TIGolfer1996
Member
Now that I live in Franklin, Tennessee, I recently made Franklin Bridge Golf Club, located south of Nashville, my home course. Recently, the course changed ownership from American Golf Corp to a local ownership. The course itself previously went by Forrest Crossing Golf Club and later The Crossing Golf Club. The course is a Gary Roger Baird design.
It's obvious the new ownership is investing heavily into the club. The club carries the distinction of being the only public 18-hole golf course in Williamson County, TN. It's located in the south of Franklin, one of Nashville's oldest and most picturesque suburbs. Without further ado, however, onto the review
Amenities- B
The Clubhouse recently underwent a slight renovation due to the new ownership. The new Pro Shop just opened Saturday, April 20, and carries golf balls from Bridgestone, Srixon, Titleist, Callaway and Pinnacle. Club selection is much more limited, as the Pro Shop doesn't appear to be 100% finished as of this moment. Club offerings from Cobra and TaylorMade and apparel/footwear from FootJoy and Adidas. It doesn't feature a locker room, but it has restrooms available. Deli isn't anything too special, but they have decent pimento cheese sandwiches, which is a massive plus in my book.
Price- A
The value is certainly there, what essentially amounts to $40 after tax gets you your greens fees and usually a small bag of warmup range balls and a meal ticket for lunch at the turn or after your round.
Practice Areas- B+
The driving range is plenty big, and ball distribution is done through a machine with a code up near the clubhouse. The range itself usually grass, although early in the season they use mats until the grass is ready for the rigors of the season. Range features five plateaus acting as greens at various yardages. Range balls are Srixon practice balls. The putting green is medium-sized, but doesn't feature drilled holes, rather just flagsticks, which is a negative in my book. I like actual holes on putting greens. They have a separate chipping green with a bucker to practice getting out of. I love it when courses have separate short game areas.
Course Layout/Condition- B+/A-
I'm a major fan of Gary Baird designs. He designed some of the Fairfield Glade courses over in Crossville that I'm used to playing. He did a spectacular job with this one. The course is tricky in a good way for the uninitiated, but forgiving enough to allow you to gain shots back on your round. Features quite a few 160-something yard par-threes. Some of the holes flare out wide, so if you miss right, you should be in decent shape on most holes. On others, there's ponds that cut into fairways, placing a premium on accuracy. One of my favorite holes on the course is the signature 4th hole, a dogleg par-four that requires a smartly placed drive and then an accurate shot over the Harpeth River. To get to the green, you have to cross the iconic and eponymous bridge. The bridge is the symbol of the course. Another favorite hole of mine is the 18th, which used to be number nine before the new ownership flipped the nines. It's a short par-four with an island green, requiring accuracy on the approach.
Course conditions are what you'd expect right now for mid-April in Tennessee which is the only knock on the course itself at the moment. Fairways are just now starting to be mowable, and the course is really greening up nicely. In another month, it'll be in really good shape.
Pace of Play- A+
Pace of play is never an issue, mainly because the course is extremely strict on its pace. Both the clubhouse and marshal do a spectacular job of keeping everyone on a four to four-and-a-half hour pace for 18 holes. In fact, if you feel the group ahead is excessively slow, you're encouraged to call the clubhouse before asking to play through. The only drawback to this is it makes some golfers play "rush golf."
Overall- B+/A-
The first time I played this course, I knew I'd come back. Each time I enjoy it more than the last. I'd highly recommend it if you're in the area. The staff are friendly to the point of being lulled into thinking it's a country club. Just waiting for the course and range grass to green up just a little more and the pro shop to be fully finished, but all in all, a very good track.
It's obvious the new ownership is investing heavily into the club. The club carries the distinction of being the only public 18-hole golf course in Williamson County, TN. It's located in the south of Franklin, one of Nashville's oldest and most picturesque suburbs. Without further ado, however, onto the review
Amenities- B
The Clubhouse recently underwent a slight renovation due to the new ownership. The new Pro Shop just opened Saturday, April 20, and carries golf balls from Bridgestone, Srixon, Titleist, Callaway and Pinnacle. Club selection is much more limited, as the Pro Shop doesn't appear to be 100% finished as of this moment. Club offerings from Cobra and TaylorMade and apparel/footwear from FootJoy and Adidas. It doesn't feature a locker room, but it has restrooms available. Deli isn't anything too special, but they have decent pimento cheese sandwiches, which is a massive plus in my book.
Price- A
The value is certainly there, what essentially amounts to $40 after tax gets you your greens fees and usually a small bag of warmup range balls and a meal ticket for lunch at the turn or after your round.
Practice Areas- B+
The driving range is plenty big, and ball distribution is done through a machine with a code up near the clubhouse. The range itself usually grass, although early in the season they use mats until the grass is ready for the rigors of the season. Range features five plateaus acting as greens at various yardages. Range balls are Srixon practice balls. The putting green is medium-sized, but doesn't feature drilled holes, rather just flagsticks, which is a negative in my book. I like actual holes on putting greens. They have a separate chipping green with a bucker to practice getting out of. I love it when courses have separate short game areas.
Course Layout/Condition- B+/A-
I'm a major fan of Gary Baird designs. He designed some of the Fairfield Glade courses over in Crossville that I'm used to playing. He did a spectacular job with this one. The course is tricky in a good way for the uninitiated, but forgiving enough to allow you to gain shots back on your round. Features quite a few 160-something yard par-threes. Some of the holes flare out wide, so if you miss right, you should be in decent shape on most holes. On others, there's ponds that cut into fairways, placing a premium on accuracy. One of my favorite holes on the course is the signature 4th hole, a dogleg par-four that requires a smartly placed drive and then an accurate shot over the Harpeth River. To get to the green, you have to cross the iconic and eponymous bridge. The bridge is the symbol of the course. Another favorite hole of mine is the 18th, which used to be number nine before the new ownership flipped the nines. It's a short par-four with an island green, requiring accuracy on the approach.
Course conditions are what you'd expect right now for mid-April in Tennessee which is the only knock on the course itself at the moment. Fairways are just now starting to be mowable, and the course is really greening up nicely. In another month, it'll be in really good shape.
Pace of Play- A+
Pace of play is never an issue, mainly because the course is extremely strict on its pace. Both the clubhouse and marshal do a spectacular job of keeping everyone on a four to four-and-a-half hour pace for 18 holes. In fact, if you feel the group ahead is excessively slow, you're encouraged to call the clubhouse before asking to play through. The only drawback to this is it makes some golfers play "rush golf."
Overall- B+/A-
The first time I played this course, I knew I'd come back. Each time I enjoy it more than the last. I'd highly recommend it if you're in the area. The staff are friendly to the point of being lulled into thinking it's a country club. Just waiting for the course and range grass to green up just a little more and the pro shop to be fully finished, but all in all, a very good track.
