We almost didn’t play Threetops.

That would have been a mistake.

In August 2022, we spent a golf weekend at Treetops Resort in Gaylord. We played the Signature Course on Saturday, and by Sunday we could have easily packed up the clubs and headed home.

Instead, we decided we were already there, so why not squeeze in nine more holes?

After all, Threetops is only a par 3 course.

How hard could it be?

Golf really needs to stop giving me opportunities to ask that question.

Threetops may only have nine holes, and every one of them may be a par 3, but there is nothing ordinary about this course.

The elevation changes are incredible.

You stand on some of those tee boxes looking way down at the green and immediately understand why people talk about this place. Picking the right club becomes a little more interesting when the golf ball is about to spend that much time in the air.

Then there are the views.

Threetops is the kind of course where you want to stop and look around before you hit.

Partly because it’s beautiful.

Partly because you may be trying to figure out how in the world you’re supposed to get your golf ball from up here to down there.

The course was designed by Rick Smith and has earned quite a reputation over the years. It also has some pretty cool golf history.

Threetops hosted the ESPN Par 3 Shootout, which brought some of the biggest names in golf to Gaylord.

And then there’s Hole 7.

In 2001, Lee Trevino stepped up and made a hole in one.

That ace earned him $1 million.

One swing.

One million dollars.

He also picked up another $10,000 for being closest to the pin.

Not a bad day at the golf course.

Knowing that story makes standing on the seventh tee a little more fun.

You look down at the green knowing Lee Trevino made that exact shot and think, Well, somebody has done it.

Then you hit.

Reality returns pretty quickly.

What I loved about Threetops was that it didn’t feel like something we added to the weekend just to squeeze in a little more golf before heading home.

It was an experience all by itself.

It was fun.

It was challenging.

It had incredible views.

And there was golf history everywhere.

By the time we finished, I was very glad we hadn’t decided to skip it.

Our Sunday morning “maybe we’ll play nine before we leave” turned into one of the rounds I remember most from the entire weekend.

If you’re staying at Treetops and find yourself debating whether Threetops is worth fitting into your trip, I’d say play it.

It’s only nine holes.

They’re all par 3s.

It won’t take long.

What could possibly go wrong? ⛳