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A golden golfing opportunity

Word is spreading about the Bear Trace trail, five courses in Tennessee designed by Jack Nicklaus.

A challenging string of five Jack Nicklaus-designed golf courses stretches across rural Tennessee, offering some of the best, most affordable golf in an increasingly competitive travel market.

In its fourth year, the Bear Trace golf trail runs mostly across the southern part of Tennessee, from east of Memphis to Chattanooga. One course is in the central part of the state between Nashville and Knoxville.

Named for Nicklaus' "Golden Bear" logo, the trail does not resonate with golfers as do southern destinations such as Myrtle Beach, S.C., and the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama. The latter was the inspiration for the Bear Trace trail.

"Our research shows only 22 percent of avid golfers have even heard of the Bear Trace," says Tommy Smith, the trail's director of marketing. "We're trying to change that. We're doing direct mail and lots of high-end advertising on the Golf Channel."

The Bear Trace courses are unencumbered by homes, highways and neon boulevards. And each is ranked among the best public courses in the state.

Now the Bear Trace has accommodations to match the golf. Within 2 miles of each clubhouse are accommodations that are independently owned and operated but affiliated with the trail. Entrepreneurs such as Paul Gardner recognized an opportunity to capitalize on the courses. Gardner, a successful Lake Tahoe innkeeper, bought and lavishly renovated an old hotel adjacent to the 15th fairway at Bear Trace at Ross Creek, which opened in October 2001 in the Tennessee River city of Clifton. Golfweek has named Ross Creek the No. 1 public course in Tennessee.

The Bear Inn B&B, another Gardner project, offers a strong golf package value: For $89 per person Monday through Thursday and $109 Friday through Sunday, golfers get double-occupancy rooms with satellite TV, breakfast, a boxed lunch, and greens and cart fees included. They also get daily replay rates of $20 for 18 holes, including cart.

A round with cart at Ross Creek costs $49 Monday through Thursday, $59 Friday through Sunday. Rates are discounted for seniors and junior players.

In golf, it's common to pay one-round fees of $125 with a cart.

In 1999, Golf Digest named Nicklaus the world's leading active course designer. His firm, Nicklaus Design, has 227 courses in 27 countries; the courses have hosted more than 300 professional tournaments.

But many of those courses are behind guarded gates and have huge club membership fees. All you need to enjoy the Nicklaus mystique along the Bear Trace is about $60 and a yen to travel some scenic back roads.

- Chris Rodell is a freelance writer living in Latrobe, Pa.

WHERE TO PLAY: The five Bear Trace courses are:

The Bear Trace at Chickasaw. About 90 minutes east of Memphis, the course takes advantage of natural wetlands and remote acreage of massive oaks and pines. Meandering creeks split or line many fairways. The course is in Chickasaw State Park and is an easy drive from the Shiloh National Military Park.

The Bear Trace at Chickasaw, Henderson, Tenn.; toll-free 1-888-944-2327. The Bear Trace at Cumberland Mountain. It is one of the premier sites around Crossville, in the Cumberland Plateau. Many of the greens are atop indigenous flagstone pilings. The Bear Trace at Cumberland Mountain, Crossville, Tenn.; toll-free 1-888-800-2327. The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay. Course designer Jack Nicklaus said the combination of water, elevation changes and natural vistas makes this one of the best pieces of golf real estate he has seen. The course is 20 minutes north of Chattanooga in Harrison Bay State Park.

The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay, Harrison, Tenn.; toll-free 1-877-611-2327.

The Bear Trace at Ross Creek Landing. This course is near Clifton, along the Tennessee River. It has a wide-open feel, and golfers need skill to avoid numerous ponds and marshes that come into play, particularly on windy days. From the back tees, this might be the toughest of the Bear Trace courses.

The Bear Trace at Ross Creek Landing, Clifton, Tenn.; toll-free 1-866-214-2327. The Bear Trace at Tims Ford. You are likely to drive past the Lynchburg landmark Jack Daniels Distillery on the road to Tims Ford. On a scenic spit of land in Tims Ford State Park, the course was called a "glittering newcomer" by one golf magazine after its 1999 opening.

The Bear Trace at Tims Ford, Winchester, Tenn.; call toll-free 1-888-558-2327 or 931 968-0995.The Bear Trace trail also offers several membership plans for playing all its courses. Toll-free 1-866-770-2327; www.beartrace.com