Holston Hills or Oak Ridge Country Club

[glg1601]

If you were to join one of these country clubs, which would it be?

[me05501]

Wherever you can most easily spend the most time. 

[Abh159]

14 hours ago, glg1601 said:

If you were to join one of these country clubs, which would it be?

 

Those two aren't exactly down the street from each other. If I'm not mistaken, I think they're about 45 minutes - 1 hour apart.

 

Where will you be living? Proximity should always be one of the top 2-3 factors you consider when choosing a club.

Edited May 16, 2022 by Abh159

[glg1601]

We’ll be doing an out of area membership for now, so both courses are within the same distance. Just curious to see what everyone thought between them, and also forgot to include Green Meadow Country Club. 

Edited May 16, 2022 by glg1601

[cardia10]

To me, Holston is just a step above if golf is the focus. They have a pool and food and all of that, but the golf is just the top in my opinion. 

[golfgoob]

With Holston Hills, you get membership access to several courses in NC, SC and VA. Something to consider if you travel and play. Don't forget about Cherokee, Fox Den and Gettysvue. 

[sui generis]

I like Holston, by a whisker. 🙂

[golfgoob]

I took my son to play Green Meadows yesterday. It's a nice course. Not very long with large trees. It played hard and firm. Driving range maxes out at 240yrd. My son is on the middle school team and has played a few private courses. If money and location wasn't an issue, I'd pick in this order. Holston, Fox Den, Oak Ridge, Green Meadows and Gettysvue. Feel free to message me for questions. 

 

Edit- I forgot about Beaver Brook. I'd put it at the bottom of the list. 

Edited May 22, 2022 by golfgoob

[5 O'Clock Charlie]

Holston is in my top 5 all time that I have played. Would join there if they had space and I was living in Knoxville again.

[jecarnl]

Windriver

[pearcebarr]

I haven't played it before, but Holston Hills gets a lot of love from golden age architecture nuts.

 

https://thefriedegg.com/holston-hills/

[me05501]

On 6/24/2022 at 9:46 AM, pearcebarr said:

I haven't played it before, but Holston Hills gets a lot of love from golden age architecture nuts.

 

https://thefriedegg.com/holston-hills/

 

It really is a great course, very challenging. Can play quite long.

 

What always stood out to me is the rough. It's Bermuda and somehow it's grown long without being thick or clumpy. You get these long, tall tendrils of Bermuda and the ball often goes all the way through them to rest at their roots. The lie basically forces a wedge out. 

 

The member I used to play with said a lot of members carried 7 woods specifically for that shot.  

[glg1601]

We played Holston Hills, Oak Ridge and Green Meadow a few weeks ago. Holston Hills was by far the best of all of these. Not only was it one of the best maintained courses I’ve played, and I’ve played a lot of courses, but the staff was great. We’ll be joining Holston Hills, probably on a national membership for now, until we move to the area. But now, we need to decide on where we want to live, that isn’t too far from Holston Hills or UT yet in a conservative rural area. 

[pearcebarr]

Congrats on making the pick, let me know if you know if you ever need someone to fill out a member/guest 🤣

[alcap26]

Holston Hills by a lot.  

[cardia10]

On 6/28/2022 at 10:29 AM, glg1601 said:

We played Holston Hills, Oak Ridge and Green Meadow a few weeks ago. Holston Hills was by far the best of all of these. Not only was it one of the best maintained courses I’ve played, and I’ve played a lot of courses, but the staff was great. We’ll be joining Holston Hills, probably on a national membership for now, until we move to the area. But now, we need to decide on where we want to live, that isn’t too far from Holston Hills or UT yet in a conservative rural area. 

Maybe look around the Seymour area. Close enough to everything while still getting that rural feel. 

[glg1601]

8 hours ago, cardia10 said:

Maybe look around the Seymour area. Close enough to everything while still getting that rural feel. 

Thanks. Yeah that is one area we are looking at. 

[golfgoob]

I'd look in the Ruggles Ferry area to live. My son works at Holston and they won't let me play. I'm sure if he tried, maybe I could. So if you need a 3 and 4, my 13yr would like to tag along.

[glg1601]

On 6/30/2022 at 4:18 PM, golfgoob said:

I'd look in the Ruggles Ferry area to live. My son works at Holston and they won't let me play. I'm sure if he tried, maybe I could. So if you need a 3 and 4, my 13yr would like to tag along.

I’m not too familiar with the Ruggles Ferry area?

[golfgoob]

Ruggles Ferry golf course is probably 5 miles from HH, across the Holston River. It's a nice, peaceful area with older and new houses. It has a feel of living in the country but very convenient to town. 

[CTG77]

My wife and I are looking at retirement options (about 7 years out...maybe 10).  Knoxville is near the top of our list because she wants a 4-season climate and an area close to mountains and I want an area with a decent shot at year-round golf on most days of the year.  I am a diehard and if I'm walking can handle mid-40s if the wind isn't bad, so Tennessee is probably going to be fine for me since it doesn't get any colder than it does here in Dallas. 

