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Triad Area CoursesAsheboro
Country Club Asheboro Country Club opened in the early 1950s, designed by its then membership. The course is open in places, wooded in others. Jim Bivins redesigned the greens and much of the course in 1996. Fairways are bermudagrass and greens are A1 bentgrass. To many North Carolinians, Asheboro is best known as home of the North Carolina Zoo. It's not, and never has been, a destination for golfers, most of whom would rather visit Pinehurst, just a half-hour south by car. For 40 years, the members at Asheboro Country Club played on a course built by their forefathers whose rudimentary but sincere efforts produced a layout that lasted until the recent redesign. In the course of a four-month renovation, Jim Bivins reduced par from 73 to 70, reshaped several fairways and doubled the size of most greens, bringing the course up to modern standards. The most popular addition has been the A1 bentgrass on the greens. One of the most remarkable holes on the course is the 18th, where the second shot must be played close to a dam. Overall, Asheboro Country Club presents golfers with a fair test through some fine Piedmont scenery. Amenities include clubhouse, pro shop, range and putting green. Walking is restricted but the course is walkable. Approximate cost, including cart, is $30 weekdays, $34 weekends. Bryan Park and Golf Club The population of the Triad area is fortunate that its municipalities have invested in superior golf complexes. In Greensboro, it's Bryan Park--a complex as fine as any public golf facility in the Carolinas. Well-respected architects designed the two courses. A state-of-the-art practice facility opened in early 1996. If you're looking for a couple of public courses with real difficulty and serious challenge, visit Bryan Park. Both courses provide excellent value for the golfing dollar and have been recognized for this by Golf Digest. Amenities include a practice green, range, chipping green, snack bar, rental clubs and a pro shop. Both courses are walkable for the fit; you can walk anytime on the Players and after 4 PM on the Champions. Approximate cost for either course, including cart, is $35 weekdays and $37 on weekends. Champions Course Rees Jones designed the Champions Course, which opened in 1990 and is set in open terrain bordered by woods on some holes. Fairways are bermudagrass; greens, bentgrass. The Champions Course offers some wonderful and difficult holes. Jones made good use of the natural landscape, including several acres bordering Lake Townsend, which comes into play a couple of times. Rees Jones is the son of Robert Trent Jones, and both father and son demonstrate an annoying penchant (from a player's perspective) for mass bunkering. The younger Jones likes them deep and somewhat irregularly placed--some make us wonder whose ball would ever find these traps, they're so out of the way. Perhaps these bunkers exist solely for your viewing pleasure. There's usually plenty of room off the tee. Wayward drives may end up in woods or bouncing like a pinball around the many large mounds. You might find a bunker. Water comes into play a lot here in the form of the lake, ponds and streams. The greens are large, sloped and flanked by many bunkers and a few embankments. You'll have trouble getting to most of the greens and just as much trouble getting up and down. The Champions Course is so-named for a reason. If you're a high-handicapper, you might be in for a long day, even if you play from the white tees. The course has lots of muscular and outstanding holes, but the most terrifying might be the shortest par 5, the 481-yard 15th, where water comes into play both off the tee and on the second shot, which is severely uphill. If the first two shots are solid, there's every chance to score. Wayward shots could result in a big, big number. Players Course The Players Course at Bryan Park, designed by George Cobb, opened in 1974. The bermudagrass fairways and bentgrass greens are set in open terrain, with woods flanking some holes. Rees Jones made some changes to the Players Course when he built the Champions, but it retained much of its "Cobb feel." Even from the front tees, the Players Course is difficult; as the scorecard reads, it's "recognized as one of the best public tests of golf." The Players Course is the more mature of the two, and if you're familiar with the work of George Cobb, you'll recognize this as one of his signature efforts. Rees Jones' modifications likely account for the addition of mounds and some new bunkering. But don't think that the Players Course is an easier version of its sister. From the back, there's still more than 7000 yards of tough golf ahead of you. There isn't nearly as much water on this 18, but you'll still find difficult greens and extensive bunkering. If the Champions Course looks crowded, think about trying the Players. It's still an excellent challenge and one of the best golfing values in North Carolina. The course begins with the No. 1 handicap hole, a long par 4 of 449 yards. A large fairway bunker awaits the sliced drive. Even a solid swat with the titanium will leave a tough approach to a large green with two enormous bunkers. Even the low handicapper must be slightly happy with a mere five. The Challenge at Hideaway Farms The Challenge at Hideaway Farms opened in 1997. Barry Brantley designed the course on undulating woodland; he used 419 bermudagrass in the fairways and Crenshaw bentgrass on the greens. In the same county as the smash hit Mill Creek (see subsequent entry), The Challenge at Hideaway Farms has been built and developed to rival the local competition. The Challenge has already been nominated as one of the top new courses in North Carolina. The most muscular hole surely is the par 5 18th, a 567-yard toughie that only the biggest hitters will reach in two. The tee shot is slightly uphill; the second shot must land between a couple of creeks, leaving a short to mid-iron to a tough green. The course is already proving popular, most interestingly with a number of golfers driving on I-40/I-85 who want to stop for some challenging golf. The Challenge is yet another fine addition to all the wonderful courses in the Triad. Amenities include a practice green, range, chipping green, snack bar, rental clubs and a pro shop. The course is walkable for the fit; you can walk anytime during the week. You can book a tee time one month in advance. Approximate cost, including cart, is $40 weekdays and $48 weekends. Crescent Golf Club Crescent Golf Club opened in 1998. John LaFoy designed the course; he used 419 bermudagrass in the fairways and Crenshaw bentgrass on the greens. Routed on a former dairy farm, Crescent is fine course that's remarkably mature for its age. Perhaps that's because it's not your typical modern "golf course community" golf course where homesites come first. There was enough good land for a golf course and a housing community, and the result is a fine and fun course that will provide challenges for players of all abilities. Fine holes abound, but particularly noteworthy is the par 5 14th, 529 from the tips, quite