By Gary Carter
Every golfer who lives and plays primarily in the flatter locales knows the scenario: Temperatures on the high side of 90, the greens getting a little crisp around the edges and the beer is lukewarm by the time it goes from the cooler to your hand. It’s the time when you should close your eyes and think about a mountain golf course, lush and green, with a cool little breeze that keeps the temperature hovering right around perfect. Or, better yet, quit thinking, throw the clubs in the car and head for North Carolina’s High Country.
Loosely defined, the High Country encompasses the northwestern corner of North Carolina. It consists of six mountain counties and over 125 winding miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway, which consistently ranks as one of America’s top tourist attractions. Some of the more familiar towns in this beautifully scenic area are Blowing Rock, Boone, Valle Crucis, Banner Elk, Beech Mountain, West Jefferson, Sparta, Wilkesboro, Spruce Pine and Little Switzerland. The area is also home to Mt. Mitchell, the highest mountain east of the Mississippi (6,684 feet), and Linville Gorge, the deepest gorge.
There are friendly folks who welcome visitors, and plenty to do and see on a lengthy vacation with the family or weekend outing with your favorite foursome. Not to mention there’s a nice selection of golf courses that offer something for every player, with a playing season that runs generally from late-April through early November. And seasonal temperatures usually are 10-15 degrees cooler than the flatter areas, which makes this a great escape from hot weather.
Plenty Of Public Play Awaits
The High Country features a host of public
courses that are well-maintained, well-priced, challenging and offer
plenty of scenery.
Boone Golf Club, Mountain Aire Golf Club in West
Jefferson, Mountain Glen in Newland, Grassy Creek Golf & Country
Club in Spruce Pine, Hawksnest Golf & Ski Resort in Seven Devils
and Blue Ridge Country Club in Linville Falls are favorites known for
value, consistency and fun. Just across the Tennessee border is Roan
Valley Golf Club, which receives high marks from local golfers.
Mount Mitchell Golf Club, near Burnsville, nestles in a valley just below the peak of the mountain and is always ranked among the state’s top public courses. Olde Beau Golf Course in Roaring Gap is known for its majestic setting and strategic requirements.
“Each of these courses will be a pleasure for any golfer,” says Harris Prevost, vice president at Grandfather Mountain and an expert on the area’s golf offerings. “You can expect good conditions, friendly staffs and outstanding visual effects. Not to mention that it’s nice that the ball goes farther up here.”
All of these courses share the features that make mountain golf special, thanks to the cool climate and plentiful rain. In general, fairways are lush, and greens grow thick enough to be closely mown, which keeps them speedy. Unfortunately, this also means the rough is thick and lush. Elevation changes provide challenge as well as pretty views, though don’t be surprised that many holes wind through flatter stretches framed by mountains. Just be prepared to adjust your club selection. Oh yeah, the wind sometimes blows.
If you’re looking for a classic, you’ll do no better anywhere in the state than Linville Golf Club. Designed by Donald Ross and opened in 1924, the course ranks among one of the renowned architect’s best efforts and remains in near original condition. In fact, the club is in the midst of a three-year program dedicated to returning the course completely to the Ross vision. To gain access, you must stay at the adjoining Eseeola Lodge, which is a pleasurable event in itself.
Two other courses worth pursuing also require stays within their boundaries. Hound Ears Lodge & Country Club, situated between Boone and Linville, is an enjoyable George Cobb design that demands accuracy. Willard Byrd created the championship layout at Beech Mountain Club, with access available to guests staying in selected lodging within the resort community.
Jefferson Landing Club, just outside the town of Jefferson, features a convenient lodge and rental properties, but this excellent course is open for public play. Designed by PGA and U.S. Open champion Larry Nelson, the adjacent New River and its tributaries bring water into play on 15 holes.
If you have the right connections or a helpful pro, do what it takes to test your skills against the High Country’s highly regarded private courses: Blowing Rock Country Club (Ross), Elk River Country Club (Nicklaus), Grandfather Golf & Country Club (Maples) and Linville Ridge Country Club (Cobb). Anticipation is also building over Diamond Creek Country Club, designed by Tom Fazio and set to open this summer.
And, if you’re looking for a quick round or some short game practice, check out the executive courses at Willow Valley and Sugar Mountain, where Arnold Palmer had a hand in the design. The former is a traditional par 3 layout, while Sugar Mountain combines a variety of lengths, including a single par 5.
Due to the compact playing season, the public courses handle fairly steady play, so it’s worthwhile to book in advance, especially for weekend tee times. Some hotels and resorts offer golf packages.
