McLemore Club - Highlands Course

MCLEMORE GOLF RESORT……BEWARE!!!

I just recently completed a 3-night two day golf event at McLemore Golf Resort (May 6-9, 2026), and it was awful!! I really did not want to waste my time writing this review, but the experience was so bad, I felt I needed to at least give others a chance to know about this golf scam prior to booking it or going through with it.

I had played the Mc Lemore Highlands or Original or whatever they call it now, two years earlier and did not enjoy it. However, it was rainy and cold and paths only and the Keep was new this time so when I was looking for a destination for Golf for two foursomes, I thought I would give it another try. Should have listened to my voice from the first experience. If you’re a golfer who appreciates the game and are looking for a special golf experience paying $250+ in green and cart Fees, McLemore is not for you. They advertise the views which are nice but do yourself a favor and go to a state park in NW Georgia and enjoy them there for a lot less money and aggravation. I would tell you views is all McLemore has to offer you in golf. Below are the why’s based upon my recent experience.

Golf Experience

It is not an easy place to get to either from Atlanta or Chattanooga. You would think as a destination golf course (which is what they claim) that is difficult to get to, they would make the experience special……not the case at all in fact quite the opposite.

Pace of Play. Two rounds both the Keep and the McLemore Original took 5 ½ hours and 5 hours and 45 minutes to play respectively. It was excruciating! What made it worse was there was no effort whatsoever to speed up play by the club. No Marshalls no nothing! If you’re a golfer, rule one is pace of play!

The Keep, which is their newest course opened a year ago, was in terrible shape, Huge patches of uneven sod tiles on every hole in the fairways and the worst is almost every green had 3-4 feet of these sod tiles surrounding the green which made playing it impossible, whether you were on it or trying to chip through it. No mention, no sorry, no ground under repair, no nothing. These people act like everything is fine.

The McLemore course (original) advertises their famous Par 5, 6th hole with a 100+ foot drop off for the 2nd shot. We waited 45 minutes at that hole to tee off. It is nothing but a tricked-up hole that slows play significantly. This course also had sod tile work being done around the greens but nowhere close to the mess at the Keep.

Complete lack of transparency. I booked this trip in early February. At no point prior to the trip or including when we arrived did anyone explain to us, how poor the golf course conditions were or how long it would take us to play. Of course because they knew, I would have made other arrangements. That is very dishonest in the Golf Hospitality world.

Hotel Experience

The hotel is relatively new, so it seemed clean. The staff was friendly and somewhat trained. BEWARE for the price, it is a rip off. My room had zero view, 1st floor and was small for the price.

Real cost/night. They advertise a stay at the Cloudland Hotel by Hilton as a $415/night room rate plus tax. The sales and Occupancy taxes total $66.40/night. So, the real cost is $481.40/night.

Lack of Transparency What they don’t tell you are the additional fees/night, Destination Fee $5/night, Resort Fee $45/night. So, all in the price for your room is $531.40/night. Then of course the valet parking fee a whopping $43/night.

Foodservice was better than the first time I was there, but still nothing special and very overpriced. The menus are not exciting and very limited, the pours are awful! So by the time you get a good mixed drink you’re paying for a double or a triple. The staff was friendly but again nothing special. Most of the venues are very loud.

Auld Alliance Restaurant BEWARE! This restaurant, their finest white tablecloth, had a server who was horrid. Explained nothing, did not engage with us and failed to mention their “Market Price” for two ribeye steaks was $432!! Again, zero transparency just an awful experience which did not need to be that way. We would have ordered two filet’s for$112. Again nothing special but overpriced.

Overall BEWARE! Don’t waste your time or money on McLemore. If you are a golfer who appreciates the game, you will be 100% disappointed. There are too many much better options and much closer to where you are I am sure!

Sincerely

NEVER AGAIN!

This is one of those mountain golf courses where a bad ball-striking day can lighten one’s golf bag by half a dozen balls or more. Severe elevation changes – including one of the wildest par 5s in America at number 6 – threaten and thrill in equal measure, but the course does end on a high note in the form of a cliffhanging 18th hole that has to be played to be believed. One of the most memorable finishes to any round in resort golf more than makes up for the Highland course’s more bewildering moments.

