Hermitage President’s Reserve Golf Course in Old Hickory, TN

The Stats

Tee Time: October 19, 2012, 1:40, 62 F, Breezy

Designer: Denis Griffiths, 2000

Playing Partners: Dave, Dave and Don (all executives at La-Z-Boy)

Tees: Blue, Par 72 (70.4 rating/124 slope/6,492 yards)

Course Handicap: 13 (11.7 index)

Stats: 84 (42-42); 29 putts; 6/14 fairways; 6/18 greens; 5 penalty strokes

The Course

Fall golf in Tennessee marks state #9, just 41 to go. Really should have made it Ol’ No.7 instead… oh well, close enough. It was a chilly afternoon out in Old Hickory at the Hermitage Golf Course, staying 62 degrees throughout the round. Hermitage has two courses, the General’s Retreat and the President’s Reserve. I played the latter from the middle Blue set of tees with a slope of 124, 70.4 rating and coming in at 6,443 yards. The tougher of the two courses, it can play a brutal 7,157 yards from the Black tees. Play off the tee is the number one factor in scoring well, so the extra carry needed from back there would really add to the challenge. As long as you avoid the various sand traps dotting the course it won’t be too hard. The rough is soft and fluffy, perfect for consistent chipping. The greens roll very well. They are soft and receptive to good approach shots yet anything going downhill even slightly will take off with just a tap. There are several spots where the putt will break the completely different direction from where the read appears. Just keep your first putt inside of your partner’s and learn from that, makes things much easier. Continue reading Hermitage President’s Reserve →