This golf course represents East Tennessee in all of its beauty. Set on the banks of the French Broad River this course plays long. There are two long par threes over water and another hole where the back two tee boxes still leave you crossing water to the fareway. The scenery alone makes this course desirable and locals and golf enthusiasts will know it as the old River Island's course in Kodak, TN. Road signs near the course will still read River Islands. From a golf perspective this course is lacking in several aspects: there are no ball washing stations anywhere on the course, or the carts, yardage signs on the tee boxes seem to disappear after the second or third hole, and we had a 'ranger' that kept pushing us throughout our play, even though no one was within sight behind us. The price tag of $70 per person is more of a tourist rate than rates you will find in the Knoxville area for courses of similar or better condition. This course is a beautiful layout, in a gorgeous setting, but it is not being maintained to the level of $70 per player rates. I was disappointed. read more

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I used to love coming here but everything went to hell in a hand basket once the new ownership took over a few years ago. I wouldn't trust the new management to properly run a snack bar. The staff is extremely rude and don't care if you're there or not. They treat you like garbage. They overbook and the pace of play is atrocious. They don't maintain what used to be a beautiful course. Last time I was there I couldn't wait to leave and will never be back. I only gave it one start because fractions aren't available. read more

The absolute worst staff and rangers of any course I have ever played. The course is nice but not worth dealing with incompetent staff and extremely rude rangers. They pile up the tee times and do nothing to enforce golf etiquette and rules like not allowing groups behind from hitting into you. Don't complain because they might just kick you off the course if you do. read more

We belong to a country club and this is not a country club course and you should know that. The club house is nothing fancy and bathrooms were very clean. Now the golf course was in great shape. I little challenging but not crazy hard. I love the greens at this course, they are fast and in great shape. Also, no food at this courses so bring something to eat if you want food. I can't wait to play it again. read more

Island Pointe Golf Club - Golf Near Me - Kodak, Tennessee

This is one of my favorite courses in the Knoxville area. Great layout, except for the architect revenge #2. But, it is not being properly maintained. Played there Monday and the first cut of rough was a good 3" deep with second cut over 5" deep. Lost 2 balls that we, my 4 some, saw just roll into the rough, but because the grass was so deep, we could not find them. Found other balls that were within a foot and a half of the fairway that other golfers had not found. The holes had obviously not been moved in 3 or 4 days, not a single one had good sharp edges (we played at 8 a.m.). Greens are shaggy, and inconsistent speed wise. I could overlook if this was an isolated instance. But the course was in the same condition 2 weeks ago when we played there, and poor movement of hole location has been the norm since the change in ownership. As much as I enjoy this course when it is properly maintained, they'll not be getting any more green fees from me, and possibly the group I play with, for the foreseeable future. Pity. read more

Fantastic! I have played here for 15 years but not in the last 18 months. Today was a beautiful fall day and it was tremendous. The new greens were almost perfect and look like artificial grass. The zoysia fairways are the best surface it hit iron shots. I had 4 birdies and stuffed it 4 times off that turf. It is the most scenic course in E. TN and is a terrific value under $40. They are working hard to improve the pro shop and small snack bar right now. Is it perfect - no. They need some sand in a few bunkers. Bring your own sandwiches and beer. Kind of when you go to Sweetens Cove in Pittsburg, TN near Chatt. NO ONE will ever be disappointed going to play. They have rocks for tees and we played the "natural" rocks about 6500. The back tees are 7000+. read more

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What a fantastic course! The crew has worked really hard in getting this course in shape. The greens are fast and the beautiful Zoysia Grass fairways are the best! Great scenic course that plays difficult and you have to keep it in the fairway. Played this course in August and went back today. One Hundred percent improvement. Don't know anything that could be done to improved this fabulous place. I teed off at 3pm and didn't see another golfer. IMO, this is my favorite course in East Tennessee and I absolutely enjoyed the round. Go play this jewel. read more

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If you want a real golf challenge, you'll not find a bigger one in the area. Rolling hills to rolling rivers, it's got the juice to humble you. It's one of the best around.Mark my word and get set to enjoy a day in the foothills of East Tennessee. read more

Played here for the first time and I was surprised at how nice it was. Other reviewers mentioned bad service but we had the opposite experience. Clubhouse staff was friendly, starter was very chatty and gave us all kinds of helpful advice, drink cart lady was fun and joking with us. The course itself had a nice variety of holes and opportunities for great shots. Everything was in good condition. It was not perfectly manicured but it was about right for the price and it suited the natural landscape. Would definitely go back for another round. read more

