If you are in the Chattanooga area make sure to check out Sweetens Cove.

TH

For Knoxville, I would check out Alavon or Willow Creek for public tracks. Holston Hills is fantastic if you can find a member. I’m in Johnson City and a member at Blackthorn Club (The Ridges). Let me know if you make it this way.

In Atlanta The Frog in Villa Rica,Cherokee Run in Conyers and Stone Mountain. Go Dawgs.

Just off I-20 near Oxford , Ala on your way between Atl and Bham is Cider Ridge .
good layout and not expensive. also any Robt Trent Jones courses in Ala .

I would recommend any of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail locations that you will have a chance to go to. You will be in close proximity to up to four of the RTJ Trail locations. Traveling between Chattanooga and Birmingham you could detour about 30 minutes west of Scottsboro and head to Hampton Cove. Two full 18 courses, River and Highlands, and a par 3 course. I prefer Highlands.

In Birmingham there are two more RTJ Trail courses within a couple of miles of each other in Hoover. There is Oxmoor Valley. It offers two 18 hole courses, Ridge and Valley. Can't go wrong with either. Then you have Ross Bridge. It's one of two "premier" locations on the Trail. From the tips it measures 8,400+. Big bear of a golf course, but manageable for a player of any skill level really.

Between Atlanta and Birmingham in Anniston, AL you have Silver Lakes. Three nine hold tracks named Backbreaker, Heartbreaker, and Mindbreaker. Really nice.

The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is consistently considered one of the best bargains in golf in America, if not the best. All of these are public and, with the exception of Ross Bridge, are less than $100 for an 18 hole round.

Heck yeah, GO VOLS. We can always hope. Coach P needs time to rebuild that brick house that has crumbled. All that brick talk in the past just did not have any mortar to push the program forward. He is making positive changes. Vol for life. There is a gret course in East Knoxville that I am dying to play but do not get home enough to play. Rivers Island Golf Club, 9610 Kodak Rd, Kodak, Tennessee. While in Memphis my other home in TN I would highly recommend Tunica National down in Mississippi. Worth the trip down. Most good course in that area are private. Our best hope this year for for a bowl, any bowl.....cheers....vol living in South Carolina with roots still in TN.......

In the Birmingham area play Robert Trent Jones, Ross Bridge. Extremely nice course. Roll Tide!!

Can’t go wrong with the RTJ trail in Alabama. Ross Bridge just outside of Birmingham is nice. Farm links in Sylacauga is also worth it.

Sweetens Cove near Chattanooga, Robert Trent Jones Trail has two locations in Birmingham, Ross Bridge is amazing and Oxmoor Valley too. I agree with Jim on the Frog in Villa Rica near Atlanta as well. Tennessee also has a Jack Nicklaus trail of courses in the state I played the one near Chattanooga once it’s great.

Three Ridges Golf Course in Knoxville! Go Vols!

Might have to try Three Ridges GC. when I am home visiting family. Have to slip away, no one in my family plays golf. The rates look great for seniors. Looks like one of Knoxville's municipal courses. Will be there this weekend for my 55th Class reunion (Carter High School 1964). We are doing a golf event at Ruggles Ferry Golf Club on Saturday morning and our reunion is at Holston Hills CC on Saturday night. HHCC is one club I have on my bucket list. I love the old style Country Clubs.

If you are looking for somewhere out towards Athens, GA, I would recommend the Georgia Club (about 15 minutes away), the UGA course (the team's home course right next to the Campus - a very nice and challenging tract) or Bear's Best Atlanta (about 45 minutes away) in Suwanee. Safe travels.

Hello PCagney!! Live outside Knoxville. Wow !! You will like Three Ridges & Holston Hills. My son & I have been playing over East Tennessee for the last 30 years. You will enjoy the courses in & around Knoxville. There are several. Look at GolfNow for some good tee times & greens fees. If you get an opportunity try Sevierville Golf Club. 36 holes of beauty, especially the Highlands course. Enjoy coming back to your class reunion. DRH

Just north of Birmingham is a course called Limestone Springs. I played it years ago and it instantly became one of my top three favorites. Not sure of the conditions now, but definitely worth a trip. The course is carved out of mature trees and just one the most peaceful serene courses I’ve ever played. Good luck and have fun!!

While talking to my classmates about the River Island Course in Kodak, do not waste your time. It is on the verge of going out of business, only nine holes open at this time and in poor condition. Ruggles Ferry Golf Club is a fun little course off Asheville Hwy in east Knoxville and only cost $44 on Saturday morning. Bent greens. Was not super busy.

You will pass several of the Robert Trent Jones courses in Alabama along that route you described. I'm from North AL and my favorite is Ross Bridge (between Birmingham/Tuscaloosa) but a multi-day package can be found at rtjgolf.com

I highly recommend Ross Bridge if you are in Alabama.

I'll echo what several have said about RTJ courses in Alabama - incredible value.

Also, as Jason said, Farmlinks is absolutely worth it. They do the little things that make you enjoy your entire experience. It is my favorite public course in AL.