Tennessee's 4 Best Public Golf Courses In Nashville, According To Reviews

Music City is generally touted as being "the" place for hot chicken, live concerts, and celebrity-owned bars, but it's also a solid place to hit little white balls. While Tennessee isn't quite the golf capital of the country — that distinction belongs to Scottsdale, Arizona — "Golf Digest" counts nearly three dozen courses in the Nashville area, including 20 that are open to the public. Of course, golfers know not all courses are created equal. Some are known for their playability, others for difficulty — such as those courses offering the best chance at a hole-in-one — while others are celebrated for their architectural design or distinctive character. Subtle differences in layout, terrain, and conditions can turn a casual layout into championship-level play. Weather and wind matter, as do price and pace of play. Then there are the amenities — clubhouses, pro shops, practice ranges — that can elevate the overall experience. With so many options around Nashville, choosing where to play ultimately comes down to personal preference, but those factors can help separate a good course from a great one.

With that in mind, we scoured reviews of Nashville's golf courses to help you decide where to tee up on your next trip. Drawing from platforms like Reddit, Google, and Tripadvisor, along with expert feedback from sources including Golf Digest, we highlighted Gaylord Springs, President's Reserve at Hermitage, Harpeth Hills, and Two Rivers. All are within a 30-mile radius of downtown Nashville, and each offers value from premium amenities to budget-friendly accessibility. Whether you're aiming to lower your handicap or simply spend a relaxed day on the links, Nashville has you covered — and this list is the perfect place to start.

Gaylord Springs holds a 4.3-star rating on Google, with some even describing it as "the crown jewel of Nashville public golf" largely because of its pristine course condition, upscale clubhouse and restaurant, and premium practice facilities. "The course feels like it could host a PGA or Korn Ferry event tomorrow; every blade of grass is manicured to perfection," one Google reviewer wrote. Designed by three-peat champion Larry Nelson, Gaylord Springs lies just 12 miles from downtown Nashville, making it easily accessible to locals and visitors. "[Gaylord Springs is] a nice course and in good condition," wrote a reviewer on Reddit. "It had some very pretty holes and was more interesting (harder) than a typical resort course."

This 18-hole, par-72 Scottish links-style course stretches across 220 acres of wetlands and limestone bluffs along the Cumberland River, offering both scenic views and a challenging layout, with deep sand traps and water features. The impeccably maintained greens and fairways consistently earn praise, as do the course's modern amenities, like GPS-enabled golf carts. "A fun afternoon of golf in a beautiful setting," wrote a Google reviewer. "The course is fair but demanding, and errors are punished. [...] a place you want to play more than one round because you learn so much about the course your first time through."

Gaylord Springs' main drawbacks are pricing and pace of play: Higher-than-average beverage costs and the price of practice balls for the driving range, along with slow pacing due to path-only carts and other bottlenecks, can affect the day, according to reviewers. Despite this, many golfers feel the price is justified by the course's condition and amenities, leaving most visitors with a highly positive overall experience.

Hermitage is a standout golf destination in the Nashville area. Located in Old Hickory, about 18 miles from downtown Nashville, the facility scores a solid 4.4-star rating on Google and includes luxury lodging, Hickory Sticks Grill and a clubhouse, and two distinct 18-hole courses: the President's Reserve and the General's Retreat, each offering its own layout and character. The General's Retreat, designed by Gary Roger Baird in the 1980s, is the original course and former host of the LPGA Sara Lee Classic. Known for its more traditional parkland feel, it now plays a clear supporting role against the 2000-built President's Reserve, a Denis Griffiths design ranked among Tennessee's top public courses. "I've played both 500 times. President's is better," one golfer wrote on Facebook. "No houses, zoysia fairways, better layout, and more places to lose golf balls."

The par-72 course stretches nearly 7,200 yards across 300 acres of wetlands and Cumberland River bluffs. Tree-lined fairways, roaming Scottish Blackface sheep, and wildlife sightings — otters, deer, and more — create a memorable setting. "If I were to create a Tennessee golfing experience, this has it all," wrote a Tripadvisor reviewer. "Unique wildlife, mature trees, bayou moss water, old bridges, big rivers, and lots of greenery, [...] The golf is great. I would go back here in an instant."

While reviewers widely praise the course's conditions, some golfers find the greens fees steep, particularly when the play is slow. Others counter that perks like complimentary range balls, frequent player discounts, and cheap post-round beer make it worth it. One Google reviewer even shared a tip: "The beer after the round is only a penny per stroke, for real. You just need to show your scorecard."

