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North Carolina
No other state in the east offers more in the way of golf community choices than does North Carolina, whose 500-mile length spans ocean to mountains with a fertile Piedmont region in between. Choose from among dozens of coastal golf communities, like Landfall, just a few miles from the exciting town of Wilmington and even closer to Wrightsville Beach; or Mountain Air (photo left), whose 4,000+ foot elevation will add a few yards to your golf shots; or any of the great choices near sophisticated cities, like Asheville, Charlotte and Raleigh/Durham. And there are plenty of out-of-the-way choices where bargain real estate abounds and the golf is excellent, such as the area between Hertford (Albemarle Plantation, Scotch Hall Preserve) and Greenville (Cypress Landing, Brook Valley); and the many top notch golf communities sprinkled throughout the western North Carolina mountains.
Trillium Links a dramatic complement to stable, attractive community
The dramatic par 4 8th hole at Trillium Links requires a medium iron to the top of the hill (top photo). From there (bottom photo), a wedge must be played to the right side of the green as...
High minded: Cold Mountain's lofty "idea" looks out 75 years and beyond
Homes in the Village section of Cold Mountain feature high-end materials and architecture as well as commanding views of the nearby mountains.(Photo provided by Cold Mountain) The thing that hath...
A mandatory walk spoiled; Tiger overdoes the language
When the Cliffs Communities announced that Tiger Woods' first U.S. design, at the Cliffs High Carolina, would be a walking course only, I was mystified and a little insulted. Let's face it, casual golfers...
Cupp Runneth Over: After mild start, Laurel Ridge elevates the challenge
It is easy to lose one's balance, almost literally and definitely figuratively, on the 15th hole at Laurel Ridge. The tee shot (top) should be played down the left side of the blind spot to take...
Narrowest green in America...again
The 9th at Trillium is straight downhill with a friendly bank on the left and death on the right. The green is one of the two most narrow I have played in 50 years of golf. Senior pro golfer Morris...
Tough ones: Tanglewood Championship Course, Clemmons, NC
The approach to the 5th green at Tanglewood will set your heart aflutter for a few reasons. Over the history of the PGA Championship, the Tanglewood Championship Course near Winston-Salem, NC, has been...
Mountain golf communities trip: Tell me where to go
I am hoping to play the new nine-hole course at Bear Lake Reserve, sited on the top of the mountain at the four-year old community near Sylva, NC. I am putting together a five-day trip to the...
Tough ones: Tobacco Road #9
The fun begins after a challenging tee shot finds the middle of the fairway at Tobacco Road's 9th hole. The handicappers at Tobacco Road, Mike Strantz's sandy and weirdly fascinating opus in...
Best places to live rankings blind to nuances
The exceptionally playable and well conditioned Finley Golf Club at the University of North Carolina (Hole #2 shown) is one of 107 public golf courses within a half hour of Chapel Hill, NC, all...
Developer's belly up is heads up for rest of us
A real estate agent friend sent me a note about Grey Rock, a community near Lake Lure in North Carolina. Grey Rock closed its operations last week after three years. Only three homes have been built at...
For just $500, membership in a course Trump's man designed
Easy to be hard: The 5th green at Reems Creek (just to the left of the bunker in the distance) can be driven, but the almost sure par four is to hit a mid iron off the tee. The Old Course at...
Review: Bear Lake Reserve, Tuckasegee, NC
The longest and perhaps toughest hole at Bear Lake Reserve is the 445 yard 1st. Altitude adjustment: Golfers, boaters and hikers live high life in western Carolina Most dedicated golfers recoil at the...