McLemore is now the strongest all-in-one mountain golf destination in the Southeast. The Keep and The Highlands give the trip two genuinely different experiences on the same Lookout Mountain property. The Cloudland Canyon backdrop is the visual anchor. The resort infrastructure is modern and well-organized. Groups looking for the best golf-plus-scenery ratio in the region should start here and plan to return.
Courses included
The trip experience
McLemore feels like a destination designed by people who actually understand what makes a golf trip great: one jaw-dropping feature course, a strong supporting round, and a nearby wild card that turns the whole thing into a story. Perched on Lookout Mountain in northwest Georgia, it's big-view golf with real architectural intent, and it delivers the kind of scenery that makes you hit a shot, turn around, and immediately pull your phone out.
The centerpiece is The Keep, and it's the reason McLemore has become one of the most talked-about modern golf trips in the region. The Keep isn't just scenic; it's visually outrageous. You're playing along the edge of the mountain with long looks into the valley, and the course leans into that exposure with holes that feel like they're suspended in the air. The design has real edge: aggressive lines, bold green sites, and an emphasis on commitment. If you're hesitant, the mountain will sense it. The Keep is best played in the morning if you want the calmest conditions and the clearest views, but it's also spectacular late in the day when the light gets golden and the backdrop looks like a movie set.
"The Keep isn't just scenic; it's visually outrageous."
The Highlands provides the balance you need in a multi-day trip. It's the more grounded, traditional resort round; still scenic, still high quality, but with a calmer cadence and fewer "hold-your-breath" moments. The Highlands is the course that lets you settle into scoring, settle into match play, and enjoy the day without constantly feeling like you're taking on the landscape. It's an excellent afternoon round if you're trying to play 36, and it's also the perfect middle-day round when you want great golf that doesn't demand the emotional energy of another cliffside spectacle.
The third pillar of the trip is just down the road, and it's not a resort course at all: Sweetens Cove. This is the cult favorite, the golf trip ingredient that turns McLemore from "great destination" into "legendary weekend." Sweetens is small, bold, and endlessly fun; an 18-hole course that feels like the world's best backyard golf playground. It's not about pristine resort perfection; it's about creativity, pace, and the kind of strategic risk-reward golf that makes you want to immediately replay holes. Sweetens is match play heaven. It's also one of the rare places where a mediocre swing day can still be an incredible golf day because the course invites imagination more than it demands precision.
"It's also one of the rare places where a mediocre swing day can still be an incredible golf day because the course invites imagination more than it demands precision."
Structuring the trip is straightforward and highly effective. The best version is to treat The Keep as your feature round and give it the prime-time slot; ideally day one or day two, when everyone's energy is highest. Use The Highlands as the complementary round that keeps the trip flowing without burning the group out. Then slot Sweetens Cove as either the fun day-trip in the middle or the "final-day closer" that sends everyone home smiling. If your group wants to go full golf-binge, 36 a day is feasible, especially if you pair The Keep in the morning with The Highlands in the afternoon. Sweetens Cove can also function as a high-value "extra round" because it plays quickly and leaves you feeling energized rather than drained.
Seasonality matters here, and the sweet spot is spring and fall, when temperatures are comfortable and the views are at their sharpest. Summer is playable but warmer, and winter can be excellent if the weather cooperates; just know mountain conditions can change fast, and wind can add teeth to The Keep in a hurry.
The off-course vibe is what ties the trip together. McLemore has that destination energy; good lodging, easy logistics, and a setting that encourages long dinners and longer conversations. Sweetens brings the opposite: laid-back, golfer-driven, and built around the idea that the best golf trips feel social as much as they feel premium. Together, it's a perfect blend: one course that makes you feel like you're playing on the edge of the world, another that keeps the golf grounded and replayable, and a nearby cult classic that reminds you the whole point of the trip is to have fun.
McLemore isn't trying to compete with the biggest names in American resort golf. It's carving out something more specific; and arguably more memorable: a golf trip with personality, scenery that hits like a punch, and enough variety to keep the weekend feeling fresh from the first tee shot to the last beer.
Side trips & bonus golf
McLemore is already a complete trip: The Keep for cliff-edge drama, The Highlands for the resort backbone, and Sweetens Cove for the cult-favorite round that tilts any weekend toward pure fun. If your group wants a fourth course that fits the region without feeling like a random add-on, Old Toccoa Farm is the right call.
Old Toccoa is a bonus-day course, scenic and relaxed, with a walkable vibe and plenty of holes that invite match play and aggressive lines. It doesn’t try to replicate McLemore’s scenery or Sweetens’ personality; it’s a different texture, more approachable and rhythmic, ideal when your group still wants to play but doesn’t need another full emotional grind.
Logistically, it works as an arrival or departure day round. Slot it in as the lighter day, keep your energy for The Keep, and let Old Toccoa be the round that extends the trip without overcomplicating it.
Is this trip right for your group?
