HIGH COUNTRY HOLES

AMONG GOLF’S BEST

BY HARRIS PREVOST

North Carolina’s tourism slogan for many years was “Variety Vacationland.” The state boasts a great coastal region, a rolling hills piedmont and the majestic mountains. You could be at the beach in the morning, play nine holes in the Piedmont and ski that night in the High Country.

“Variety” is the perfect description of the 315 holes (on 17 courses) awaiting High Country golfers in Ashe, Watauga and Avery counties.

The slopes, creeks, forests and scenery in our area make ideal sites for interesting golf courses. Even better, that variety exists within each course. Each one has unique, memorable and fun holes to play.

We’ll take a fun trip around the High Country and find out where some of these great holes are. We have lots of categories to make our choices — long holes, short holes, drivable par 4s, intimidating holes, uphill and downhill holes and, of course, scenic holes.

There are many ways to categorize the holes, so, because of space limitation, we will limit those categories in order to spend more time talking about the special holes on each course.

I have played all the courses, so I’ll pass on my thoughts about interesting holes on each. For reference purposes, my handicap is five, and my drives are medium length.

Of course, your favorite downhill par three or most intimidating tee shot might not be the same as mine, but the idea is to get a conversation started among your friends.

More importantly, I hope the conversation gets you to play the memorable and exciting holes awaiting you in your own backyard this season.

Courses will first be divided into the courses open to the public and then a few of the nine private clubs.

Courses open to the public

Jefferson Landing

Jefferson Landing is a semi-private club located in the pastoral rolling hills of Ashe County, bordering cow pastures, Christmas tree farms and tributaries to the New River. The course was routed by noted Banner Elk architect and land planner, Dennis Lehmann, and designed by PGA Hall of Famer Larry Nelson.

At 7,110 yards, it is the longest course in the High Country, exceeding Grandfather Golf & Country Club by nine yards. From the regular tees, it plays 6,450 yards. Very little land was moved to build the course, which opened in 1990.

Originally, the first hole was a long par four from an elevated tee, and the 10th was a dogleg left par five, also from an elevated tee. Now, the sides are switched, with the par five being the opening hole.

The most intimidating tee shot for me is on the 376-yard second hole. A river crosses the fairway at a sharp angle from right to left, with the right much farther away. I have to decide whether to gamble and carry the creek on the left side into a narrow landing area with a driver, or lay up in the narrow right corner of the fairway.

A 230-yard drive down the left side gives me a short iron in. A hooked drive or pushed drive leaves me in the river. This a classic risk/reward tee shot. The risk could be a probable triple bogey, the reward an easy par or birdie. The hole is 450 yards from the tips and 376 from the regular tees. There is a reason this is the two-handicap hole.

The 227-yard (181 from regular tees) 17th is a beautiful hole from an elevated tee. The view ahead at the clubhouse and up at Mt. Jefferson is spectacular. A creek running in front of the green adds to the beauty … and the challenge. Pray for a par here. This is Jefferson Landing’s signature hole in my book.

To experience hitting a very challenging tee shot to the 17th hole, one of the state’s finest par threes, call Jefferson Landing’s pro shop at (336) 982-7767 to set up your tee times.

Mountain Aire Golf Club

There is a Mountain Air in Burnsville, but our Mountain Aire is in Ashe

County. It is the third oldest course in the High Country behind only Linville and Blowing Rock.

The course began as West Jefferson Golf Club in 1949, thanks to the effort of a local farmer who wanted a golf course for the community. It was a true “cow pasture golf course,” with greens being small circles of grass mowed a little lower than the fairways. The Adams brothers — Austin, Sam and Tom — learned to play golf here. Austin became a great amateur player, Sam a PGA Tour winner and Tom serving as a longtime head pro. I wish I had learned to play at Mountain Aire.

When the farmer died, Carl Hagel, a casual golfer who built wooden frames for windows, purchased it in 1971, and it has been in the family since then. In 1985, Carl’s son, Mark, expanded the course to 18 holes, using Dennis Lehmann as his designer. In 1998, some holes were replaced, and the course has improved each year. It is now under the supervision of Mark’s son-in-law, Philip Shepherd.

At that time, the first hole was a par 3, and the third hole returned to the clubhouse. Now, the previous fourth hole was changed to be No. 1 with old ninth becoming No. 6. Holes 1, 2 and 3 are now 7, 8 and 9.

