Highlands County Club
Escape The Atlanta Heat
Escape the Atlanta heat and head north east to North Carolina where less than a three hour drive from the big city sits Highlands, North Carolina. Sitting at an altitude of 4,118 feet the temperature always runs cooler and the skies seem to be bluer during the summer days upon escape of the city. It is a jewel of a place at all times of year but particular in the summer as it presents the opportunity to escape the muggy city summer days for cooler and crisper mountain air. Highlands presents a plethora of outdoor options from great hiking, fishing, golf or rafting. While the downtown can get quite busy on a summer day, other areas outside of town are mountain nature at its finest and really a quiet peaceful escape into the mountains. Highlands is mostly a summer and somewhat off a fall destination as well. Many of the residential houses are filled in the summer months and then are vacated during the winter months. The year around population only registers just over 3,000 people. From a golfing standpoint, most of the golf courses in the Highlands and surrounding area are private . There are very few limited public course options in the area. The only two I have played are Sky Valley, which is on the way into Highlands, and Sapphire National Golf Club which is located closer to Cashiers. One of the more well known private courses that sits just outside downtown Highlands is Highlands Country Club.
Highlands Country Club is picture perfect to the eye, ninth green pictured above
Highlands Country Club first opened nearly one hundred years ago in 1928. It remains the oldest operating course in the Highlands area. Legendary golfer Bobby Jones hit the first tee shot at Highlands and was known to spend his summers in the area. Like Atlantans today I am sure Bobby enjoyed the cooler rounds of golf in Highlands than that of Atlanta. One of the original founders of the club was Bobby’s father. The course was developed by famous golf course architect Donald Ross. Ross was tapped to etch a mountain course and he did a superb job as it has withheld the course of time and aged like a fine wine. The clubhouse is exquisite and is the center piece of the property which also includes a large expansive croquet court which is visible from the road. The course has two primary sets of tees and maxes out at 6,279 yards. The course plays to a par 72 with a standard front nine layout and three par 3’s on the back nine. While the course does not measure very long from the tips a number of holes still require accuracy particularly when it comes to approach shots and showcases some of its difficulty through 143 course rating. The course itself is a beautiful design and maintained to seemingly picture perfect perfection. It plays like a true mountain course and has a number of memorable golf holes from start to finish.
Individual Hole Profile: No Wrong Answers
*Hole Profile from Donald Ross Tees
No 1: 363 Yards, Par 4
I think I really enjoyed profiling holes on this course because there are so many great holes to choose from and really no wrong answers when it comes to great golf holes. Donald Ross introduces you to the majestic beauty of Highland Country Club right away with the opening hole. This par 4 is a nice way to start the round playing a modest 363 yards and straight away. The play off the tee here is to stay to the left side of the fairway as trouble lurks to the right with a creek running along the cart path for most of the hole. With a good drive you should be left with a mid to short iron for your approach shot. The green plays slightly uphill and has a hill behind it as well, though it should not be used as a backboard. The opening hole is a synopsis of the course, a fair challenge with pristine mountain beauty.
Donald Ross introduces the golfer to the beauty of Highlands Country Club from the first tee box
No 6: 450 Yards, Par 5
The sixth hole is the first par five of the course and play a modest 450 yards from the Donald Ross tees. The play here off the tee is to the left side of the fairway laying up short of the creek. Big hitters can go for the green here in two shots. With the layup, upon clearing the creek, you should be left with a short iron in. The green is a receptive one that slops from back to front. The hole is not long and is fairly open so the golfer can take advantage of a early scoring opportunity here on the front nine.
The sixth hole is a early scoring opportunity, stay clear of the creek crossing the hole off the tee box
No 8: 373 Yards, Par 4
The eighth hole was one of my favorite holes on the front nine. The fairway is straight and then takes a slight turn to the right and carries down a hill. There are a few options of the tee here. Play to the left side of the hole to set up your approach shot or take an aggressive line to the right side to try and get some carry and take a chunk of yards of your approach shot. From the left side of the fairway your approach shot should be within 150 yards or in and plays to a large green.
One of my favorite holes on the front nine was the par four 8th
No 16: 142 Yards, Par 3
The sixteenth is the start of a great three hole finishing stretch at Highlands Country Club. I think sixteen is one of the prettiest and most aesthetically pleasing golf holes on the course. This par three doesn't play long at just over 140 yards but it can make for a difficult par if you miss the putting surface. Anything short of the front green will likely roll down a front slope and play to a uphill put or chip shot.
16 is a short par three but can play deceivingly difficulty with a inaccurate tee short
No 17: 478 Yards, Par 5
The 17th is the last par 5 on the course and is sandwiched between two par threes. Standing on this tee box was one of my favorite moments of the round and was just a perfect place to take in the beauty of the course. The seventeenth plays straight away and similar to other par fives is not a long hole. A good drive for a long hitter and you have a good opportunity to go for the green in two here. The putting surface is another favorable size here and sets up for a fun finishing hole.
The majestic par 5 17th at Highlands Country Club is a hole to take in
No 18, 165 Yards, Par 3
The finishing hole is a fun one in unique in that it is a par three. I kind of like a par three finish just because you really do not see it that often and is a non traditional finishing hole. Playing 165 yards, the tee shot requires carry over water. The tee box is slightly elevated and the hole plays ever so slightly down hill. If you clear the water the hole plays pretty straight forward from there and there is not to much additional trouble to note. I had one of my better shots of the day here and stuck it within a few feet and was able to make my birdie.
A fun finish to Highlands Country Club a mid yardage par 3 requiring carry over water
Bobby Jones Was On To Something
Like one of the all time greats Bobby Jones, I would have no issues spending my summers in Highlands teeing it up at this gem of a golf course. Highlands Country Club is a beautiful immaculately maintained mountain golf course. It is a fair challenge and a really nice desinged golf course with many meorable holes. If you have the opportunity to play here, this is a course you should never say to no to.