About 16 miles south of downtown Nashville, Harpeth Hills is a par-72 municipal layout set within the rolling terrain of the acclaimed Warner Parks system. Originally built in 1965 and reworked in the early 1990s, it remains one of the best values among Nashville's public courses, thanks to its conditioning, playability, and a setting that feels notably secluded. Reviewers agree, giving it a 4.1-star rating on Google. Harpeth Hills' landscaping leans into its natural, rolling topography, with its more challenging back nine bordering the Steeplechase horse track. Upgraded greens, deep bunkers, significant slopes, and strategically-placed doglegs add to its appeal. One reviewer praised the course's physicality. "I was thoroughly exhausted after my round with how much course [there] seemed to be, but I definitely think I got my money's worth!" they wrote.  "Very much worth it to play," agreed a Reddit reviewer.

Wildlife sightings– deer and wild turkeys in particular — are common in the surrounding parkland, giving the course a quiet, private-club feel. Practice facilities, a driving range, and a retro-style clubhouse round out the experience. "Beautiful course," praised a Google reviewer. "Top notch setting, with rolling hills and old trees." Another reviewer noted the vibrant autumn colors, adding: "If you want to treat yourself to a beautiful public municipal golf course, I highly recommend Harpeth Hills."

If you're planning a round, note that tee times must be reserved by phone, typically a week in advance when bookings open, though walk-ins can sometimes be accommodated. "While it's certainly a nice public golf course, go even if you don't play golf," recommended one Tripadvisor reviewer. As one Google reviewer succinctly put it: "Definitely play here, enjoy!"

If you're looking for an accessible city course near some of Music City's top attractions, Two Rivers Golf Course, just 3 miles down the road from the Grand Ole Opry, is a great bet. Located east of downtown where the Cumberland and Stones Rivers meet, Two Rivers is a public, 18-hole municipal course in a parkland-style layout playing to a par 72 at 6,600 yards. Designed by Leon Howard in the 1970s, with some redesigns in the 1990s and ultradwarf Bermuda greens installed in 2016, Two Rivers is a classic, playable municipal design. With a 4.4-star rating on Google, it stands as one of the city's better municipal options — well-maintained with good drainage, affordable fees (including greens, rental clubs, and carts), and enough variation to keep things interesting. The panoramic view of the Nashville skyline from the 8th hole is a highlight. "Challenging course, played 9 holes (walked)... quads felt it," wrote a Google reviewer. "Lost two balls in the Bermuda. Great course." A Reddit user agreed, writing: "I'd play [Two Rivers] any day of the week."

Like other Nashville municipal golf courses, tee times must be reserved by phone (no online option) up to one week in advance. The course can get busy, but its straightforward layout and minimal water hazards make it approachable for all skill levels. Reviewers also consistently praise its value, friendly staff, and laid-back, unpretentious vibe. Practice facilities are available on-site, along with a recently updated pro shop. As one reviewer in The Pamphleteer noted, "The clubhouse here is the largest out of all the Nashville munis [...] Spacious locker rooms and showers with a full-service kitchen and dining area make it feel first class right from the start."

"Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it is at the same time rewarding and maddening," golf pro Arnold Palmer is credited with saying. "Without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented." Anyone who's spent a day — or a lifetime — on the links understands this dichotomy: the elation and frustration that 18 holes can deliver. That said, where you spend so much time wrestling with tiny white balls is important: from the layout to the landscape, maintenance, amenities, and price.

With so many options for playing the world's "greatest game" in Nashville, we narrowed down the best courses by focusing exclusively on those with public access. That way, anyone reading this can realistically book a tee time and experience them firsthand. While the region is home to several prestigious private clubs, we prioritized courses that do not require invitations or exclusive memberships, including accessible semi-private clubs and municipal courses. To ensure quality, we selected courses with at least a 4-star rating and a minimum of 100 Google reviews, and analyzed guest feedback across additional platforms like Reddit, Tripadvisor, Yelp, and Facebook, along with expert publications like Golf Digest and tools like BlueGolf, paying close attention to details such as course layout, difficulty, practice facilities, and overall amenities. Finally, we limited our scope to courses within a 30-mile radius of downtown Nashville. Although golf courses are known for their expansive footprints, Nashville offers a surprising number of scenic, spacious layouts just minutes from its urban core. Use Gaylord Springs, the President's Reserve at the Hermitage, Harpeth Hills, and Two Rivers as a starting point, but not a definitive ranking.