severely downhill with a semi-blind tee shot. With the fairways firm, even the medium-length golfer will find himself with a chance to go for it with a fairway wood, albeit from a downhill lie. The number one handicap hole is the 3rd, a 453-yard par 4 with the most difficult drive on the course, downhill between two large fairway bunkers. The perfect tee ball finds a slope and gathers some steam, leaving a long iron or fairway wood to the smallish green set at 45 degrees to the fairway. Par here is a fine effort. Part of the ownership at Crescent is a group of landscaping experts, and their influence is already on display: For a course this young, Crescent's greens are among the best in the Salisbury area. Crescent is a well-run addition to golf in the Piedmont of North Carolina. It's a what-you-see-is-what-you-get golf course where good play is rewarded with good results. Amenities include a practice green, range, chipping green, snack bar, rental clubs and a pro shop. The course is walkable for the fit; you can walk primarily during the week. Approximate cost, including cart, is $30 weekdays and $37 weekends. Grandover Resort The East Course opened in 1996, the West Course in 1997. Grandover Resort is the brainchild of Joseph Koury, a Greensboro developer and one of the wealthiest and most influential men in North Carolina. The two courses are part of a whopping and sumptuous 1,400-acre development that ultimately will include a resort hotel and conference center, custom homes, offices and shopping. Unlike many dual-course facilities, the developer and architects have promised that both East and West courses will be equally magnificent--no "poor uncle" syndrome here. It's hard to imagine a couple of courses with better access; a portion of the courses at Grandover can be seen from I-85. Described as "world class" by Triad Golf magazine, the courses at Grandover are vying to be top dog in the Triad, an area that's already rich in great golf courses. Don't be overly surprised if the Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic moves to Grandover in the not-too-distant future. David Graham and Roger Panks designed the courses, with 419 bermudagrass in the fairways and Crenshaw bentgrass on the greens. The developer has gone to great expense with details like granite yardage markers in the fairways; it's truly a first-class facility. Amenities include a practice green, range, chipping green, snack bar, rental clubs and a pro shop. There's also a spa, world-class restaurant, hotel, and conference amenities. There's also a Ken Venturi Golf Academy. Venturi is the accomplished professional golfer who is now an ornery TV commentator and pitchman for various products, including Orlimar golf clubs. Both courses are walkable for the fit; you can walk with permission from the pro. Approximate cost for either course, including cart, is $50 weekdays and $60 weekends. It's very important to call ahead for availability, as the resort aims to book as many packages as possible. East Course The East Course was the first to open and thus it's had a bit more time to mature. It's already gaining rave reviews and Golf Digest rated it four stars. It's built on undulating land and features a number of water hazards that could easily lead to some big numbers early in the round. The 2nd, a 535-yard par 5, offers an early scoring opportunity. You'll have to avoid a small lake on the right hand side of the fairway and the creek to the left of the hole, but solid positioning with the second or third shot could lead to an eagle or birdie. Any sort of wayward shot could lead to a big number. One of the many muscular holes on the East is the par 4 5th, 460 yards from the back tees. The tee shot to this narrowish fairway must avoid a creek on the left. The approach to the green must clear a bunker front right. Par here is somewhat relative! There's little in the way of let up on this course. It could very well test the mettle and patience of even the low-handicapper. With its abundance of hazards, undulation and length, Grandover's East Course is not a track for the faint-hearted. West Course Although it's still long from the tips and still very challenging, the West Course is considered the easier of the two tracks at Grandover. After playing the East Course, "easier" is a relative term. The best par 5 on the course is the 16th, with a creek inconveniently crossing the fairway about 100 yards from the green. The picturesque 11th is a 190-yard par 3 over wetlands; it's a beautiful hole if you hit the green. Isn't that always the way? The first, a 360-yard shortish par 4, is an entertaining opener, with its approach over a stream to a green guarded by bunkers left and back. The 190 yard par 3 11th is an intimidating hole with some bail-out to the left of the slim green. But it's the par 4 13th, at just 330 yards, that's easily the most interesting on the course, offering a variety of options from the tee. The world needs more short two-shotters like this one, with its bunkers in the middle of the fairway getting into the head of the golfer. With holes like the 11th and 13th, the West course might be the more cerebral of the two excellent courses here at Grandover. Greensboro National Golf Club Greensboro National Golf Club opened in late 1995. The course is set in rolling terrain bordered mostly by woods. In the fairways, you'll find bermudagrass; on the greens, you'll find bentgrass with zoysia collars. Don and Mark Charles designed the course. Set amid rolling farmland in horse country north of Greensboro, Greensboro National is a wonderful new course that's quickly become one of the more popular tracks in the area. The layout winds through a wonderful piece of land that's as pretty as any in the Piedmont. But more importantly, the designers, staff and developers created the course to be relatively easy to maintain and very golfer-friendly. With its four sets of well-spaced tees, the course is laid out to provide a fun challenge for golfers at all levels. The layout of most holes is traditional and unassuming--there are few blind shots and no tricks. There are no significant elevation changes. The challenges are in plain view for all to see. Water and wetlands come into play on 10 holes. The strategically placed bunkers need to be avoided if you're going to score well. The greens are large and steadily sloped--there are no significant or awkward undulations. The fairways are wide enough to let you use your driver on many holes--particularly the longer par 4s. Overall, we think you'll enjoy this track, which is best described as a golfer's golf course; it's a thoroughly well designed and fair test. There are no houses on the course--yet. We also think you'll enjoy the fine amenities and facilities in the unique clubhouse, which looks a lot like a stealth fighter jet... really! With the game on the line, the final hole, a 562-yard par 5 should provide some climactic and memorable moments. All you need are a solid drive, a well-struck long iron or fairway wood and then a laser-like short iron to the smallish green. Two putts and you've won the match. With nerves on edge and 50 cents on the line, par