The Outpost rendering
McLemore has attracted tens of thousands of golfers since opening its 18-hole Rees Jones/Bill Bergin Highlands Course in 2019. In three years, the resort has achieved national and international recognition, particularly for its 18th hole. This summer, McLemore plans to take its mountaintop golf experience to the next level with a second 18-hole course called The Outpost.
Officials said, "With 1.5 miles of Lookout Mountain cliff-edge to work with, veteran course architects, Mr. Bergin and Mr. Jones, have created a vision that will produce a one-of-a-kind experience in the game of golf. The cliff-edge property will be a links inspired design on an amphitheater shaped setting where the distant views are the stage and the game itself is the event. The design is golf first with no plans for homesites within the footprint of the course. ]
"The land dictated the design and plans call for less than one foot of dirt, on average, to be moved over the entire site. Golfers will feel as if they are playing on virgin land that was kept and protected for this purpose. While every hole will enjoy distant views, Mr. Bergin and Mr. Jones have identified five breathtaking hole locations 1,300 feet above McLemore Cove. The designers believe The Outpost may provide among the most dramatic golf experiences in existence."
The Outpost will feature one par 3, one par 5, and three par 4 holes along the cliff edge. The course will offer an enjoyable experience with less than a five mile walk from the Member tees. In addition, The Outpost will provide 60-mile views of the Blue Ridge Mountains from each of its 18 holes. The course will feature Bentgrass greens with Zoysia fairways and first cut to natural areas with fine Fescue and Broom Sedge grasses.
According to architect Mr. Bergin, “The Outpost lies on ground that is absolutely perfect for golf, and just happens to sit along the edge of a spectacular landform. Like any good cliffhanger, The Outpost takes you on a journey you hope will never end.
"The natural characteristics of The Outpost site and the views from the mountaintop are such that we will be able to create a memorable, classic, Golden Age-style design. The opportunities for unique and distinct characteristics for every hole are virtually unlimited. This site is a golf course architect’s dream.”
Duane Horton, president of McLemore, said, “The team is designing the purest golf experience possible for a cliff-edge. We are focused on preserving the property’s numerous existing features because the location is nearly perfect as is. The typical reshaping of the landscape is unnecessary with The Outpost since the location possesses many of the exquisite natural amenities golfers appreciate. With our design, we are applying the first sacred rule of golf: to play it as it lies.
“As we considered the course design, we realized there was simply no way to improve the natural beauty of the location. Often on a mountaintop course the golf experience can be compromised because of the terrain. The Outpost, however, perfectly blends the timeless ‘links-inspired’ experience within the familiar homeland setting of northwest Georgia. All this makes The Outpost design extremely unique.”
The design, location, and respect for the existing features makes The Outpost a return to the early 20th century’s Golden Age of Golf. In those days, the only way to move dirt was by using large machinery. Architects were required to use their talents to take advantage of natural contours and features of the land. Alister MacKenzie, a legendary architect during this period noted at the time, “The chief object of every golf architect or greens keeper worth his salt is to imitate the beauties of nature so closely as to make his work indistinguishable from Nature herself.”
The Outpost consists of 125 Equity Memberships. These are comprised of 25 Royalty Founding Memberships, 50 Equity Founding Memberships, and 50 Equity Outpost Memberships. Of the 125 Outpost Equity Memberships available to qualified investors, less than 50 percent remain available for reservation.
Throughout 2023 and 2024, McLemore will begin construction on its new Fitness Center; facilities for medical, fire, and security; a retail and commercial center; 90 Golf Village homes; and an extensive trail system. The scheduled opening of The Outpost will coincide with the grand opening of The Cloudland, a Curio Collection by Hilton, featuring 245 rooms, a conference center and spa.
McLemore has earned many accolades with its 18th hole being named “The Best Finishing Hole in America Since the Year 2000” by Golf Digest, and as having one of the “Top 10 Best Finishing Holes in the World” by LINKS Magazine.