Towhee Club, South of Nashville in Spring Hill TN

[smashdn]

The days of the 35-45 rate are gone I'm afraid.

 

Might get lucky and find a twilight deal during the week.

[pearcebarr]

On 6/3/2022 at 12:45 PM, Minarets said:

No I think you’re spot on. Especially about the club hitting in to the green.  Of course you’re correct to on the landing at sweetens is way more forgiving than Towhee as your pics point out.   I do hit driver on 2 at sweetens and that does give me inside 70 yards in to the green whereas on towhee I’m usually 165 or so away.  Sweetens definitely being easier to hit.  

 

I agree, the club in hand definitely makes a big difference, but I usually lay up on 2 at sweetens since my miss is left with the driver, and pulled driver on 18 at Towhee. Actually played sweetens 2 days ago, and I had 160, 170, 160, and 180 with the rounds I tracked with arccos. At Towhee I felt like I could get after it with the big stick, and I only had 112 in. From the fairway, the backstop is 100% less reassuring than what you're dealing with at sweetens, though.

 

On another note, I also got out to Old Fort recently too, and it is the best deal around town. Conditions are great, and the layout is a lot of fun. Green were suuuuuuuper soft, but in good shape. Actually played with on of Old Fort's superintendents at sweetens by chance, and he said they are redoing their greens this winter. Excited to see what that brings.

 

Also, heard from Colt at sweetens that they are in the works for short course similar to the Cradle at pinehurst, which is super exciting. 

 

 

[pearcebarr]

*duplicate reply pls ignore!

Edited June 6, 2022 by pearcebarr

[vandyfan]

I will be headed out to Towhee this Saturday so it will be a good chance to see the course again (haven't been out there in a few months). Will report back on conditions and general thoughts but...take those with a grain of salt as I will be playing from the Orange tees which are only about 5,700 yds. Should be a hot one and if there isn't water on the course I am going to complain. At $80/round I would expect that there is water every 4-5 holes at least. Hell McCabe does that for $28 a round. I would also hope range balls would be included but likely not as only Hermitage seems to do that. 

[Minarets]

Range balls are not included. I’m playing there tomorrow afternoon

[Mr. Grumpy]

Played Towhee yesterday. Course is in great condition, greens rolling true and fast! They are also very firm and don't hold much. The clubhouse may open this weekend, it looks stocked and ready to go. 

I am still not a fan of all the par 3's especially the couple that are so long, but can't do much about that. It really is amazing what they have done considering how horrible it was kept as Kings Creek. 

 

No water on the course, pack a cooler. Really a shame considering the dangerous heat in the mid south right now. Range balls are not included and a small bucket ($7) is only 20 balls, but it was/is super hot right now and I did not want to hit any more than that. Total with tax for me was $83.41. Yes, it's expensive for what you get....

 

[unprecedented_three]

Thanks, @Mr. Grumpy! This is very helpful. Seven dollars for 20 balls is robbery ($0.35/ball). McCabe, in the middle of Nashville proper (and the expenses that go with that), is $12 for 100 balls ($0.12/ball).

Edited June 16, 2022 by unprecedented_three

[vandyfan]

I've got about 500 shag balls in my garage that I could easily "donate" by hitting them at the range. 

[Minarets]

7 hours ago, Mr. Grumpy said:

Played Towhee yesterday. Course is in great condition, greens rolling true and fast! They are also very firm and don't hold much. The clubhouse may open this weekend, it looks stocked and ready to go. 

I am still not a fan of all the par 3's especially the couple that are so long, but can't do much about that. It really is amazing what they have done considering how horrible it was kept as Kings Creek. 

 

No water on the course, pack a cooler. Really a shame considering the dangerous heat in the mid south right now. Range balls are not included and a small bucket ($7) is only 20 balls, but it was/is super hot right now and I did not want to hit any more than that. Total with tax for me was $83.41. Yes, it's expensive for what you get....

 

the last thing my putting needs is more fast greens.  shot 81 today at Greystone.  WAY TOO MANY putts 5' past hole and missed comebacks.   killer.  

 

thanks  2:30 tee time there tomorrow.  will be hot. 

[vandyfan]

1 hour ago, Minarets said:

the last thing my putting needs is more fast greens.  shot 81 today at Greystone.

How were conditions out there? Mainly asking about their greens since we have had very little rain the past few weeks and it has been hot as hades. 

[Minarets]

1 hour ago, vandyfan said:

How were conditions out there? Mainly asking about their greens since we have had very little rain the past few weeks and it has been hot as hades. 

