The mountains of Western North Carolina have drawn people seeking cooler temperatures and natural beauty since the railroads first made these peaks accessible in the late 1800s. What began as a summer escape for wealthy families from the lowlands gradually evolved into a year-round community, and with those early settlers came the traditions they valued—including golf.
The story of golf in Highlands isn’t just about courses and clubhouses. It’s about how a sport became woven into the fabric of mountain life, how designers learned to work with terrain that refused to be tamed, and how a community built around recreation and natural beauty made golf one of its defining characteristics.
The Early Days: Highlands as Summer Retreat
Before golf came to these mountains, Highlands had already established itself as a destination. Founded in 1875 by developers who believed the area’s elevation and climate made it ideal for summer living, the town attracted visitors from across the Southeast. They came to escape the oppressive heat and humidity of Charleston, Savannah, and Atlanta, finding relief in mountain air that stayed comfortable even during the peak of summer.
These early visitors brought with them the leisure activities popular among their social class. Tennis courts appeared at the various inns and boarding houses. Croquet lawns provided gentle competition. And eventually, as golf grew in popularity across America in the early 1900s, the demand for golf courses followed the summer residents to the mountains.
The challenge was finding suitable land. Unlike the relatively flat coastal plains where many early American courses were built, the Highlands area offered nothing but steep hillsides, creek valleys, and forests. The terrain that made the region beautiful also made it seemingly impossible for golf.
Highlands Country Club: Establishing the Tradition
In 1929, Highlands Country Club opened as the area’s first golf course, establishing a tradition that would define mountain golf in Western North Carolina. The founders faced the challenge that would confront every subsequent course designer in the region: how do you build golf holes on land that nature never intended for the sport?
The solution wasn’t to fight the terrain but to work with it. The original nine holes at Highlands Country Club followed the natural contours of the land, climbing hillsides and descending into valleys in ways that would have seemed impossible to golfers accustomed to flatter ground. Fairways were carved from mountain forests, and greens were built wherever the topography allowed relatively level ground.
What made that original course work—and what keeps it relevant today—was the realization that mountain golf didn’t need to conform to standards established on flat land. A 300-yard par 4 that climbed 50 feet of elevation played plenty long. A 150-yard par 3 that plunged downhill to a green surrounded by trouble offered plenty of challenge. Distance mattered less than terrain, and course ratings needed to account for elevation as much as yardage.
The club became a gathering place for the summer community and the small year-round population. Morning rounds followed by lunch on the veranda. Afternoon games with bets that mattered more for pride than money. The rhythms of club life that existed at courses across America, adapted to mountain time and mountain ways.
The Post-War Mountain Golf Boom
After World War II, mountain communities across Western North Carolina began to change. Better roads made the region more accessible. Air conditioning reduced the urgency of escaping to the mountains for the summer. But rather than declining, places like Highlands and nearby Cashiers saw renewed interest as people discovered these mountains offered more than just heat relief—they offered a different kind of life.
Golf course development accelerated during the 1960s and 1970s as developers recognized the appeal of mountain golf. Each new course had to solve the same puzzle: how do you create golf that works with extreme topography while still being playable for a range of skill levels?
The solutions varied. Some courses followed creek valleys, using relatively gentle terrain to create more traditional layouts. Others embraced the mountainous character, routing holes up and down hillsides that would have been considered impossible just decades earlier. Equipment improved—better earthmoving machinery made it easier to create tees, fairways, and greens on challenging sites. Irrigation systems allowed courses to maintain playing conditions that earlier generations couldn’t have imagined.
High Hampton Resort added golf to its amenities, creating a course that served families and resort guests while maintaining mountain character. The layout worked around Hampton Lake and through rolling terrain, offering golf that was challenging without being overwhelming for recreational players.
The Sapphire Valley Development
In the early 1970s, development began on what would become one of the region’s premier golf communities. Just a few miles from Highlands, Sapphire Valley’s history traces back to 1973 when developer Darnall Boyd acquired 1,450 acres along the scenic Horsepasture River.
Boyd had already rebuilt Lake Toxaway, returning that community to the glory it had known before the historic 1916 flood destroyed the original dam and drained the lake. His vision for Sapphire Lakes (as it was originally known) centered on creating a mountain community where golf and outdoor recreation worked together rather than competing for attention.
Construction began with a pool house and dining area, followed by the first residential properties. In 1983, work started on the golf course’s first nine holes, with the back nine completed in 1985. This represented a different approach to mountain golf development—rather than building the course first and hoping to sell lots around it, the community was developed gradually, with golf added as the residential base grew.
Tom Jackson’s Vision at Burlingame
The golf course that would eventually become known as Burlingame Country Club represented the evolution of mountain course design. By the 1980s, designers had decades of experience building courses in challenging terrain, and they understood what worked and what didn’t.
