The Best Golf Communities in Tennessee and What Sets The Grove Apart

Tennessee has emerged as an increasingly compelling destination for those who want exceptional golf to be part of everyday life. Across the state, the experience takes many forms. In Middle Tennessee, private golf communities pair championship courses with proximity to Nashville and Franklin. Farther east, golf is often intertwined with lakefront living, mountain views and the outdoor lifestyle surrounding Knoxville and Chattanooga.

For buyers considering a move, choosing among Tennessee’s best golf communities comes down to much more than the course itself. Golf pedigree matters. So do location, real estate, privacy, amenities, family experiences and the character of life beyond the final green.

Here are some of the leading golf communities in Tennessee and what distinguishes each.

The Grove | College Grove
Located in Williamson County just south of Franklin and approximately 30 minutes from Nashville, The Grove brings championship golf, luxury real estate and a comprehensive private club lifestyle together within one gated community. At its heart is an 18-hole Greg Norman Signature Course, thoughtfully routed through the rolling Middle Tennessee landscape. The course has also proven itself on a national stage. In 2024, The Grove hosted LIV Golf Nashville, bringing some of the world’s leading professional golfers to College Grove.

For members, however, the experience extends well beyond golf. Racquet sports, fitness, resort-style pools, scenic trails, parks, dining, a dedicated Kids’ Club, equestrian opportunities and a full calendar of programming create something for every member of the family.

Distinctive homes and estate settings complement that experience, with architecture, craftsmanship and outdoor living designed around the way people want to live today.

What distinguishes The Grove: A Greg Norman Signature Course with proven tournament credentials, an established and comprehensive private club lifestyle for the entire family, and a Williamson County location that places Franklin and Nashville within easy reach.

Troubadour Golf & Field Club | College Grove
Also set within the rolling countryside south of Nashville, Troubadour Golf & Field Club is a private residential community developed by Discovery Land Company.
Its centerpiece is an 18-hole Tom Fazio-designed championship course. Around it, members enjoy dining, outdoor pursuits, family activities and programming inspired in part by the culture and music of nearby Nashville.

Troubadour’s residential offering includes cottages, cabins and custom homes within a relatively intimate community setting.

What distinguishes it: Tom Fazio golf paired with Discovery Land Company’s curated approach to private club living and family experiences.

The Governors Club | Brentwood
The Governors Club is one of Middle Tennessee’s most established luxury private golf communities and offers something increasingly difficult to replicate: an estate community surrounding an Arnold Palmer Signature Course in the heart of Brentwood. The private 18-hole course stretches across approximately 200 acres, incorporating elevation changes, creeks, waterfalls and views of the Tennessee foothills.

Beyond golf, custom estate homes, a gated setting, clubhouse dining and social programming create the atmosphere of a traditional private country club community. Its Brentwood location is also a defining advantage, providing convenient access to Nashville while remaining within Williamson County.

What distinguishes it: Arnold Palmer Signature golf, established estate living and a highly desirable Brentwood address.

Firefly | Spring Hill
One of Tennessee’s newest private golf communities, Firefly is taking shape in the countryside south of Nashville near Spring Hill. The community’s centerpiece is an original championship course by acclaimed architect Andrew Green, whose portfolio includes celebrated restorations of major championship venues including Oak Hill, Congressional and Inverness. Firefly also includes a nine-hole short course.

Surrounding the golf experience is an ambitious private club vision incorporating dining, fitness, racquet sports, swimming, family recreation and gathering spaces. Residential offerings center on custom homesites and future bespoke homes. With the golf course opening in 2026 and the community continuing to develop, Firefly represents a new generation of private club living in Middle Tennessee.

What distinguishes it: A new Andrew Green championship course paired with an expansive private club and family lifestyle vision.

Westhaven | Franklin
Westhaven offers a different expression of golf-community living in Williamson County. Located in Franklin, the master-planned community is known for its walkable design, parks, community events and village center. Its private Westhaven Golf Club features an 18-hole Arthur Hills-designed course along with a Golf Performance Center, practice facilities, dining and member programming.

Rather than positioning golf as the sole center of the community, Westhaven integrates the club into a broader neighborhood environment that includes a variety of residential styles and community amenities.

What distinguishes it: Private Arthur Hills golf within a walkable, established master-planned community in Franklin.

Black Creek | Chattanooga
Just minutes from downtown Chattanooga, Black Creek combines nationally recognized residential golf with the dramatic natural setting of East Tennessee.

The private Black Creek Club is currently recognized as Tennessee’s only Golfweek Top 100 Residential Golf Course. The course is complemented by extensive trails, sports courts, pools, fitness, dining and year-round events. Its proximity to downtown Chattanooga allows residents to pair a natural mountain setting with convenient access to the city.

What distinguishes it: Nationally recognized residential golf, protected natural surroundings and proximity to downtown Chattanooga.

WindRiver | Lenoir City
WindRiver brings golf and lake living together along the shores of Tellico Lake near Knoxville. Its 18-hole championship course was designed by Bob Cupp and unfolds through rolling terrain overlooking the water. The broader community lifestyle includes a marina, dining, sports facilities, swimming and an extensive network of walking and hiking trails.

Residential choices range from golf cottages to lakefront estates and homesites. For buyers drawn equally to time on the course and time on the water, WindRiver offers a distinctive East Tennessee combination.

What distinguishes it: Bob Cupp championship golf paired with a private marina and an extensive Tellico Lake lifestyle.

Tennessee National | Loudon
Tennessee National occupies a large gated setting along Watts Bar Lake southwest of Knoxville. Golfers will find a familiar name at the center of the community: Greg Norman. The Tennessee National course uses the property’s varied terrain to create a championship golf experience within the East Tennessee landscape.

