- One of the most beautiful of the five golf courses in the Trace system.
- The scenery is spectacular. There's always something new just around the corner.
- It's a little out of the way, but so what?
- Of the five courses in the Bear Trace this one is perhaps the toughest. It’s certainly one of the most enjoyable.
- On the banks of the Tennessee River, Ross Creek Landing is built on 450 acres owned by The Hassell Charitable Foundation.
- The course is named for the creek that passes in front of and behind the green on the treacherous 10th hole.
RCL opened for play in the fall of 2001, but it wasn’t until late 2002 when Jack arrived to christen it, that Ross Creek Landing really took off. The hype increased when, in March 2003, Golfweek ranked it “Best Public Access Course in Tennessee.”
At 7,131 yards, Ross Creek Landing is second in length only to its sister course at Harrison Bay. From the back tees it’s a true championship challenge, and most mid-handicap golfers find even the blue tees more than they can handle. Ian Thompson of the Birmingham News maintains that, “holes 8 - 10 could easily be Ross Creek Landing’s ‘Amen Corner,’” and I can’t help but agree with him. Handicapped 1, 2 and 3 respectively, they are the toughest three holes on the course. And that’s not all: fall foul of the terrible trio and you still have the four finishing holes to contend with – perhaps the toughest road home in the Bear Trace system.
The 8th is 556 yards. There’s water to the left the entire length of the hole. The tee shot is not so tough: there's a little room for error to the right, but the lay-up shot is demanding. If you can manage a par here….
The 9th is a real bear (no pun intended). At 453 yards, you tee off over water aiming for a fairway that lies diagonal to the tee. Only the mind of Jack Nicklaus could envision anything like it. Beyond the water there’s more than 200 yards of narrows to negotiate before you can reach the over-large green where three-putts are often the order of the day.
The third hole of the terrible trio, the 10th, is a tough 435 yards. The tee shot is quite easy, but miss the fairway and a deep chasm in front of the green awaits your second. But even a nicely placed tee shot can bring hazards. An elevated green is guarded by rocks, bunkers and water. We’re talking target golf here. Go long and you’ll find water; fall short and it’s rough, rocks, sand and water.
