JayEmm

JayEmm

Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
Lives
Chattanooga, TN
Handicap
15-19
Age
55-64
Gender
Male
Skill
Intermediate
Plays
Once a week

About

I usually play in the 90s but if I drive it well and have consistent irons, I can shoot in the 80s. Basically a bogey golfer.

Review Statistics

Average Rating

3.8
3.8
Total 98 Reviews

Rating Breakdown

98 Reviews
5 Stars
18
4 Stars
46
3 Stars
26
2 Stars
8
1 Stars
0
Recommended Courses
86
Not Recommended Courses
12
Helpful Votes Count
330
Not Helpful Votes Count
16
First Review
03/21/2016
Last Review
09/08/2022

Reviews Map

Reviews

3.8

Reviewer Photos

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Recommended
Review has

The Refuge Golf Course

Played On 09/07/2022
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

A big upgrade from yiur typical muni

When I read muni in any description, my mind goes to crusty greens, bad lies, and mediocre conditions. The Refuge does not have any of those conditions. It is well maintained, good rolling greens, and well maintained conditions throughout the course.

Many of the holes are straightforward... no real trips. Several of the par 4s are less than 325y from the number II tees. Some fairway bunkers and very few greenside bunkers. However, most of the greens are raised so a run up shot is generally out of the question. This is the typical place where a small errant shot to the green will cause you trouble as it runs away downhill making for a tougher recovery. Plus the typical southern Bermuda rough will hide a ball you know is "right there". I lost 5 balls in the fairway or greenside rough simply because I could not find them.

Water can be found on several holes but it will sneak up on you as they are not as easy to see from the tee box. A good example is the par 5, 9th hole. Water on the right will find a water hazard on the second shot if you are not mindful. On-board GPS helps a lot on this course.

If I lived in the area, this would definitely be a course to play several times each year and I'm sure the more you play it, the more you learn the nuances needed to score a good round.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
3.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
First Time Playing

Another picturesque course but fairway conditions were very disappointing

2 days prior I played the Woodside Meadows course and was very disappointed with the fairway conditions. I had high hopes that it would be better at this regular, par 72 course. I was again disappointed. The fairway conditions were as tall as you would expect in a rough. I was forced to club up like I normally do when hitting from the rough. At $75 a round ths was again a big disappointment. See the attached photos for some idea of the length of the fairway cut.

The course itself is very nice and picturesque. The fairways are indeed very tight in some places as other reviews have mentioned. The first hole is unusually tight at about 200 yards. It is only 20 to 25 yards wide. Thread a needle on this one.

Greens were a bit slow and with multiple tiers putting was at a premium. I normally use 32 putts a round on average and had 37 on this course. Could be user error or just not able to really adjust to the speed. But not all fairways were that tight and some were actually quite generous. Driving wasn't really the problem. It was the second shot to the green from the rough in the center of the fairway that caused the most problems.

One nice memory from the course was seeing deer all around. I guess they were used to having people in golfers around as they would just look at you and not run away immediately.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
2.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Disappointing course conditions for a $75 fee

A very picturesque course. Plays to par 65 with a mix of holes and lots of par 3s. Unfortunately, the fairways are cut too high, almost rough length. Even when freshly cut it is too high. The fringe around the green might be acceptable for a fairway. Very disappointing conditions for $75. Check out photos.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Fairly Easy
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Walked

One of two great courses here, play them both

The Palmer course is a bit less challenging than the Faldo but not by much. Outstanding design and perfect greens.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
Hot weather
Used cart

Two great courses here, play them both

Falco course is a bit more difficult than the Palmer. Lots of elevated greens. Putting was perfect.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Old school golf, plenty of trees, good greens

Surrounded by condos, Orange Tree has been around for a long time. I grew up in Phoenix and played this course many times. Trees line most fairways that are tightly packed in a small footprint. But the course does not feel crowded and each hole stands on its own. The 18th is a nice finishing hole that ends a pleasant round.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate

Stonecreek Golf Club

Played On 07/06/2022
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Called Stonecreek for a reason

Hidden in the middle of the city this course has the links feel with holes going out then in bisected by a creek filled more with stones than water. Plenty of tee choices to challenge any golfer and nicely shaped and tiered greens to challenge your putting. A superb course that is off the top-10 list so it is more accessible and affordable.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

A classic course that still holds up.

This is one of two course at The Biltmore. I like this one best. It is far from a modern design and many consider it short. Regardless, it is a pleasure to play and I found some great conditions especially on the greens. If you prefer modern design, you may not like this one but for a classic course, this is a wonderful example.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

One of two great courses at the Biltmore...play them both.

There are two courses at the Biltmore and this is the newer of the two. But this is not a power hitter, long, modern course, It is a thinking course and as a 16-handicap, a course I aim and pray hoping to pull it off. Generous fairways allow for some misses and great greens allow you the chance to at least make some putts to save a round. The greens were fast and it was a very hot day so I am not sure they were cut the day I played. I can imagine how fast they could get.

