Some of the best golf trips aren’t built around famous resorts or courses you’ve seen a hundred times on television. Sometimes they’re about getting in the car, heading down a two-lane road and discovering a golf course you probably wouldn’t have found unless you went looking for it.
That’s exactly what I found on a recent road trip through western Tennessee, where two very different golf experiences—Chickasaw Golf Club and Pickwick Landing State Park—provided plenty of reasons to venture away from the better-known golf destinations.
Chickasaw Golf Club
A Nicklaus Gem Hiding in the Tennessee Woods
There’s a stretch of Highway 100 west of Henderson where the road narrows, the trees close in and you start wondering if you’ve missed the turn. Then the entrance to Chickasaw State Park appears, and not far beyond it sits Chickasaw Golf Club.
The course is tucked so deeply into the forest that not a single home interrupts the view. Pines, oaks, tulip poplars and hickories crowd the fairways, creating the feeling that the golf course wasn’t built in the woods as much as carved directly through them.
And there’s another reason Chickasaw is worth finding: Jack Nicklaus designed it.
Chickasaw was originally part of The Bear Trace, a collection of five Nicklaus-designed courses built for Tennessee State Parks. Chickasaw and Ross Creek Landing have since separated from the program, while Tims Ford, Cumberland Mountain and Harrison Bay remain part of the Bear Trace collection.
The Nicklaus influence is evident throughout Chickasaw. Elevated tees allow you to see much of the trouble in front of you, while strategic bunkering, demanding approach shots and well-protected greens continually force you to think your way around the course.
From the Gold tees, Chickasaw stretches 7,118 yards with a 75.1 course rating and 135 slope. I opted for the White tees at 6,030 yards, which provided plenty of challenge without turning the afternoon into a survival exercise.
Piney Creek winds through the property and comes into play on seven holes, helping give the course much of its character.
You get introduced to Chickasaw immediately.
The opening hole is a 516-yard par 5 from the White tees, with a lake guarding the left side of the landing area and dense woods running along the right. The fairway gradually tightens as you approach the green, which is protected by bunkers on both sides. Three good shots give you an opportunity to start the round with a par—or perhaps something better.
The 373-yard 6th is another excellent example of the strategy Nicklaus incorporated into the course. Fairway bunkers sit directly in the driving zone, making club selection almost as important as execution. Driver isn’t necessarily the answer. A three-wood or hybrid into the fairway leaves a manageable approach, while Piney Creek waits near the green to punish anything short.
The 13th, a 494-yard par 5, may be one of the best examples of restraint being rewarded. Three bunkers guard the right side of the landing area, while the fairway narrows approaching the green. For most players, positioning the second shot to a comfortable wedge distance is considerably smarter than attempting a low-percentage run at the green.
Afterward, Chickasaw’s log cabin-style clubhouse—with its stone fireplace and large veranda overlooking the practice green, fairways and lake—fits the setting perfectly. The food menu is limited, but don’t overlook the burgers.
Chickasaw feels more like a private golf retreat than a daily-fee course, and that’s a big part of its appeal.
For tee times and more information, call the pro shop or visit www.golfatchickasaw.com, and set aside an afternoon to see why so many golfers who find Chickasaw end up coming back for more.
Pickwick Landing State Park
Championship Golf on the Shores of a Tennessee Lake
From Chickasaw, the road trip continued south to Pickwick Landing State Park, near the Tennessee borders with Mississippi and Alabama.
Here, the experience changes completely.
Pickwick Landing is built around Pickwick Lake and has long been a destination for boating, fishing and outdoor recreation. But golfers have plenty of reason to make the trip as well.
Pickwick Landing State Park Golf Course is a traditional, tree-lined 18-hole layout playing 6,483 yards from the back tees with a par of 72. I played the White tees at 6,284 yards, which proved a good fit.
Accuracy is considerably more important here than simply hitting the ball a long way.
That becomes obvious at the 2nd, a 382-yard par 4 that quickly establishes the personality of the course. Trees frame both sides, the hole bends right and out of bounds runs the entire length of the right side. A loose drive doesn’t just leave a difficult approach—it can have you reaching into the bag for another ball.
It’s the type of hole that tells you exactly what Pickwick expects: control your golf ball and you’ll have opportunities; spray it around and you’ll spend the afternoon scrambling.
What makes Pickwick particularly attractive for a golf road trip, however, is everything surrounding the course.
The Lodge at Pickwick Landing makes it possible to park the car after your round and essentially forget about it. The property features 119 renovated guest rooms and five suites, with most offering balconies or patios overlooking Pickwick Lake. There are also standard and premium cabins for groups looking for more room.
After a hot afternoon on the golf course, sitting on a balcony overlooking the lake with a cold drink while the boats return to the marina isn’t a bad way to finish the day.
The park also offers a full-service marina, boat ramps, hiking trails, disc golf, tennis courts and indoor and outdoor pools, making Pickwick an especially good destination when not everyone in the group plans to spend the entire trip on the golf course.
Dining was another pleasant surprise.
The Restaurant at Pickwick Landing overlooks the lake and is considerably more ambitious than you might expect from a state park restaurant. The shrimp and grits are a standout, steaks are a specialty, and lodge guests can take advantage of a complimentary continental breakfast before heading to the golf course.
You can reserve the Lodge, cabins, the golf course, and the restaurant through the Tennessee State Parks website. at www.tnstateparks.com or by calling 1-888-867-2757. Book your tee time, book your room, and go find out for yourself why this corner of Tennessee keeps pulling golfers back.
Worth the Drive
Chickasaw and Pickwick Landing aren’t trying to be sprawling luxury golf resorts, and that’s precisely what makes this road trip interesting.
At Chickasaw, you get a genuine Jack Nicklaus design hidden deep in the Tennessee woods, where golf is essentially the only thing competing for your attention.
At Pickwick Landing, you get something different—a challenging golf course combined with the relaxed atmosphere of a lakeside getaway.
Together, they make a compelling case for throwing the clubs in the car and exploring a part of Tennessee that many traveling golfers simply drive past.
And sometimes those are the golf trips you remember most.
