layout variety and shot options at The Honors Course. The player continually moves through a diverse ecosystem with the first six holes on wooded terrain, the next three lakeside, the following six on more open land, and the final three a combination of lakeside and wooded. Shot options abound here given greens benched on plateaus set at angles to the fairways, large sentinel trees dictating shape on tee shots and a few approach shots as well, and angles around hazards impressive as well."
Read More2024
Review
“The experience lived up to the hype, but unfortunately the course did not. The day we played good iron shots were bouncing off the greens as if they'd hit a cart path, making the greens nearly impossible to hold even with well executed shots. Several of the holes felt repitive - both par 5's on the front were dogleg right playing to an elevated green, then there were the two identical holes that wrap around the lake (albeit different directions). A lot of the courses elements looked overly manufactured and out of place as well, e.g. there are no natural lakes in Tennessee, but 3 on this course. That said, it is still a great test of golf at its core. Be prepared to be humbled by the courses difficulty."
Read More2024
Review
“One of the stronger courses in the southwest Florida region. Excellent layout variety and demanding right from the start. Course is in very good condition considering the amount of play it gets, and it's important to choose the right tees to fit your game. Reasonably wide target areas off the tee but course requires precision on approach shots. Greens are challenging but almost all are fair."
Read More2022
Review
“The recent restoration of The Honors Course by Gil Hanse is outstanding to say the least. Gil did not change an incredible Pete Dye design but just restored it and made it even better. The new Zoysia fairways are superb as are the new Tif Eagle Bermuda greens. The minor changes to the 10th and 11th greens restored them back to an earlier Dye design which improve the holes significantly. The restoration included major foundation work under all fairways and greens which will improve overall conditions for years to come. The Honors was already a superb golf course with great layout variety, shot options and challenge. The new improved conditioning will take this special place to a new level."
Read More2022
Review
“Golf course has gone through a major revision in the last year, adding length and a number of design changes to some of the weaker greens. In particular, #10 and #11 greens have been improved to allow for more challenging pin positions and require precision approaches. Back tees have stretched the course to around 7500 yards so the challenge is obvious. This a course designed for championships and the improvements made have only added to that reputation."
Read More2022
Review
“Somewhat underwhelmed with new renovation. New 10th and 11th greens are improved, but overall conditioning was still raw. Many areas of new turf struggling with lack of proper drainage for new zoysia grass. Kind of head scratching."
Read More2022
Review
“What a spectacular place. The service, course, experience, food etc are all top notch. One of the best golf experiences you can have."
Read More2021
Review
“What a cool place! Pure golf, in the best sort of way. Conditioning is off the charts and the Pete Dye features are magical in places. Be prepared to be humbled on the greens."
Read More2021
Review
“The Honors Course was a wonderful experience. It's truly exceptional and you should jump at it if you get the chance. That being said, I was disappointed with the course as it is extremely repetitive. The two par-5s on the front are dogleg rights that go down a valley and finish to an elevated green. The two par 5s on the back are dogleg lefts that go down a valley and finish to an elevated green. Late in both nines, you circle clockwise around the pond to your left ... Nos. 7&15 are extremely similar holes. The greens on 7,8,9 all have a pond on the left side at a diagonal. The stretch from Nos. 10 and 12-14 showcases the only unique set of holes on the course. All the holes on the tree-lined north side of the course are doglegs that require the same tee shot: clear enough of the corner to catch a speed slot. If you have a high fade in your arsenal you will have a lot of fun as that shot will be used on a majority of the holes. Once again, I had a wonderful time and knowing what I know now, I would love another chance to play the course."
Read More2021
