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Part of 4 of four part McLemore Resort review. We loved our villa, the golf courses, and the setting. The hotel looks like an amazing option and we would have liked to use the pool. The dining options feel elevated but cozy and have good menus. I do think it’s fair to say the marketing is a touch ahead of the execution. We couldn’t find our villa because it had no house number on it due to painting work. Our meals didn’t come out very quickly. And I’m curious how the Highlands drains with regular rain, because carts are a must there and cart path golf is rough. The short course is pretty but quite modest compared to the say Pinehurst or Bandon. But it is a first class setting, with wonderful vibes, and great golf. The personnel on the golf side was plentiful, enthusiastic, and helpful. In my part of the country, it is a top tier driveable experience that I’m confident will be even more highly sought after (and expensive) in the future. I most definitely will want to go back.

5. Critiques The current reality is that The Keep still needs to grow in. The zoysia fairways have had a set back since fall pictures. You can’t play it down on many holes as of today, which would is tough to swallow with the cost. Additionally our young forecaddie had much to learn about the greens and general elements of risk/reward. Any shortcomings right now are really just a matter of maturity. The ceiling is incredible.

4. Design Musings - Course setup needs to vary par 3 length. - I would happily play #9 from a 50 yards farther back elevated tee, if it meant I could see my ball bounce along cliffside instead of the landing being blind. - #10 should probably be played as a real long par 5 or a short one. Mid-length makes the giant boulder feature squeeze it crazily (though I hit two perfect tee shots there 😉). - Split fairway par fives almost always favor a side. And I can’t see ever going right on #2. - The centerline bunkers on #18 perfectly value the risk/reward of going left. - 16-17-18 is just a silly good finish.

3. Course Design The Keep played big and thoughtful. I can see many holes being played differently depending on your game, aggressiveness, or set up that day. There’s ample space for windy days with the length and green contours to make for tough setups. I love that the cliff holes are the start, midpoint, and finish. The variety was immense, and I thought the bunker, trees, and water hazards were in perfect volume. There were risk reward carries, and balls you wanted to chase. I could go on and on, but I absolutely loved the course. The greens were pure and sat in a scale that made you question basic slope directions.

2. One of a Kind It’s been suggested The Keep is 1 of 1. I agree. Walkable, mountain, championship caliber golf, at that altitude and terrain - seems almost impossible to achieve. And if you do achieve it, I’m not sure you would have the feel of The Keep. It strikes you as old world and new world set against something akin to an ocean view, but it’s a valley 2,500 feet down. You are completely away from the world except the occasional cheerful roar.

Part 1 of a four post review of McLemore, the new Lookout Mountain resort. A 🧵on The Keep 1. Stunning The property is a jaw-dropping place for golf. Cliff hanger holes, distant views of golf, pre-historic boulders, rushing water, golden fescue, white sand, expanses of short grass and forest perimeter. The far ends of the property are the highest points, creating a concave look across everything. Hopefully I have a lot of golf to go, but I have played nothing more stunning than The Keep.