Rese Jones-designed Knobs and Fodder Stack nines joined by Packard’s Chimney Top
CHUCKEY, Tenn (Jan. 26, 2020) – Graysburg Hills Golf Course sits nestled in the East Tennessee foothills, one of the most scenic regions in the area. The course has been family owned and operated for over 40 years and is highly respected by locals and visitors alike for its maintenance standards: well-groomed fairways and putting surfaces.
From the moment you step through the front door of the clubhouse, you’ll notice the friendly atmosphere and personalized service; reasonable rates are just a bonus. At Graysburg Hills, what you see is what you get, great golf at an affordable price.
These are just a few of the reasons that Golf Digest Magazine has awarded Graysburg Hills a 4½ Star rating in their Places to Play Guide. It’s simple: great golf! Graysburg Hills has 27-holes and opened for play in 1978. The Knobs and Fodder Stack Nines were designed by Rees Jones, one of the leading golf course architects in the United States. Fifteen years later, Larry Packard who designed the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Golf Resort in Palm Harbor, FL designed The Chimney Top Nine.
The three nine-hole layouts at Graysburg Hills offer players a lot. Some holes have gentle, rolling Riviera Bermuda grass fairways framed by mature hardwood stands. Others straddle creek beds and ponds below steep hillsides, while others play past picturesque barns and farmhouses. Bentgrass greens, 100 bunkers and six water hazards add to the challenge. Graysburg Hills has created a strategic design using the area’s beautiful mountain topography; it’s a course that is both challenging and friendly, all year long.
The Knobs Nine plays 3,351 yards to a par of 36. If you take out the par 3, 8th hole and the par 4, 9th, and you’d have a very nice links style golf course. But then you’d be erasing two of the most memorable holes and quite possibly the most memorable hole on the property. Number 8 is a par three that plays about 100 feet downhill and requires a few clubs less than the stated 195 yards from the Championship tees.
To complicate matters, it has a peninsular green and more often than not the wind is in your face. If you can’t find the green, finding the sand around the green is a lot better than finding the water! Number 9 is a short, dogleg left par 4 with water running down the right side; this takes driver out of the hands of many players. Should you try and cut the dogleg, make sure you take enough club to clear the sand traps. The green is surrounded by three bunkers and has some gentle undulations.
The Fodder Stack Nine plays 3,509 yards to a par 36. Two holes stand out in my mind: Number 2 and Number 3. The 2nd hole is a dogleg left that plays 369 yards from the White tees, with water coming into play if you hit it too far straight. Too far left off the tee and you’re likely to find the sand. Regardless of where you hit your tee shot, you’ll have to carry the water on your approach and avoid the bunkers that surround the green, which slopes back left to front right, down to the water. It’s a very picturesque hole.
If I were naming holes, Number 3 would be called “Be Brave.” It’s a dogleg left par 4 with a pair of bunkers that require a carry of about 210 yards. By being brave and going over the bunkers, you’ll leave a short chip shot into an elevated green with lots of undulation. Number 4 is where you start to see more dramatic elevation changes; it’s a 385-yard par 4 straight uphill that probably plays over 400 yards.
The Chimney Top Nine is the hilliest nine, which is evident from the start. Number 1 is a 347-yard par 4 that plays straight uphill. The 4th and 5th holes clearly steal the show on Chimney Top and exemplify mountain golf. It’s a 481-yard par 5 with a steep drive to the White tees. The narrow fairway is lined with trees on both sides, but the good news is your tee shot plays downhill, so you’ll definitely get some extra roll. A good drive will leave you with a choice: layup or carry the lake in front of the green. Good scores can be had here. The 5th hole starts with a tee shot from an elevated tee box, over a valley and then a partially blind approach shot slightly downhill to a large green protected on the left side by a large trap.
The Chimney Top Nine is built around the Chimney Top community. Within this evolving neighborhood, there are 60 fully restricted lots with an average size of 1.2 acres. The entire Graysburg Hills development encompasses 1,100 acres, of which more than half are for future development. The impressive views of the surrounding mountains and foothills are unspoiled by any industrial or commercial development. And, since just about everything you see as you survey the area is part of Graysburg Hills, you can rest assured that these beautiful views will be preserved for many years to come.
Graysburg Hills has partnered with the Hampton Inn in Greeneville, TN to create stay and play packages that appeal to visiting golfers.
No matter which nines you play at Graysburg Hills, you’re sure to be challenged. Take in the scenery as you play your round and you’ll realize that this is a special place. The staff is friendly and eager to ensure that you have an enjoyable time. For more information on Graysburg Hills or to book your next round, give them a call at (423) 234-8061 or visit their website at www.graysburghillsgolf.com.