is easier said than done. Amenities include a range, practice green, snack bar, rental clubs and a pro shop. You can walk after 3 PM, but you'll find some significant distances between greens and tees. Approximate cost, including cart, is $35 weekdays and $45 on weekends. Hickory Hill Country Club The Golf Course at Hickory Hill Country Club, a Russell McMillan design, opened in 1970. Typical of courses in the Triad, Hickory Hill is primarily open but bordered by woods on a few holes. In the fairways, you'll find bermudagrass; on the greens, you'll find bentgrass. Although Hickory Hill is not a terribly old course, it has what might be described as a pre-war design. The layout is an excellent example of minimalist architecture in a pretty, relaxed setting. You'll find good room off the tee and a few lonely grass or sand bunkers. Most of the green complexes are not raised, thus you can play all the run-up shots you want. The greens are mostly flat and have been reseeded with Crenshaw bentgrass to provide patrons with a better putting surface. A new pro/course manager arrived in 1995, and has been making significant improvements to the course. If you're looking for an ultramodern moundfest with severely undulating greens, look elsewhere. Hickory Hill harkens back to the early days of golf when every good player knew how to run the ball up to the green from almost anywhere. Where's my mashie? Back-to-back par 5s on the second and third holes offer entertaining chances to score early in the round, and should provide useful birdies to offset the inevitable bogies that lurk on the back nine, most noticeably at the par 4 12th, 422 from the tips. All the TLC lavished on this course in the past few years has helped make this one of the better courses in the Triad, particularly for the money. Amenities include a practice green, range, chipping green, locker room, snack bar, rental clubs and a pro shop. This course is a good one to walk, and you may walk anytime during the week and after 2 PM on weekends. Approximate cost, including cart, is $24 weekdays and $28 on weekends. Indian Valley Indian Valley opened in 1975. Ellis Maples designed the course on rolling, wooded terrain with bermudagrass fairways and bentgrass greens. Water comes into play on several holes. Indian Valley is yet another wonderful municipally owned golf course in the Triad. It's just amazing, isn't it? And to boot, Indian Valley easily holds its own against Tanglewood, Bryan Park and Oak Hollow, the city-owned courses in Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point. Indian Valley actually opened in the mid '60s as a housing development; the development failed and the City of Burlington purchased the property in 1974 and opened the course to the public. Ellis Maples designed so many fine and wonderful golf courses in North Carolina in the post-war boom that there really should be a statue dedicated to him somewhere. The residents of Burlington should be extremely pleased that they have an Ellis Maples course. The design features many of those wonderful sweeping doglegs Maples must have loved so much. Fine examples would include the 1st, a par-4 360-yard dogleg left, and the 18th, a more daunting par-4 at 423 yards from the back tees. The consensus favorite hole might be the par 3 8th, 194 yards with a pond to the left of the green and bunkers to the right--little room for a bail out. As befits such a fine municipal track, the course is busy with men's and women's associations, junior clinics, college matches and other events, so make sure you call ahead for a tee time. Indian Valley is a find, particularly for the price of admission. Amenities include a practice green, range, and pro shop. Walking is somewhat restricted, but the course is extremely walkable. Approximate cost, including cart, is $22 weekdays and $28 on weekends. Jamestown Park Golf Course No one is sure when the golf course at Jamestown Park opened, but we known that John V. Townsend designed it. The course is set in rolling terrain and flanked by woods, with bermudagrass fairways and bentgrass greens. We're not sure what the "V" in John V. Townsend stands for. In fact, no one is sure who Townsend is; we're told that he may have been a local politician. However, he might have made a decent golf course architect. The course here is pleasant, challenging, sensible and well designed. You won't find a lot of trouble off the tee. The fairways are relatively wide. The greens are large to huge, with the occasional bunker providing a challenge. Three of the par 3s are fronted by gaping bunkers running the entire length of each putting complex. On other greens, you'll be able to run the ball up to the hole. A bit of water comes into play on the back nine, though it's nothing to lose sleep over. The front nine is pretty enough, but the back nine is more interesting, varied and fun. Dare we say it, but John V. Townsend may have been a fan and imitator of Ellis Maples, for a couple of holes would have made Maples quite happy. The course here at Jamestown Park is well worth a visit if you're looking for something relaxed yet challenging. Plus it's a good value. Amenities include a practice green, range, chipping green, locker room, snack bar and pro shop. You can walk anytime except before 12:30 PM on weekends. Approximate cost, including cart, is $25 weekdays and $30 on weekends. Lexington Golf and Country Club Dugan Aycock designed Lexington Golf and Country Club, which opened in 1936. Set on rolling terrain and flanked by houses, Lexington boasts bermudagrass fairways and greens. You may not have heard of Dugan Aycock, which is a shame. He's quite a character. Aycock played on the U.S. Army golf team during World War II; was friends with the likes of Trevino, Nicklaus and Palmer; encouraged the great Bobby Locke to come to America from South Africa; raised enormous sums of money for charity; and was a golfing partner of Bill "Earthquake" Smith, an officer of the law, former football player at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an excellent golfer. You can read the full story about Aycock in the men's locker room. Ladies, please knock before you enter. If times had been different, perhaps Aycock would have been a designer. His product here in Lexington is quirky, erratic, fascinating and short, with enormous character and variety. The course is set on what must be fewer than 100 acres and thus is somewhat tight. Modernists might consider the course to be too ancient and lacking in yards to be of interest, but most would be challenged to hit some of the small targets and score. Lexington is quite a test of shotmaking and accuracy. Big numbers await the even slightly wayward golfer. There aren't many bunkers, but they should be avoided at all costs. The greens are flat and smallish, and you'll be able to run the ball up on a few holes--just like in the 1930s. There are more than a couple of holes that would catch the attention of almost any golf course architect. Play this one if you're in the area and, after your round, devour some Lexington-style barbecue for a real treat. Big hitters might be tempted to scoff at the 268-yard