The Legacy

Golfers in the Nashville area have a plethora of choices when it comes to playing golf and many of them opt to play at the Legacy in Springfield, TN. The Legacy was designed by PGA Hall of Famer Raymond Floyd and opened in 1996. Golf Advisor has ranked The Legacy the #2 Public Course in Tennessee and one round on the course will validate this rating. And according

From the back tees The Legacy plays 6,776-yards; 5 sets of tees provide suitable yardages so that any level of golfer will have a great time. The Legacy is a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, and the course is committed to protecting the local environment and conserving natural resources. There's no limit to the wildlife you could see as you make your way around.

Before your round, be sure to hit a few balls on The Legacy's full-length driving range where you can hit every club in the bag. Stroke a few putts on the practice green and head to the first tee.

When building the course, Floyd took advantage of the existing mature woodlands that are spread throughout the lush, rolling hills, and offer tremendous views of the Tennessee countryside and the surrounding area. Although the length of the course won't overwhelm most players the narrowness may so be prepared to encounter hazards in many forms. Remember I said this as you are reaching into your bag for another ball. Nevertheless, The Legacy is a fair and challenging golf course. Superintendent and General Manager Chet Frazier's biggest challenge is battling the weather. He says the members are great and do their best to replace divots and repair ball marks. "That really helps the greens roll as good as they do," Frazier said.

The Legacy has several memorable holes, beginning with Number 2, a medium length par 4 that plays 359 yards from the Orange Tees and is very narrow. Although the fairway gets narrow the farther down your tree shot travels, most players can still hit driver off the tee. Playing down the left side will take the bunkers out of play on the right and leave the best angle into the green. Push anything right off the tee and the severe drop-off may claim your ball! Consider hitting an extra club into the green as it plays uphill. The green is long and narrow with a deep bunker on the right.

Number 4 is an interesting hole. The hole plays 364 yards from the Orange Tees with bunkers on either side of the fairway in the landing area. Find the fairway of the tee and you'll still need to fly your approach shot onto a small green that slopes left and is protected by a deep bunker across the front.

The run from Number 9 thru 12 can make or break your round. The front nine ends with a long par 4 that plays 405 yards from the Orange Tees. Your tee shot is through a chute of trees and from the tee, it looks like the landing area is small but trust me, there's a lot more out there than meets the eye. Avoid the fairway bunker on the right off the tee and you'll have a long to medium iron into the green. Anything that misses the green right will likely find the bunker while anything left will leave a delicate chip shot from grass mounds.

From there you move to the most difficult hole on the back nine. The 416-yard par 4 10th hole requires an accurate drive off the tee with a decent forced carry. Again, an extra club is advised on your approach shot as it plays longer than you think. Anything short of the green will leave a challenging up and down. Par is a good score here.

If I were naming holes, Number 11 would be called "Right is Death." Regardless of the tees you play from, the tee shot is blind and accuracy is extremely important. Push your tee shot right and you'll see what I mean! A good line is the flagstick on the 18th green; once you get past the 150-yard marker, the fairway narrows considerably. Your approach shot plays into a two-tiered green that slopes front to back and is well protected with bunkers.

At 171 yards, the par-3 12th hole plays into a well-undulated green that sits at an angle from the tee. With a back left pin placement, the bunker and false fronted green force you to carry your tee shot onto the green. I would name this hole "Longer Than It Looks," because I hit the appropriate iron well and came up woefully short!

Your round finishes up with the longest hole on the course. The par 5, 18th hole plays 550 yards from the back tees (a mere 509 from the Orange tees). Your first two shots play uphill and fairway bunkers on both sides of the fairway are strategically placed to catch errant layups. Shots that avoid the bunkers will leave an approach of around 125 yards into a green that slopes back to front and is protected by a deep bunker on the right side. Par or better is a great way to end the round and head to the clubhouse grill for a cool beverage.

After your round, whet your whistle at The Legacy Grill where you can grab either a quick bite or a full meal. The Grill is a comfortable place to relax and relive your round with friends while enjoying spectacular views of the golf course. Satisfy your palette with a variety of hot & cold entrees, quick-to-go sandwiches, snacks, breakfast, and plenty of cold beverages.

If you live in the area and enjoy playing The Legacy, you may want to consider an annual pass. All passes include greens fees, cart fees, range balls, and applicable taxes. Call the pro shop for more information.

The Legacy is a great venue for your next tournament or outing and the staff is committed to making your event a success. They'll take care of everything from planning to implementation to clean up. Choose from one of their hassle free event packages or let them customize one to meet your specific needs.

The Legacy's pro shop offers a wide variety of competitively priced golf equipment and logoed apparel. Their professional staff can also help you out with club repair or take advantage of a certified custom fitting when you purchase a set of clubs. You can test your new clubs at The Legacy's practice area, which features a full length driving range with grass tees and target areas and separate chipping and putting area to practice your short game. In case you need help getting the most out of your new gear, The Legacy's professional staff is available for both private and group lessons.

I played the course with a couple of local guys, Steve and Randy. They play at The Legacy quite a bit and were extremely helpful when it came to advising me where to hit the ball, especially off the tee. When I asked them their favorite feature of the course they mentioned two things, the value, and the people. Randy said that he plays all over the area and there's no better course for the money than The Legacy.

You can experience the course for yourself by giving them a call at (615) 384-4653. Tee times can also be booked online at www.golfthelegacy.com.