McLemore

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 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.

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.

McLemore is already a pretty perfect “mountains + golf” trip: The Keep for the modern cliff-edge drama, The Highlands for the resort backbone, and Sweetens Cove for the cult-favorite round that turns the day into a competitive, chaotic (in the best way) experience. But if you want one more 18 that fits the region without feeling like a random add-on, Old Toccoa Farm is the cleanest extension.

Old Toccoa is a great “bonus day” course—scenic, relaxed, and built around a fun, walkable vibe with plenty of holes that invite match play and big swings. It’s not trying to out-muscle McLemore’s views or replicate Sweetens’ personality; it’s a different texture altogether: more approachable, more rhythmic, and ideal when you want great golf without another full emotional grind.

Logistically, it’s an easy add if you’re already in the mountain/Chattanooga corridor. Treat it as the arrival or departure day round, or slot it in as the “lighter” day when your group still wants to play but doesn’t need another feature-course mindset. It’s exactly the kind of course that makes a trip feel complete—one more strong round, one more set of views, and a perfect way to keep the golf going without overcomplicating anything.