The course and the resort gets lots of hype. The website has spectacular photos of the selected holes and just like Instagram, it is everything at its 100% photoshopped best. Unfortunately, for me on this day (July 2025), the course was not in superb condition.

A photo I uploaded of the turf damage right in the middle of the fairway is an example. The same was seen on several holes and none marked turf under repair. Real shame for a course at this green fee level ($240) and with its claimed stature. One excellent item I have not seen before is the fairway entry and exit spots along the cart path on all the holes. The spots are nicely marked by tall wooden stakes, which limits carts onto and off of the fairway but also limits the damages that is often seen near the cart paths from overuse of carts. I suspect they move this around so that damaged turf from carts can repair and revitalize itself.

Now to the course. There are a nice variety and mix of holes and the layout is quite nice in that respect. Six different tee boxes to choose from for all levels of play (a two more if you count the combo tee box choices for Members and Senior Members). Some fairways are quite wide and some a bit less so driving accuracy is flexible of those wide holes. The greens have movement but none too severe in terms of percentage slope. A good hit ball will hold. Fairly fast greens but not lightning. Very nice to putt.

The par 5, 6th hole is quite dramatic with a 100 foot drop from upper fairway to lower fairway after your tee shot. Based on the tee you use, you could run out of fairway on your drive but with the right distance to the cliff's edge, you have a reasonable chance of getting to the green, or darn close, in 2. The par 4, 18th is much celebrated with the website emphasizing its ranking as one of the top 10 closing holes in golf. (Photos of the 6th and 18th were uploaded.

For most golfers, this will be a riding course as the elevation changes and the distances between many of the greens to the next tee are quite long. The distances from 7 to 8 and from 9 to 10 may be the longest - a 2-3 minute drive in the cart. A walking option is the sister course, The Keep, which was designed for just that. I heard a cart can be used but cart-path only throughout.

I played this course before the major renovations and re-do from the old Canyon Ridge name. Some holes, like the 18th, are completely new and if memory serves e right, some holes just have tees or greens relocated.

In the end, a respectable layout, and really good pace of play (we finished in 4 hr, 20 min, in a foursome. But the high green fee (and equally with pro shop pricing) with spotty conditions left me disappointed based on the expectations I had. With a good 1-hour trip from Chattanooga and 2-hour drive from Atlanta, it is a destination course to be sure. But, at least I can say I played the new McLemore Highlands and check this one off my list.

Only positive about this course was some of the views. Very much overpriced and hyped for conditions. Fairways had several bare spots and were very thin in other areas. Greens had been sanded which made putting difficult to read. Should have been a price reduction or at least notification of conditions. Staff were not friendly at all from golf shop to bar tender. Have the impression they were doing you a favor by letting you be there. Not at all what was expected for price and advertised caliber. Management needs to seriously evaluate course and staffs customer service attitude. I will not play again nor recommend to anyone

This was my 2nd time to stay & play at McLemore. It keeps getting better. Customer service is first class...bag drop staff, pro shop staff, bartenders (shout out to Stone for being incredibly AWESOME), servers, everybody! Course was in really good condition. My only complaint was pace of play. The course is not set-up for a 4-1/2 round. We played on Friday & Saturday, and on Saturday we waited on the #6 tee for 20+ minutes. The course needs a forecaddie or someone sitting in the fairway to help out. Similar situation on #18. While we didn't wait 20 minutes, the course needs someone at the top of the hill helping out. Also, the shack at the turn is great, but not when you're having to wait behind a mob of construction workers. We ordered our food on #9 and still waited 10+ minutes for brats & hot dogs. With all that said, we're planning to come back in late April/early May for another shot at McLemore.

The mountaintop community of McLemore in Rising Fawn, Georgia is a vibrant, robust community with about 200 homesites that is best known for one thing, soon to be two: a mountaintop golf course that needs to be played at least once by any golfer who enjoys a challenging round of golf.

According to folklore, McLemore gets its name from John McLemore - a Cherokee Chief and Captain in the US Army during the War of 1812 – who was fresh off a visit to his ancestors in the Scottish Highlands. When he looked at the cove that lies below the golf course, it reminded him of his Scottish homeland and named it McLemore.

Both the golf course and community are situated on the backside of Lookout Mountain and, at a base elevation of 2,300 feet above sea level, you can find yourself playing golf in the clouds when the weather is just right! In addition to traveling up and down the mountain, the golf course winds its way through dense woods, rocky outcrops, native stream beds, and open meadows. Many of the significant elevation changes play downhill with cart paths that serpentine down the mountainside.