They were in good shape.  Course is always good.  They were fast but not lightning.  The last time I played Towhee (2 weeks ago) their greens were quicker than Greystone. 

[smashdn]

Dry and hot is not terrible for bent greens.  Wet and hot will burn them up.

[vandyfan]

@Morety Any plans for getting water out on the course at Towhee? Would seem like much less of a capital investment than a new clubhouse and, at least to me, much more additive to the golf experience! Looking forward to seeing the progress this weekend. It is a testament to the faith I have in the conditioning out there that when I have extra free time (like using the Saturday before Father's Day in this case) I put Towhee in the "splurge" rotation with Hermitage. 

[Minarets]

Ok, Mr Grumpy is right.  towhee greens are fast. There are ball marks left on high approaches, which surprised me as a few Times my ball took big hops on the greens. Overall, I’d say they are very nice though.   That course has come a long way.  I used to hate it.  I still never play well there tho….

[vandyfan]

Same as stated above. Greens were about as good as I have seen anywhere in/around Nashville. Very smooth and quite fast. Probably a bit fast for my liking but can’t complain about fairway and green conditioning. Pace of play was very slow but I think that is just about anywhere on a saturday. All in all a nice layout but just a bit too far out for me to play more than once-twice a year. Side note the two guys I was paired with probably lost 10 balls each. Not a forgiving golf course for the average hacker but I enjoyed it.

[Minarets]

Playing Friday I thought pace of play was good.   We did have an older twosome pushing our foursome but we couldn’t move much faster.    Group in front kept pace too.   Enjoyed that part. 
 

the clubhouse was supposed to open yesterday? How was it.   They told us Friday it would be open yesterday 

[vandyfan]

On 6/19/2022 at 10:50 AM, Minarets said:

the clubhouse was supposed to open yesterday? How was it.   They told us Friday it would be open yesterday 

 

Clubhouse is nice, has a very modern almost hotel-y feel to it. Bathrooms are nice. I don't really care much about clubhouses (isn't additive to the golf experience for me) but this one is good. They were cooking dogs and burgers out back. Seemed like most people were enjoying it and the weather was absolutely primo. 

[SeniorTeesPlease]

Too damn far away from Nashville, but the old Ross Creek Landing Course in Clifton, Tn is back open.  This was far and away the best of the Jack Nicklaus Bear Trace courses, but the state closed it due to lack of play being so remote and golf slow back then.

 

It is open under private management.  Obviously, conditions are not now pristine, but they are good enough and the layout is fantastic.  In my opinion it was one of the best courses in Tennessee.  I play at Legends a good bit, and it was a much better layout and course.  

 

I would go down early with a friend and we would play 36.  Yes, a long day due to a 2 hour drive each way.  There is an inn (Bear Creek) and some villas you can stay in if you want to make it a 2 or 3 day thing.

[Abh159]

8 minutes ago, SeniorTeesPlease said:

Too damn far away from Nashville, but the old Ross Creek Landing Course in Clifton, Tn is back open.  This was far and away the best of the Jack Nicklaus Bear Trace courses, but the state closed it due to lack of play being so remote and golf slow back then.

 

It is open under private management.  Obviously, conditions are not now pristine, but they are good enough and the layout is fantastic.  In my opinion it was one of the best courses in Tennessee.  I play at Legends a good bit, and it was a much better layout and course.  

 

I would go down early with a friend and we would play 36.  Yes, a long day due to a 2 hour drive each way.  There is an inn (Bear Creek) and some villas you can stay in if you want to make it a 2 or 3 day thing.

 

If I remember that was/has always been sort of an achilles heel with the Bear Trace courses. They built most of them in the middle of nowhere. How they ever assumed they would be profitable is beyond me.

 

They should have followed what the RTJ Trail did and put most of the sites either in or within a short drive of larger cities so people can easily play without having to make a whole trip out of it.

[Minarets]

1 hour ago, vandyfan said:

 

Clubhouse is nice, has a very modern almost hotel-y feel to it. Bathrooms are nice. I don't really care much about clubhouses (isn't additive to the golf experience for me) but this one is good. They were cooking dogs and burgers out back. Seemed like most people were enjoying it and the weather was absolutely primo. 

Saturday weather was primo.   My god, it wasn’t hot and there was the most delightful breeze all day.  

[SeniorTeesPlease]

15 minutes ago, Abh159 said:

 

If I remember that was/has always been sort of an achilles heel with the Bear Trace courses. They built most of them in the middle of nowhere. How they ever assumed they would be profitable is beyond me.

