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Rating Index Rating
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3.8
424 Reviews (424)
5 Stars
74
4 Stars
160
3 Stars
104
2 Stars
47
1 Stars
39
Conditions
3.4
Value
3.7
Layout
4.0
Friendliness
4.2
Pace
3.8
Amenities
2.9
72.7%
Recommend this course
294 out of 424 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.9
16 Reviews (16)
5 Stars
5
4 Stars
5
3 Stars
5
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
0
Conditions
3.6
Value
3.8
Layout
3.9
Pace
3.6
Amenities
2.9
StaffFriendliness
4.3
75.0%
Recommend this course
12 out of 16 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.0
24 Reviews (24)
5 Stars
10
4 Stars
6
3 Stars
6
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
1
Conditions
3.6
Value
3.8
Layout
4.0
Pace
3.8
Amenities
2.9
StaffFriendliness
4.2
75.0%
Recommend this course
18 out of 24 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
Bent Creek's mountain terrain delivers memorable blind shots, forested cart paths, and stream-lined holes that create a uniquely challenging Smokies experience. Exceptionally warm staff and smooth pace of play make this a strong value for the area.

About

Holes 18
Type Resort
Par 72
Length 6182 yards
Slope 127
Rating 70.3
Book a Tee Time at
Bent Creek Golf Course - TN
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Course Details

Year Built 1972
Golf Season Year round
Architect Gary Player (1972)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range No
Teaching Pro No
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Dress code Proper golf attire required.

Food & Beverage

Snacks

Available Facilities

Clubhouse
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Reviews

3.8
424 Reviews (424)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
19th Hole Scenic Views 6
Drinks 6
Course Challenges Include:
Water Hazards 42
Elevation Changes 33
Narrow Fairways 25
This course/club is great for:
Wildlife/ Scenic Views 34
Advanced Golfers 21
Locals 17
This Course's Location is:
At a Resort 26
Worth the Drive 21
Near Local Attractions 14

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 25+
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

Could use some work

I liked this course with its creek running through & the variety of holes. My husband does not like "target golf" & that's what it is on several holes, especially on the back, with not very good landing areas. Some of the greens were bumpy also. It was May 2, (in-season?) but the snack shop was closed & all they had to offer to eat in the pro shop were hot dogs & a very small selection of candy/crackers.

I would go back, but don't know if I could convince the others in the group to do so. We got a great price on a GolfNow Hot Deal, which is why I gave it an excellent value for the money.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Golf Course with Character

The back nine of Bent Creek is a must for the avid golfer if you like courses with character. Winding through mountainous terrain and little adventure hikes to the tee box. The staff were extremely cordial and friendly. A Gatlinburg must.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
3.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Ok

Very challenging course, especially on the back nine. The greens need a lot of work. I really don't think Mr. Player would be happy with them at all. Worth playing but I would not pick it again if I were in the area.

Conditions Fair
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Fun course

Shot makers course. streams in play throughout, nice challenge, straight hitters will like this course

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

This course has mountainess views!

Very nice layout hope you have a good short game fairways were kind of dry greens were not very smooth but the overall layout and spectacular views and price great value will recommend

Thanks,

Greg

Baltimore,Md.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap Don't know
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

swampy course

The greens and fairways were in poor. It had rained the day before, but despite sunshine and wind, there was standing water everywhere. Muddy spots and mushy rough.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap Don't know
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once every three months
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

Bring the ball retriever

Course in great shape. Is challenging with mountain streams and forests along many fairways. Beautiful scenery.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Good weather
Used cart

Mountain Time Fun

I will visit Bent Creek every time i'm in the Gatlinburg area.It was a very fun course to play. Staff was very nice. So glad they started us off on the back nine for it was very challenging , couldn't find but one par back there but when we made the turn and played the front nine I found three birdies and four pars and not ta mention someone driving right through the golf course lost in a big truck asking could they play on through, I thought that was pretty cool. There is a road that does run through the course splitting a few holes. If ya anywhere close ya need to play this course!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 10/29/2016

Thank you for your review. We look forward to seeing you next time you visit!

Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
1.0
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

the customer is wrong?

This course is a microcosm for all that is wrong in golf. I have been playing golf since I was a child and I have never walked off a golf course shaking my head more than today. Not because of my play, which was neither good nor bad...score aside...which didn't even matter out there because the conditions and fairness of the course was so absurdly poor...no...I shook my head because of a beautiful golf course ruined, a once beautiful layout turned to absolute garbage. Etiquette. Lacking. I will list A FEW major complaints:

- spotty greens

- fairway then immediately jungle rough

- a huge divot a foot from the cup on 1

-over hanging wire on 4 from tips clearly obstructing shot

-traps were not sand traps on a golf course but actual death traps with quick sand SOMEBODY PLEASE USE A RAKE

- HUGE SINKHOLES IN LANDING AREAS IN THE FAIRWAYS

-Oh...and you finally get to the signature hole, little par 3 out there on the back and you walk all the way up those steps, chugging along, thinking how Gary Player would love the exercise, but you don;t really care for it at the time?...and say wow this better be good up here and you get there and wow what a nice little h... ASTROTURF tee box...