The Highlands course is built on what used to be the Canyon Ridge Club, which opened in 2005. When Rees Jones and Bill Bergin were commissioned to redesign the course, they did so with a few subtle differences. The design team’s first priority was to expose the natural elements of the course while making it more enjoyable for all levels of golfers. While discussing possible scenarios on how to end the layout developer Duane Horton and designer Bill Bergin explored the mountainside and found a shelf suitable for the 18th hole lying below the site of the old 18th hole. Today’s 18th hole sits perched on the edge of the cliff on that lower shelf and a newly constructed clubhouse allows members and guests to enjoy the view from the top of the mountain.

The remaining seventeen holes use many of the existing hole corridors, however, green complexes have been reworked to optimize angles into pin locations. The fairway and greenside bunkers have received facelifts and the areas around the green complexes have been enlarged, allowing for a variety of recovery shots.

McLemore offers guests and members six tee boxes to choose from, plus a hybrid “Members” yardage on the scorecard. From the back tees – Tee I – the course plays 7,005 yards with a course rating of 72.4 and a slope of 140. I chose Tee III (6,101/70.4/ which provided a good challenge and let me leave with a little dignity! Before my round, Eddie in the pro shop had some very sage advice: “Long here is not good; do not go over the green or you’ll pay the price.”

PGA Golf Professional turned Golf Channel TV analyst Charlie Rymer has classified each hole at McLemore into one of three categories: Canyon, Highland, and Cliff holes. The Canyon Holes (#2, 3, 6, 7, and 9) play along the canyon walls and sometimes over an elevated ridge line on the eastern side of Lookout Mountain. They sit amidst a wall of deciduous rainforest and natural areas, with ancient boulders poking through into the fairway and causing some interesting caroms should you hit one. The Canyon holes are centered around a lake with views that stretch for miles. They feature the most elevation change and are considered some of the more challenging - and memorable - holes on the course. Number 2 is a gorgeous golf hole that plays 409 yards from Tee III. The water on the left is reachable although it's farther than it looks. A good drive that finds the fairway will still leave a long approach shot over water into a long, skinny green that is flanked by bunkers on either side, water in front, and a creek on the right. Play it and you’ll soon find out why it’s the #1 handicap!

The Highland Holes (#4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16) are the most common at McLemore and sit perched on the plateau of Lookout Mountain. The Highland holes are as close to “regular golf holes” as you’ll find at McLemore although the views they yield are anything but ordinary. The 16th hole is a long, dogleg right par 4, that plays 410 yards from Tee III. A good drive that avoids the fairway bunkers on either side will leave a long iron or hybrid over a creek and rocky waste area that is not visible from the tee or the fairway. This is where a rangefinder with slope comes in handy, you want to be sure to take enough club to get it onto the green with the creek in front of it and a large bunker behind it. Large bunkers guard the front right and backside of the green.

The Cliff Edge holes (#1, 17, and 18) are situated along the eastern cliff edge of Lookout Mountain and overlook historic McLemore Cove. These 3 holes offer dramatic views that can only be understood by playing them. The 18th hole features the cliff on the left with a lot of mounding on the right and a fairway that slopes towards the cliff. A good drive that finds the fairway tends to come to rest on the left side, leaving an approach shot over the cliff’s edge into an elevated green. You’ll find it takes an extra level of concentration to hit your approach shot on what Links Magazine has referred to as “One of the Top 10 Finishing Holes in the World”. Golf Digest has named it the “Best 18th Hole Built Since 2000.” It truly is something to be experienced.

McLemore attracts golfers from many different places. Rising Fawn, GA is located in the northwestern part of Georgia, about 15 miles from the Alabama state line and 27 miles from Chattanooga, TN. That puts it about 2 hours from Nashville, Knoxville, Huntsville, Atlanta, and Birmingham.

