Atlanta golfers deal with a specific seasonal problem. From late May through September, a midday round in the metro area means heat, humidity, and courses that are playing firm and fast in ways that aren’t always fun. The mountains of Western North Carolina sit 1,500 feet higher than Atlanta and run 15 to 20 degrees cooler on the same July afternoon. For serious golfers who’ve already played the familiar local rotations, a mountain golf getaway from Atlanta to Sapphire Valley is one of the most rewarding two-and-a-half-hour drives in the Southeast.
This itinerary is built around Burlingame Country Club in Sapphire Valley, the member-owned private club whose Tom Jackson-designed 18-hole championship course sits at the center of the Western North Carolina plateau’s golf scene. Three days give you enough time to play twice, eat well, recover properly, and get a genuine feel for what this part of the mountains is about. Here’s how to do it right.
The Drive from Atlanta: What to Know Before You Go
The mountain golf getaway from Atlanta to Sapphire Valley starts on I-85 north toward Gainesville, then Highway 985 north through the foothills. Once you cross into North Carolina, Highway 64 east carries you through Cashiers and into the Sapphire Valley corridor. Total drive time runs two to two and a half hours from the northern Atlanta suburbs, longer if you’re coming from the south side of the city.
The last 45 minutes through the mountains are genuinely scenic. The road climbs steadily through river gorges and forested ridgelines as you gain elevation. Don’t rush it. Give yourself a buffer before any dinner reservations and use the drive as the transition it’s meant to be — from the city and the heat into something slower and cooler.
A few practical notes: cell service gets patchy in the gorge sections between Clayton, Georgia, and Cashiers. Download your maps before you leave. Gas up in Clayton or Highlands rather than assuming you’ll find a station at a convenient moment once you’re on the plateau. And plan to arrive by early to mid-afternoon on day one, so you’re not losing daylight on arrival.
Day One: Arrive, Settle In, and Get Your First Look at the Course
Afternoon: The Drive-In and Check-In
Arriving by 2 or 3 p.m. puts you in a good position for the rest of the day. The Sapphire Valley and Cashiers area has a range of lodging options — short-term cabin rentals work particularly well for groups of four or more golfers, where a well-equipped mountain house gives you a place to debrief after rounds and keep your own schedule. Lake Toxaway, just minutes from Burlingame, has upscale resort lodging if you want something more full-service.
Once you’re settled, drive over to Burlingame. Even if you’re not playing today, walking the property or stopping by the clubhouse gives you a feel for the layout and lets you meet the staff. The mountain golf getaway from Atlanta starts to feel real the moment you stand behind the first tee and look at what Tom Jackson built into this terrain.
Evening: Dinner at Burlingame
The dining program at Burlingame spans six distinct indoor and outdoor venues, offering more variety than most private mountain clubs. For a first-night dinner, two options stand out.
The Overlook Lounge is the newest addition to the club and has quickly earned a following for its panoramic views of the course and surrounding ridgelines. Pull up a seat, order a local craft beer, and let the mountain light do its thing while the evening cools down. The outdoor dining deck runs a close second, especially if the weather is cooperating and you want that open-air mountain feeling right from the start of the trip.
Day Two: First Round and Recovery
Morning: Tee Time
Day two is your first round on the Burlingame golf course, and morning tee times are worth the early alarm. The course at elevations between 3,000 and 3,500 feet plays through a landscape of mountains, rivers, old-growth forest, and natural water features that Tom Jackson worked with rather than around. Morning mist on the fairways burns off as the round progresses. The light comes through the ridgelines at angles that shift from hole to hole. There’s a reason visiting golfers remember specific holes here in a way they don’t always remember courses they’ve played dozens of times.
Ball flight plays a little differently at this elevation — shots carry slightly farther in the thinner mountain air, but the terrain introduces its own variables. Sidehill lies are common. Wind patterns shift based on ridge orientation. Golf Pro John Johnston, a five-time MCPGA Player of the Year and former top-ranked junior in North Carolina, is available for lessons if you want to dial in your game for the mountain conditions before or after the round.
Afternoon: The Spa and the Pool
A mountain golf getaway from Atlanta done right includes some recovery, especially if you’re planning a second round on day three. The Rejuvenate Spa at Burlingame is built around year-round service and is designed with active members in mind. Therapeutic massage is the obvious choice after 18 holes in mountain terrain, and the spa’s therapists bring genuinely different approaches to the work.
The pool complex is also worth the stop, particularly the non-impact aqua fitness program if you want something more active than a lounge chair but lighter than a full gym session. The Rejuvenate complex also offers essential golf stretching, strength training, and yoga options — three distinct yoga formats, including private coaching — giving you flexibility depending on what your body actually needs.
