History:
The Tennessean Golf Club was the brainchild of two Paris businessmen. Riley Mohon and Jack Nichols first purchased 1,100 acres of land in 1993, which was the beginning of the project.
Mr. Mohon was the owner of Mohon International, a manufacturer of classroom and laboratory furniture. Mr. Mohon has since retired from his business and now spends his time as president of Mohon Golf Incorporated. Jack Nichols has been a pharmacist in Paris for over thirty-five years. He currently owns Medical Center Pharmacy. After a diligent search for an architect, Keith Foster Golf Course Design was self-contracted to design The Tennessean Golf Club.
Mr. Foster was selected for his ability to create a unique course while retaining the integrity of the land. His work on previous courses also played a big role in his selection. The construction phase began in the fall of 1997. Ron Matthews was retained as project manager to oversee the course construction through completion. Permitting for the project included working with Tennessee Department of Environmental Control and adjusting holes to eliminate disturbing environmentally sensitive areas. Logging of the site allowed for eighty percent of the timber to be used.
Rausch Golf incorporated was hired to perform most of the construction, while irrigation and silt control was done in house. Weather hampered the construction schedule and was responsible for delaying the course opening for four months. Mr. Foster's frequent visits insured that the course integrity was never compromised. Scott McNeer was hired as the golf course superintendent in the spring of 1999. Mr. McNeer has previously worked at Kiva Dunes in Gulf Shores, Alabama and Old Waverly in West Point, Mississippi.
Jack & Jackie Grossnickle purchased the golf club on December 28, 2007. Jack has 32 years experience in the golf industry. He has owned/operated 5 golf courses and done golf course appraisals, sales, management and consultations.
The Tennessean Golf Club opened for business on October 1, 1999 almost two years to the day after construction began. Since opening The Tennessean Golf Club has been the subject of several magazine and newspaper articles. Most recently, the course was mentioned in the May, 2005 issue of Golf Digest as one of the top four courses in the state of Tennessee, and the only public course in the top four.