One of the new holes, No. 6 (now No. 3), is Mountain Aire’s signature hole. It is the most dramatic hole in the High Country, if not Eastern America. The tee shot on the 468-yard par 4 drops 150 feet in elevation, and, if you hit it a little left, 200 feet.

The landing area is very narrow. If the wind is blowing, this is the most intimidating tee shot in the area. It is also one of the most beautiful. You feel like you are on top of the world looking out at surrounding mountain ranges. Shepherd says the hole is “either your favorite or least favorite.”

For the longer hitters, Mountain Aire has two drivable par fours. The ninth is 305 yards long from the very elevated regular tees. A great drive will be a

SEE GOLF ON PAGE 114

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 113 birdie, one a little right or short is in a pond, and a little left in the driving range. The 13th is a 275-yard par 4 with a creek 15 yards in front of the green. To experience driving off the third tee and watching your ball stay in the air forever, call Mountain Aire’s pro shop at (336) 877-4716 to set up your tee times.

Boone Golf Club

The dream for a golf course in Boone began with one of Boone’s greatest citizens, Wade Brown, in 1940. After several false starts, which turned out to be blessings in disguise, Brown’s dream was realized in the summer of 1959.

Brown’s quest to provide a golf course for Boone was inspired by the success of the Blowing Rock Country Club and the Linville Golf Club. Potential “false start” locations for the course included Tater Hill, land from Rivers Street up to the former Broyhill Inn & Conference Center (derailed by World War II), the Councill property behind the Lutheran church and Earth Fare (property would have been leased) and the Bolick property on U.S. 421 South where the landfill is.

One property always in the back of Brown’s mind was the Neal Blair farm. Despite being told the property was not for sale, Brown persisted, and, five years later, he got the Blair farm and the surrounding property he needed. Next, was the critical factor of financing the purchase of the property and building the course, and Brown’s close friend, banker Alfred Adams, also one of Boone’s greatest citizens, made it happen.

Ellis Maples, who learned his trade from Donald Ross beginning when he was 14 and ending when he completed Ross’s final course, was chosen to design the course. Boone’s greens show a strong resemblance to Ross’s famed Pinehurst #2.

Boone is 6,686 yards from the tips and 6,018 from the regular tees, and it plays to a par 71. It’s not a long course, but its greens defend the course well from low scores. Boone’s collection of par threes — they average 199 yards — are as strong as any in the High Country. Its par 5s aren’t too shabby, either. They average 556 yards.

Drivable risk/reward par 4s are a delight to galleries watching PGA Tour events and are fun to play for the rest of us. Boone has three. It’s uphill ninth is reachable for the big boys. It is 333 yards from the back and 299 from the regular tee. The risk is a creek fronting most of the green, deep to the left and out-of-bounds to the right.

The 12th is a downhill dogleg left that is reachable with a high tee shot over some white pines. Not high enough or long enough and you may be playing for a bogey. The 15th is a 300-yard carry from both tees. Either carry the wide creek in front of the green, or hit one just short and bounce over (if the ground is hard).

My most intimidating shots are not with a driver, but with irons. The tee shot on the 192-yard 16th must be right or you could be in your pocket. Actually, you won’t be in your pocket; your ball will be history. A marsh is in front of the green and deep, really deep rough and briers are immediately to the right. The swamp is also to the left.

My other intimidating shot is the second to the 18th green. It usually is hit from a downhill, sidehill (sloping away from you) lie to an elevated, narrow green with a pond on the left catching balls that are the slightest bit offline. This is one of the great finishing holes in the High Country.

To experience one of the finest sets of par three holes in North Carolina, call the pro shop at (828) 264-8760. Make tee time in advance, because this is the most popular course in the High Country.

Willow Creek

Dr. Jim Lyons, a Miami surgeon who lived in Blowing Rock in the summers, wanted to build a development in the area and include a golf course. He purchased the Willow Valley property off N.C. 105, and it had room for a nine- hole par three course.

By coincidence, Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame architect Tom Jackson was doing some renovation work at nearby Hound Ears. Lyons told Jackson he wanted holes that vary in length, that have water features come into play, some bunkers and a hole or two over 200 yards. Jackson delivered.

In 1973, Willow Creek opened for play, and it has turned out to be an undiscovered gem. The course is very

SEE GOLF ON PAGE 115