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
Here's the honest version: McLemore wasn't on our radar until The Keep opened. The Highlands is a perfectly nice mountain course, and if it were the only golf here, this would be a solid regional stop, not a trip anyone flies in for. The Keep changed that. Pair it with Sweetens Cove down the road and you've got a weekend worth building a group around. Everything else on the property is icing, and good icing at that, but don't let anyone tell you this trip is about anything other than those two rounds.
The Keep is where the whole group ends up standing around after the round, phones out, half-arguing about which cliff hole was the best one. There's no clean answer, which is sort of the point. Book the morning tee time if you can get it and take the shuttle up from Cloudland; it's eight minutes and every single person in your cart will stop talking somewhere around the halfway point when the valley opens up. Afterward, walk straight into The Creag for dinner without changing out of your golf shirt. Get a table by the window. The whole group will still be replaying holes over the first round of drinks, and somebody always claims the eighth as the best hole they've ever played. Let them have it.
"Every single person in your cart will stop talking somewhere around the halfway point when the valley opens up."
If your trip has a third day, play the Highlands and don't overthink it. It's a good, calm resort round with real elevation change of its own, and it's the right pace-changer if The Keep and Sweetens have worn the group out a little. Just don't build the trip around it. It's the appetizer here, not the main course, and McLemore knows it too.
Where you stay matters more than usual on this trip because the whole property is designed around hanging out. Cloudland's patio at sunset is the easiest win in golf travel; you don't have to plan anything, you just have to be standing there with a drink when the light hits the canyon. If your group wants one bigger night out, Chattanooga is 45 minutes away, and State of Confusion will get you a table for eight with zero fuss.
Sweetens Cove is nine holes, not eighteen, and that's the whole trick of the place. You play it once, decide you're not done, and go again. BYOB is the rule, not a suggestion, so somebody in the group needs to be in charge of the cooler before you leave the hotel. There's a food truck on site doing smash burgers and pimento cheese, and the whole scene, dogs wandering the fairways, a boombox somewhere, guys you've never met inviting your group into their match, is exactly why this course has the reputation it does. Everybody stops at the Waffle House in South Pittsburg on the way in. Nobody skips it, and nobody should.
"You play it once, decide you're not done, and go again."
Register for Friends of McLemore before you do anything else. It's free, but it's the only path onto either course, and groups that skip it show up to a fully booked tee sheet with nowhere to play. Spring and fall are worth planning around; book six to twelve months out if you want the good weeks, because everyone else already figured out this trip is worth it.
McLemore is really two trips stapled together: a resort weekend and a golf pilgrimage next door. Book them both. Let the Highlands be the bonus round it was always meant to be, and let The Keep and Sweetens Cove do the rest of the talking.
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 | $650-$850 | $550-$650 | $400-$500 |
| Rental car | $100-$200 | $100-$200 | $300-$500 |
| Caddie (optional, The Keep) | $150–$200 | $150–$200 | $150–$200 |
| Total (est.) | $1,880–$2,470 | $1,540–$1,975 | $1,420–$1,940 |
| Item | Peak |
|---|---|
| Tee fees (3 rounds) | $680–$720 |
| Lodging (2 nights) | $300–$500 |
| Food & drink on property | $650-$850 |
| Rental car | $100-$200 |
| Caddie (optional, The Keep) | $150–$200 |
| Total (est.) | $1,880–$2,470 |
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 + Pacific DunesFly into North Bend (OTH), 30 minutes from the resort. One course on arrival day — save your legs for tomorrow. Play Bandon Preserve if you get in early enough.
- Day 2Bandon Dunes + Old MacdonaldThe two boldest courses back to back. Bandon Dunes first while you are sharp; Old Mac in the afternoon when you are loose enough to enjoy the creative chaos.
- Day 3Bandon Trails + DepartBandon Trails is the easiest keep on this itinerary. Sheep Ranch is the easiest cut — add it with an early tee time if you want all five and can handle a late departure.
Where to stay & eat
Know before you book.
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