The par 3 8th hole at The Keep
photo by Paul Payne
View from the 18th tee at The Keep
photo by Paul Payne
The 9th green at The Keep
photo by Paul Payne
The approach to the 17th green at The Keep
photo by Paul Payne
The approach from the fairway at The Keep’s opening hole
photo by Paul Payne
A look at the 5th hole at The Keep from the 8th green
photo by Paul Payne
Boulders frame the entire course as seen in the 15th fairway at The Keep
photo by Paul Payne
A view from the 11th tee at The Keep
photo by Paul Payne
A look back up towards the 10th tee at The Keep
photo by Paul Payne
The 13th tee at The Keep features spectacular vistas
photo by Paul Payne
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As I recently stood in the middle of the first fairway at The Keep – McLemore’s much-anticipated newest offering – I experienced a moment of déjà vu. Something inside me told me I had been here before, and yet my rational side reasoned that this was a brand-new encounter.
As a solo golfer on a dew-swept October morning, I paused to immerse myself in what I was beholding. Suddenly, I was reminded of similar moments in my golfing pursuits, flashbacks to other venues that had a similar break with reality.
Torrey Pines, Bandon Dunes, Kingsbarns, Cruden Bay and Royal Portrush immediately came to mind, the only difference being the churning seaside at those courses was replaced with the idyllic views of McLemore Cove some 1,200 feet below.
After hitting only one shot, I found myself entranced, in disbelief I was actually in northwest Georgia and not some distant locale. And that sensation never departed over the course of the next few hours. My initial journey around The Keep not only transported me to some of the world’s most iconic golf courses, but left me drained in a state of sensory overload
The masterpiece atop Lookout Mountain only 40 minutes from Chattanooga is the brainchild of McLemore CEO Duane Horton and the product of the collaborative design talents of Rees Jones and Bill Bergin. Having been recently unveiled to limited play as a sneak peek preview, I had to see if reality was able to live up to the much-ballyhooed hype.
My initial impressions are that Jones and Bergin have created something special that will eventually earn its way into the same conversation with those aforementioned legendary courses. I spent as much time with my camera in my hand as I did my range finder, the unparalleled views grabbing my attention as much as the challenging layout.
The golf course was raw and still in transition, with construction ongoing in the areas connecting the holes and along the periphery of the golf course. This was a dress rehearsal for what awaits next summer when the clubhouse, practice area and check-in facility are completed. Plus, the freshly laid sod and native areas will require some time to fully display their splendor.
Even in their infancy, the holes themselves presented a formidable tableau of strategy, brawn and beauty. With five holes bordering the cliffs along Lookout Mountain’s eastern brow and the remainder of the holes offering unique qualities backdropped by scenic vistas, The Keep doesn’t have a weak hole.
I opted to use a push cart rather than utilizing one of the caddies available, and the opening tee was only a few paces from the temporary golf shop. Playing from the blue tees that measured 6,654 yards as a par 72, the golf course has generous fairways with plenty of humps and swales resulting from the mountaintop terrain. Strategic planning is a must in creating the proper angles into the green complexes that are subtly challenging but not wildly overstated.
The first hole played 441 yards as a par 4, and presented a stern test to open the round. The approach is a downhill shot that is all carry over a cavern that crosses the fairway 110 yards from the green as the first cliff edge offering. Biting off as much yardage off the tee is a must in order to have a reasonable distance over the ravine.
The second hole is a 518-yard par 5 with choice to make from the tee as there are two fairway options separated by natural wetland areas and a creek. The wider fairway to the right brings a series of greenside bunkers more into play.
No. 3 is a par 3 measuring at 185 yards with a hazard guarding the right side of the green, and the 413-yard par 4 No. 4 requires an uphill tee shot followed by an approach to an elevated green that slopes right to left.
A pair of short but intriguing par 4s are next. The 365-yard 5th requires a tee shot over a rock-lined chasm to an elevated fairway, followed by a downhill shot into a green that is guarded by a pond to the left. The 6th hole is only 312 yards with carry over a native area that also has water protecting the left side of the green.
The 7th hole is a 520-yard par 5 that provides a good opportunity for birdie, and No. 8 is a 171-yard par 3 that is a reverse redan design with a spectacular backdrop of the valley below.
The next three holes put on full display the features that make The Keep magical as they run alongside the edge of the mountain. The 9th plays as a 385-yard par 4 where the green seems suspended on the edge of the brow, while the brawny 576-yard par 5 10th hole requires a downhill carry over a cavern that juts in from the left and a fairway strewn with massive sandstone boulders that bisects the landing area.
The par 3 11th has various tee complexes to offer variety where anything short on the 163-yard hole will find trouble as the green is virtually located on a rock outcropping island.
The layout transitions from the trio of cliff edge holes to a series of six parallel holes that play uphill followed by a downhill counterpart. The 12th is a par 4 that ascends 300 yards to a hidden green that sits in a bowl, while the par 4 13th measures 408 yards but must avoid the lake to the right of the fairway that crosses in front of the green. This hole also features a stately rock bridge reminiscent of the Hogan bridge at Augusta National’s fabled 12th hole.
A meaty uphill par 3 from 180 yards is next, followed by the 529-yard par 5 No. 15 that narrows as it climbs the hillside and requires blind shots over fairway boulders to an unseen green until reaching the apex of the plateau.
The tee shot on the 426-yard par 4 16th is doesn’t reveal the fairway that tumbles downhill to the left, and the vista beyond the two-tiered green can be a welcome distraction.
With one final trek left up the hill, the 336-yard par 4 17th is a work of creative genius. The natural boulders create an amphitheater that encircles the green, creating a gauntlet on the approach that can be equal parts daunting and exhilarating.
While maybe not as awe-inspiring as the closing hole at the neighboring Highlands Course, No. 18 at The Keep is a strong finisher. The downhill 426-yard par 4 is framed by the majestic view of the valley below, and requires carry over massive boulders from the elevated tee on a hole that plays as a slight dogleg to the left. As the final test among the five cliff edge holes, the green is precariously perched where any long shots will tumble down the mountain.
The Keep was a stern test of both will and endurance, as the out-and-back routing over the final seven holes will empty the tank. But the spectacular views that were around every corner seemed to recharge my batteries. Never have I experienced a golf course that provided the continuous jaw-dropping scenery of The Keep.
The finished product is months away with ongoing work on completing the wetlands and growing in the areas that border the golf course. The construction of The Outpost – a picturesque gathering spot that will be placed on the edge of the property overlooking the valley – will be another fantastic addition, along with the staging area and practice area when entering the property.
But the golf course itself is a masterful work by Jones and Bergin, and will become a much-desired destination from golfers across the globe once it matures and the native areas help frame the layout. It will become a new standard not only among mountaintop courses, but will quickly rise among the upper echelon of all venues once play begins in earnest next summer.
With the opening of the spectacular Hilton Curio Cloudland Lodge earlier this year, McLemore will soon become a bucket list site for those wanting to enjoy two dynamic golf courses that will both inspire and challenge all levels of golfers.
Those interested in experiencing The Keep can take advantage of the stay-and-play packages available at McLemore Golf Packages.
Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com