Tom Jackson’s design philosophy at Burlingame showed how far mountain golf had come since those early days at Highlands Country Club. Rather than simply routing holes wherever the land allowed, Jackson created a course that used the terrain strategically. Elevation changes weren’t obstacles to overcome but features that added interest and challenge.
The routing took advantage of natural elements—the Horsepasture River, old growth forests, rock outcroppings, and dramatic elevation changes between 3,000 and 3,500 feet. Each hole had its own character, dictated by the land rather than imposed upon it. The result was golf that felt like it belonged in these mountains, not like something built despite the mountains.
Jackson understood that mountain golfers needed variety. Some holes rewarded length; others demanded accuracy. Some asked for precise iron play; others required thoughtful course management. The greens were generous in size but featured the subtle contours that make mountain putting interesting—breaks influenced by the slope of the land beyond the putting surface.
The Modern Era: Refinement and Recognition
As the 20th century ended and the 21st began, mountain golf in the Highlands-Cashiers-Sapphire Valley region had fully matured. What began as a novelty—golf in the mountains—had evolved into a recognized style of golf with its own character and appeal.
Private clubs like Wade Hampton Golf Club pushed the boundaries of what was possible in mountain design. Tom Fazio’s routing there showed how modern design techniques and generous budgets could create courses that looked completely natural while being meticulously constructed. The course quickly gained recognition as one of America’s finest, drawing attention to the entire region.
In 2005, the Sapphire Lakes community underwent significant changes. Developer Mark Meadows purchased the property and began improvements to the facilities. The community embraced the Burlingame name (taken from nearby Burlingame Creek), marking a new chapter in the property’s evolution.
The planned development on the other side of the Horsepasture River represented the next generation of mountain golf community design. Rather than building homes directly on golf holes, the concept focused on preserving natural areas while providing golf access. Members who purchased in 2009 and completed the transition to member ownership by 2010 took control of a property that had evolved significantly from its origins.
Golf Course Architecture in the Mountains
The history of golf in Highlands can’t be separated from the evolution of golf course architecture itself. Early designers had limited equipment and budget, forcing them to work minimally with the land. Modern designers have sophisticated machinery and substantial budgets but often choose to work minimally with the land anyway—not from necessity but from philosophy.
The best mountain courses share certain characteristics that emerged through trial and error over decades. They route holes along natural corridors rather than blasting through ridges. They use existing features—rock outcroppings, creek beds, mature trees—as strategic elements rather than clearing them away. They create fairways and greens that work with natural drainage rather than fighting it.
Elevation changes receive careful consideration. A hole that climbs 50 feet from tee to green needs different design elements than a flat hole of the same length. The uphill approach shot demands a generous landing area and a green that accepts shots coming in at a low trajectory. The downhill approach shot needs protection that prevents balls from running through the green.
Green sites in the mountains often sit on natural plateaus or benches—places where the land flattens enough to build a putting surface. The designer’s skill shows in finding these spots and routing holes to reach them naturally. Forced carries, artificial mounding, and excessive earthmoving mark inferior mountain design. The best courses look like the land was always waiting for golf.
The Social History: Golf as Community Center
Golf in Highlands has always been as much about community as sport. The membership structure at clubs like Burlingame reflects this—families join together, multiple generations play together, and friendships form over shared rounds and dining experiences after golf.
This social aspect distinguishes mountain golf clubs from many lowland alternatives. The smaller year-round population means members see the same faces regularly, creating connections that go beyond golf. The seasonal nature of mountain communities, with populations swelling in summer and shrinking in winter, creates rhythms that feel different from suburban country clubs.
Summer brings tournaments, member-guest events, and the kind of social golf that defines mountain club life. Fall offers peaceful rounds with spectacular scenery as the hardwood forests turn color. Winter sees a handful of hardy souls playing when conditions allow, maintaining their connection to the course through the quiet months.
The wellness facilities, lawn sports, and other amenities that modern mountain clubs offer expand the definition of golf community. Families might spend the morning golfing, the afternoon at the pool or playing tennis, and the evening enjoying dinner together—all within the same property, all part of what golf membership means in the mountains.
Environmental Stewardship and Golf
The environmental movement that gained momentum in the 1960s and 1970s changed how golf courses were designed and maintained everywhere, but it had particular impact in the mountains. These watersheds feed rivers and streams that people depend on. The forests and natural areas contain ecosystems that took centuries to develop.
Modern mountain courses like Burlingame balance golf with environmental responsibility. Maintenance practices protect water quality. Native areas are preserved rather than cleared. Wildlife corridors remain intact. The goal isn’t just sustainable golf—it’s golf that actively contributes to conservation.