downhill par 4 2nd, but their laughter will quickly turn to frustration if the tee shot fails to nail the narrow fairway or dribbles into the creek that fronts the small green. More courses need short but dangerous par 4s like the second here at Lexington. Completely surrounded by homes (but not obnoxiously so), Lexington can't really change that much. Thus, there's an emphasis on making the existing course and its facilities the best they can be. Which is nice. Amenities include a practice green, locker room, rental clubs and a pro shop. Walk almost anytime on this eminently walkable golf course. Approximate cost, including cart, is $19 weekdays and $21 on weekends. Lynrock Golf Club Jim Wilson designed Lynrock Golf Club, which opened in 1959 at the beginning of Elvis Presley's reign. The course is set on mostly flat terrain, with bermudagrass fairways and bentgrass greens. Lynrock offers fun and reasonably demanding country golf on a pretty track that winds around the valley floor immediately adjacent to the confluence of the Dan and Smith rivers. The river is remarkably wide here and comes into play on a couple of holes. This is most noticeable on the par 3 No. 2, which plays 150 yards from the tips. You tee off on one side of the river to a shallow green on the other side. Park it on the dance floor and you get to cross one of the most picturesque and longest bridges on any golf course in the area--perhaps in the Carolinas. A wonderful way to start the round. The rest of the course will not disappoint. The fairways are not overly wide, although they are fairly open. The greens are large and sloped; some are crowned and thus will play a little smaller if the greens are firm. Many of the green complexes include a series of medium-size bunkers, and you'll have to fly some of them. On other holes, you'll be able to run the ball up to the pin with a well executed half-shot or some creative use of your Texas wedge. Amenities include a practice green and rental clubs. The course is walkable and you can walk almost anytime. Approximate cost, including cart, is $22 weekdays and $23 on weekends. Maple Leaf Golf Club Maple Leaf Golf Club opened a front nine in 1981, designed by Ellis Maples, and a back nine in 1988, designed by Don Charles. The course is set in rolling wooded terrain, with bermudagrass fairways and bentgrass greens. You won't find many Canadians here, but you will find a fine secluded course with an outstanding design pedigree. Anyone who has played golf in the Carolinas has heard of the great Ellis Maples. Charles is lesser known, although he assisted with the renowned Legends complex in the Myrtle Beach area. The result of the combined work of these two architects is a course with great interest and variety. It's not long from the back, but the narrowness of the fairways, in places, makes up for the lack of length. On the front nine, the 5th is a fun hole. Hit a decent drive downhill and you'll have a short iron over water to a small green set on a peninsula. But don't let this hole make you think the course is overly penal. On most holes you can recover from slightly errant shots. Extremely poor shots will leave you dipping into your pocket for an extra ball. You'll find a variety of options off the tee as well as in the size, shape and structure of the green complexes. With its challenge, picturesque setting, subtleties and sensible pricing, Maple Leaf offers one of the best low-cost golfing venues in the Triad. Amenities include a practice green and snack bar. You can walk anytime during the week and after 4 PM on weekends. You can book a tee time seven days in advance. Approximate cost, including cart, is $23 weekdays and $26 on weekends. Meadowlands Meadowlands opened in late 1995. The course is set in beautiful terrain that's rolling and framed with woods. In the fairways, you'll find bermudagrass; on the greens, you'll putt on bentgrass. Hale Irwin and Stan Gentry designed the course. No, we're not in New Jersey. We're in bucolic hardwood forests just south of Winston-Salem on the road to Thomasville. Just when you thought there couldn't possibly be any more great golf courses in the Triad, here comes Meadowlands--a fun and playable course in a magnificent setting that's absolutely free of houses. In terms of setting, Meadowlands rivals Tanglewood. Hale Irwin is one of the greats of the modern era of professional golf. He holds the course record at Pinehurst #2, and in addition to winning tournaments on that course, he's won at such difficult and treacherous layouts as Winged Foot, Inverness, Medinah, Harbor Town, Butler National and Pebble Beach. There are few players in the game who are more athletic or more consistent. Unlike some of his contemporaries who have ventured into the golf course design game, Irwin (based on the example here at Meadowlands) produces a golf course that mostly follows the lie of the land and is not overly demanding. You won't find excessive carries over water or swamp. You won't find wildly undulating greens. You won't find deep and almost inescapable bunkers lurking near the greens. Here at Meadowlands, you'll play a relatively straightforward track where most of the problems are easily seen and easily avoided with sound execution. Water comes into play on a few holes, most noticeably the par 4 10th, where you'll need to smack the ball about 200 yards over a small lake to reach the fairway from the back tees. It's probably the only really intimidating shot on the course. Irwin routed the course to include a number of fine driving holes. Apart from the sound design work, you'll enjoy Meadowlands for the setting. As we've mentioned, there are no houses on the course, and you really feel like you're miles away from all the clutter and clamor of today's fast-paced lifestyle. Golf should be an escape from the real world, and Meadowlands provides a rare example of a modern course that's designed to follow this belief. We think you'll find Meadowlands a must-play course in the Triad area. Even though 6703 yards from the tips is relatively short these days, Meadowlands should provide the low-handicapper with a sensible challenge. From the middle and forward tees, Meadowlands will challenge the mid- to high-handicapper. Definitely give this one a try. You can walk after 3 PM, but sadly, the course is not really designed to be walkable. You can book a tee time a week in advance. Approximate cost, including cart, is $35 weekdays and $42 on weekends. Mill Creek Golf Club The Golf Course at Mill Creek opened in late 1995. The course is set in rolling terrain bordered by woods and homesites. Rick Robbins and Brian Lussier designed the course in association with Gary Koch. You'll find bermudagrass in the fairways and bentgrass on the greens. In 1995, North Carolina Magazine voted Mill Creek the best new public course in North Carolina. It's a well-designed course that presents an excellent challenge for the low-handicap golfer. The course is part of a large and extensive new-home community, creating difficult out-of-bounds situations in plenty of spots. Overall, the course is full of serious difficulties. For starters, the rough here is rough. It's