With apologies to Al Jolson.
I have known for years that The University Of The South had a nine hole golf course, but nary a mention of anyone playing there. Low and behold it is included in Anthony Pioppi's book
To The Nines so I figure I'd better drop by.
Tony chronicles The Sewanee Golf Club's fascinating history in his book, but I needed to see the place for myself.
The course plays 2983 yards from one set of markers and 3153 from a second set to yield 18 holes totaling 6163 yards. Green fee is $14 for all day.
Unirrigated fairways sport common bermuda, various weeds and dirt:
Greens are lucious bent grass that can be parted with a comb. More than a little grain.
Now you see it:
Now you don't:
The course is heavily treed with giant oaks. A hat is advisable this time of year to soften the pelting of the acorns.
Holes of note:
The 2nd is a 406 uphill par four on the "front" and 545 par five on the "back." From the 406 markers, great advantage is gained by playing left off the tee if the tree line can be avoided. Anything right of center kicks right and leaves a longer uphill blind approach:
A long drive down the left side leaves a slight glimpse of the flag:
There is a slight valley fronting the green, precluding shots that fall short from running on to the green, pictured below(the approach is from the right). The mowing pattern reflects the severe internal contouring:
This hole would be replaced by a practice range under a renovation proposed by Brian Silva in September 2004.
The fourth hole plays 159 to 164 yards to a skyline green that needs a little more clearing:
The green is a fully 35 paces deep and a mere 7 paces wide in the middle. From the front right:
Looking back:
The par three sixth, which I played at 190 yards is the heretofore mythical "Treedan," calling for a draw played at the left side of the oak tree's canopy. I took one less club, aimed at the tree and watched as my ball kicked forward and left to 20 feet:
From the back left of the green, the redan orientation is more obvious:
The tee shot at the 327 yard 8th swings left and demands a draw off the left edge of the lone oak:
More general observations: The greens are incredibly soft, yet I observed few, if any pitchmarks. The locals obviously play the ground game. I did as well, putting from 85 yards out on the 9th to 15 feet.
The grain generally follows the slope of the greens, perhaps due to drainage and apparent over-watering. Uphill putts stimp at 6. An uphill/side-hill putt is nigh impossible for the first-timer. Local knowledge is crucial. Would you believe the ball in the fore-ground below must be played right of the ball nearer the hole?
It's a little more obvious looking back:
While not worth a pilgrimmage If you're driving on I-24 between Chattanooga and Nashville, the course is less than ten minutes from the interstate, never crowded, and easily played in 90 minutes, even with camera in-hand and a few mulligans along the way.
Give it a go.
Mike