I've heard this is a beautiful course, but I'm not allowed to find out today. Customer service is not high on their priority list. We came today to play 9 but we're told No. too late. We asked if we could play for an hour or 2 and we would come back in by closing time. We were told No. As a small business person I jut don't get it. An opportunity to earn a little money and not be inconvenienced doesn't happen too often. read more

Island Pointe Golf Club - Golf Near Me - Kodak, Tennessee

I am sure in its prime it was better. Now it is a hackers heaven and no course management. Pace of play was awful and off the fairways even a yard and playing off of mud. Great layout and poor management. read more

Rude rude rude rude. I asked what time the driving range closed and they said 2pm and I asked why because most places go til sundown or at least 5 or 6. The old grumpy man got offended I even questioned it and said that's the rules there, deal with it and hung up. Never getting my business ever. read more

Not sure why this course has bad reviews. Took a trip and played a handful of courses in the area and this was by far the nicest in terms of course condition and was the cheapest by $15. Staff was very friendly. My only complaints would be the $20 I spent on a 6-pack and the ranger giving us a 10 minute talk prior to teeing off. Overall great course! read more

Great course, great layout, awesome staff, decent condition, considering the time of year and recent weather. The course was so busy that they were waiting for our carts to be returned for more groups to use. I feel like the biggest hinderance to this being a great course is the fact that they charge too little, especially for seniors. Seniors only paid $21 for 18 holes the day I played. I don't see how you can maintain a golf course on only $21 per person. read more

The course could not have been better. Everything was in great shape, the layout was challenging, the weather was perfect. But even the best courses aren't worth playing when there isn't anyone managing the pace of play or policing the course. Just an absolutely awful experience due to the painfully slow pace of play, and the group of 8 in front of us. We actually tried to call the clubhouse and let them know things were deteriorating quickly on the course... strangely, no one answered. Frustrating. If you want to play a really nice course, and spend 5 1/2 or 6 hours on it, head here. If you don't want it consume your entire day, avoid it. read more

First off: I have been playing this course every summer for the past 20 years, so I'm familiar with its links style layout and pace of play. The new owners have really let this place go to pieces. Where should I start....Arrive for 9:22 tee time at 9:15, pay $52 for cart and greens fee, no issue with that other than this is a 40-45 dollar course at best. Since it's covid-19 season myself and the other 3 of our group go down to each get our own cart. Starter gentleman informs us if we want our own cart, it will be an additional $12.99 cart fee (WHAT!!!??) So I go back to the clubhouse to see if this is the deal, and the man tells me, "yep, if you don't want to ride with your buddy then you gotta pay for another cart fee." Since my mom started chemotherapy this week, I pay the additional 12.99 + tax for my own cart. So now I'm $66 into a round of golf, but whatever it's Saturday and golf with the boys is worth it. The starter guy is definitely techno challenged and can't seem to operate the iPad tee time scheduler and gives us a run down of the rules (no carts on the greens, carts on path number 2 only, 90 degree rule, yada yada) and sends us on our way. For those of you keeping up, it's 9:22am and we just tee'd off. Get to second hole tee box after an epic birdie on hole number 1, and we are behind a foursome who is waiting on the tee box for a foursome to get off a green 450 YARDS ahead of them!! Slow play, but we figure it will work it's way out by the next hole or two. We spend the next 5 HOURS behind this atrocious group of teenage kids hacking their way all over the place, foraging for extra balls, waiting inordinate amounts of time for group ahead to get off 400+ yard holes (not one of these guys could even hit 200 yards on a good day) On hole 12 we asked them to pick up the pace or let us play through to which they declined. On hole 13 we called the pro shop to ask for a ranger to come out and straighten this mess out. Ranger guy comes out while we are on 14 and tells us we need to pick up our pace cause they're getting reports of slow play. We explained to him WE CALLED the pro shop and it's the group ahead of us causing the delays!! Then he tracks them down and talks to them finally just as the rain and lightning arrived. Long story short, paid $66 to play 14 holes, got soaked, and spent almost 5 1/2 hours doing it!!! Ridiculous!!! I returned my cart during the storm since we all had to abandon our rounds, explained to the gentleman in the pro shop that they are doing a piss poor job of course management, and that after 20 years of playing multiple rounds each summer that I WILL NEVER BE BACK!! His reply was simply, "so what guy?" Well, guy, if you don't have golfers coming out to play, you won't have a golf course for long!! Simple as that. I love River Island and it's been my favorite course for over 20 years!! But for that kind of money I'll take my business to Egwani Farms, Willow Creek, or Avalon. Poor management, even worse customer service, and not taking care of the players health during a pandemic are 3 strikes for me. Sorry River Island, or whatever you call yourself these days. But you just lost the business of 4 loyal golfers and I'm sure more will follow. Avoid this place, I know I won't be caught dead there EVER AGAIN!!! read more

Bizarre experience. Grumpy old man. Terrible customer service. Very sad. This used to be a great place.

