Tennessee National Golf Club

Few golf experiences in East Tennessee match the drama of Tennessee National, a course carved into the ridges and coves above Tellico Lake in Loudon County. Designed by Greg Norman and his design team, the layout takes full advantage of land that rises and falls sharply above the lake's blue-green water, giving players repeated elevation changes and long sightlines that demand as much strategic thinking as ball-striking.

The course sits within a private residential community, so the experience carries the unhurried pace and polished conditions you'd expect from a member-oriented club. Holes work through hardwood forests and across exposed ridgelines, with water coming into view — and into play — at several points along the routing. The combination of wooded interior holes and more open, view-heavy stretches keeps the round visually varied from start to finish.

Loudon itself is a small Tennessee River town about 30 miles southwest of Knoxville, putting players within easy reach of the broader Smoky Mountain foothills landscape that defines this corner of the state.