The way I see it, The Highlands Course at McLemore is a “must-play” for any serious golfer who lives within 200 miles of the community. But according to Bergin and Jones, the best is yet to come. In 2024, a second course and a new Hilton Curio Collection hotel, Cloudland Lookout Mountain, are scheduled to open. This new project is referred to as The Outpost and will feature a (yet-to-be-named) walkable, mountaintop golf experience designed with five cliff-edge holes. Jones feels that this new course “could host a major,” and from all indications, it will be one of the most scenic and enjoyable courses in the southeast. The golf course will be located along the eastern cliff edge of Lookout Mountain. When this work is completed, McLemore will likely become a national golf destination along the lines of Streamsong in Florida.

Currently, there are three ways for you to play McLemore. The first is to become a member of the Highlands Course or join as an equity member of The Outpost. Memberships are available for both residents and non-residents. As a Resident Member, you’ll enjoy green fees for both the 18-hole championship course and the practice facility with special pricing for cart fees and merchandise. Friends who play with you will receive a 50% discount on published green fees. Family members are included, too.

The second way to play the course is as a Stay & Play guest. You’ll experience the unforgettable Highlands course and relax in one of the many homes within the McLemore community. These homes are completely furnished and can accommodate anywhere from two to eight guests in a single home. They have all the comforts of home and are the perfect place to put you at ease after a day on the mountain. Residences include golf cottages, villas, and single-family homes. The golf cottages are located next to the driving range; the villas and homes are located throughout the community.

The third way to get on McLemore’s golf course is to become a “Friend of McLemore,” which will afford you the opportunity to play once each season, book tee times online, and participate in Friends-only events throughout the year.

Once you figure out which of these three options is best for you, everything else can be done through the McLemore website. Stay & Play packages can be customized through the Golf Packages link, or you can follow the “Explore Vacations” link to plan a non-golf-related trip. If you simply want to play a round of golf, check out the self-booking options. Or you can do it the old-fashioned way and give them a call

Fantastic course with incredible customer service. Bag drop crew was great, pro shop crew was great, servers & hostesses were great...everything & everyone was great!!!! One of the my most enjoyable golf trips. The short course was really fun to play, but the big course is awesome! Bring your A++ game. I still don't know what club to hit on #18.

Even better the second time around.

McLemore, a Highlands Course emboldened by canyon holes and punctuated by cliff holes, is well on its way to seeking entry into the Top 100 American Public conversation.

The course is actually private, but benefits from a model similar to Old Waverly, Shadow Creek, Bay Hill and Reynolds Plantation that offers public playing privileges for guests staying on property.

The COVID crisis has stalled the full build-out of the resort. Management, however, has set its sights on developing into a destination near Chattanooga that will draw players from Atlanta, Birmingham, Nashville and all points in between. Currently, eight properties are available on-site to rent for stay and play, and a hotel is slated to be completed within two years. Plans for a second course (hinted at being walking only) within the next 24 months along the bluffs would further bolster McLemore’s resume and seal it as a must-visit.

That, however, is the vision for the future. The focus of the development is a reimagined layout authored by Rees Jones and Bill Bergin. I never played the original course, known as Canyon Ridge, but I am told the architects softened the course’s bunkering and massaged the greens. The biggest thing they did was create one of the most memorable and breathtaking finishing holes in the United States. More on that in a moment.

What is unique about the course is the genius in the routing. The recipe of Highland holes, canyon holes and cliff holes gives the player variety. Playing billy goat golf on the ridge of a mountain would be exhausting - physically, and perhaps moreso mentally. The opening hole is a benign par 5. Once players reach the green, however, a view off the left side of a seemingly infinity green into the vast valley below offers the promise of what awaits in just over four hours: another otherworldly cliff hole.

As would be expected, there is an abundance of elevation change, dramatic at times like the par-3 third hole and the par-5 sixth. In fact, were it not for the peerless 18th hole, the sixth likely would be the signature hole. I have no evidence of this, but after playing the hole and looking back at the canyon setting for the green site, I couldn’t help but think that perhaps in the course’s genesis this was originally conceived as a par 3, and then maybe someone had an epiphany and said “there are many par 3s that play off a precipice with a parachute-like descent, but how many par 5s exist with an approach like this?” If so, I’m glad this thinking prevailed because it does harken comparisons to the second shot on the eighth at Pebble Beach. It also gives Wolf Creek vibes if there weren’t so many trees around. It is a shorter par-5 that should produce plenty of birdies, but beware, tee shots seem to roll out farther down the fairway than the distances posted on the tee box.

