Best Public Driving Ranges in Knoxville, Tennessee

There is no argument that golf is a difficult sport to learn and play. Even when you think you have become an average player, your game can be swept right out from under you. The best professionals have bad days on the course, and so will you. The key to avoiding disaster on the course is practice, a lot of practice.

While it is important to work on your entire game during practice, most of us will focus on irons, woods, and drivers, as putting is more of a feeling than it is a structured technique. In that case, we will venture off to a close driving range to dial in our shots. 

Although it may not seem like it, it is important to find a driving range that you are comfortable with and will not leave you more anxious than when you got there. It can be tough to go to a driving range where people seem to be staring and judging your every shot. For this reason, we want to combine the right price with the right facility so you can lay it all out on the line on the range. 

Knoxville, Tennessee has a bunch of driving ranges, many of them public. This guide will help you find one that is right for you, as the city offers many different aesthetics, feels, and communities around which to practice your golf game.

Three Ridges Driving Range

The driving range at Three Ridges is located right next to the golf course of the same name in northeast Knoxville. Ran by the city, this range is what I would call average in every way except for the view and terrain. 

The range sits on the edge of a decent cliff leading off into the distant forest. With proper tee boxes and proper hole distances, this range covers the basics extremely well. The views that the range and the course give you are top tier, as they show off the natural topography.

You can get a large bucket of balls at Three Ridges for $10.

Williams Creek Driving Range

Williams Creek is located less than a mile from the heart of downtown Knoxville. It is a great getaway for anyone living or working in the downtown area. The course is a par 3 course, but the range is fully equipped like a full-length course.

Set right next to the clubhouse, the range has a moderate amount of tee boxes and hole locations. If you are looking to smash the driver all day, however, I would recommend finding somewhere else to go, as the range isn’t made for long drive hitters. 

Other than that though, the atmosphere is awesome at Williams Creek because it consists of a bunch of people who are just learning to play the game. This makes for a nonjudgemental spot to work on whatever you need to, no matter your skill.

You can get a large bucket of balls at Williams Creek for $10.

Dead Horse Lake Driving Range

In west Knoxville, behind Discovery Channel’s headquarters, is Dead Horse Lake Golf Course and Driving Range. Dead Horse is one of my favorite courses in the county, and its driving range is satisfactory. 

They have mats to hit on during the winter months and real grass to use once the spring and summer months roll around. Dead Horse is another place where people won’t bother you, and if they do, it is for a friendly reason. The driving range is usually in good condition unless it has stormed recently. All in all, I enjoy visiting this driving range whenever I can.

You can get a large bucket of balls at Dead Horse for $13. The price is higher here, but they clarify that a large bucket of balls includes 120 range balls.

Chapman Highway Driving Range

A little over halfway to Seymour on Chapman Highway, South Knoxville offers a below-average, but an honestly overall great place to hit the range. They offer a few mats to hit off of, but it is mostly filled with grass tee boxes.

The grass is patchy most of the year, and there are no holes or flags to dial in on, but you won’t find anybody hovered over you or criticizing your game. Most of the people here are below-average golfers, and they keep to themselves. 

I’ve never been to this range when it is crowded. I don’t think a lot of people practice here, which can make it a safe haven for some of us. 

The only annoying part of the experience comes from the traffic flying by on the highway. They tend to honk their horns when they go by, but I would recommend using it as a way to focus on not losing your focus. 

You can get a large bucket of balls for $7, and they usually have a rewards program where once you buy a certain number of buckets, you get one free. 

Mill Creek Driving Range

Mill Creek Driving Range is located on Maynardville Pike past Halls Crossroads on the left side of the highway immediately after you pass Christ United Methodist Church. 

If you aren’t careful, you can miss it in a heartbeat. There is a sign noting the driving range, but you can barely see the gravel road that turns off into the range, so slow down.

At first glance, you might not even believe it is a driving range. You will only see an old barn, but have faith and as you approach the barn you will see an automatic golf ball dispenser to get your bucket of balls from. 

This driving range is below average for sure, but it is probably my favorite due to the serenity and the absence of any prying eyes. The tee boxes mostly consist of grass, but there are a few mats to hit off of as well. There are a handful of distance flags to gauge your club distance. 

The fact that this range is self-service and usually empty is the reason I enjoy making the trip out to Halls to practice. 

You can get a large bucket of balls for $5 at Mill Creek.

Conclusion

I am a firm believer that it doesn’t matter the condition a driving range is in as long as it has enough grass to hit from. In fact, I consider the location and the type of golfer who frequents it to be my deciding factors when deciding where to go.

At the end of the day, all of these driving ranges in Knoxville, Tennessee will give you what you need to become a better golfer.