CHATTANOOGA
By Michael Stewart
Alright….OK…… Let’s get past the “Choo Choo” nostalgia right away….Yes, the Glenn Miller Orchestra won the first gold record awarded by the music industry for a song about Chattanooga – “The Chattanooga Choo Choo”. Built in 1909, the famous Chattanooga Choo Choo Terminal Station still stands today as a testament to the golden age of railroad. Can we move on now?
Today, Chattanooga is very much a hip, sleek, mid-sized city tucked away in a scenic valley in extreme southeastern Tennessee amidst picturesque mountains and the Tennessee River. Chattanooga is the envy of Green Urban planners nationwide and boasts a newly revitalized riverfront where practically everything is within walking distance & a downtown shuttle fleet of zero-emission electric buses.
With the recent addition of penguin residents at the Riverfront Tennessee Aquarium (the world’s largest freshwater aquarium) and the summer long, free “Nightfall” concert series performed by entertainers from all over the world, it’s no wonder Chattanooga has become known as “The Jewel of the South”!
A dynamic combination of breathtaking scenic beauty, family-oriented attractions, numerous hotel and restaurant venues, world-famous BAR-B-Q, a thriving art scene, and so much more, Chattanooga also provides for an abundance of outdoor activities in its wonderfully temperate climate.
Two of the south’s most famous attractions include Chattanooga’s own “Southern Belle” with true southern hospitality in the old riverboat tradition and the 145-foot Ruby Falls underground waterfall at Lookout Mountain Caverns, both are “must sees” when visiting.
Year-round activities in and around Chattanooga include; boating, mountain biking, hang gliding, camping & RV parks, whitewater rafting, caving expeditions, bass fishing, mountain climbing and hiking up to Lookout Mountain (where you can see seven states), to you guessed it, golf.
Tennessee is now home to a classic collection of Jack Nicklaus Signature golf courses called The Bear Trace. Named after the historic Natchey Trace, a well-traveled Tennessee thoroughfare which played an instrumental role in the growth of the South in the late 1700’s, the present Bear Trace lineup features four exhilarating, yet very playable Nicklaus layouts.
All four of Jack’s designs are an integral part of the award-winning Tennessee State Parks System, and together with eight other “Traditional” courses make up the Tennessee Golf Trail. After winning the 2007 Gold Medal for being named the best State Park System in the United States, director Jim Webb commented, “I am proud the Tennessee Golf Trail is an important part of our award-winning Tennessee State Park System….this tremendous accomplishment reflects the skill, expertise, and commitment across the entire park system – from our park rangers to our golf course superintendents.”
Harrison Bay
Located just 15 minutes north of downtown Chattanooga, The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay has been referred to as “the best natural piece of land for a golf course in the area”. Widely acknowledged as having the most diversified flora and aquatic ecosystems in North America, this scenic region of southeast Tennessee is home to the 1,200-acre Harrison Bay State Park.
With 40 miles of Chickamauga Lake shoreline as a backdrop, The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay is surrounded by both water and a beautiful, heavily wooded landscape. Bermuda fairways meander through soaring pine and hardwood trees and although the water comes into play on twelve holes, Jack leaves sufficient room for safe shot-making. Just try not to be distracted by the passing wave-runner or the ever present boat parties out there on Chickamauga.
In addition, most of Jack’s greens here are open in front creating a more user-friendly atmosphere where run-up approaches are welcome and all the bunkering at Harrison Bay is “traditional Nicklaus” which adds character to the overall integrity of the design. Selected as one of the “100 Best Bargain Courses in the U.S.”, The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay, like the other courses in the collection, emphasizes playability in fantastic natural surroundings!
Canyon Ridge
High atop Lookout Mountain, just 20-minutes south of Chattanooga and 3,000 feet higher, is a secluded mountaintop community with one of the best new golf courses in America, Canyon Ridge. From the moment you step onto the lush bentgrass greens, you’ll understand the appeal of Canyon Ridge. Co-designed by Robbins & Associates and Mother Nature, this world-class championship course incorporates natural mountain features as part of the challenge and overall experience.
Canyon Ridge Golf Club is a private club, but stay ’n’ play packages are available for non-members who can experience elevated terraced tees with 300 foot drops, wide fairways, deep canyons, natural hardwoods & pines, 40-mile mountaintop views and quiet solitude. Canyon Ridge Club amenities will soon include a Swim & Tennis Club, World Class Spa, Golf Learning Center, and the Canyon Ridge Stables, along with construction of new Mountain Villas and prestigious private residences.
How prestigious?…I was able to stay in the spectacular Winchester Rifle family home overlooking the valley floor and located next to the 18th green!
The name “Chattanooga” actually comes from the Creek Indian name for “rock coming to a point” (Lookout Mountain), and now this friendly, walk-able, traditionally southern town in the heart of the Appalachia Trail is providing a vacation experience second to none.
Rock City
So enjoy your peaceful stroll down on the riverfront as you gaze up at Rock City (where miniature golf was invented in 1926) atop the surrounding mountains, and you’ll also discover that Chattanooga is an exciting, outdoor paradise, truly “A Great City By Nature”.
Rock City
Michael Stewart
America’s #1 Golf Course Writer
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