This evolution reflects changing attitudes among golfers themselves. Players who choose mountain golf often do so partly because they value the natural setting. They want courses that feel like part of the landscape rather than impositions on it. They appreciate maintenance practices that keep grass healthy without excessive chemical inputs. They value seeing wildlife on the course—from white-tailed deer to the occasional black bear.
The golf course superintendent’s role has evolved from groundskeeper to environmental steward. Managing turf is still important, but so is managing the entire property—the creek banks, the forest edges, the natural areas that give mountain courses their character.
The Economic Impact of Mountain Golf
Golf has played an important economic role in the Highlands region since those early days at Highlands Country Club. The sport attracts visitors who stay in local accommodations, eat at local restaurants, and shop at local businesses. Golf real estate—homes near or within golf communities—represents significant property value and tax base.
The direct employment at golf facilities includes grounds crews, golf shop staff, food and beverage workers, and management. Indirect employment comes from the contractors, suppliers, and service providers that golf properties require. A single 18-hole golf course can generate economic activity throughout the surrounding region.
The presence of quality golf courses also influences where people choose to live or spend extended time. Retirees considering mountain living often prioritize golf access. Second-home buyers want to know they’ll have quality golf available. The courses become anchors that support broader development and economic activity.
The Future of Highlands Golf
The history of golf in Highlands continues to be written. The tradition established nearly a century ago at Highlands Country Club and refined through successive generations of course development shows no signs of ending.
Technology changes how the game is played—GPS systems help with club selection on elevation changes, modern equipment makes mountain courses more playable for all skill levels. But the fundamental appeal remains constant: challenging golf in beautiful mountain settings, played in comfortable temperatures, among people who value both the sport and the surroundings.
The next chapter will likely see continued emphasis on environmental stewardship, recognition that golf courses serve as conservation lands as well as recreation facilities. Course conditioning will maintain high standards while using sustainable practices. Membership models may evolve to reflect changing demographics and preferences.
What won’t change is the essential character of mountain golf—the uneven lies, the elevation changes, the strategic demands that terrain creates. The history of golf in Highlands has always been about embracing what makes mountain golf different, and that tradition continues.
Visiting Historic Mountain Golf
For those interested in experiencing the history of golf in Highlands, several options exist. Highlands Country Club continues operating much as it has for decades, offering semi-private access that allows visitors to experience the area’s original course during designated times.
Modern courses like Burlingame in nearby Sapphire Valley show how the tradition has evolved. The Tom Jackson design represents the culmination of decades of learning how to build great golf in challenging mountain terrain. Playing it offers insight into how far mountain golf has come since those early days.
High Hampton preserves a more resort-focused approach to mountain golf, accessible to guests and visitors who want to experience classic mountain golf without the exclusivity of private clubs. The combination of historic property and mountain golf creates a complete experience.
The best way to understand the history of golf in Highlands is to play these courses, see how they route through the mountain terrain, and experience firsthand what generations of golfers have discovered: mountain golf offers something you can’t find anywhere else—a combination of challenge and beauty that makes every round memorable.
FAQ
When did golf first come to Highlands NC?
Highlands Country Club opened in 1929 as the region’s first golf course, establishing mountain golf nearly a century ago. The club overcame challenging terrain by working with natural contours rather than fighting them, setting the template for future mountain courses throughout Western North Carolina.
How has mountain golf course design evolved since the early days?
Early courses worked minimally with available terrain due to limited equipment, while modern designs use sophisticated machinery but often choose restraint, preserving natural features. The evolution shows increasing respect for environmental stewardship, native ecosystems, and creating golf that looks natural rather than imposed on the landscape.
What role did Tom Jackson play in Highlands area golf history?
Tom Jackson designed the championship course at Burlingame Country Club in Sapphire Valley, creating a layout between 3,000-3,500 feet elevation that exemplified modern mountain golf design. His philosophy of working with terrain strategically rather than simply routing holes wherever possible represented decades of accumulated knowledge about building quality golf in challenging mountain conditions.
Why did wealthy families originally come to Highlands for golf?
Wealthy lowland families initially came to Highlands starting in 1875 for summer heat relief at elevation, with golf following in 1929 as the sport gained American popularity. The combination of comfortable summer temperatures and mountain scenery made Highlands an ideal location for the leisure activities these families valued, including golf.
Can visitors still play the historic courses in Highlands?
Yes, Highlands Country Club offers semi-private access allowing non-member play during designated times, letting visitors experience the area’s original 1929 course. High Hampton Resort provides another option for experiencing mountain golf history in a more accessible resort setting, while modern courses like Burlingame in Sapphire Valley show how the tradition has evolved.