- ✓You want mountain golf with genuine architectural ambition, not just views from the cart path
- ✓Your group is happy to plan 6-12 months out and register as Friends of McLemore to secure tee times
- ✓You want to combine a resort-scale flagship with a cult-classic course in the same trip
- ✓Your group values a great post-round hang as much as the round itself
- ✓You’re in the Southeast and can drive from Atlanta, Chattanooga, or Nashville without adding a flight
- ✓You want to play two courses by the same architects that feel completely different from each other
- ✓Your group includes golfers who know what Sweetens Cove is and have been looking for a reason to go
- ✗You need last-minute tee time access; McLemore’s Friends system and Stay & Play require planning
- ✗You prefer flat, walkable layouts without wind and elevation drama
- ✗You’re expecting Sweetens Cove to have a range, clubhouse restaurant, or bag drop
- ✗You can’t accommodate the 8-minute shuttle between Cloudland and The Keep in your schedule
- ✗You want a full-service restaurant scene without a 45-minute drive to Chattanooga
When to go
- Temperatures range 55–72°F; the combination of comfortable air and sharp visibility makes cliff-edge holes play at their best
- Fall foliage from mid-October adds dramatic color to the valley views from The Keep’s back nine
- Wind averages 10–15 mph at the summit; mornings are calmer, plan your feature round early
- Spring and fall slots book out 6–12 months in advance; these are the months where tee time access matters most
- Sweetens Cove is most enjoyable when temperatures stay below 80°F, making April–May and September–October the ideal pairing months
- March is often wet and unpredictable; playable but wind adds difficulty to exposed cliff-side holes
- June temperatures climb above 80°F; morning tee times are essential for a comfortable round
- November stays scenic with lingering color but conditions become variable from week to week
- Green fees typically drop from peak rates with fewer competing reservations
- Tee time availability is noticeably better in these windows for Friends of McLemore
- Summer heat above 85°F makes The Keep’s 5-hour pace feel demanding; early morning starts are mandatory
- Winter wind at 3,200 feet adds real teeth to cliff-side holes; cart path restrictions can apply
- Cloudland room rates drop significantly in December–February
- The Keep and Highlands remain open year-round absent unusual weather
- Off-season weekday access is the easiest time to secure tee times without booking months in advance
What a McLemore trip costs
| Item | Peak | Shoulder | Off-Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tee fees (3 rounds) | $680–$720 | $540–$565 | $420–$470 |
| Lodging (2 nights) | $300–$500 | $200–$360 | $150–$270 |
| Food & drink on property | $200–$300 | $150–$250 | $100–$200 |
| Rental car | $80–$120 | $70–$100 | $60–$90 |
| Caddie (optional, The Keep) | $150–$200 | $150–$200 | $150–$200 |
| Total (est.) | $1,410–$1,840 | $1,110–$1,475 | $880–$1,230 |
| Item | Peak |
|---|---|
| Tee fees (3 rounds) | $680–$720 |
| Lodging (2 nights) | $300–$500 |
| Food & drink on property | $200–$300 |
| Rental car | $80–$120 |
| Caddie (optional, The Keep) | $150–$200 |
| Total (est.) | $1,410–$1,840 |
Per-person estimates for a 3-round, 2-night trip with a group of 4 sharing Cloudland rooms. Excludes flights. All-in: $1,260–$1,640 peak, $960–$1,275 shoulder (add $150–$200 if you hire a caddie at The Keep).
How tee times and lodging actually work
- 1Friends of McLemoreRegister online before booking; the free membership is required to access any tee time at either course.
- 2Friends booking windowFriends get access to Highlands tee times within 30 days of play; tee times are subject to availability and not confirmed until payment.
- 3Stay & Play priorityResort guests receive better tee time access than Friends and can book outside the 30-day window through the reservations team.
- 4The Keep accessRestricted to Members, Stay & Play guests, and registered Friends of McLemore; no walk-up access.
- 5Highlands closed TuesdaysThe Highlands Course is closed every Tuesday except for special events.
- 6Shuttle timingThe Keep is an 8-minute shuttle ride from Cloudland; account for transfer time when booking morning tee times.
- 7Pace at The KeepAverage pace of play at The Keep exceeds five hours; do not plan 36 holes in a single day there.
Common mistakes
- !Skipping the Friends of McLemore signupBoth The Keep and The Highlands require registration or a Stay & Play booking; walk-up access does not exist, and groups that skip this step find no available tee times on arrival.
- !Playing back tees at The KeepThe tournament tees stretch over 7,800 yards on a course that already averages five-plus hours; stick to blue or white tees to actually enjoy the scenery.
- !Treating Sweetens as one-and-doneThe course is designed for replay loops and match play rematches; book enough time to go around at least twice or the whole point of going is lost.
- !Missing the morning window at The KeepWind increases as the day progresses at 3,200 feet; afternoon rounds can add 3–5 clubs of difficulty to every approach.
- !Packing for valley weatherMountain temperatures at McLemore swing 20°F between morning and afternoon; wind jackets and a layering mid-piece are essential even when the valley forecast says 70°F.
- !Ignoring the Chattanooga dinner optionMcLemore’s on-site dining is solid but limited; one evening in Chattanooga (45 minutes away) gives the trip a different dimension without adding a full travel day.
- !Booking like a normal resortSpring and fall tee times fill 6–12 months out; last-minute requests through Friends of McLemore often return no availability in prime season.
What to pack
Sample itinerary
- Day 1Arrive + Sweetens CoveStop at Sweetens Cove en route from Chattanooga, about 30-45 minutes from McLemore's summit. Play a morning loop, go around again, then check in at Cloudland.
- Day 2The KeepGive the feature round the prime-time slot with a morning start. The climb from hole 14 to 18 along the cliff face is the high point of the entire trip.
- Day 3The HighlandsThe Highlands is the recovery round after The Keep, with a calmer rhythm and more scoring opportunities before the final day.
- Day 4Old Toccoa Farm or The Keep replay + DepartHead down the mountain toward Old Toccoa Farm for a parkland close-out, or replay The Keep before the drive home.
Where to stay & eat
Know before you book.
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