Golf Guide with Tom McAuliffe

Sugar Mountain Golf Course

Pros on the Mountain:

The Best Job in Golf

By Tom McAuliffe

Loren White, first year golf director at the Beech Mountain Club, wife Heather, asst. pro at Grandfather, and PGM intern from Sam Houston State Perry Grant at home in the High Country

Change is rare when it comes to head golf professionals in the High Country. Once ensconced in any of the spectacular golf operations here it’s hard to let go of the wheel.

So when a head pro position opens in our neighborhood, the competition is fierce.

That was the case two years ago when Andrew Glover was called to fill the shoes of Wayne Smith, who had held the office at Blowing Rock Country Club for 35 years. Three years ago David Burleson of Mountain Glen took over for Newland’s Sam Foster, who spent almost 50 years at the Avery County jewel. Grassy Creek Golf Club’s Bruce Leverette is looking to retirement in his 46th season at the popular public course in Mitchell County, particularly in light of new ownership. “When I started here the irrigation system was a fiftyfoot garden hose,” Leverette recalled, who, with Superintendent Howard McKeithan, leave a lasting legacy in Spruce Pine.

At Linville Ridge, eastern America’s highest golf club at 4,800 ft. above sea level, Kurt Thompson enters his 17th year as golf director. “I’m so fortunate to be here,” he said. Thompson learned the game guided by the ‘larger than life’ John McNeely, who brought his young protégé to Grandfather and later to his Tom Fazio creation at Diamond Creek. “I’ve been in the golf business for 23 years and 22 of those have been in our mountains,” he reflected. “How many of us can be so fortunate—how many of us can say that?”

Peter Rucker enters his fourth decade at Hound Ears. Forty-five years ago Rucker was an all-conference golfer at Appalachian State. As Rucker dropped anchor in the beautiful Watauga River Valley, his predecessor, Tom Adams, moved to the head position at the Boone Golf Club. It was a natural fit for Adams, who, along with brothers Sam and Austin, earned NAIA All-American honors for App State under legendary coach Francis Hoover. Today Tom’s son, Art Adams, provides a youthful boost to the family enterprise that is unsurpassed in longevity popularity.

Hall of Famer Chip King left his legacy behind in Pinehurst fifteen years ago to direct golf operations at Grandfather Golf and Country Club. Mountain golf fans would call it a promotion and the stalwart King has never looked back to the Sandhills.

At Linville Golf Club, where familial ascension was a constant for years, Bill Stines enters his second season, getting a job of a lifetime when longtime pro Tom Dale moved to the General Manager’s position. After a storied career that included a stint at Scioto in Ohio, Stines returns to the North Carolina mountains. It was a homecoming for the affable pro who learned the game at Springdale Resort in Cruso near Waynesville, where his grandfather, Pug Allen, was the head professional. “I’ve always wanted to return to the mountains,” Stines said. “But whether it was Biltmore Forest Club or Blowing Rock, once you get a head job in western North Carolina you never want to leave it. The people here have made it that way, it’s just a special place. It’s a matter of timing.”

The Beech Mountain Club will be without head pro John Carrin for the first time in over two decades. For young pro Loren White, late of Kingsmill in Williamsburg, VA, and Berkely Hall in Bluffton, and his wife Heather, a PGA pro in her own right, the timing was perfect. “It has been a dream of ours for several years to live and work in the mountains,” Beech Mountain’s new pro said. “I’ve found our members here are happy. It’s a short season and they want to get every moment out of the time they spend on Beech.” And being lovers of the outdoors and skiing in the off season, they may have found their forever home in eastern America’s highest town. For the golf club professionals of the High Country it appears to be a trend.

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GOLF: Continued from previous page

Public Courses

Boone Golf Club—Boone, NC Tom Adams, PGA Architect Ellis Maples, Revision Rick Robbins ‘Must play’ Mountain Standard in 63rd season. A mountain classic by Ross protégé Ellis Maples. Opened 1959, the Boone Golf Club proved a primary driver to growth of summer tourism in the High Country. 828-264-8760 | www.boonegolfclub.com

Mountain Glen—Newland, NC David Burleson, Golf Director Architect George Cobb Burleson keeping things familiar in Newland following Sam Foster’s retirement. Play volume at historic highs at a layout you could play everyday and be glad of it. 828-733-5804 | Mountainglengolfclub.com

