| 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
Where to Play Golf Radio & TV Show
P.O.Box 123
Williams Bay, WI. 53191
www.wheretoplaygolf.com
wheretoplaygolf@charter.net
Tel: 262-215-2430
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