Golf course reason to visit

January 16, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

McClatchy Newspapers

MILLINGTON, Tenn.

When Justin Timberlake bought and renovated a golf course near his boyhood home just outside of Memphis, Tenn., he might easily have exercised a bit of ego by calling it Timberlake Golf Club. The natural-sounding name would have attracted lots of attention, brought in a few extra golfers and probably sold a lot of shirts and golf hats bearing Timberlake logos.

Instead, the entertainer-actor opted, simply, for Mirimichi, an American Indian word that is said to translate to “a place of happy retreat.”

The explanation is that Timberlake not only has the game of golf in his blood, but some Indian ancestry, too. The concept was one of golf course as sanctuary, reflecting an Indian respect for the land and natural landscape.

Timberlake is an avid golfer who spent a reported $16 million to buy and renovate the golf course.

The golf course, situated between Memphis and Timberlake’s hometown of Millington, was called Big Creek before Timberlake bought it.

The downturn in the economy hurt many golf courses, including Big Creek, and it went into decline and was offered for sale at auction.

The decision to buy it began with a phone call from Paul Harless to Timberlake. As Timberlake once recalled, “My dad called me. I was on tour. He said it was for sale and what if we bought it. I started laughing. But he didn’t laugh on the other end of the phone. Silence. I said, ‘You’re serious. I’m in. Let’s do it.’”

Timberlake and his parents set the bar high, envisioning a public golf course that would draw visitors from across the country and would be the equal of prestigious American daily-fee courses. According to plan, Mirimichi will eventually host a major championship.

Six months after it opened, he and his parents — all three are co-owners — shut down Mirimichi last January for an extensive upgrade.

Mirimichi reopened for business in September and is now part golf course, part eco-friendly nature preserve.

For more information, visit mirimichi.com or call 901-259-3800.