Denis Griffiths

Young Harris, GA

The golf course at Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa sits in Young Harris, Georgia, in the Blue Ridge Mountains near the state's highest peak, Brasstown Bald. Designed by architect Denis Griffiths, the Scottish links-style course opened along with the resort in 1995 on land that had previously been an ancient Cherokee village site. Griffiths routed the course to take advantage of the existing terrain, with rolling hills, bentgrass greens, and water coming into play on ten of the eighteen holes as the layout winds through wildlife preserves, ponds, and streams. The design uses only a small fraction of the resort's wooded acreage, and the course has been noted as one of the more environmentally sensitive properties of its kind in the country. Brasstown Valley operates as a resort course open to hotel guests and the public through the resort's golf packages, with tee times bookable directly through the resort alongside overnight stays.

Lexington, KY

Kearney Hill Golf Links is an 18-hole, par-72 public course in Lexington, Kentucky, designed by Pete Dye and P.B. Dye and opened in 1989. It measures 7,062 yards from the back tees, with a course rating of 74.1 and a slope of 136. The Scottish links-style layout features open, rolling terrain, deep sand and grass bunkers, and few trees, making wind a significant factor in play. Kearney Hill is a city-owned municipal course in northwest Fayette County with a driving range and practice facilities.

Old Hickory, TN

The President's Reserve is one of two 18-hole courses at Hermitage Golf Course in Old Hickory, Tennessee, along the banks of the Cumberland River near Nashville. It opened in 2001, more than a decade after the club's original General's Retreat course. The course was designed by architect Denis Griffiths, who also designed the courses at Atlanta's Chateau Elan Resort, and it routes through about 300 acres of natural wetlands along the river. It plays to a par of 72 and can stretch to roughly 7,157 yards from the back tees, offering enough length and water to challenge stronger players while remaining playable for occasional golfers. Hermitage is open to the public daily, with lodging cottages on site and a resident flock of Scottish Blackface sheep that roam both courses.

Patterson, LA

Atchafalaya Golf Course sits at Idlewild in Patterson, Louisiana, on the edge of the Atchafalaya Basin. Opened in 2006, the 18-hole, par-72 layout was designed by Robert von Hagge with Rick Smelek and Michael Baril, stretching to more than 7,500 yards across 175 acres. The course incorporates five lakes and roughly ten native wetland areas, with holes named for cultural features of the surrounding basin. It has hosted intercollegiate and Louisiana high school tournaments and draws golfers from New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette.

Braselton, GA

The Chateau Course at Chateau Elan Golf Club, part of Chateau Elan Winery & Resort in Braselton, is the marquee layout among the property's 45 holes of golf. The course winds past the resort's vineyards and a French-style chateau roughly 40 minutes north of Atlanta, combining open, rolling holes with wooded stretches typical of the Georgia Piedmont. It operates as public, daily-fee golf, with no overnight stay required to book a tee time. The Chateau anchors a resort built around wine, spa and event amenities alongside its golf.

St. George, UT

Denis Griffiths' red rock public layout: dramatic elevation changes and Pine Valley Mountain views in St. George.

Stockbridge, GA

Southerness Golf Club is a public course in Stockbridge, south of Atlanta. The 18-hole layout plays over rolling, wooded terrain, a well-conditioned course that serves the south Atlanta suburbs.

Braselton, GA

The Woodlands Course is one of Chateau Elan Golf Club's three layouts at the Chateau Elan resort in Braselton, Georgia, north of Atlanta. The public course winds through rolling elevation changes, lakes and mature, tree-lined fairways across land bordered by the resort's vineyard and residential community. The par-72 layout measures 6,735 yards from its longest tees. It is one of two full 18-hole championship courses at the resort, alongside the Chateau Course, and shares clubhouse and pro shop facilities. The course is open to resort guests and the general public for daily-fee play.

