maps.golfThe hardest golf courses in Tennessee, by slope rating
We ranked 13 Tennessee courses with a maps.golf guide using the numbers on their own scorecards. Island Pointe Golf Club is the hardest: a slope of 146 from the Champion tees (course rating 74.3).
Updated November 5, 2026
| # | Course | Location | Slope | Rating | Tees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Island Pointe Golf Club | Knoxville, TN | 146 | 74.3 | Champion |
| 2 | Bear Trace at Cumberland Mountain State Park | Crossville, TN | 141 | 74.0 | Black |
| 3 | Old Fort Golf Course | Murfreesboro, TN | 136 | 74.2 | Black |
| 4 | Greystone Golf Club | Dickson, TN | 132 | 73.1 | Black |
| 5 | Cattails at Meadowview | Kingsport, TN | 131 | 71.8 | Black |
| 6 | Fair Oaks Golf Course | Oakland, TN | 128 | 73.2 | Gold |
| 7 | Fall Creek Falls Golf Course | Pikeville, TN | 127 | 71.8 | Blue |
| 8 | Pine Creek Golf Club | Mount Juliet, TN | 124 | 71.5 | Champions |
| 9 | Brown Acres Golf Course | Chattanooga, TN | 123 | 72.1 | Blue |
| 10 | Cedar Crest Golf Club | Murfreesboro, TN | 120 | 69.6 | White |
| 11 | McDonald Hills | Rogersville, TN | 119 | 68.5 | Blue |
| 12 | The Links at Galloway | Memphis, TN | 116 | 69.0 | Black |
| 13 | Long Hollow Golf Course | Gallatin, TN | 116 | 66.7 | Blue |
How we ranked them
Slope rating measures how much harder a course plays for a bogey golfer than for a scratch golfer; 113 is average and 155 is the maximum. Each course is ranked by the highest men's slope on its own scorecard, from whichever tees carry it. Ties go to the higher course rating.
The list covers courses with a free maps.golf guide whose scorecard we’ve published, and it updates on its own as new guides go live. Numbers are as printed on each course’s card; courses re-rate and re-tee, so check the course’s own scorecard before you play. Running one of these courses and see a wrong number? Tell us.
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