For many, golf isn’t just a game – it’s a chance to decompress, get outdoors, and spend quality time with friends. If you’re searching for a public golf course in Chattanooga, there’s no shortage of options to choose from. Here, we’ll explore just a few of the options in the Scenic City and surrounding area.
Brainerd Golf Course
Owned and operated by the city of Chattanooga, Brainerd Golf Course is open to everyone all year round. Located at 5203 Old Mission Road, the course is just 15 minutes from downtown Chattanooga and offers 18 holes of golf for $24 Monday through Friday and for $29 on weekends and holidays.
Designed by legendary golf architect Donald Ross, Brainerd Golf Course opened in 1926, and Ross’ handiwork is evident (even after renovations in 1953 and 1983) in the course’s green complexes. Brainerd Golf Course is open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and boasts amenities such as a full-service snack bar, clubhouse, a pro shop, and more.
Brown Acres Golf Course
The city of Chattanooga’s second public golf course, Brown Acres Golf Course, is located 20 minutes from downtown at 406 Brown Road and offers the same pricing as Brainerd Golf Course. Popular with both tourists and locals, this course also offers a full-service snack bar, clubhouse, and pro shop as well as a new driving range.
Moccasin Bend Golf Course
Built in 1966, Moccasin Bend Golf Course is an 18-hole championship course open to golfers of any skill level. As the name suggests, this course is located just 10 minutes from downtown Chattanooga on the beautiful and historic Moccasin Bend, offering stunning views of nature and the Tennessee River. The course offers 18 holes of golf for $23.50 (or $35 including a cart) during the weekdays and for $28.50 ($40 with a cart) on weekends and holidays. Visiting golfers can also enjoy the course’s driving range and ever-popular bar and grill.
Concord Golf Club
This 18-hole golf course in East Brainerd is walk-up only, requiring no tee times. Concord Golf Club offers a relaxed dress code, making it ideal for golfers who want to squeeze in a game after work or on their lunch break. Golfers can play 18 holes with a cart for $23 on the weekdays and $28 on the weekends. The club offers light refreshments and cart rentals, and memberships are available for purchase.
Bear Trace Courses at Harrison Bay
Just 35 minutes north of Chattanooga, Bear Trace Courses at Harrison Bay offers a course surrounded by water and heavily-wooded land, often referred to as “the best natural piece of land for a golf course.” Rates are subject to change but can be found on the course’s website. Golfers can enjoy the course’s driving range, practice green, and snack bar, and for those interested in a weekend of golf, accommodations can be found nearby at Harrison Bay State Park.
Montlake Golf Course
The Montlake Golf Course is an 18-hole course atop Mowbray Mountain, and it’s open all year. Just 30 minutes from downtown Chattanooga, in Soddy-Daisy, this challenging and exciting course offers 18 holes of golf with a cart for $32 on the weekdays and $40 on the weekends and holidays. Visitors can also enjoy the course’s clubhouse, offering a selection of equipment and light refreshments.
Sweetens Cove Golf Club
In the heart of Sequatchie Valley, Sweetens Cove Golf Club is just 30 minutes from downtown Chattanooga, offering “wildly contoured greens, elaborate bunkering, and immense, tightly mown fairways” for a remarkable golfing experience. Sweetens Cove is open to the public, though they don’t offer tee times or walk-up availability. Instead, golfers can reserve passes on the club’s website when dates become available.
Nob North Golf Course
South of the Scenic City, in Cohutta, Georgia, Nob North Golf Course is a PGA-approved, Gary Player-designed public golf course, and it’s just 35 minutes from downtown Chattanooga. This course offers 18 holes of golf including a cart for $39 on the weekdays and $46 on the weekends. Suitable for all ages and skill levels, Nob North also offers free parking, public restrooms, a driving range, and a pro shop to its visitors.
Falcon Pointe and Flagstone Golf Clubs
Located 40 minutes from downtown Chattanooga in Cleveland, Tennessee, Falcon Pointe and Flagstone Golf Clubs are family-run golf clubs open to members of the public. After taking on this beautiful course, golfers can enjoy lunch at the clubs’ grill, serving up hamburgers, hot dogs, and more.
Trenton Golf Club
In Trenton, Georgia, just 25 minutes from downtown, the Trenton Golf Club offers an 18-hole championship course in a beautiful valley, complete with stunning views of the mountains. Open every day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., the club also features a driving range, lessons and club rentals, and a snack bar as well as a motel and other accommodations. This course is open to the public, and memberships are also available for purchase.
Topgolf
For those just in need of a driving range, Chattanooga also has a Topgolf in East Ridge, perfect for practicing your swing, hanging out with golfing buddies, or hosting a party with friends. The bays offer year-round comfort with fans in the summer and heat in the winter. Visitors can use the bay as a typical driving range, play a variety of different games, or check out the 18-hole mini golf course while enjoying delicious food and drinks.
Fore!
Whether you’re looking for a course designed by legendary golf architect Donald Ross or a quick game that you can tackle on your lunch break, Chattanooga has plenty of public golf courses to offer in the city and surrounding area. So, grab your clubs, gather your friends, and get ready to hit the links. Happy golfing!
Ali Lemmons, BS, Summa Cum Laude
Ali Lemmons is a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication with a minor in computer science. While at UTC, Ali also earned the distinction of Summa Cum Laude, the Outstanding Senior Award for the communication department, and was inducted into the Kappa Tau Alpha honor society. Now, as editor/digital content specialist for CMC Media & Marketing Group, Ali leads the ideation, conceptualization, and development of numerous health, wellness, and lifestyle articles published in print and online for HealthScope, CityScope, and Choose Chattanooga magazines – premier publications serving S.E. Tennessee and North Georgia. She also is the lead copywriter for the company’s social media accounts. In her free time, Ali enjoys exploring Chattanooga’s many hiking trails and searching for the best burger in the city.
