September 29, 2015

SEVIERVILLE, TN — Gateway to the Smoky Mountains, Sevierville, Tennessee is overshadowed by its tourist-frenzied neighboring towns of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Sevierville may not have the tourist traps, but it does have a few nice sand traps, and a solid golf facility to go with them.

The Sevierville Golf Club offers the services and amenities of a high-quality private club on a daily fee basis. The new golf facility joins the 2016-2017 Carl Spackler Open venue list.

"We are pleased to announce that Tennessee is officially in the hunt to host a Carl Spackler Open," says Greg Long, Chairman of the Captains Club. "We waited patiently for nearly a decade for a course to present itself in Tennessee. Sevierville in TN exposed its quality in 2012, but failed to provide the value to compete with Conklin Players Club, Raven Golf Club, Old Silo Golf Club, and Shaker Run Golf Club. Years of patience could finally have landed our event in Tennessee."

The Sevierville Golf Club features two 18-hole championship courses: The Highlands, a par 70 that winds through lush rolling hills and fresh water mountain ponds and The River, a par 72 plays along and across the Little Pigeon River.

The former Eagle's Landing Golf Course was bulldozed in 2006 and Sevierville was created. The facility opened in 2008.

The 9-year member of the Carl Spackler Open, Allan Hench, likes the golf course. "Greens are fast and the zoysia grass makes ball sit up in fairway," said Hench regarding the fairways.  "Maybe too nice. It is hard to chip, for me at least.  Very well manicured."

The Highlands Course meanders through wooded and open areas with elevated tee boxes and undulating greens. Accuracy is not as vital as the River Course, but hitting well placed drives will help the approach shot tremendously.

"Sevierville along with the Smokey Mountains nearby would provide a great Spackler setup," says Long. "The courses are available for June 8-11, which is a large hurdle to becoming a Spackler option. We are evaluating the lodging, entertainment, and knee deep with fianncial negotiations. A visit to Sevierville this month by members of the Carl Spackler Open did not disappoint."

Several hotels are available including the Clarion Inn, which is a 4 to 5 minute drive from the clubhouse. Nightly entertainment is also covered within short distance plus Pigeon Forge is a 20-minute drive south.

The 2016 Carl Spackler Open has opened its to available golf courses and aggressive bidding. Sevierville Golf Club has joined Mountain Valley Golf Course in PA and The Golf Club at Chapel Ridge as candidates.