Hillbilly Golf Gatlinburg, TN ~ Top 3 Reasons You Don’t Want to Miss This Unique Experience!

Your visit to the Smokies just wouldn’t be complete without a round of mini-golf at Hillbilly Golf (Gatlinburg, TN). This one-of-a-kind mini golf experience is sure to not only bring a smile to your face, but give you a good challenge too! Hillbilly Golf is full of tricky courses, gorgeous Smoky Mountain scenery, Tennessee hospitality, plenty of originality and sometimes Black Bears.

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Hillbilly Golf Gatlinburg, TN

“Par”- don us… but we’re pretty excited to share with you 3 reasons why we think Hillbilly Golf Gatlinburg would make a great addition to your family’s Smoky Mountain getaway.

#1 ~ Experience One of the Original Roadside Attractions in Gatlinburg, Hillbilly Golf

For five decades, Hillbilly Golf has provided wholesome, family fun at its finest. What could be more exciting than riding a rail car to the top of a mini-golf course, then putting your way down the side of a mountain?!

Hillbilly Golf just celebrated their 50th year in operation and after visiting, its pretty clear to us why they’ve been in business for so long. The attention to detail with everything from cleanliness, course maintenance and customer service, was above and beyond any expectations we had.

One of my favorite things about Hillbilly Golf was the absence of technology and blaring t.v. screens to “entertain us” while we waited/played. It was a relaxing experience and it seemed the focus was simply enjoying your surroundings and making memories with those in your family/par-“tee”.

All 18 holes on the course we played (they offer two courses) were thoughtfully designed and pass this mom’s test for family-friendly themes. Thank goodness, right?! (See Reason #3 for more info)

Themes aren’t the only thing that’s “clean” either… the course, and grounds are immaculately maintained. This is coming from a gal who looks for litter to clean up! It is quite obvious the owners and employees take pride in operating the “World’s Most Unusual” golf course.

Every one of the employees we encountered were smiling, helpful, and truly seemed happy to see us there. It wasn’t uncommon to hear people say they had been employed there for many years. The cashier actually went out of her way to thank my husband for his service in the military, when she overheard us chatting about the Military/First Responder Discount.

Our visit to Hillbilly Golf felt as though we’d stepped back in time to a more simple form of entertainment and family fun. You just have to come and see for yourself, why its still going strong after 50 years of mini-golf fun!

Here are some wonderful children’s books all about Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains!

#2 ~ Riding the Incline Rail Car ~ Hillbilly Golf (Gatlinburg)

Hillbilly Golf doesn’t claim to be the “world’s most unusual” mini-golf course without good reason. One of the unusual things you’ll encounter during your visit, is a ride on an incline rail car to get to the courses.

The rail car takes guests on a ride up the mountainside, to a height of 300 ft above Gatlinburg! Once at the top, you’ll find two 18 hole mini-golf courses to choose from to test your putting skills. (We golfed the course to the left of the drop-off area, see photos below)

Loading and unloading the rail car, does take a bit of time, so expect to be patient while you wait your turn. Before reaching the platform to board, you’ll pick your golf ball, clubs and score card to take with you.

Don’t forget to check the sign to see when the last bear sighting at Hillbilly Golf was too! The courses are located in an area where bears are known to visit, so be on the lookout. The staff will let you know what to do if you spot one.

My kids absolutely loved riding the rail car! The path as you ascend the mountainside really makes you appreciate how steep the incline really is… and how beautiful! Surrounding the track there are plenty of towering trees that definitely made us feel like we were in the Smoky Mountains and kept us cool in the Tennessee heat.

After you’ve golfed your way down the mountainside, you’ll again board take the rail car to descend back to ground level. The waiting area to go back down is covered and there is a bit of seating as well.

When we visited there was a cooler in the waiting are with water available to purchase (on the honor system) in case you ran out or forgot to bring some. We always bring plenty of water in our reusable bottles, but it was so nice to see a business simply trust its guests.

Again, loading and unloading the rail car takes a little bit of time, so please be patient and enjoy your surroundings. There are lots of signs and Tennessee themed items to look at while waiting… some hidden and some are very visible.

If you can’t get enough of the rail car, want to try that second golf course, or lost in a mini-golf bet with your family and need to redeem yourself (like me!), there’s good news! Hillbilly Golf offers you the chance to play again within three days at a discounted price! (When we visited it was $5.99 per golfer.)

The rail car itself was a smooth ride and was such a unique experience for our family. It was neat to think that 50 years’ worth of golfers had ridden before us.

#3 ~ Location, Location, Location!

Location is definitely one of the things that makes Hillbilly Golf so special. Not only is the ticket building easy to see from the street, the golf courses themselves are perched on the mountainside, 300 ft above Gatlinburg!

After the incline rail car takes you to the top, you’ll find two 18 hole golf courses to choose from. We golfed the course to the left of the drop-off area. (all photos are from that course)

From what we could see, both golf courses are almost entirely shaded by all of the enormous trees. We loved this not only because it was beautiful, but also because it helped keep us cool on a hot Tennessee afternoon.

The slope of the mountain provided a twist on mini-golf, as we golfed our way down the course. Some of the holes were bi-leveled and some of them were on flat ground. All of the pathways between the holes were paved and there were stairs at many spots along the way.

Although the paths are easily marked and free of obstacles, you’ll definitely want to keep your eyes on where you are walking, especially with kiddos.

There is SO much to look at while golfing too… starting with the view of other golfers on the course below you!

We absolutely loved the wooded, mountainside location of Hillbilly Golf. It was a great place to get out and experience some Smoky Mountain nature, that wasn’t too far off the beaten path.

Know Before You Go

• WHAT TO BRING: Water, snacks, bug spray (we didn’t encounter any pesky bugs, but not a bad idea to have on hand)
• BE PREPARED: Make sure to use the restrooms prior to taking the rail car up to golf. Wear well-fitting shoes that are good for walking. Also, check the weather as rain showers can pop up in the mountains at anytime.
• CONNECT: Be sure to check out Hillbilly Golf’s Facebook page for hours of operation, pricing and the latest news.

Read About Our Other Tennessee Adventures:

• 14 of the Most Remarkable Things to Do Near Townsend, TN
• Tuckaleechee Caverns: 12 Interesting Facts You Need To Know (Townsend)
• Why Our Ride At Davy Crockett Riding Stables Is Easily One We Will Never Forget (Townsend)
• Smoky Mountain Farm Stay: Pioneer Cabins and Guest Farm (Townsend)
• Soar High Through the Treetop World of Anakeesta (Gatlinburg)
• Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies (Gatlinburg)
• What To Expect At DollyWood (Pigeon Forge)
• Cades Cove Riding Stables ~ Everything You Need to Know!