Sugar Mountain Golf Club—Sugar Mountain, NC Tom Mc Auliffe, Golf Director | Architect Frank Duane Dynamite par 64. Everyman’s golf club in a land of giants. Shoot par here and chances are you can shoot par anywhere, but still a place for all skill levels. A little bit better every year and that says a lot. 828-898-6464 | www.seesugar.com

Mt. Mitchell Golf Club—Burnsville, NC Jim Floyd, Golf Director | Architect Fred Hawtree Spectacular property just off the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 344 at Hwy. 80 to Burnsville. Group getaway lodging specialists. For the day or the week. Toe River trout fishing, food and beverage excellent. Since 1975. 828-675-5454 | www.mountmitchellgolf.com

Willow Valley—Boone, NC Architect Tom Jackson (nine holes) One of Jackson’s earlier creations, he’s now a member of the Carolinas Golf Hall-of-Fame. The Little Green Monster is an exceptional par three course. 828-963-6865 https://www.facebook.com/WillowCreekNC/ Mountain Aire Golf Club—West Jefferson, NC Architect/Committee, Revisions Dennis Lehmann Popular Ashe County stop, driving range, good course, good folks in the pro shop. Philip Shepherd carrying bright torch in Hagel family tradition enters his 11th season at the helm. 336-877-4716 | www.Mountainaire.com

Grassy Creek Golf Club—Spruce Pine, NC Bruce Leverette, PGA | Architect/Committee Visit the Mitchell County mainstay and find out what all the locals love about Grassy Creek. What golf is all about. Pro Bruce Leverette and Supt. Howard McKeithen over 45 years keeping golf real in Spruce Pine. 828-765-7436 | www.grassycreek.com

Resort Clubs with Lodging Access to Golf

Hound Ears Club—Blowing Rock, NC Peter Rucker, PGA, App State alum begins 40th year. Architect George Cobb | Revisions Tom Jackson Private club with golf available for guests lodging in Clubhouse accommodations and via Qualified Member Home Rentals. A very special and playable golf course. 828-963-4321 | www.houndears.com Beech Mountain Club—Beech Mountain, NC Loren White, PGA | Architect Willard Byrd Eastern America’s Highest Town at 5,506’. Ridge Top layout with views of five states, including Kentucky when the Blue Moon is full. Pro John Carrin calls it a day after 22 memorable years. New pro Loren White calls the mountain home from storied Kingsmill Resort of Williamsburg, VA. Private access accompanied by member. Temporary membership transfer in qualified housing only. 828-387-4208 ext. 201 | www.beechmtnclub.org Jefferson Landing Country Club & Resort— Jefferson, NC Dan Stepnicka, PGA Architect Larry Nelson/Dennis Lehmann Course access for members and on-site lodgers— great golf getaway for your group. Outside play welcome per space available. Call for tee times. Beautiful Ashe County classic. Clubhouse dining. 1-800-292-6274 | www.visitjeffersonlanding.com Linville Land Harbor, Linville Michael Hayes, Operations manager | Architects Tom Jackson (A-9 Ernie Hayes) Long-time private enclave between Linville and Pineola opening to public play with stay and play offerings. Fabulous putting surfaces. 828-733-8325 | www.linvillelandharbor.com

Sugar Mountain Golf Course

Private Clubs / Members and Guests Only

Some clubs below may offer short-term rental membership privileges with club or member sponsorship. Grandfather Golf & Country Club—Linville, NC Chip King, PGA | Architect Ellis Maples | 828-898-7533 Blowing Rock Country Club—Blowing Rock, NC Andrew Glover, PGA rchitect Donald Ross, Seth Raynor Revisions Tom Jackson and more recently BRCC revisions by Ross specialist Kris Spence a big hit. 828-295-3171

Elk River Club—Banner Elk, NC Dave Ambrose, PGA Architect Jack Nicklaus/Bob Cupp 828-898-9773

Linville Ridge Club—Linville, NC Kurt Thompson, PGA Architect George Cobb | Revisions Bobby Weed “Eastern America’s Highest Golf Course” 828-898-5151

Diamond Creek—Banner Elk, NC Joe Humston, PGA | Architect Tom Fazio 828-898-1800

Linville Golf Club—Linville, NC Bill Stines, PGA | Architect Donald Ross Revisions Robert Trent Jones, Sr., Bobby Weed. Longtime public access to historic Eseeola Lodge and golf course suspended Covid seasons, now permanent. Club still hosting community fundraisers this spring. 828-733-4311 | www.eseeola.com