 

They should have followed what the RTJ Trail did and put most of the sites either in or within a short drive of larger cities so people can easily play without having to make a whole trip out of it.

Agreed, the only one really accessible to a large town is Harrison Bay near Chattanooga.  It is a nice course, but not as good as Ross Creek.  Chickasaw was too far from Jackson and the state closed it and it is open under private management. Tims Ford is a bit of a drive from Tullahoma.  Cumberland Mountain is pretty good but again a little ways out of Crossville so not near a population center.

[pearcebarr]

Didn't even notice that they didn't have water on the course when I was out there. Kind of seems like an oversight, right? I don't think I've ever played somewhere without some cooler out there. I mean that has to be like, what, $1000 to stick 5 or so coolers in one of those wooden shack things and get a kid in the cart shack to fill 'em up every hour?

 

Hopefully they get that changed, as it makes an otherwise nice walking course into an impossible walk in the summer. 

[vandyfan]

2 minutes ago, pearcebarr said:

I don't think I've ever played somewhere without some cooler out there.

 

I agree they should have water but I have been seeing a correlation between courses with beverage carts and no water on the course. Essentially they are cutting into their revenue stream (pun intended) by giving out free water. Gaylord used to have functioning water fountains at their bathrooms and the last few times I have been out there the water fountains don't work anymore.

 

I noticed there were numerous Towhee employees running around this weekend trying to clean clubs, get golf bags out of cars and load them up onto golf carts, etc. I, personally, do not need my clubs cleaned or loaded. What I do need is access to water when it is 90 degrees+ outside. Surely one of those kids could take water around the course all day. Would go a long way. 

[Minarets]

I said something to them Friday about that. It was hot as hell and not a drop of water.  I assume that is to make you pay for drinks but there was no cart person offering drinks so it was at the turn or bust.  For it to be that hot and no water on the course at $80 around seems a little ridiculous

 

i brought up the guys waiting to clean clubs. I mean while that’s a nice service I’d rather buy a bottle water then feel obligated to tip a kid to clean my clubs

Edited June 21, 2022 by Minarets

[pearcebarr]

I feel like I'd be more willing to drink beer if I had access to as much free water as I wanted on the course. As someone who likes to walk, beer is usually the last thing on my mind, especially if I can't get anything to hydrate with on the course. Course is nice enough that I'll go back, but I'll just remember to pack two water bottles instead of one. 

[me05501]

On 6/21/2022 at 11:57 AM, Abh159 said:

 

If I remember that was/has always been sort of an achilles heel with the Bear Trace courses. They built most of them in the middle of nowhere. How they ever assumed they would be profitable is beyond me.

 

They should have followed what the RTJ Trail did and put most of the sites either in or within a short drive of larger cities so people can easily play without having to make a whole trip out of it.

 

I think the idea was to use property the state already controlled which meant using state park property which meant being a bit far out from civilization in a lot of cases. Definitely too far from the nearest interstate. 

Another by-product of using state park property is that they aren't allowed to clear trees to enhance the views from the courses. You get pretty nice views of the lake at Harrison Bay but at Tim's Ford there are several holes where you can hear boats on the lake but can't really see the water. I think Tim's Ford would be rated more highly by a lot of folks if it had the same views as Harrison Bay. 

 

I enjoy Cumberland Mtn also but it can be painful to play. There's just not much room to miss there and if anyone in your group is spraying the ball you waste a lot of time trying to find 'em. 

[Minarets]

I agree about Tim’s Ford.  First time I played there, I had no clue we were close to the lake until I heard boats.  

[Morety]

On 6/21/2022 at 9:56 AM, vandyfan said:

 

Clubhouse is nice, has a very modern almost hotel-y feel to it. Bathrooms are nice. I don't really care much about clubhouses (isn't additive to the golf experience for me) but this one is good. They were cooking dogs and burgers out back. Seemed like most people were enjoying it and the weather was absolutely primo. 

Glad you enjoyed the new clubhouse!  We're excited to have the restaurant--Birdsong Social--open.  This week we've been training staff and doing a soft opening getting ready to fully open. 

[pearcebarr]

11 hours ago, Morety said:

Glad you enjoyed the new clubhouse!  We're excited to have the restaurant--Birdsong Social--open.  This week we've been training staff and doing a soft opening getting ready to fully open. 

I feel like you overlooked the water discussion...

[unprecedented_three]

In The Tennessean this week:

 

Towhee Club golf course in Spring Hill launches with new clubhouse, Birdsong Social restaurant

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/williamson/2022/07/16/birdsong-social-restaurant-launches-spring-hill-golf-course-tennessee/10018103002/