“We’re very fortunate that the High Country area can offer golfers a variety of excellent courses that are accessible and affordable,” says Judy Donaghy, executive director of High Country Host, the area’s tourism group. “But what really makes this a unique place are the other activities, attractions and amenities that can be combined with golf.”
Variety Makes The High Country Special
It’s the variety that makes the High Country a traditional favorite for visitors. In addition to golf, the area offers a wealth of outdoor activities that include hiking, camping, white water rafting, canoeing, horseback riding and biking. If you want to mix some fishing in with your links exploits, the High Country’s streams and lakes run deep with trout, bass and other game fish. The world’s second oldest river, the New River, starts here and is ideal for canoeing.
Of course, a cruise along the Blue Ridge Parkway is always pleasant, whether you’re just taking in the sights or headed to another golf course. For a cheap thrill, take the Parkway to the Linn Cove Viaduct, where you’ll hang over the edge on the world’s most complex concrete bridge made up of 1.5 million pounds of steel and concrete.
If you or someone else in your party considers shopping an aerobic exercise, you’ll find plenty of places to indulge. The area’s towns are filled with pleasant shops that feature unique art and crafts created by local artisans, as well as just about anything else you desire. In fact, it’s always fun just to stroll the streets of any of the area’s towns. The Shoppes On The Parkway, just outside Blowing Rock, is an outlet center offering deals on famous brands (and a great place for golfers to stock up on apparel and accessories by Izod, Polo, Nautica, Bass and other manufacturers). For a taste of history, check out the Mast General Store in Valle Crucis, which opened for business in 1883.
Good Times In High Places
For over a century, the High Country has promised visitors a cool retreat and “good times in high places.” Natural attractions have always been a draw, ranging from Linville Caverns with its dramatic stalactites and stalagmites to Linville Gorge, which is the deepest cut in the earth’s crust this side of the Grand Canyon. Braving the famous Mile-High Swinging Bridge on top of Grandfather Mountain is a must with its panoramic views that, on a clear day, include the towers of Charlotte over a hundred miles away. The Blowing Rock, the rock formation for which the nearby town is named, is known as “the one place where it snows upside down.” And Tweetsie Railroad, an old west theme park, takes visitors on a trip back in time aboard its historic steam locomotive. But if you’re going to live to play golf another day, you have to help fight off the Indians and outlaws (so take along your three-iron, which probably isn’t good for much else, anyway).
When the sun goes down and ends golf for the day, you’ll find a number of interesting ways to spend the evening. In terms of lodging, you can select from contemporary full-service hotels, historic properties like the Green Park Inn, expansive resorts, and charming bed & breakfast inns and lodges where you can rock on the porch. Or check out the cabins, condominiums and chalets throughout the High Country that can accommodate groups of all sizes. The nice thing is that you can choose to stay in town or pick a quiet rural setting. The High Country Host website www.highcountryhost.com is an excellent resource for lodging information. (800/438-7500)
Good food and beverage are never difficult to find here. You’ll find upscale restaurants offering nouveau cuisine and extensive wine lists, often accompanied by scenic views. Or you can go for serious down home cooking at places like the famous Dan’l Boone Inn. Small cafes scattered throughout the area are worth the search. Some of the more popular chains are represented as well, including fast food options.
If you want to expand your cultural horizons, the annual Appalachian Summer Festival runs throughout July with a stellar line-up of concerts and performances. The classic outdoor drama “Horn In The West” runs from mid-June to mid-August, and the Highland Games on Grandfather Mountain in July is always a popular event, regardless of your heritage. It’s also not difficult to find live music by local performers, and even some square dancing. The period from April to October also is filled with numerous outdoor festivals that celebrate everything from art to apples. You can find a complete schedule on the High Country Host website.
When autumn rolls around, you can take in a football game at Appalachian State University or check out the always popular Woolly Worm Festival. Of course, there’s nothing better than combining the colors of fall foliage with a crisp outing on one of the local courses. However, according to Prevost, this poses one of the three main problems related to mountain golf. In this case, he stresses concentration because too many players get caught up in the colorful scenery and forget to follow the flight of their shots. He also recommends making certain you carry a range of attire since a shift in the weather might require a sweater. And, finally, you have to be careful with your club selection because the ball just goes farther in that crisp High Country air. Of course, that’s a nice problem to have and a good reason to plan a spring, summer or autumn golf outing to North Carolina’s High Country.
Reprinted with permission from Pub Links Golfer Magazine/North Carolina Edition
and North Carolina Golf Trail.
