My experience at Belle Acres has honestly been quite torn. Sometimes I go there and I am treated as a valued customer, while other times I am treated like a burden to them. As I am a teenager, I can understand them being a little less welcoming than usual. But, however, sometimes I feel like the treatment I receive is inexcusable, seeing as I always have proper golf attire; I never yell, cuss, shout, or even use my phone on the practice faculties. I was going quite regularly and never once did anything against the rules of the course. However, one time with was using the chipping green and the guy on the lawn mower yelled at me for using my wedge on the greens, saying in a loud voice IF YOURE GONNA PLAY GOLF, PLAY IT RIGHT, despite the fact I was just using it to knock the balls off to the side of the green. Truly an overreaction for something that would have gone unnoticed at any other Cookeville course, and at most deserved a polite “Could you please not do that?” Another time I was told (by the same guy) I must put my balls within 5 feet around the pitching green. This is in no way a realistic way for me to practice golf and a ridiculous rule. And it’s just this one guy who has even me a problem. I’m not sure if he just hates teenagers or what, but it’s getting pretty annoying. Another worker there, a much younger gentlemen, treated me with respect and could tell I was a beginner, and gave me some golf etiquette tips and he did not act like I was a burden to him. Very nice gentleman. Second, the actual course at Belle Acres isn’t great; the greens are average, and the practice greens are very much subpar. Also, there isn’t really a rough. The grass is a little bit higher on the sides of the “fairway” (the fairway isn’t much to look at either), but the course isn’t expensive, and I’m not a good enough golfer for it to matter. The grass around the driving range is poor, but they don’t have you hit off mats, so that’s a plus for me. All in all, if you want a cheap course with not great playing surface, I would direct you to Ironwood. Besides being much friendlier to people of all ages, they have 18 holes, which is a plus in my book. Beware of Belle Acres if you are a teen. I’m not saying it will be bad, but there is a much high chance of you getting yelled at by a staff member who clearly needs to take a chill pill.
