Old Edwards Inn and Spa, Highlands, NC

Old Edwards is truly a destination course. It’s located in the North Carolina Blue Mountains, and it’s part of a larger property that includes a hotel, spa, restaurant and events space. This would be a great couple’s destination if your spouse doesn’t like to golf and would rather enjoy the amenities of this course.

I recommend getting an early morning tee time. Not because this course gets too busy, but for the opportunity to see the early morning mist on the blue mountains. It’s a really spectacular thing to see. This is definitely one of the most scenic golf courses I’ve visited.

Since the course is in the mountains, you can expect dramatic elevation changes. One of the favorite parts of my round was riding up to the first tee. It was about 300 feet up. Expect plenty of uphill and downhill lies and dense treeline surrounding the holes on this course.

The course is in excellent condition with bent grass fairways. It opened in 2009, and the upkeep is on the same level of many of the private courses that I’ve visited. Old Edwards is an 18-hole regulation course with membership options. The design of the course blends nicely with the natural surroundings.

My biggest tip for this course would be to follow the club recommendations on the scorecard. You can even ask the staff for pointers before your round, as there are 3 golf pros on staff.

Oftentimes, you’ll find yourself with better luck if you hit with an iron off the tee instead of a driver. This is due to the steep lies and blind corners that you’ll encounter on this course. Even better, play a round under the guidance of one of the golf pros or a local golfer (if you’re lucky.) Experience with this particular course comes in handy.

You’ll even find a few unusually short holes (#4, #8, #11 and #17 are all under 110 yards) on this course, but don’t be fooled, they are still Par 3’s for a reason. Take your time with club selection and set up, and you should be fine. Most holes hover around the 300 yard mark which makes this a shorter course with good pace of play.

After your round, enjoy a meal at the excellent on-site restaurant called The Grill Room. It offers American cuisine with a southern twist plus 270 degree views of the golf course from floor-to-ceiling windows. The course is located just over 50 miles from Asheville, NC, but I’d recommend staying overnight to enjoy the full experience and maybe even fit in a second round.

Fees are on the higher side ($100), but the value is there to back up the price. Meticulously maintained greens, friendly staff, a beautiful setting and a challenging round all make the Old Edwards Inn a worthy golf destination.