The community extends beyond golf with a marina, waterfront recreation, dining, trails and social programming. For someone comparing The Grove and Tennessee National, the shared Greg Norman pedigree provides an interesting point of reference, while the environments themselves offer very different interpretations of Tennessee living.

What distinguishes it: Greg Norman-designed golf paired with an expansive lake and marina lifestyle near Knoxville.

Tellico Village | Loudon
Tellico Village is one of Tennessee’s most established golf-oriented communities and one of the largest on this list and professes itself to be an active adult retirement community established in 1987.

Rather than a single home course, residents have access to three 18-hole championship courses: Toqua, Tanasi and The Links at Kahite. The community’s location along Tellico Lake adds boating, marinas and waterfront recreation to an already extensive collection of fitness, racquet and social amenities. Its size and breadth make Tellico Village particularly attractive to golfers who value variety and an active year-round lifestyle.

What distinguishes it: Three championship golf courses combined with an extensive lake and recreational lifestyle.

Rarity Bay | Vonore
Set on a peninsula along Tellico Lake, Rarity Bay combines golf, water and equestrian pursuits against a backdrop of the Great Smoky Mountains. Its 18-hole championship course was designed by D.J. DeVictor and Peter Langham and incorporates the rolling terrain and long views characteristic of East Tennessee. The community also includes equestrian facilities, lake access, dining, swimming, racquet sports and other recreational amenities.

What distinguishes it: A distinctive combination of golf, Tellico Lake living, mountain scenery and equestrian amenities.

Fairfield Glade | Crossville
Located on the Cumberland Plateau, Fairfield Glade stands apart for the sheer breadth of its golf offering. The community features five golf courses, giving residents an unusually wide variety of playing experiences close to home. Lakes, racquet sports, swimming, fitness, trails and other outdoor pursuits broaden the recreational offering.

Its scale and lifestyle differ from Tennessee’s smaller luxury private club communities, but for golfers whose priority is access to multiple courses, Fairfield Glade remains an important part of the statewide conversation.

What distinguishes it: Five golf courses and an exceptionally broad recreational lifestyle on the Cumberland Plateau.

What Should You Look for in a Tennessee Golf Community?
The course may begin the search, but the experience surrounding it often determines where buyers ultimately choose to live. As you compare communities, consider several factors.

Golf Pedigree
Course architecture can significantly influence both the playing experience and the long-term identity of a community. Tennessee offers designs from some of the most recognized names in golf, including Greg Norman, Tom Fazio, Arnold Palmer, Arthur Hills, Bob Cupp and Andrew Green. Consider the architect, routing, practice facilities, instruction and member programming, as well as how often you realistically expect to play.

Location
Tennessee’s golf communities offer distinctly different settings. East Tennessee provides lakes, mountains and access to Knoxville and Chattanooga. Middle Tennessee combines rolling countryside with the restaurants, entertainment, healthcare, business environment and air service of the greater Nashville region. For many buyers, location becomes as important as the golf itself.

Life Beyond Golf
Consider what happens after the clubs are put away. Dining, fitness, racquet sports, swimming, trails, children’s programming and social experiences determine how much of the community the entire household can enjoy. For a primary residence in particular, these experiences can become as meaningful as the course.

Real Estate
Look at the community as carefully as the individual home. Homesite size, privacy, architecture, design guidelines, construction quality, landscape and opportunities for outdoor living all contribute to the experience and long-term character of a community.

Community Culture
A private club is ultimately about people. Programming, traditions, gathering places and everyday interaction can transform a collection of amenities into a genuine community. The right environment provides opportunities to participate while still preserving the privacy of home.

What Sets The Grove Apart Among Tennessee Golf Communities?
Every community on this list offers a compelling reason to consider it.
What makes The Grove distinctive is the number of those advantages that come together in one place.

A Greg Norman Signature Course With a National Stage
The Grove’s 18-hole Greg Norman Signature Course provides championship golf just moments from home. In 2024, the course stepped onto an international stage as host of LIV Golf Nashville, welcoming many of the game’s leading players and thousands of spectators to College Grove. For members, that same course is their home course.

Williamson County
Location is one of The Grove’s most enduring advantages. College Grove provides the beauty and breathing room of the Middle Tennessee countryside while placing Franklin approximately 15 minutes away and Nashville within approximately 30 minutes. That means access to one of the country’s most dynamic cities can coexist with the privacy and pace of a gated country setting.

A Private Club Designed for the Whole Family
The Grove’s experience extends far beyond the fairways. Racquet sports. Fitness. Resort-style pools. Trails. Parks. Dining. Kids’ Club. Equestrian pursuits. Fishing. Social events and traditions. The breadth of the offering gives each member of the family opportunities to pursue their own interests while creating countless reasons to come together.

An Established Community
There is also value in knowing how a place feels once the vision has become reality. At The Grove, mature landscapes, established amenities, completed residences and an active membership provide a clear picture of everyday life within the community. You can see the homes. Play the course. Experience the club. Meet the people. Together, these elements have helped make The Grove Nashville’s #1-selling private club community.

Finding the Best Golf Community in Tennessee for You
There is no single definition of the best golf community in Tennessee. For one buyer, it may mean waking to views of Tellico Lake. For another, it is having several courses to choose from. Others may prioritize proximity to Nashville, a nationally recognized golf course, privacy, family programming or an established private club culture. The right choice is the one that brings those priorities together in a way that feels natural to everyday life.

At The Grove, championship golf is only the beginning.
Here, a Greg Norman Signature Course, Williamson County setting, distinctive homes and an extraordinary breadth of private club experiences come together to create a place designed around much more than where you play.
It is designed around how you live.