 

Does anyone know how hard is it to get a membership at Holston Hills, and what is the approximate cost per month?  I'm not terribly worried about the cost, as I will be at or over 75% current salary from 1 retirement account and will add in another retirement account that goes active around the same time (yay for pensions I had had the fortitude to leave vested, right?), but it would be nice to have a plan.  For sure, the cost of living can't be as bad in SE TN as it is in the DFW area overall.

[glg1601]

2 hours ago, CTG77 said:

My wife and I are looking at retirement options (about 7 years out...maybe 10).  Knoxville is near the top of our list because she wants a 4-season climate and an area close to mountains and I want an area with a decent shot at year-round golf on most days of the year.  I am a diehard and if I'm walking can handle mid-40s if the wind isn't bad, so Tennessee is probably going to be fine for me since it doesn't get any colder than it does here in Dallas. 

 

Does anyone know how hard is it to get a membership at Holston Hills, and what is the approximate cost per month?  I'm not terribly worried about the cost, as I will be at or over 75% current salary from 1 retirement account and will add in another retirement account that goes active around the same time (yay for pensions I had had the fortitude to leave vested, right?), but it would be nice to have a plan.  For sure, the cost of living can't be as bad in SE TN as it is in the DFW area overall.

Here is the link with the pricing that I was provided. 
 

https://www.mcconnellgolf.com/files/HHCC_MembershipOfferings_1-2022.pdf

[CTG77]

2 minutes ago, glg1601 said:

Here is the link with the pricing that I was provided. 
 

https://www.mcconnellgolf.com/files/HHCC_MembershipOfferings_1-2022.pdf

Even if that goes up somewhat over the next few years, it is very reasonable if the course is as nice as everyone says it is.  Even much less historic / nice courses in Dallas have much higher initiation fees here in DFW.

[glg1601]

6 hours ago, CTG77 said:

Even if that goes up somewhat over the next few years, it is very reasonable if the course is as nice as everyone says it is.  Even much less historic / nice courses in Dallas have much higher initiation fees here in DFW.

If you ever go out there, you can contact them about doing a preview play day and they’ll show you around. Dara is really great at the club and everyone there is really helpful. 

[golfortennis]

On 2/10/2023 at 4:46 PM, glg1601 said:

Here is the link with the pricing that I was provided. 
 

https://www.mcconnellgolf.com/files/HHCC_MembershipOfferings_1-2022.pdf

 

What is missing on that form?  That seems incredibly cheap to join there.  

[5 O'Clock Charlie]

On 4/1/2023 at 9:37 AM, golfortennis said:

 

What is missing on that form?  That seems incredibly cheap to join there.  

We took a tour of Holston and played in April as we are going to move from Charlotte. The price is extremely reasonable, the gotcha is they are basically full or almost at capacity. In April they were at 447 golf members and 609 total members (social and golf combined). They have lottery times for the weekend. Course was very packed on a Tuesday in April.

As far as where we would live, we liked Farragut more for the community, but I'm not driving across town to Holston. Still deciding.......

 

[me05501]

11 hours ago, 5 O'Clock Charlie said:

We took a tour of Holston and played in April as we are going to move from Charlotte. The price is extremely reasonable, the gotcha is they are basically full or almost at capacity. In April they were at 447 golf members and 609 total members (social and golf combined). They have lottery times for the weekend. Course was very packed on a Tuesday in April.

As far as where we would live, we liked Farragut more for the community, but I'm not driving across town to Holston. Still deciding.......

 

 

If you live in Farragut, Fox Den is the obvious choice. 

[5 O'Clock Charlie]

2 hours ago, me05501 said:

 

If you live in Farragut, Fox Den is the obvious choice. 

 

Without a doubt, I don't disagree as that would make the most sense from a logistical standpoint.

I was just stating I would be torn because we like the community more in Farragut, but I would always join Holston over Fox Den. I've played both many times and Holston is in my all time top 5. Fox Den is nice (amazing clubhouse, facilities etc...) but I would rather play Holston day in and day out.

[me05501]

1 hour ago, 5 O'Clock Charlie said:

 

Without a doubt, I don't disagree as that would make the most sense from a logistical standpoint.

I was just stating I would be torn because we like the community more in Farragut, but I would always join Holston over Fox Den. I've played both many times and Holston is in my all time top 5. Fox Den is nice (amazing clubhouse, facilities etc...) but I would rather play Holston day in and day out.

 

I like HH better too. I used to have a client who lived not far from Farragut and he belonged at Holston so it's not out of the question. 

If I'm a club member I'm going to want to practice there or grab a bite on the spur of the moment. That'd never happen with a crosstown commute. It's why I've not joined a club here in Chattanooga...the places I want to belong are too far from home to make it worthwhile. 

[Drwoods2017]

Was just at holston last weekend. Tough to imagine theres a better option than that.  Course seems super walkable, was in great shape, and had a super fun layout.  That back 9 I think I could play all day and never get tired of.  Only comment that was made when we were there is that they're super packed with members now so idk how hard getting tee times are.