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Firefly Enters Next Phase as Andrew Green’s First Original Course Nears Opening

Firefly 15th green

Inspired by reporting from Brendon Elliott in Athlon Sports’ article, “Firefly Enters Next Phase As Andrew Green’s First Original Course Nears Opening.”

Every great golf community reaches a point when the vision on paper begins to feel real.

For Firefly, that moment is now.

The 700-acre private golf community in Spring Hill, Tennessee, is moving beyond renderings and development plans into its next phase of growth. With strong homesite sales, key leadership hires, construction of major amenities underway, and Andrew Green’s highly anticipated golf courses progressing toward a fall 2026 opening, Firefly is transitioning from concept to community.

For golf enthusiasts, the story began with Green’s first original golf course design. Today, the story is becoming much bigger.


Firefly Is Becoming More Tangible

Located approximately 30 minutes south of Nashville and 15 minutes from Franklin, Firefly occupies a prime position within one of the fastest-growing luxury residential markets in the Southeast.

Middle Tennessee has become a destination for families, executives, entrepreneurs, athletes, and second-home buyers seeking a lifestyle that balances privacy, recreation, and proximity to a thriving metropolitan area. Firefly was designed to meet that demand through a private, gated community centered on golf, outdoor living, wellness, and family experiences.

The market’s response has been impressive.

Firefly sold more than 80 homesites during its initial 45-day release period. Momentum has continued, with 48 homesites sold in May alone, generating $47 million in sales. To date, the community has recorded 126 homesite sales totaling more than $112 million.

While sales figures alone do not define the success of a club community, they demonstrate a strong belief in Firefly’s vision.

The next challenge is execution.

The initial spotlight focused heavily on Andrew Green and his transition from acclaimed restoration architect to original-course designer. As construction advances, however, Firefly is becoming more than a golf architecture story. It is becoming a fully realized private club community preparing to welcome its first members.


Golf Still Drives the Entire Vision

Although Firefly’s amenity offerings are extensive, golf remains the foundation of the community.

The property will feature an 18-hole championship course and a 9-hole short course, both designed by Green. Together, they create a golf experience that serves multiple generations and playing styles.

The championship course will be the architectural centerpiece, designed to challenge skilled players through strategy, thoughtful shot values, and long-term replayability. It is expected to reflect many of the design principles Green has championed throughout his restoration work—width, angles, natural movement, and strategic decision-making.

The short course brings a different dimension to the member experience.

Far more than a supplemental amenity, short courses have become some of the most popular gathering spaces in modern private clubs. They create opportunities for family play, junior golf, casual competitions, short-game practice, and relaxed evening rounds.

At Firefly, the combination of championship golf and a highly accessible short-course experience creates what may become one of the community’s defining strengths.

Rather than offering a single golf experience, Firefly is building a complete golf ecosystem.

Firefly amenity construction

The Amenity Village Begins to Take Shape

Beyond the golf courses, Firefly is preparing to begin construction on several of its central community facilities.

The Fieldhouse, Outpost, and Golf Shop—designed by the renowned architecture firm Swaback—will be the first visible elements of a broader amenity village planned for the community.

The concept reflects a growing trend among leading private club developments. Today’s members want more than a traditional clubhouse. They seek multiple gathering spaces that support different lifestyles and activities throughout the day.

Firefly’s planned amenities include:

  • Clubhouse and dining venues
  • Fitness and wellness center
  • Family club
  • Adult and family pools
  • Bowling alley
  • Golf simulators
  • Racquet club with tennis and padel courts
  • Indoor pickleball facilities
  • Walking and recreation trails

Current homesites range from approximately $700,000 to more than $2 million, with home construction expected to begin in 2027. Once complete, Firefly is projected to include roughly 400 residences.

The golf course may establish the community’s identity, but the surrounding amenities will ultimately determine how members experience Firefly every day.

 Firefly's Head Golf Professional and Director of Golf
Ashley Hylton and Aaron Levinson

New Golf Leadership Signals Long-Term Intent

As opening day approaches, Firefly has also begun assembling the leadership team that will help define the club’s culture.

Aaron Levinson has joined Firefly as Director of Golf, bringing experience from Congressional Country Club, where he served as PGA Head Golf Professional. Ashley Hylton has been named Head Golf Professional after previously holding the same position at Spring Island Club in South Carolina.

These appointments represent more than operational staffing.

At a new private club, the founding golf professionals help establish traditions, member expectations, instructional programs, family engagement initiatives, and the overall personality of the golf operation.

Great architecture and beautiful facilities create the stage.

Leadership creates the experience.

By investing in accomplished golf professionals early, Firefly is demonstrating a commitment to building a strong club culture from day one.


From Architectural Promise to Member Experience

When Firefly first entered the national golf conversation, Andrew Green’s first original design was the headline.

That remains a significant part of the story.

But today, the project is entering a new phase.

The challenge is no longer simply designing and constructing golf courses. The challenge is translating vision into daily life. Firefly must transform architectural ambition into memorable member experiences, convert strong sales momentum into a thriving community, and create a place that feels authentic as soon as families begin living, gathering, and playing there.

That is a much larger test.

As the fall 2026 opening approaches, the conversation will naturally evolve.

Golfers will ask whether the championship course delivers strategic depth and replayability. Families will discover whether the short course becomes a true social hub. Members will evaluate how seamlessly the amenities complement the golf experience and whether the community achieves the balance between luxury and authenticity.

Those answers are getting closer.


A Significant Addition to Middle Tennessee Golf

Middle Tennessee already offers an impressive collection of golf experiences.

Firefly enters the market with a different proposition.

The combination of Andrew Green’s first original design, a 700-acre master-planned community, strong early sales performance, substantial development backing, and a family-centered lifestyle vision places Firefly among the most closely watched private club openings in the Southeast and positions it for the potential to become one of the region’s defining private club communities.

For Andrew Green, it represents a milestone in an already distinguished career.

For the Nashville-area golf market, it introduces an ambitious new destination.

And for future members, it offers something much simpler: a place built around golf, family, community, and time well spent.

The vision has generated attention.

The next chapter is about bringing that vision to life.

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