Play both course on this fine resort. You will be grateful.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

A beautiful layout you need to play

Playing a course that is a regular stop on the tour is humbling. You see their shots and your imagination plays tricks with you as you imagine playing some of the same shots. Then you realize, you are a 16 handicap, not a tour player, and the course is an indeed challenge to play. Yet, it is a fun course to play with superb fairways and greens even in the summer when I played. It can be costly and you need some advanced planning to score a good tee time but persist, and you will have your own memories of the two or three tour level shots you hit whihc always keep us coming back for more.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging

Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club

Played On 07/02/2022
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

A wonderful course with a great deal of challenge

This course can be as difficult or as less difficult as you want. FOr most standard golfers, they go for Blue tees and leave the back tees for the single handicappers or extremely long players. I suggest you swallow your pride, bury your ego, and keep your round fun yet still challenging by playing the shorter tees. There is plenty of challenge to be had from the white tees or shorter and you will find much less frustration.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging

Encanto Golf Course

Played On 07/01/2022
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Historic, easy, but busy course

I grew up in Phoenix and started playing Encanto when I was 16 years old. This round brought back a ton of memories. The course id fairly straightforward, fairly easy, and fairly pleasant to play. BUT... it was busy when I went and that hasn't changed over the years. Book an afternoon time in the middle of the afternoon and you will have an open course.... but a sweaty affair as a whole.,

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Difficulty Fairly Easy
Default User Avatar
Commented on 08/16/2022

Hello, thank you for taking the time to review our course. We appreciate your dedication to playing our course over the years!

We greatly value your feedback as we work towards any necessary improvements and hope you will notice some of these improvements during your next round with us. Thank you for choosing our course, and we hope to see you again soon.

Encanto Nine Golf Course

Played On 07/01/2022
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

Simple, accessible, and a course for goof practice

I grew up in Phoenix and played Encanto-9 many times. Honed my recovery skills with the ability to find your ball a few fairways over. Played it again recently but with a purpose... practice my mid-irons. I carried 6, & 7 iron and played te whole course with just these two -- plus putter. Great for practice.

Conditions Fair
Value Good
Layout Fair
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Extremely Easy
Default User Avatar
Commented on 08/16/2022

Hello, thank you for taking the time to review our course. We appreciate your dedication to playing our course over the years!

We greatly value your feedback! We hope to see you again soon.

I Recommend This Course
4.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

More Photos

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

River at Hampton Cove Golf Course

Played On 04/23/2022
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

River Course in much better condition

Day 2 at RTJ Hampton Cove was spent on the River course. It is said that this is the only course designed by RTJ without a single bunker. Who needs bunkers when you have water on 12-13 holes?

The layout is quite nice and the conditions were so much better than at the Highlands course. Greens were much more pleasant to put as there were many level putting sites.

However, every green is elevated. I guess that is to help keep the greens from flooding when the rains hit. As such, miss the green and expect to have an uphill chip or pitch to the green. Short game is a priority here.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

River at Hampton Cove Golf Course

Played On 04/22/2022
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

A glorified muni...disappointing for an RTJ Trail course

The Highlands course was a disappointment. The course conditions were quite poor. Tees and fairways with a mixture of grasses, greens bordered by clumps of grass, fairways with dead pan lies. Often I was hoping to get in the first cut (you can't call it rough since it was cut so short) since the lie had more grass under the ball.

The layout was pleasant. Expect a few 3-putts as there are not greens anywhere on the course without some type of slope -- no flat putts anywhere.

Throw in a 4.5 hour round with waits on almost every shot and this turned out to be more than just a glorified muni course, at $95 a round. My experience on the River course was better but overall I was disappointed.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
Previously Played
Cold weather
Used cart

Well worth a visit...if you can get a tee time

I have been in the Chicago area many times and have tried to play Cog Hill #4 each time. Finally got lucky. This is an extremely challenging course with difficulties all around. A few of the difficulties are hiding so playing with an experienced partner who know the course is a real help.

It's one of those bucket-list type course you play because it's well-known and it's a novelty. I think I would quit gold if this was my weekly course but as a one-time adventure, well worth the wait.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging

The Reserve at Orange Lake Resort

Played On 12/29/2021
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Great for seniors. A few levels better than a muni...

Day 2 at Orange Lake. The Reserves is the older course and was in good condition with very nice greens. Lots of slopes on the greens and some with 2 tiers. Greens were larger and much more accessible than the Reserve course.

The course was overpriced at $60 but maybe average for this area as I was on vacation. The course is open and perfect for seniors...short and easy to play. The only challenge is putting.

Conditions Average
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Fairly Easy

The Legends at Orange Lake Resort

Played On 12/28/2021
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Pleasant round, Small greens, a but overpriced

This is one of 2, 18-holes course at Orange Lake. There is also a 9-hole course that's lit at night. The Legends course is a Palmer design and you can see why. Most of the trouble - traps and water - are on the right side of 5he hole or green. With Palmer a draw golfer, that works. For 5he majority of players - aim left!

The greens were surprising in how small they are. No large, two-tier complexes but some undulations throughout. Other than the sand on the greens, the putting was nice.

The fee was $90 so a bit overpriced for an average course. But it was a pleasant round so few complaints.

Conditions Good
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate

Chatata Valley Golf Club

Played On 07/16/2021
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Tennessee Advisor
Top 50 Contributor
Previously Played

Greatly improved

I have played the course 4-5 times a year. I was surprised by the improved course conditions. Tee boxes were well maintained, the fairways were lush and green, and the greens were in excellent condition. The greens were average speed. The layout is still average but the playing conditions are vastly improved.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
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