Bear Trace Golf Course ☆ Follow

The Bear Trace at Cumberland Mountain is an 18-hole, par-72 championship golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus, located at Cumberland Mountain State Park near Crossville, Tennessee. The course spans 6,900 yards from the gold tees and maximizes elevation changes and natural features including flowing brooks and mature pine trees. The layout employs the risk-reward design philosophy characteristic of Nicklaus Signature courses, accommodating golfers of varying skill levels.

The course received recognition as one of the Top Ten You Can Play in North America by Golf Magazine in 1999, and was named one of the Top Ten courses in Tennessee by Golf Digest in 2001. It was designated the #1 Public Course in Tennessee by GOLFWEEK Magazine for both 2012 and 2013. The signature hole is the par-4 7th, which features a blind tee shot leading to a green surrounded by sand bunkers and layered flagstone.

Situated in Tennessee's scenic Cumberland Plateau region, the course emphasizes playability alongside challenge, with traditional Nicklaus-style bunkering and strategic water hazards. The setting incorporates natural pines and rolling terrain that provide both visual appeal and shot-making complexity for all ability levels.