probably unlike any other rough we've ever seen. You know the thick long grass that grows so well in your back yard? Well, golf fans, that's the rough you'll find at Mill Creek. Miss the fairway here and your ball might be 4 inches deep in stuff that will not yield to a weed-eater, let alone a five iron. In most cases, your only real option is to chip out and take your medicine. Of course, if you can keep it really straight and really long all the time, then you'll be just fine. If the suicide rough doesn't cause enough problems, the course offers plenty of other difficulties in the form of water, streams, out of bounds in difficult spots, woods, blind driving holes, large bunkers and some severely sloping greens. If you're having a bad day, things are really going to be awful, and you might end up losing a lot of golf balls and throwing a lot of clubs around. However, once you reach the green, you're going to be really excited. The greens here are magnificently manicured and amazingly fast--especially for a public course that gets a lot of play. There's ample variety at Mill Creek plus a number of really challenging holes. The 428-yard par 4 finishing hole features a unique touch in the form of a split fairway. It's an interesting aesthetic feature, but it was difficult to discern what it really added to the hole's playability or appeal. There seemed to be no advantage, risk, or reward in choosing fairway A or fairway B. With all the great courses in North Carolina, it's definitely worth a visit to the one voted best new course--in anyone's poll. However, you might find Mill Creek unnecessarily difficult and better suited to the seasoned golfer. Walking is restricted. As you might expect from a brand-new housing-development course, there are some significant distances between a few of the greens and the subsequent tees. Approximate cost, including cart, is $38 weekdays and $45 on weekends. Monroeton Golf Club According to local legend, there was a golf course here when golfers still played on sand greens. Estimates of the date of origin indicate sometime in the 1940s, but the real date play began here might be even earlier. No one is sure who designed this course, which is bordered by woods and houses amid a rolling landscape. In the fairways, you'll find a combination of bermudagrass and native grasses; on the greens, you'll find bentgrass. You might think that Monroeton Golf Club is a bit of an anachronism, and it is. This classic country track probably has remained untouched since the first golfer teed off here. The fairways are wide and somewhat undefined. Bunkers, there are not. The greens are sloped, crowned and large. If the ground is hard, you'll have to run the ball up to the green because it's unlikely your approach shot will hold. If you want to see what it was like playing golf before earth was moved and sands shifted, you need to play here. Besides, is there a lower cost for 18 holes, including cart, in the Triad? If you're having some sort of legal dispute either on or off the golf course, you'll be pleased to know that the firm of Griffin and Crapse, with offices adjacent to the 3rd tee, will be more than willing to help you (for a fee). If you call and the secretary says Mr. Crapse is on the golf course and he'll be back in a minute, it's probably true. Amenities include a practice green, range, locker room and snack bar. You can walk this course anytime. Approximate cost, including cart, is $11 weekdays and $16 on weekends. Oak Hollow Golf Course Oak Hollow Golf Course opened in 1972. Pete Dye designed the course on rolling, primarily open terrain, with a lake bordering many holes on the front nine. Fairways are bermudagrass, and greens are bentgrass. Golf Digest ranked the course as one of the best in the United States for less than $50 a round. Bill Coore, who now partners with Ben Crenshaw in the golf course architecture business, learned some of the tricks of the trade while working on this course with Pete Dye. Yes, the Pete Dye designed this course. And what a course, especially for a public track. After the Robert Trent Jones era of golf course architecture came the Pete Dye era, and you'll see many of the features that made Dye one of the most in-demand architects in the universe. Dye began life as a successful life insurance salesman, and there must be many a befuddled golfer who wishes he had stuck to explaining the difference between term and life. During the '60s, Dye and his wife, Alice, herself an accomplished course designer and player, toured Scotland in between designing moderate-cost courses in the Midwest. Oak Hollow was built before Dye's career really took off and Japanese developers began lining up with bunkers-full of cash just to have a Dye course. Oak Hollow is the only Pete Dye course in North Carolina that's open to the public. Although Dye incorporated a number of Scottish features in his work, this is not a links course. There isn't a great deal of trouble off the tee on most holes. The real work begins around the green complexes, which feature bizarre slopes, bunkers and shapes. It's quite possible to hit a green and still work extremely hard for a par. One of us hit the green on the perilous 6th hole (a 420-yard par 4), found a grassy mound between the ball and the hole and had to get up to the pin with a lob wedge. On many holes, Dye brings Oak Hollow Lake into play in spectacular fashion, particularly on the aforementioned 6th hole, where the tee box sits right in the middle of the lake. Other golf course architects spend time creating subtle shapes and nuances in an effort to create aesthetically pleasing layouts. Dye uses his imagination to create golf holes that are bizarre, penal, wonderful and somewhat mind-bending. His goal is to get you thinking; of course, that's when the trouble begins. If you're a student of golf course architecture, make the effort to play this course. It's quite an experience. And at less than $30 per round, it's a Dye course that won't increase your overdraft. It's a must-play in North Carolina. Amenities include a practice green, range, chipping green, locker room, snack bar, rental clubs and a pro shop. The course is walkable, and you can walk anytime (also hard to believe). Approximate cost, including cart, is $25 weekdays and $28 on weekends. Huge value. Oak Valley Golf Club Oak Valley Golf Club opened in late 1995. The course is set in open and gently rolling terrain. In the fairways, you'll find bermudagrass; on the greens, you'll find bentgrass. Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay designed the course, which is part of a housing development. Just minutes from Tanglewood, Oak Valley is already vying to be one of the top golf course layouts in the quality-rich Triad. It helps that one of the greatest golfers ever attached his name and considerable design reputation to the course. For years, Palmer's designs have been ably implemented by Ed Seay, who oversees an extremely capable group of architects. Here at Oak Valley, you'll find some of the trademarks of a Palmer/Seay course. The greens undulate gently, and the green complexes feature an artistic combination of bunkers and swales--all designed to make getting up and down a considerable challenge. If you're on the wrong side of a green, a three-putt is a definite possibility. The architects made great use of the land to produce a number of excellent driving holes; these define the course and make it stand out from others in the Triad. From the tee, you'll find plenty of difficulty lurking in and around the fairways, which are of sensible width. Palmer and Seay like to tempt golfers into "going for it" off the tee. Make the shot and you're in great shape; miss it and you're in a trap, out of bounds or in wetlands. It's a fine example of strategic golf. Making life just a little more difficult at Oak Valley is a stream that meanders through nine holes. If you like a fine and serious test of golf, try Oak Valley. Once it's had just a bit more time to mature, it's going to rival some of the other Palmer courses in the state, such as TPC at Piper Glen in Charlotte or Pinehurst Plantation in Southern Pines. Oak Valley looks tough enough to test the professional from the tips, yet fair enough to provide a fun challenge from the forward tees. The course is owned and operated by Carolinas Golf Group, so the quality of your golfing experience should be safely assured. Try this course at least once--you may be tempted to challenge it over and over again. You can walk on weekdays, but walking is really only for the fit. You can book a tee time a week in advance. Approximate cost, including cart, is $35 weekdays and $45 on weekends. Pine Knolls Golf Course Pine Knolls Golf Course opened in 1969. Most holes are open, and others are bordered by woods or houses. Bermudagrass blankets the fairways, with bentgrass covering the greens. Yet another Triad golf course with the word "pine" in its name, Pine Knolls offers a fun and mostly straightforward golf outing. The setting is pleasant and relaxed. You won't find a lot of bunkers, but you will find plenty of variety and a decent amount of challenge. The layout is sensible and not overly penal, although really bad shots will yield really bad results. Off the tee, you must think about and choose the correct weapon--use the driver wisely, perhaps sparingly. Around the medium-size greens, you'll find slope and some undulation. A few greens allow you to run the ball up from the fairway. One touch we especially liked was the path cut through the rough from the tee boxes to the fairways. It's a statement from the management that says: "Yes, we like walkers." Pine Knolls is clearly popular; it's also a good value. Amenities include a practice green, range, chipping green, locker room, snack bar, rental clubs and a pro shop. Walk Pine Knolls anytime during the week and after 1:30 PM on weekends. Approximate cost, including cart, is $22 weekdays and $28 on weekends. Pine Tree Golf Club Pine Tree Golf Club opened in 1971. Gene Hamm designed the course on rolling, wooded terrain. In the fairways, you'll find bermudagrass; on the greens, bentgrass. Pine Tree is a course with challenge, scenic beauty and excellent variety. There are virtually no houses lining the course, so you'll be pleasingly far away from the hassles of modern civilization. For those who play golf for the joys of peace and solitude, Pine Tree is a course you'll find tremendously enjoyable. Gene Hamm is one of the most under-appreciated architects in the Carolinas. There's ample room off the tee on most holes. Feel free to take out the big stick--you'll need it on many of the longer par 4s. The greens are large and sloped. The green complexes boast an abundance of large and flat bunkers. Quite a few greens are flush with their respective fairways; they're not built up in any way. So, despite all the bunkers, you can run the ball up to the pin on a few holes if the ground is hard. Water comes into play here and there but should not cause too much of a problem. Occasional trees near or in the fairways will make you think twice about your next shot. The sweeping dogleg 6th, a wonderful 385-yard par 4 is a particularly fun hole. The general feeling of being away from it all is what we liked best about Pine Tree. Combine the peaceful setting with a challenging and varied course and you should be in for a good round. It's definitely a good value. Amenities include a practice green, range, chipping green, locker room, snack bar, restaurant and pro shop. You can walk Pine Tree only on weekdays. Approximate cost, including cart, is $25 weekdays and $30 on weekends. Pudding Ridge Golf Club Pudding Ridge Golf Club opened in 1994. The course is set in open, rolling terrain, with bermudagrass fairways and bentgrass greens. Mark Charles and Don Bowles teamed up on the design. Pudding Ridge takes the cake for the most intriguing golf course name. According to local sources, British Gen. Cornwallis' troops coined the name during the American Revolutionary War. The troops thought that the soil looked like pudding, which, as you may know, is the British word for a dessert, e.g. Christmas Pudding. Pudding Ridge is a new course with an interesting design. The owners of the property took the architectural duties upon themselves, and their work is admirable. Pudding Ridge has gained in maturity, and its openness is unique and in stark contrast to the Triad's many wooded courses. The openness also gives the course a little bit of a linksy feel. You'll find a lot of room off the tee, some sloping medium to large greens and assorted sizes of bunkers that come into play in varying degrees based on pin placement. One of the great aspects of Pudding Ridge is that, unlike many modern courses, there's an absence of mounds. We like the abandoned grain silo in the 5th fairway--a unique hazard. The question of what happens if the ball falls in the silo is best left to the rules gurus in Far Hills, New Jersey (at USGA headquarters). Amenities include a practice green, chipping green, locker room, snack bar, restaurant, rental clubs and a pro shop. The course is walkable for the physically fit, and you can walk anytime during the week and after 3 PM on weekends. Approximate cost, including cart, is $27 weekdays and $30 on weekends. Reynolds Park Golf Course Reynolds Park Golf Course opened in 1940. Perry Maxwell designed the original layout, and Ellis Maples revised the track in 1966. The course is primarily open, although woods border a few holes. Fairways are bermudagrass; greens, bentgrass. Here at Reynolds Park, you'll play a fine old municipal course that's justifiably popular. Maxwell is not a big name in North Carolina, but he's known for another extremely popular municipal course: Hillandale in Durham. He was quite a character, and you can read about him in the Hillandale review in our Triangle chapter. He also designed Winston-Salem's grandest country club course at Old Town. The course is laid out on a relatively small tract of land, thus some of the fairways are pretty tight. But the course is open, so you won't be out of bounds very often even if your drive strays. It's certainly an entertaining course. There are some holes where it seems like Maples left well enough alone. These holes are somewhat featureless and bunkerless