While at Treetops in Gaylord, we had to play Threetops, the #1 rated par 3 golf course in the country (according to this sign).
As you can tell, this course has a lot of flowers of interesting colors, to offset the green of the course. It was really something to see, and if you enjoy it as much as we do, you’ll love this course.
It’s a par 3 course, so no real issue with distances here. Kate played the reds and I played the Blues. We were lucky enough to have a twosome in front of us, and nobody behind, so we had plenty of time to relax and enjoy the scenery. So off we go!
The first hole (called Plateau) is just that. At 143 yards, I played a full 9-iron, stuck the green and two-putted for a par. Heck, this course is easy right?
The second hole is called “Double Cross”, and has two sets of tees, and two different greens. You either tee off from the tee box on the right and hit to the green on the left, or vice versa. Here’s what the tee sign looks like.
The day we played, we were using the tee on the right to the green in the left corner. Kate hit hers a little short and was off for a hike, while I hit mine a little long, and had to chip back, missing the par putt.
The third is called “Devil’s Drop” and for good reason. A full 145 foot drop to the green. I’m not even going to try to tell you what club to hit. I ended up in the bunker on the left, but it was pin high, and I was proud of that!
Here’s a view from the green looking back up the hill. Really something special here.
The fourth hole is called “Deception”, and it has just that, in spades. Here’s the view from the tee:
Of course, you can’t see the scary bunkering in the front of the green from here, so here’s a closer look, which I hope prepares you.
As expected, there was a (clean) restroom available after the fourth hole. Thanks Treetops!
The 5th hole (Valley Lo) is slightly uphill, with a two-tiered green. The green is a little thin, so accuracy is very important here, although there is room to bail.
There was a nice little walkway down to the green, which looked cool enough to snap a shot.
The 6th is called “Harry’s Way” and has a total of 8 tee boxes. This is probably the most visually stunning hole on this course. Water, beautiful bunkering, flowers, a view over the water; this hole had it all. I used the large version of this hole for my desktop background for quite awhile; really something.
The seventh hole is called “High Five” and has a 90 foot vertical drop to a surprisingly thin green. It’s also multi-tiered, so this is a doozie of a hole.
Depending on the tees you’re playing, you may or may not see this plaque embedded at this hole. It reads:
On July 30th, 2001, from this exact spot, Lee Trevino made an ace worth $1,000,000 during the first round of the third annual Par 3 Shootout. Mr. Trevino donated half of his hole-in-one winnings to the St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee!
The 8th hole is called “Hang Time”, and only plays 124 yards from the tee. Oddly, it doesn’t look to be too far downhill, but when you hit the ball, it truly does have a lot of hang time. My guess is that after playing the 145 and 90 foot vertical drops previously, this doesn’t visually look like much, but beware; it is. I was long, and in the bunker behind the green.
Finishing up the course is the ninth hole, called “Upward Home”. In case you haven’t seen enough flowers yet, here’s what the tee sign looks like:
This hole does play uphill, to a green that can’t be seen from the tee. All tees (Red, White, Blue and Black) play the same distance on this hole, which is around 135.
Again, I pulled out the nine iron, and hit one of the best shots of the day. Here’s where it actually landed, looking backwards towards the tee, and the “Treetops” sign built out of flowers.
Finally, I decided to do a 360 degree view in the fairway with my Flip Video Camera. Here it is:
I think it goes without saying, but if you do visit Treetops, this course is a must. It takes less than a couple hours to play, and it’s so visually stunning (and reasonably inexpensive) that if you have a non-golfer in your party, I’d suggest bringing them. Rarely does a course go to this level of attention to detail, and everyone should experience it. It will help non-golfers understand just what it is that you love about this game.
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This course looks really tough. All of the elevation changes must make it difficult to judge the distance, especially the first time around.
@DavidMihm It really is, but what a blast. 210 yard par 3 with a 145 foot vertical drop; the hang time lasts a lifetime.