A Purdy Road Trip - Golf at the Glade

GOLF AT THE GLADE
Joe's Come Back

By Steve Purdy
TheAutoChannel.com Detroit Bureau

Glory, glory, glory! The moon phase is right this time, my karma is on and the stars aligned. Joe, a normally 4-handicap golfer, had an exceptionally tough day and I had a really good one. I beat him by a stroke.

Amazingly, I had a one-stroke lead coming into the last hole. Joe hit his usual boomer off the tee and I hacked one off into the rough about a hundred yards out. I figured I was out of it. Then Joe pushed his second shot hard right under a pine tree. I hit three short but nicely placed shots in a row to recover. I was about a hundred yards from the green on this par-5, laying four. Joe had to chop out from under the tree then just pitch it out to the middle of the fairway. So he was laying four at about 120-yards out. My wedge to the green was right on target leaving me about a six-foot putt. Joes approach left him about 30-feet away. We both two-putted and I took the round. In twenty years of playing golf with Joe I only came close to beating him once and that was when he spotted me a stroke-a-hole. Now I believe in miracles.

Fairfield Glade, near Crossville, Tennessee, about 45-minutes west of Knoxville, is a golf Mecca. The Glade owners association manages four beautiful 18-hole courses and a fifth, the premier course called Stonehenge, is privately owned and located in the center of the development. The round described above was on the scenic, but not too tough, newest course called the Crag. The Crag’s signature hole – number 17 – has four tee boxes, terraced like steps for a giant, down the side of a cliff with panoramic views of the Cumberland Plateau. Jutting out from the right rough is a rock the size of a two story house with a tall, graceful pine tree anchored into its outer tip. The hole is a short par 4 as much fun to play as to look at.

The premier course at the Glade is Stonehenge, a picturesque 6,549-yard course with a respectable slope rating of 135, designed by Joe Lee and Rocky Rockmore. Stonehenge was rated the best new golf course in the country by Golf Digest when it was built 1985. Since that time it has been rated as the best public course in Tennessee ten times and now Golf Digest calls it the best “Resort Course” in Tennessee. The rolling tree-lined fairways take full advantage of the elevation changes, the geological beauty and the flora of this lovely spot on the Cumberland Plateau. Pileated woodpeckers, deer and other wildlife add to the natural beauty of the course.

Joe and I have played Stonehenge many times over the years. Since becoming part of the Links Corporation it has been consistently first rate. In fact this year it looks to be pristine. Our host, head golf pro Frank Christopher, explains that Stonehenge closes from mid November to mid March when all the yearly maintenance is done and capitol improvements are made. By the time the course reopens in spring it’s fully healed and ready to entertain and frustrate dedicated golfers. In fact, Frank tells us, our visit in May is the premier time to play.

We teed off in the early afternoon. A light rain was coming and going with rare peeks at the sun. Stonehenge is a challenging course with nary a level spot to be found and lots of sand guarding landing areas and greens. Plenty of rocks and gullies tend to dissuade the little white ball. The front nine snakes through wooded neighborhoods of nice homes and building lots as it falls off the side of the mountain making dramatic views out over the Catoosa Wildlife Refuge, Tennessee’s largest preserve. Longer than the back, the front nine offers lots of opportunities to get into trouble even though the fairways are generous.

The back nine is the real drama. Cascading down the other side of the mountain the fairways remain generous but even more undulating leading up to the signature hole, number 14 - certainly the most photographed spot in the Glade - a wonderful sight to behold whether one is a golfer or not. The tee box of this 161-yard hole is high above the tiny round green with Lake Dartmore as a backdrop. One must fly the waste area from the front of the tee to about 25-feet in front of the green. The apron on the left of the green is barely two feet wide and drops off sharply into a deep rocky creek. The cart path is to the left of the creek and a beautiful stone bridge arches gracefully across the creek where it joins the lake. On the right of the green perhaps five feet of apron offers solace before a rock cliff rises vertically about 30 feet. The back of the green is supported by about 15 feet of stone wall rising nearly out of the lake.

The very next hole, number 15, is equally dramatic. The tee box is elevated about 30 feet above the surface of Lake Dartmore on a rock shelf and one must shoot over about 175-yards of water to a fairly generous landing area. Then an inlet of water nearly crosses the entire fairway another 150 yards ahead and finally a rocky creek crosses just in front of the tiny elevated green guarded by small boulders and well-positioned bunkers. For a 501-yard par 5 it’s tough. Joe birdied it.

The greens on Stonehenge are difficult, even treacherous, but not gimmicky. Many are terraced and most subtly undulate. They are very fast and hold approach shots well. Obviously great care has been taken to construct the greens right in the first place and the maintenance is excellent. I sank more putts than I deserved but it didn’t quite make up for missed hits elsewhere on the course, and Joe beat me soundly.

In spite of the consistently high ratings of the course you won’t find it too hard to get on. Spring and fall are busiest and reservations can be made 30 days in advance. Amenities include fine practice facilities with a large putting green, practice area for chipping and bunker play as well as a driving range, club house, restaurant and well-stocked pro shop. Expect to pay as much as $79 for the round (cart included) in prime time weekends but there are always specials going on, including 3- and 5-round packages. Call for tee times and details: 931-484-3731.

Along with your clubs bring your camera.

© Steve Purdy, Shunpiker Productions All Rights Reserved