but challenging. Other holes reveal Maples' influence, featuring large bunkers and sloped greens. The result is a lot of variety and a need for accuracy with approach shots. You'll also notice some fine views of downtown Winston-Salem. The course is evidently quite popular with local golfers--low- and high-handicappers alike. The par 5 532-yard 4th is a fine hole, downhill to a wide fairway bisected by a stream that may take the driver out of the hands of the big hitters when the ground is baked. The approach shot must avoid a clump of trees on the left-hand side of the fairway. It's one of the many fine driving holes on the golf course. Amenities include a practice green, range, locker room, snack bar, rental clubs and a pro shop. You can walk the course anytime during the week and after 1 PM on weekends. Approximate cost, including cart, is $22 weekdays and $28 on weekends. Salem Glen Salem Glen opened in 1997. Glen Day and Jack Nicklaus designed this course on rolling wooded terrain. In the fairways, you'll find 419 bermudagrass; on the greens, G-2 bentgrass. Salem Glen is a new housing development golf course near Winston-Salem. Everyone knows Jack Nicklaus, and most who follow the PGA Tour will recognize Glen Day, who won his first PGA Tour event in 1999. From the tips, Salem Glen is demanding and designed to test the professional or scratch man. Play from the Members' tees and it's a completely different course: a lot friendlier for the mid- to high-handicapper. The course abuts the Yadkin River, and water comes into play on several holes, providing much of Salem Glen's strategic challenge. In fact, there are 4½ miles of creeks and nine lakes on this tract of land. The large greens aren't unduly sloped and there's decent room off the tee. The front nine features a number of holes adjacent to the Yadkin River while the back nine features more elevation changes. This might be most noticeable on the par 5 14th, where the approach must clear a ravine to reach a green tucked into an embankment. Perhaps Salem Glen's calling card is the variety it offers: no two holes are even remotely the same, yet all are set among some of the most majestic scenery in the Triad. Despite its youth, Salem Glen has already established itself as one of the premier challenges in this exceptional area. Only members and their guests may walk this course. Approximate cost, including cart, is $35 weekdays and $45 on weekends. Sandy Ridge Golf Course Sandy Ridge Golf Course opened in 1972. Gene Hamm designed this layout amid rolling wooded terrain. In the fairways, you'll find bermudagrass; on the greens, bentgrass. Just to the south and west of Greensboro near Piedmont Triad International Airport is the tiny town of Colfax, and this is its one golf course. You're greeted by a docile and somewhat geriatric dog of mixed breed who sniffs at your golf shoes with comforting approval. A new greenskeeper arrived in 1995, and just after the commencement of his employment, we heard distinct murmurs of approval from golfers with whom we spoke. The design is interesting and varied. Most of the time you'll find plenty of room off the tee, although the back nine seems a little tight in spots. The greens vary in size, are only slightly sloped and, on some holes, are surrounded by small mounds. There are no bunkers, so you'll be able to play some run-up shots if you're a long way from the green and can't land your ball like a well-thrown dart. The terrain is pretty, the golf is relaxed and the dog is well-fed and amiable. Although it's a short par 5, the 4th still demands the respect of even the long hitter, who must salivate at the 434 yards listed on the scorecard. A lake will devour any ball that skips over the green. The next hole, at 468 yards, also a par 5, might actually offer a better birdie chance. Amenities include a practice green, locker room, snack bar and dog (again, friendly). You may walk this course anytime during the week or after noon on weekends. Approximate cost, including cart, is $27 weekdays and $30 on weekends. Southwick Golf Course Southwick Golf Course opened in 1960s. Elmo Cobb designed this well-maintained course on predominantly open land, with woods bordering a few holes. It's seeded with bermudagrass fairways and bentgrass greens. Don't let the abbreviated yardage fool you. Let's just call Southwick a Dudley Moore course: short yet entertaining. It can be plenty tough from the back tees, especially considering the need to play it straight with the driver. The rolling terrain may cause some difficulty with club selection on your approach shots. Call it the Witches of Southwick effect (with apologies to John Updike). You won't find Cher here, nor will you find Jack Nicholson, but you will find bewitching greens that vary in size, shape and slope, quite a few devilish bunkers and some water. Overall, Southwick offers good variety, plenty of doglegs and lots of entertainment. A section of the county amateur tournament is held here, and the staff in the pro shop tells us that scores for that event are always highest here. Amenities include a practice green, range, snack bar, rental clubs and a pro shop. You can walk anytime, save weekends before 3 PM in the summer. You can book a tee time anytime. Approximate cost, including cart, is $12 weekdays and $20 on weekends. Stoney Creek Stoney Creek Golf Club opened in 1992. Tom Jackson designed the course, which is set in rolling terrain and bordered by woods and houses. Fairways are bermudagrass; greens, bentgrass. In 1993, Golf Digest rated Stoney Creek the top new course in North Carolina. The slope of 144 from the back tees is about as high a rating as you'll find most anywhere in North and South Carolina. Consider that the rating from the back tees for the Ocean Course at Kiawah (South Carolina) is about 149. According to the staff in the pro shop, Stoney Creek from the tips is every bit as difficult as its muscular slope rating; in fact, it's a Monday qualifying site for the Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic. If you're not a scratch golfer and you're not up for more than 7000 yards of Tom Jackson, consider the other more forgiving tees: There are four sets for your golfing enjoyment. Head for the tips only if you're a five handicap or below. Ask Tom Jackson about some of his favorite designs and Stoney Creek makes the list--perhaps because Jackson was allowed to lay out the course before the housing development. If you're going to have houses around a golf course, Stoney Creek is a rare example of the proper way to build a housing-development course. You won't find the abundance of mounds that you might find on other Jackson courses, but you will encounter plenty of bunkering off the tee and around the green complexes. The 1st hole, a tortuous par 5 at a mere 580 from the tips, is probably one of the most difficult starting holes in the area. Many of the bunkers are of the large cloverleaf-shape variety; others are a little smaller but no less penal. Steep embankments flank many of the greens. Stoney Creek--the creek itself--is not as much a factor as it might seem. The putting surfaces on this course are mostly sloped