Bear Trace at Tims Ford

Bear Trace at Tims Ford is a Jack Nicklaus Signature Design that opened in 1998 as part of Tennessee's Bear Trace golf trail, a collection of public courses developed through a partnership between Nicklaus Design and the state. The course sits along the shores of Tims Ford Lake in south-central Tennessee, roughly midway between Nashville and Chattanooga, and makes extensive use of the reservoir's shoreline and the rolling terrain characteristic of the Cumberland Plateau foothills.

The routing incorporates significant elevation changes and takes advantage of natural features including mature hardwood forests, rock outcroppings, and multiple holes that play along or across fingers of the lake. The water comes into play on several holes, most notably on the back nine where the course moves closest to the shoreline. Nicklaus designed the layout to offer strategic options from multiple tee sets, with wide fairways that reward positioning over pure distance and greens that feature moderate undulation and are typically guarded by bunkers and natural waste areas.

As a state park course, Bear Trace at Tims Ford operates as a public facility and serves both destination golfers visiting the Tims Ford State Park area and regional players. The course is maintained by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and offers a more accessible price point than many Nicklaus designs while retaining the architectural principles associated with his work. The setting within the state park system means the course shares its surroundings with camping, hiking, and water recreation facilities.