Signature Grey Stone Walls

Birdies and Beer in Music City:

An Excursion to Nashville's Fairwys and Flights. (Part 2)

Posted by: Rick Parnham

With the onset of the late fall cold weather closing down the golf business in Ontario, my longtime golf buddy and I turned our eyes south to look for warmer climes to get in a few more swings in an attempt to extend our golf season. Pointing our car south we headed to the intriguing city of Nashville for four rounds of golf and a nightly foray into the city's lively beverage scene.

A Visit to Greystone Golf Club in Dickson:

Located on the outskirts of the quaint town of Dickson, some 40 minutes west of Nashville, you will find the Grey Stone Golf Club. This Music City golf excursion must-play course was masterfully designed by Mark McCumber. Tasked with transforming a rugged former quarry site, McCumber routed a creative layout over stark elevation changes. The topography of the property quickly takes you off the hilltop setting from the clubhouse and its stunning view of the entire course below. The opening tee shot is not for those with a case of claustrophobia as the narrow fairway falls steeply down through a thick stand of hardwoods. The second hole gives a taste of what the majority of the holes have to offer. A spacious fairway on the mid length par 5 is guarded by a tree line and creek on the left with a pair of large bunkers staggered down the right side. The green is perched atop a rock wall as the creek wraps around making for a delicate approach. The ninth is a superb risk/reward par 5, where driver may not be the best option off the tee as finding the interrupted fairway is a must. The safe play with the second shot is out to the bailout area left of the green, while the aggressive player might prefer a rip with a fairway wood taking on the collection of fronting bunkers.

The Challenging Par 3 Number 11

The back nine has more character than the windswept linksy feel of the front. The opening tee shot again drops dramatically, this time to a dogleg left fairway tempting you to cut the corner, with the approach to a green framed by a stark rock wall behind it. A confident shot must be struck to traverse the large pond at the par 3 11th, which then leads to one of the most strategic holes on the course. The 12th plays uphill requiring a big poke to attack the landing area short of a hillside bunker. The remainder of the par 5 is riddled with exposed rock spikes dotting the right side of the hole, so favouring the left is the best option on your layup. The trio of finishing holes are a wild ride. The par 3 16th is a brute played to a raised green tucked behind a creek and fronting rock wall. The 17th is a reachable par 5 played with the large pond entirely down the left side and to a green that slopes heavily toward the waiting waves. The 18th is a lengthy par 4 playing uphill between high mounds on either side. The right must be avoided as a meandering stream covers the length of the hole.

Since its opening in 1998, the course has played host to a variety of state level events, PGA and Q-School qualifiers lending credence to the strength of McCumber's design, all-in-all making a round at Grey Stone well worth the drive from the city. The variety of the design and top-notch conditioning made for a memorable morning. A great blend of driver-friendly holes are combined with solid shot making opportunities. This is a place you that must be on your radar for any visit to the Nashville area. Affordable and high quality are two things every golfers loves; Grey Stone gives you both. www.greystonegc.com

Fat Bottom's State of the Art Brewery and Taproom

Heading back into the city a stop at Fat Bottom Brewery's newly opened Nation's neighbourhood locale was our night out option. Located a couple blocks off the I-40 exit at 46 Ave. we encountered a vibrant taproom experience at one of Nashville's early craft brewery brands. Founder Ben Bredesen recently relocated Fat Bottom from its original East Nashville roots. Breseden began the brand serving delicious hand-crafted brews in 2012 building on his passion for home brewing. Having outgrown the footprint and with a grand vision of increased production and distribution he proudly oversaw the building of the state-of-the-art brewery, taproom and event center, complete with its own canning line and stringent quality control laboratory at the new locale a short drive from Tennessee State University.

An extensive list of tasty beers grace the tap handles at Fat Bottom. The flagships: Ida - Golden Ale, WAC America Pale Ale, Knockout IPA and Ruby American Red Ale, can be had on tap or taken home in cans, while seasonal brews and small batches of new and exciting creations fill out the flights. Their Hopyard is a spacious dining area contemporary in design offering a varied menu featuring an international flavor of light fare features mussels, pretzels, burgers, crab cakes, hummus and salads. The Beer Mac & Cheese is an absolute must to compliment a pint or flight of your choosing. Great food and even better beer is waiting for your visit to Fat Bottom. www.fatbottombrewing.com