Called to ask for rates and if a rider fee. Twice. Was told NO to a rider fee. Arrived at the course and was charged a hefty rider fee. Ask about it and was told that was the rule. I despise a liar. Would have went somewhere else. Will definitely not recommend to anyone. Go to Gatlinburg golf course. read more

Played River Islands Golf Course twice this Labor Day weekend. Truly enjoyed this challenging and beautiful golf course. Met one of the owners and the Pro, both were an absolute pleasure. Being a holiday the fees were typically higher than a regular weekday or weekend but that was to be expected. Now for the course. After suffering from a particularly harsh winter the greens are really starting to come in nicely and I would think they will continue to improve over the coming weeks. The greens rolled true and were a touch slower than what I like but fun none the less. I was told they are letting them grow in just a bit in order to recover more thoroughly. I only recall a couple of holes that I really noticed the winter damage coming into play. My home course in CT is dealing with similar issues so I wasn't too upset. It's still worth the money to play here. The layout is fantastic, links style with some beautiful views. Front nine both par 3s are over water. Particularly number 3. A challenging 154yds over the river. All carry. Beautiful view with the cart bridge right next to it. Bring your camera. This isn't a course you're going to over power. Shot placement can be critical on many holes. It was fun and challenging without crushing your spirit. I can't wait to go back. I truly enjoyed this course. Now, pace of play... It was slow. Plan on 5 hours when it's crowded. They were spacing tee times 13 mins apart and that seemed to help but, this isn't a fast track. Actually, it's part of the charm. Come to play with that mindset and I bet you will have a great time. Highly recommend this course. For what it's worth I'm a 15 handicap and played from the members tees. read more

Island Pointe Golf Club - Number 3 - Golf Near Me - Kodak, Tennessee

Formerly River Islands Golf Club, the course has struggled with conditions for the past few years, but I played Sunday, October 18th, 2020 and it's in the best shape I have seen it in 6-7 years. That being said, we had mentioned to the staff at check-in that we had heard the course was going to close and he said that they had heard rumors at one point too, but the "the bottom line is when you have 130 golfers a day out here, you're not going to shut it down." The fairways and greens were in good shape, but the bunkers were horrid. Take the money and invest it back in the course! Fix the bunkers and repair the cart paths. Lastly, keep idiots like the 3 that were playing in front of us in check. They were leaving clubs all over the course, having to drive backwards a hole or two at a time to retrieve them. This happened at least three times during the round (same guys). And I guarantee they were hitting 3-4 balls off any tee in which there was a hazard in play even if there was a drop area on the opposite side of the hazard. Where is your ranger!?! Again, the course has made some vast improvements over the last few years. Keep it going, and don't let the little things take away from your efforts. read more

My husband came here for one day of his golf tournament. I came to watch. I was very disappointed with the staff. It took the players an extra two hours to play the course. Usually, if this is a problem, then the golf Marshall comes out and lets you know you need to speed it up. He never did but when the golfers wives came to meet them on the 18th hole, the employee in he pro shop made sure to let them know how upset he was that the golfers were taking so long. When the golfers started coming in, the same employee started using obscene language at the golfers and in front of their wives. If he wanted them to speed up their game, he should have encouraged them to do so and he should have never used that language with golfers. There were 28 golfers and I'm sure they made good money on the group, (who plays here every year), and one of the golfers sponsors their events. Not a good way to encourage them to book next year. My husband and I had plans to play there The next day but after the debacle we decided to take out business elsewhere. What a shame! Based on the previous reviews, seems like it takes groups a longer time to complete the course- this may be something they should brainstorm solutions about instead of getting mad at the poor players. read more

Bizarre experience. My 11 year old and I showed up 5 minutes late for our tee time (totally my fault. Misjudged distance/traffic. Course is 45 minutes from Pigeon Forge.). Played this course several years ago. Heard it had really gone down but thought we'd try it. As soon as we entered I apologized. Guy behind counter said "You're still late". I apologized again and asked if we could still get out. Didn't think it would be a problem since there were only approximately 10 cars in the parking lot and it didn't seem busy. Guy in pro shop said "I can get you out but you'll have to pair with another twosome ". I told him I'd rather just play with the two of us for some father/son time. I asked if we could make another tee time. He said "if you don't like it you can leave". I agreed with him and said we would leave and come another time. He became irate and came from behind the counter and said I was rude for setting a tee time and being late. He told us to leave and that we were not welcome back. Drove back to Pigeon Forge and stopped at Sevierville Golf Club. Very nice folks and very accommodating. Really beautiful golf course. read more