Lakewood, CO

The Homestead Golf Course is a public, 18-hole, par-65 golf course in Lakewood, Colorado, designed by Denis Griffiths and operated by the City of Lakewood. The course is a links-style, shorter layout with two distinct nine-hole sides and four sets of tees, measuring roughly 5,000 yards from the back tees. It includes a full practice facility with target greens, a putting green, and a chipping and sand area.

Springboro, OH

Heatherwoode Golf Club is a public course in Springboro, Ohio, between Dayton and Cincinnati, overlooking the surrounding Warren County countryside. The 18-hole layout was designed by Denis Griffiths and opened in 1991. Water comes into play on more than half the holes through lakes and streams, with trees positioned along many fairways and greens. The course previously hosted a Nike Tour event, the Miami Valley Open. From the back tees it plays to roughly 6,754 yards at a par of 71. Multiple tee boxes accommodate a range of skill levels, and the facility includes banquet space alongside daily public play.

Tabernash, CO

Pole Creek Golf Club is a 27-hole public course in Tabernash, Colorado. Denis Griffiths designed the course, which opened in 1985. It features fields of wildflowers, elevation changes, and bent greens, with water challenges from two ponds and five lakes. The Ridge 9 reaches 8812 feet, offering wide views. Its 9th hole is a 556-yard downhill par-5 with a 140-foot drop.

Lakewood, CO

Fox Hollow Golf Course is a 27-hole public facility in Lakewood, Colorado, designed by Denis Griffiths and opened in 1993. The three nine-hole loops, Links, Canyon, and Meadow, combine for championship-length 18-hole rounds and sit a few miles from downtown Denver with views toward the Rocky Mountain foothills. The layout includes water features and natural open space that attract local wildlife. Fox Hollow was built as one of the first courses in the country designed to be fully accessible to golfers with disabilities, and it offers five sets of tees for a range of skill levels.

Kingsport, TN

Cattails at MeadowView is an 18-hole public course in Kingsport, Tennessee, situated at the base of Bays Mountain and connected to the MeadowView Marriott Conference Resort. Designed by Denis Griffiths, the course opened in 1998. The front nine plays as a links-style design over gently rolling ground with mounding and bunkers, while the back nine moves into wooded terrain with two risk-reward par fives. Bermuda fairways and bentgrass greens, six lakes, and a winding stream round out the par-71 layout, which is open to the public with multiple sets of tees for different skill levels.

New Orleans, LA

Audubon Park Golf Course sits inside Audubon Park in New Orleans, Louisiana, near the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line and across from the Audubon Zoo, on ground that was also the site of the 1884 World's Fair. The course was designed by Denis Griffiths and features Bermuda fairways, Tif-Eagle greens, and four lagoons woven through the layout. It is operated as a public course by the Audubon Nature Institute and includes a pro shop, golf lessons, and a clubhouse cafe.

Sunbury, OH

Bent Tree Golf Club is a public 18-hole championship course in Sunbury, Ohio, with a par of 72. Designed by architect Denis Griffiths, the facility opened in 1989 and spans 167 acres of naturally wooded terrain. Bent Tree features bent grass from tee to green and incorporates many bunkers and abundant water hazards. The layout follows the natural undulations of the rolling land, providing a parkland-style experience near Columbus. Large greens with significant undulation and mature trees bordering the fairways require players to be precise with their approach shots.

Prestonsburg, KY

StoneCrest Golf Course is a public 18-hole course in Prestonsburg, Kentucky, owned by the city and built on a reclaimed strip mine atop a mountain in Appalachia. Opened in 2001, it plays to a par 72 over roughly 7,000 yards from the back tees across 700 acres, with five sets of tees for different skill levels. The elevated mountaintop setting gives sweeping views of the surrounding ridges and valleys. The facility includes a pro shop, Toptracer driving range, practice green, and a clubhouse with a bar and grill, and it has hosted the Kentucky Men's and Women's State Amateur Championships.