Last but not least, I was on the 15th tee. It was around 6 30pm. playing by myself. plenty of light. still have another 30 mins or more to play 4 short holes...no one out there. worker guy and his gal roll up in their cart...and not exactly politely or apologetically tell me to pack it in. they need the cart back. granted the lady at the beginning said something about it, but at 6 50 she had said...at sunset...about 20 more minutes away...I couldn't believe it. never it my life has anyone told me to pack it in, sorry, you can't finish your day, especially when there is abundant light. he left on his cart. and i played it in anyway...in about 15 minutes. when i finished, he FOLLOWED ME TO MY CAR IN HIS CART. And I could only tell him in a not so golfing voice...I will never be coming back here sir. You will be home from work in 10 mins, I told him... don;t worry, your precious golf cart has returned unscathed...and look still plenty of light in which to lock it up in?!

Never again.

-

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Fair
Friendliness Poor
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 25
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Good weather
Used cart

Gary would not be pleased

I booked the round w/Hot Deal ($25 w/cart), and would not spend more than that. Lost more balls than I have in 3 yrs due to terrain, long grass/tree perimeters, and meandering creeks. No hole diagrams, 2 ball washes on the entire course (several muddy areas), greens were in terrible shape so you could not judge speed, and it took 5 hrs to do the round (no ranger on the course). also, the bunkers are terrible.

All in all, not a pleasant experience.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Fair
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Greens

Greens were way too soft, so they had a lot of unrepaired divots. They appeared to be eaten up by a fungus. Some greens had 2 different types of grass growing.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Disappointed in course

We played Bent Creek a few years ago and enjoyed it - except for all the goose droppings you had to navigate around. This time the gnats were so bad you could hardly see. The roughs were awful and even some of the fairways. We lost so many balls - even right off the green. There are a couple of neat holes but this course definitely needs some TLC and bug spray!

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Fair
Pace Fair
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 31
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
1.0
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

Poor Course Conditions

I kept wondering what Gary Player would think of this course now. It could possibly be the worst conditioned course in North America. Doesn't look like they ever mow the rough, fairway and green side bunkers need sand. Crab grass is growing throughout all the greens. One green had a depression that was filled with 2 inches of water in a 10ft radius. The only good thing I can say about this course is maybe some of the views as your in a valley looking up to the mountains. Maybe back in 1972 this was a nice course but now it's not even a good cow pasture. Hands down the worse course I have played in my life.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Moderate
Default User Avatar
Commented on 09/17/2016

Thank you for your feedback. We are presently working on the course and have been slowed down because of the above average rainfall in the last couple weeks, hindering the rough mowing and care of the bunkers. Again, thank you for your review. We would love to have you back at the course to see the improvements.

Played On
Reviews 33
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

challenging course

Course has had a rough summer with too much rsi . The rough was very high but the fairways and greens were good. The course it very challenging. Course management a must

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Default User Avatar
Commented on 09/17/2016

Thank you for your review. We have had a lot of rain this summer. Please come an play again soon.

Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Love the front nine......

The front nine is great, love the stream most of the time....

Back nine is a challenge and interesting!

Conditions Fair
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Default User Avatar
Commented on 09/17/2016

Thank you, we hope to see you again soon.

Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Good weather
Used cart

Not a very good experience

First of all, the Course was in fairly poor condition. Water standing/pooling on greens, rough looked like it had not been mowed for weeks and Bunkers need semi loads of sand. We waited on #9 Tee Box for 30 minutes to tee off so I drove up the Cart Path to see what the issue was. There were 5 carts (10 people) on the Green. There were no Rangers on the course to enforce any rules. VERY POOR EXPERIENCE!!!!!

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Fair
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Very nice mountain course

Had a wonderful time playing this course. Beautiful weather and views

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Dreadful

My first course in TN. Absolutely bad! Grass clumps all over fairways, greens loaded with crabgrass. Horrible shape and slow as he'll. Forget it

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Fair
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Bent Creek

As others have mentioned in their reviews, the course needs some work. Several greens on the front have crabgrass invading them and several on the back have bare spots. Finding the right pace when putting was difficult.

Overall, I still enjoyed my round. There were few other golfers so I played two balls and considered it a practice round.

It was also a good time to sharpen my iron play as most par 4's and 5's were rather short.

There were a few bugs, but the staff in the pro shop gave me bug spray to spray on prior to my round.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
First Time Playing

Don't waste your time

We play allot of golf and this was by far the worst conditions I have ever seen. The course info states is a Gary Player design and yada yada. ...they should rename this course crab grass creek! Losing balls just off fairway from heavy grass, greens in terrible shape, back nine layout is a joke....just s terrible experience to make plans to play this place on vacation to the Smokey Mountain area

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