A High Country favorite for golfers without memberships in the pricey clubs in and around Avery County is expected to be open with at least nine holes for the spring season.
A spokesperson for Sugar Mountain Golf Course told TriadGolf.com that the Avery course is on schedule to open in late April or May — typical time of the year — despite heavy flood damage from Hurricane Helene.
According to golfcourseindustry.com, engineers estimated damages to the Sugar course at $1.5 million. The Sugar clubhouse housed, fed and serviced as a medical clinic for several weeks after the storm.
The Sugar spokesperson said water damage will require significant work on some holes on the par-64 layout, widely considered to be one of the nation’s top “executive” courses. The timetable for repairing the remaining holes has yet to be determined.
The Sugar course is known for its excellent conditioning, smooth but slippery greens and beautiful mountain scenery at an affordable price. Manager Tom McAuliffe has one of the leading golf retail shops in the area and handles club repair.
Boone Golf Club and Mountain Aire in West Jefferson are the other prominent public courses in the Boone area.
Avery’s collection of elite private courses includes Diamond Creek, Grandfather, Linville, Linville Ridge and Elk River, each suffering various degrees of damage. The Elk River course, located in a valley along the river, was particularly hard hit.