Visitors Have Choice of Five Blount County Golf Courses

Monday March 01, 2004

Maryville, Tenn. – If vacationers or business travelers are looking to slip a tee time into their mountain visit, they won’t have to look far to find the links. Blount County has five golf courses that are open to the public. Each course offers players a challenge and a scenic location in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Egwani Farms, Lambert Acres, Laurel Valley, Pine Lakes and Royal Oaks are all open year-round and have proven to be popular courses with locals as well as tourists. Laurel Valley, located at 702 Country Club Drive in Townsend, is situated in the Laurel Valley resort. It has been open since October 1989. It is recommended that a tee time be scheduled for the course. One of the things club pro Mark Everhart likes best about Laurel Valley is its turf. "The turf condition is excellent," he said. "We have bermuda grass on the fairways and bent grass on the greens. It takes a lot of hard work and TLC to keep it is such excellent shape. "We also have a lot of other assets," Everhart said. "the whole staff is very receptive and friendly. And you can’t find a better setting for a golf course. It’s absolutely gorgeous here." Many vantage points from the course provide golfers with an excellent view of the Great Smoky Mountains. Two of the most challenging holes at Laurel Valley are the number six hole and the number 11 hole. "It’s a toss up," Everhart said. "I guess number 11 would be the toughest. It’s par three hole and it’s surrounded by bunkers and undulating green. This is our signature hole." Egwani Farms is a designed by Atlanta architect D.J. DeVictor. The course offers a driving range, full-service pro shop and delicatessen, as well as tournament facilities. A tee time is required at this course, located on Singleton Station Road in Rockford. A dress code is also in place. "Service is our forte," said Jay Roberts, club pro at Egwani. "We pride ourselves on our service. This is an upscale public course and we treat our players like guests." Egwani has bermuda grass fairways and bet grass greens. In the winter the fairways are covered with ryegrass. Although holes 15 and 18 are among the toughest, Roberts said the entire course poses a challenge to golfers. "This is a very well-balanced design," he said. The 27-hold Lambert Acres Golf Club, the oldest course in Blount County, has been around since 1960. It features a pro shop and snack bar. The course is open year-round and no tee time is required. It is located at 3402 Tuckaleechee Pike in Maryville. Besides providing golfers with a challenging course, Lambert Acres also gives golfers a picturesque setting. Pine Lakes Golf Course opened in 1971. It has a driving range and snack bar. A tee time is required for weekends and holidays. Royal Oaks, also designed by DeVictor, has been open for years. It features a driving range and pro shop with a bar and grill. Tee time is required. Royal Oaks is located on Highway 411 South in Maryville. Blount County, one of the oldest counties in Tennessee, was founded in 1795. It is home to six incorporated cities, Alcoa, Friendsville, Louisville, Maryville, Rockford and Townsend. Blount County has more than 94,000 citizens. For more information on Blount County contact the Smoky Mountain Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-525-6834 or the Blount County Chamber of Commerce at (865) 983-2241.

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