Golfing in the North Carolina Great Smoky Mountains of Jackson County

One of the many great activities awaiting you when you plan your next trip to Jackson County and the North Carolina Mountains is a wide range of Great Smoky Mountain golfing opportunities. The area features a superb selection of classic mountain golf courses that are both challenging and scenic. These golf courses host thousands of golfers each year and make the area a wonderful golf getaway destination.

Included in the North Carolina golf facilities are Cashiers’ world-renowned resorts and mountain golf courses in the south, along with the picturesque Smoky Mountain Country Club in the north end of the county. Jackson County is full of one-of-a-kind mountain golf courses, in a variety of awe-inspiring settings. The area also boasts six premier public daily fee courses, while the nearby Waynesville Country club features 27 holes of golf that are framed by the blue-green North Carolina Mountains. There are also several exclusive private clubs in the area.

Below is a description of the courses that allow public play:

High Hampton Inn and Country Club (http://www.highhamptoninn.com) (828) 743-2450
If you can imagine playing golf in a velvet green park shadowed by two of the prettiest peaks in North Carolina – Rock Mountain and Chimney Top Mountain -- that’s the essence of High Hampton. The late George Cobb, a legendary golf architect who crafted more than 350 courses, designed the layout at High Hampton. It is part of the 1,400-acre grounds of the High Hampton Inn and amongst the most scenic golf courses in America.

The signature hole is the par-3 eighth. The green rests on a finger in a lake, overshadowed by the sheer rock cliff of Rock Mountain. It’s easy to understand why Golf Digest named it one of “America’s Great Golf Holes.” Cobb once said of the course, “I have yet to see a course – designed by me or by others – with greater natural beauty or one more enjoyable to play.”

One of the oldest courses in the mountains, High Hampton plays at 6,012 yards from the back tees to bent grass greens. Amenities include a covered driving range and two putting greens. The club also hosts golf schools and tournaments. It is located in Cashiers.

Maggie Valley Club(http://www.maggievalleyclub.com)
The golf course at Maggie Valley Club is one of the most scenic in Western North Carolina. It features two distinct nines – the Valley Nine and the Mountain Nine. The Valley Nine comes first and is relatively flat with large bent grass greens. The Mountain Nine rises nearly 800 feet in elevation and features slightly smaller greens and dramatic panoramas of the valley and the Great Smoky Mountains. Opened in 1962, this 6,500-yard, par-72 course features a mature and well-manicured layout. The course has undergone extensive renovations in the last several years, including a new fairway irrigation system, drainage work in low-lying areas, new tee boxes, a dozen new bunkers and the renovation of several existing bunkers. A $6 million renovation and redesign of the clubhouse is to be complete in the spring of 2007, providing 18,000 square feet of amenities and dining options for golfers. Maggie Valley Club also offers package options in luxury condominiums. For golf tee times or stay-and-play packages at Maggie Valley Club, call (866) 659-4725 or visit online at: www.maggievalleyclub.com.

Mill Creek Resort And Country Club (http://www.mcgolfresort.com/) 800-533-3916
Mill Creek Resort And Country Club is one of the best kept secrets in the Smoky Mountains and now you are in on the secret. Here in the mountains of North Carolina you will enjoy hospitality at its best with deluxe accommodations, breathtaking views, an 18 hole championship golf course and amazing tennis facilities!

Whether you golf or just want to get out of the summer heat, we have what you are looking for in a cool mountain getaway. If you are looking for a place to enjoy the colors of the season, fall at Mill Creek is spectacular. We are a year round resort. When you are ready for a vacation, we are ready to make it memorable.

Within an hour's drive you can explore the culture of the nation's largest Cherokee Indian Reservation, tour the palatial Biltmore Estate of George Vanderbilt, or attend countless concerts, live stage performances, art exhibits and other cultural events.

Sapphire Mountain Golf Club (no website) (828) 743-1174
Florida golf architect Ron Garl developed an 18-hole golfing jewel at Sapphire Mountain. Scenic splendor and creative design are combined into a wonderful par-70 layout. Sapphire Mountain includes a fine set of five par-3 holes, four of which play over water. The island green on the par-3 15th is a special treat. Another standout feature is the waterfall snuggled beside the 13th green.

There are four sets of tees to suit golfers of any ability. The blue tees measure 6,185 yards, the white tees measure 5,741 yards, gold tees are 5,208 yards and the red tees are 4,547 yards.

Sapphire Mountain includes a full service “mountain lodge” clubhouse with a large rock fireplace. A recent ownership change has results in upgraded course conditions. It is located in Sapphire, just east of Cashiers.

Highlands Cove (http://www.highlandscove.com) (828) 526-8044
Highlands Cove grabs your attention right out of the box. The front nine, named the Highlands Nine, is among the most spectacular mountain layouts anywhere. South Carolina architect Tom Jackson carved the first three holes some 4,700 feet in the peaks.
Golfers know they’re facing something special after climbing about 400 feet from driving range to the first tee. The second hole, a par-3, features a lengthy drop to green surrounded by boulders unearthed during construction. The third is a 368-yard four-par where most golfers hit a mid iron off the tee and watch it drop some eight to nine seconds to a moderate-sized fairway.

The 397-yard ninth hole is also memorable, with a 300-foot drop from tee to fairway. The Cove Nine is the opposite. It meanders through a flatter parcel of property, often crossing mountain streams. Most holes are level, with only a few elevated tees.

Highlands Cove measures 6,699 yards from the back tees and has a par of 71. The course features L-93 bent grass from tee to green. The clubhouse includes a popular restaurant, Nick’s at the Cove. The course is just west of Cashiers.

Red Bird Golf Links (no website) (828) 743-1991
Red Bird is an executive nine-hole course, which opened in August 2001 just east of Cashiers in the Fairfield Sapphire Valley resort complex. Red Bird is perfect for women, children and beginning golfers because of its length.

Owner/architect Reid Horne designed a nine-hole layout of six par-3s and three par-4s. The longest par-3 is 178 yards and the longest par-4 is 220 yards. All three par-4s are doglegs, requiring two shots to reach the green.

The course features bent grass tees, fairways and greens, and is maintained at a high level with a tee-to-green sprinkler system, which is unusual for an executive course. Golfers have the choice of walking or riding, and there is a driving range.

Catamount Links - Disc Golf Course (no website) (828) 227-3555 or 227-3553
Catamount Links, Western Carolinas University’s new nine-hole disc golf course. Catamount Links is a par-3 course with hole’s ranging from 151 to 420 feet. The Course is open at any time and is free of charge to both WCU students and to the General Public.

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