Everything in Gatlinburg is soaked in a delightful Southern charm, even the miniature golf courses! In Gatlinburg, they do putt-putt with a fine layer of Tennessee hillbilly. It’s like searching for that elusive hole-in-one on the set of Deliverance.
So, of course, you’re going to visit the Hillbilly Golf course the next time you’re in Tennessee. Here’s everything you need to know before you tee off.
It's One Part Golf and One Part Tram Ride
Hillbilly Golf is actually at the top of a mountain (this is the Smoky Mountains, after all). So you have to ride a tram several hundred feet up the mountainside before you can even begin. The view is gorgeous!
You're Going to Loose a lot of Balls
If you’ve got any serious golfers in your party, get ready to see them frustrated to high heaven, because the Hillbilly Golf course is designed to steal more golf balls than you can carry. Since every hole is on a downward slope there’s no forgiveness for those without perfect aim, and there’s a John Deer tractor about midway down that seems to be a magnet for golf balls.
As frustrating as this sounds, it’s all in good fun. So in the name of bonding with family and friends, get ready to lie on your scorecards!
Not a Single Hole is "Normal"
Normal--by putt-putt standards--is giant clown heads and dragons. With Hillbilly Golf, you’ll be trading all of that in for moonshine contraptions and farm tractors. All 18 holes were imaginatively designed by someone who clearly loves the American South while not being shy about poking fun at some of its sillier stereotypes. Expect lots of aluminum!
The Least Classy Putt-Putt Around (But That's a Good Thing)
Regular golf has a bit of a reputation for being snooty and fixated on rules. Miniature golf typically avoids this with its family-friendly vibe and wacky obstacle courses. Hillbilly Golf takes it one step further with some of the most colorful holes imaginable and an incredibly laid-back atmosphere. It’s fun to pull off a hole-in-one here, but it's just as much fun to laugh together as you watch your thirteenth golf ball in a row go sailing off the path and down the mountainside.
