Granted, when you think N.C. High Country golf courses, the first that come to mind for many golfers are the spectacular clubs that make national top 100 course lists.
And the list of public options continues to shrink.
Linville Golf Club, for decades the elite choice open to guests of the historic Eseeola Lodge, went entirely private during Covid-19 and decided to stay that way. More recently, Beech Mountain, a longtime option for resort guests, did the same.
They joined a list topped by exclusive Avery County neighbors Diamond Creek, Elk River and Linville Ridge; Blowing Rock in Watauga County; and Roaring Gap and High Meadows in Wilkes County. Jefferson Landing in Ashe County and Hound Ears in Watauga allow some resort play.
Still, visitors to Watauga, Avery, Ashe and Wilkes counties have a solid group of options offering outstanding mountain golf at prices slightly higher than typical in the Triad, but more affordable than destinations such as Pinehurst and the South Carolina coast, especially during their respective high seasons.
Boone Golf Club and Mountain Glen in Newland are premier layouts from well-known architects with well-manicured conditions, each under $100 on weekends, and lower on weekdays. Mountain Aire, Ashe’s premier public course, includes the par-4 third featuring perhaps the most memorable downhill tee shot in the region.
Here’s a look at some of top options:
BOONE GOLF CLUB
With a location in the region’s biggest city with a college population of more than 20,000, it’s no surprise that Boone Golf Club is a hub of activity, generating about 35,000 rounds during a typical 6-month season.
The Ellis Maples design (pictured) built in a valley filled streams and only a few neighboring homes on the south edge of Boone, is a challenging par-71 layout stretching to almost than 6,700 yards and requiring a variety of shots.
The distance between greens and tees is modest. Many of the regulars walk the course. Only a few holes, Nos. 9 through 11, require significant uphill walking. The fairways are deep green and lush. A few fairway bunkers were remodeled early this year.
“It’ll be one of the best-conditioned public golf courses you’ll play anywhere,” said assistant pro Art Adams.
Putting skills are put to the test on the course’s large, slick bent grass greens. The combination of speed and undulations make three-putting a consistent concern, especially from above the hole. Fairways are bordered by trees, high grass, streams and high grasses.
The huge, three-tiered putting surface on the par-5 sixth hole can easily turn a birdie putt into an eventually double-bogey. The putting test comes after a tight tee shot to dogleg, followed by either a long carry over a lake to the green perched just below the hilltop clubhouse, or a short iron third shot over the water.
The most memorable tee shot comes on No. 10, where the drive comes out of a tight chute of trees to land on a hillside sloping dramatically to the fairway on the left. The hillside remains in play on the second shot with the third shot to perhaps the course’s smallest green cut into the hillside, making an errant approach to the left tumble several down a steep slope.
The par-3s at Boone are difficult. Nos. 3, 8 and 16 stretch to more than 200 yards with surrounding water and wetlands. Distance is tough to judge on No. 11, where the tee shot carries over a drop-off to a green atop a hillside obscuring much of the putting surface.
Boone opened in mid-April at $75 on weekdays and $80 on weekends, cart included, and prices will rise as the greens increase in speed as visitors arrive in force in May and June.
MOUNTAIN GLEN
A little farther off the beaten path is Mountain Glen, another walkable valley layout only a few miles from the Tennessee line. The George Cobb design has rolling terrain, though unlike many mountain courses, there are few if any blind shots and putting surfaces can be seen from the fairways.
The first three holes can be seen from N.C. 194, between Newland and Elk Park in the Cranberry area. The par-72 course stretches to 6,528 yards.
“It’s not necessarily your typical mountain golf course,’ said pro Robert Novak, new to the course this spring after the departure of longtime pro and assistant David Burleson, the son of N.C. State basketball legend Tom Burleson. “Everything is pretty much in front of you.”
Like Boone, Mountain Glen has a reputation for well-manicured tees, greens and fairways. Mountain Glen opened at $65 for greens fees and cart on weekdays and $70 on weekends. The price will increase to $83 on weekends later in the season.
“We are delivering a premium experience,” said Novak. “At that price, it’s a great value.”
Mountain Glen’s front nine is relatively open with small bent greens and flat fairways. The signature hole is No. 11, an uphill dogleg left. The finishing holes wind down to the clubhouse.
MOUNTAIN AIRE
The terrain at Mountain Aire is hillier than Boone and Mountain Glen. The West Jefferson layout is well-maintained with fast undulating greens. The routing on the 6,415-yard pare-72 course is solid, though not quite as polished.
With dramatic elevation changes and rolling fairways, Mountain Aire has a true mountain layout feel. The prices are hard to beat, starting at $45 on weekdays and $50 on weekends this spring.
Errant tee shots can roll down hills far off the fairway, leaving difficult recoveries.
At No. 3, a 468-yard par-4 from the back tee, players drive over a 200-foot drop-off to a tiny landing area bordered to the right by grassy backstop hill. To the left, is another dramatic dropoff that could be used in a Ben Stiller AT&T commercial. Go left, good luck finding your ball. More luck is needed to get it back in play and make a single-digit score.
At the short par-4 No. 9, players lay up down another steep downslope in front of a pond that guards a small green. The course includes a few other short par-4s. Only one of four of the par-5 reaches 500 yards, but they are uphill.
OTHER OPTIONS
SUGAR MOUNTAIN
It’s tough to find a better short-game test than Sugar Mountain, which turns 50 this year. The par-64 municipal course has tricky, smooth bent greens that make a strong defense of par. Stopping a downhill putt close to the hole can be almost impossible.
Frank Duane, once Arnold Palmer’s top designer, was the architect.
With mature trees, flowers near tee boxes and other landscaping extras, Sugar Mountain has an almost park-like feel with scenic elevation changes.
The longest par-4 is 353 yards, but several approaches require deft touch to avoid water and woods. The only par-5 is 390 yards, but winds up a steep hill bordered by creeks and woods.
Though the 4,371 yards on the scorecard may make the course look easy, the elevation changes and the undulating, fast greens make it extremely challenging.
OLDE BEAU
In the Wilkes mountains, the choice is Olde Beau, a hilly 6,500-yard, par-72 course with spectacular views in Roaring Gap. Many of the greens are protected by water. In recent years, renovations have eliminated some blind shots that frustrated visitors.
The course has par-3 tees on every hole on the front nine, making it attractive to small children and beginners.
The 18-hole price for greens fees and cart opened this spring at $59 on weekdays and $79 on weekends.
LINVILLE LAND HARBOR
Linville Land Harbor’s front nine is about 3,000 yards and has a solid reputation. The back nine is polarizing. Tom Jackson designed nine holes. Later on, the membership of the communitybwanted another nine. As a result another was shoehorned into the available property. As a result, several short doglegs were created on the home nine, taking woods out of the bag.
The result was a 4,877-yard par-69 layout concluding with a 196-yard par-4, where players are asked not to drive the dogleg for safety reasons.
The price for greens fee and cart was $56.42 early this spring. The course is generally in good condition.