and large, although some are quite undulating. Perhaps what separates this Jackson course from others is the excellent variety. Jackson manages to incorporate a number of different looks in most of his courses, but at Stoney Creek he offers increased interest and mental challenge on a playable and not overly penal design. The setting is also remarkably peaceful, given the proximity of houses to many holes. Just five minutes from I-40/85 between Burlington and Greensboro, Stoney Creek is accessible; it's also an excellent value. Local golfers know how good the course is, but outside the Triad, word has yet to spread, which is why we're spreading it here. Amenities include a practice green, range, chipping green, snack bar, restaurant and pro shop. A new clubhouse opened in 1999. The course is walkable for the physically fit, and you may walk anytime during the week and after 3:30 PM on weekends. Approximate cost, including cart, is $40 weekdays and $45 on weekends. Tanglewood Park Tanglewood Park boasts two formidable Robert Trent Jones courses: the Championship, which opened in 1959, redesigned in 1973; and the Reynolds, which opened nine holes in 1965, nine more in 1970. Both tracks are set in rolling wooded terrain, although the Championship Course is slightly more open. Both offer bermudagrass fairways and bentgrass greens. But let's talk about Tanglewood Park. Just west of Winston-Salem, in bucolic and ancient woodlands, you'll find this magnificent amenity. The Reynolds family donated the land. You may have heard of their company: R.J. Reynolds. In a day at Tanglewood, you could play golf, attend a corporate picnic, get married in the wedding chapel, go horseback riding, attend a steeplechase, play tennis, jog, go camping and then be buried in the graveyard adjacent to the 18th green on the Championship Course. There can't be many park complexes like Tanglewood. But we're here to talk about golf, not parks. There are two wonderful and nationally recognized courses here, both of which have appeared in Golf Digest's list of the Top 100 Public Courses. In 1974, the Championship Course hosted the PGA Championship--won by Lee Trevino. Each fall, members of the PGA Senior Tour gather here for one of the richest events of the year, the Vantage Championship. The purse typically brings out the best players on the tour, including Palmer, Trevino, Charles, Rodriguez, Floyd and Irwin. During the rest of the year, the course attracts people from across North and South Carolina who feel motivated to attack one of the least-vulnerable golf courses anywhere. Estimates vary, but Tanglewood boasts somewhere between 120 and 140 bunkers. It just depends on who you ask. You could ask the maintenance supervisor, but he's probably too busy maintaining the sand to notice your query. We'll get to the bunkers later. The only problem here, in our minds, is the architecture of the clubhouse, which looks more like an East German chiropractic clinic than a structure befitting two of the prettiest and finest public golf courses in the Carolinas. Anyway, who cares what the clubhouse looks like as long as the burgers and hot dogs are worth their mustard (and they are). Amenities include a practice green, range, chipping green, locker room, snack bar/grill, rental clubs, a wedding chapel and a pro shop. The Championship Course is more walkable than the Reynolds; ironically, you can walk the Reynolds Course anytime but may only walk the Championship Course in December, January, July and August. You can book a tee time seven days in advance. Approximate cost, including cart, is $45 weekdays and $48 on weekends for the Championship and $30 every day for the Reynolds. If you live outside North Carolina, the cost for the Championship Course is upwards of $65.
This might be the prettiest and most challenging public course in the Southeast and about the only course that could qualify as equal to Pinehurst #2. If it's not No. 1, then it's got to be in the top three. The course is long and plays even longer. The fairways are as wide as the rough will allow. The greens are large and undulating to the point where a two-putt is an accomplishment. But it's the excessive bunkering that makes this course so difficult. It's Bunkers R Us. Just about every shot you play from the tee, and certainly every approach shot, will be influenced by the beach. If you're shooting for a green, it's safest to aim for the middle and hope for the best. The Seniors who play the course love it for the lack of housing and other intrusions but have always moaned about the greens. In the past couple of years, management seems to have fixed the situation--finally. There are so many great holes at Tanglewood that it's virtually impossible to single out one or two. A consensus favorite might be the 424-yard 14th, which requires a solid drive through a chute and over water to a narrow and sloped landing area; the approach is uphill to a large green surrounded on all sides by bunkers. Just one of the many magnificent holes on a course that's more and more underrated each and every year. Even if your ball is finding the bunkers more than the greens, you can't help appreciating the wonderful setting and ambiance. With its pristine ponds and lakes, its large and mature trees, its chutes and its tranquillity, this outstanding layout feels like an exclusive country club. In fact, probably plenty of country clubs would gladly trade courses with Tanglewood. You'll find magnificent hole after magnificent hole. It's a must-play course in North Carolina, even if the weather preceding your visit has made course maintenance difficult. Play here before you pass on to the great sand trap in the sky. Reynolds Course Don't think of the Reynolds Course as the poor sister of the Championship Course. Robert Trent Jones, bless his heart, endowed Reynolds with far less bunkering. The challenge here comes from the dense woods surrounding many of the holes. From the back tees, all the trees make driving the ball a serious challenge. Even if you avoid the trees, you may end up in the deep rough. The greens on this course are predominantly massive, so note the pin position and feel free to fire at it. Even if you miss the green, you'll have a good chance at par if you chip well out of the rough. Water comes into play in the most awkward places, such as right in front of the green on a 214-yard par 3. Thank you, Mr. Jones. While some of the greens are only slightly sloped, others offer dramatic elevation changes, making putting all the more difficult. When we visited the course, several greens were in need of serious help, although this may have been caused by the inclement weather preceding our inspection. The course is undergoing a long-term renovation supervised by the head of maintenance. If you can't get on the Championship Course, or if you're in the mood for slightly less bunkering and difficulty, try the Reynolds Course. It would be walkable, except for the fact that the distance between the 9th green and the 10th tee is nearly a mile. Again, it's a wonderfully pretty and peaceful course, just like its sister.
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