There is tremendous width on most fairways, unusual for a mountain course. This tempts you to pull driver consistently, but it is not necessary. Four-irons and 3-woods are pretty sporty to conducive scoring. What would be considered as vanilla holes - holes that get players from one photogenic hole to the next - are sneaky good. Rock outcroppings in the fairways and pushed-up greens with confounding movement protects par on them.

The conditioning of the course is fantastic. The fairways were lush and the Bentgrass greens really thrive in this elevated climate.

There is a compact range and a putting green and six-hole short course reside to the left of the clubhouse-in-progress on what used to be Canyon Ridge’s finishing hole. That leads to the highlight and culmination of a round at McLemore.

Bergin climbed down the side of the old 18th and discovered amongst the foliage a suitable topography for a mind-blower of a finishing hole. It truly is one of the few holes where it is hard to describe in words, and prompts one to simply give way to letting pictures describe it. Alas, I will try. Sweeping views of the valley floor far below greet you on the tee box. It firmly plants a “don’t-go-left” swing thought in your head that will reside there until you are safely on the green. Aim your tee shot over the rock pilings that appear to be too right of the fairway. It’s not. Everything funnels back left off the surrounding slope. The approach shot is like hitting to a bird’s nest on a cliff shelf. Do not be distracted because trouble abounds. Do take the time though to ingrain that view into your mind. It will stay with you.

The Canyon Ridge course closed for renovations and will be re-opened as The McLemore Club. The old design has a lot of blind shots and very hilly. The hills will obviously remain but the plans are to fix some of the holes to make it more playable. Let's see.

What a beautiful and challenging course! It doesn't play as long as its listed but you will be thankful! Most holes are down hill, and in some cases EXTREMELY downhill. Greens may the the most challenging I've ever putted on! (Expect at least five more putts per round than normal). The mountain comes into play on how the greens break and even then you are never quite sure. Slopes that appear uphill may play downhill, etc. It's mostly a second shot and short game challenge. Conditions were excellent! Staff was super friendly and helpful. We played with the turning leaves at it was magnificent! I took almost as many pictures as I did swings!

I recently had the chance to get away for a couple of days and play golf with an old college friend. I live in Chattanooga and he lives in Birmingham and after a quick Google search we decided on meeting somewhat in the middle at Canyon Ridge. I called to get a tee time and the staff was very helpful and aided in our search for lodging.

The course is quite challenging and has scenic views at every turn. The staff were very helpful and accommodating. We got in 36 holes that day and I can't wait to get back for more. Green fees and pro shop merchandise were very reasonable. Absolutely the best golfing bang for the buck that I have found.

Richard

There are many elevation changes throughout this course. Local knowledge definitely comes in handy here. Enjoy the beautiful views around all 18 holes.

I had been wanting to play this course for a couple of months after hearing really good things about the course. Got off early on a great fall day and made the almost 2 hour drive. I was not disappointed. Beautiful views on top of lookout mountain. Course was in really good shape. Liked the greens a lot. Punched the greens 3 wk prior and they had come back nicely. Course was wide open. Was able to pair up with another single and we tore it up. Fun course, lots of elevation changes. Will make the trip back.

The scenic beauty of this course is amazing! The course itself is visually intimidating, but playable. Many of your drives from the elevated tees seem to hang in the air forever. The greens had been recently aerated and were a tad slow. The fairways hadn't yet greened up, but we didn't mind. I will definitely make a return trip to play Canyon Ridge again!

Beautiful golf course with a fair degree of difficulty on several holes. A couple of fairways are blind from the tee but the course is on the east brow of Lookout Mountain. Holes 1,2,6 and 18 are majestic. Several holes are unforgiving with multiple hazards. I have grown fond of the challenges.

Some fantastic golf. There is something for everyone. Long par 5, and challenging par 4, and 3s. And breathtaking views from top of Lookout Mountain. I want to do this course again.

Course is in great shape and was worth the drive from Atlanta. The scenic views were amazing. The greens were in tip top shape and pace of play for a Monday afternoon was nothing to complain about. If weather permits, we will definitely play again. If playing from the tips you are in for a challenging round.

This is a course you have to play a few times to get a feel for, but it's always in great shape and you cannot beat the views!

Beautiful mountain course in great condition. We played the white tess and hit into hazards off the tee with driver we didn't were there. Would play the blue tees next time.