Evening: Dinner and Cashiers
If you want to get off the property for one evening during the mountain golf getaway from Atlanta, tonight is the night. Cashiers is just minutes from Burlingame and has a small-town character that rewards a slow walk through the village. The restaurant scene is solid for a town its size, with independent spots that draw a mix of locals, second-home owners, and the kind of seasonal visitors who’ve been making this drive from Atlanta for years.
Alternatively, stay at Burlingame. The Presidents’ Room seats 8 to 14 in a private dining setting, making it well-suited for group dinners when you want a dedicated space without a formal event setup. Dramatic mountain views and a menu built around the same seasonal sourcing as the rest of the club’s dining operation.
Day Three: Second Round and the Drive Home
Morning: Second Round
The second round at Burlingame is almost always better than the first. You’ve slept on the holes that gave you trouble. You know where the misses go. You have a better read on the greens and a clearer sense of which tee shot lines actually open up the approach versus which ones look open and aren’t.
Get out early enough to finish by midday, which gives you a comfortable window before the drive back to Atlanta. A mountain golf getaway from Atlanta works best when you’re not racing out the door after the final putt.
Mid-Morning: Optional Activities Before Departure
If you finish the round with time to spare, a few options are worth considering before heading south.
The lawn sports program at Burlingame includes four Har-Tru tennis courts and four pickleball courts, both run by Lawn Sports Professional Tom Tyler, who holds certifications in tennis, pickleball, and croquet. A casual pickleball session or a quick set of tennis is a natural way to use a free hour before checkout.
The property also includes miles of hiking trails that wind through the same terrain the course occupies, connecting to waterfalls and ridge viewpoints. Even a 45-minute walk gives you a different perspective on the 1,450 acres and sends you back to Atlanta with the feeling of having actually been in the mountains rather than just played golf in them.
The Drive Home
The return drive to Atlanta tracks the same route in reverse. If you timed the round right, you’ll be through the gorge and heading south through Clayton by early afternoon, back in Atlanta before dinner. The plateau elevation drops away quickly as you descend toward Georgia. By the time you hit Gainesville, the temperature reminds you exactly why this mountain golf getaway from Atlanta is worth making more than once a year.
Why This Trip Works Better Than a Weekend in Asheville
Atlanta golfers who want a mountain golf getaway often end up looking at Asheville first. It makes sense — Asheville is well-known, has a strong hotel and restaurant scene, and isn’t much farther than Sapphire Valley from most Atlanta zip codes.
But Asheville sits roughly 900 feet lower in elevation than the Sapphire Valley plateau, which matters in summer. It also draws significantly more tourist traffic, which affects everything from restaurant wait times to the overall feel of the trip. The golf options in the Asheville area are solid, but the terrain and elevation of the Western NC plateau deliver a more dramatic, more specifically mountain golf experience.
Sapphire Valley and Burlingame offer the combination of a genuinely serious course, a full amenity program, and a quieter, more private setting that’s harder to find closer to Asheville. For golfers who’ve done the Asheville trip, the mountain golf getaway from Atlanta to Sapphire Valley often feels like a meaningful upgrade in both course quality and the overall pace of the experience.
Bringing Non-Golfers Along
One of the practical advantages of building a mountain golf getaway from Atlanta around Burlingame is that non-golfers aren’t just tolerated — they’re genuinely accommodated. The wellness complex covers spa services, fitness programming, aqua fitness, and yoga. The pickleball and tennis programs give athletic partners their own competitive outlet. The hiking trails, fishing ponds, and the Horsepasture River add outdoor options that don’t require a tee time.
Couples who make this trip regularly often report that the non-golfer actually has the better trip — a pattern that says something meaningful about how completely the club is designed. For more on the full range of activities, the lawn sports page covers everything in one place.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get guest access to Burlingame Country Club as an Atlanta golfer?
Burlingame is a private, member-owned club. The best approach is to contact Membership Director Jennifer Webb directly at 828.966.9200 or via the contact page to discuss guest access and membership options.
What’s the best season for a mountain golf getaway from Atlanta to Sapphire Valley?
Late May through October covers the full season, with July and August the most popular months for Atlanta visitors, as temperatures are most favorable. Fall brings cooler conditions and color that many golfers consider the best stretch of the year.
How far is Burlingame from Atlanta?
The drive from the northern Atlanta suburbs runs two to two and a half hours via Highway 985 north and Highway 64 east through Cashiers. Add 20 to 30 minutes if you’re starting from the south side of the city.
Start Planning Your Mountain Golf Getaway from Atlanta
The mountain golf getaway from Atlanta to Sapphire Valley is a straightforward drive with a payoff that’s anything but ordinary. Tom Jackson’s course at Burlingame, the dining program, the spa, and the mountain setting combine into the kind of trip that becomes an annual habit for the Atlanta golfers who make it once.
To arrange guest access or explore what membership looks like, reach out to Jennifer Webb at 828.966.9200 or visit the contact page. The mountains are two and a half hours away, and they’re waiting.