Golf in the rough

Source: The Tennessean

Franklin,  Tenn. - The unlikely combination of preservation and development is forcing some Williamson County golfers from their favorite fairways.

In the private sector, hundreds of Country Club of Franklin members could find themselves seeking new greens if the golf club is purchased and resold to preservationists for a battlefield park.

On the public front, Through The Green in Franklin will shut its doors at the end of October, putting a dent in the habits of golfers used to playing on a less expensive nine-hole course.

The potential changes on the golf scene might make players dig a little deeper in their pockets and travel a little farther from their homes. But the good news is that there still seem to be plenty of opportunities out there.

"It's always unfortunate to see golf courses possibly leaving the area, but on the other hand, golfers will still have several options at a number of different prices and points to play," said Dick Horton, executive director of the Franklin-based Tennessee Professional Golf and Tennessee Golf associations.

"Tennessee, like the rest of the country, has too many golf courses and not enough golfers to fill them. It's a better time to be a golfer than to own a course right now."

The proposed sale of the Country Club of Franklin is by no means set in stone.

Franklin Mayor Tom Miller favors a plan in which the city would pay as much as half the $5 million price tag in order to buy the club from owner Rod Heller, and then turn it into a National Battlefield Park.

The golf course has been described as the eastern flank of the Civil War's Battle of Franklin in 1864.

But hundreds of Country Club of Franklin members are understandably opposed to the idea, and club manager Bob Putt says changes aren't likely to happen until at least November 2005 - if at all.

"This is a club that's got a very unique value to the membership and the community," said Bob Putt, the club's general manager. "It's the home course for a number of the area's high schools. It's well maintained, and it has about 400 members that also attend many social activities here. They're ready for this asset to continue as a golf course."

If it doesn't, a number of other clubs will be more than eager to welcome members from the Country Club of Franklin, which has one of the county's lowest initiation fees at $2,500.

Old Natchez Country Club, for instance, has always maintained an affiliation with Franklin.

"I think we're always open to new membership," Old Natchez general manager Jeff Wine said. "We've got a great family atmosphere like the Country Club of Franklin. We're a club that basically offers an oasis away from life."

Scott Holder, manager at Forrest Crossing Golf Course, feels his nine-hole course may offer a more economical alternative. Membership there costs $2,000, as opposed to the $7,000 initiation fee at Old Natchez.

"I think the way things are structured right now, people are watching their pay scales," Holder said. "I would think we might pick up a lot of people from the Country Club of Franklin because most of their members are within a five-mile radius of here."

Other potential alternatives for current Franklin members would likely include Temple Hills Club and the Nashville Golf and Athletic Club as well as pricier options such as Legends Club of Tennessee and Brentwood Country Club.

Tony Lander, Nashville Golf and Athletic Club's membership director, said he's already had inquiries from a handful of Country Club of Franklin members, who are waiting to see what happens at their current club.

The Legends Club of Tennessee and the Nashville Golf and Athletic Club are both closing in on maximum membership, with Legends in the process of becoming a completely private club.

"I don't think the Country Club of Franklin members will ever have the convenience of having a club in their back yard, and some of the camaraderie will be lost if the membership splits up," Horton said. "But it's not like there's nowhere to go, or that everything's full."

The closing of Through The Green will affect a different set of golfers, those who aren't as likely to make as large a commitment to the sport in terms of time or money.

Through The Green is a nine-hole course that charges as little as $10 to walk nine holes.

Possible nine-hole public course alternatives in Williamson County would include the Fairways at Spencer Creek, Forrest Crossing, King's Creek and the Little Course at Aspen Grove - the last of which is targeted toward families and juniors, much the same as Through The Green.

"We've done a lot of talking about that," said Vikki Valentine, head professional at Through The Green. "From what I've heard, our facility is pretty similar to theirs. It's a short course, and we cater to a lot of the middle and junior high kids, just like they do."