Country Club of Asheville

There are many fine views in the region around Asheville, North Carolina, amid its setting in the Blue Ridge Mountains, but few will rival that from the teebox at No. 16. With the small skyline of the city in the distance, players will begin a 600-yard par five whose roller coaster hills will summarize the round that the player has had thus far. Carrying the creek that splits the fairway will be a fantasy for all but the best players, but it still makes for an attractive piece of scenery.

And who else to design such a North Carolina gem but the state’s all-but-official architect, Donald Ross? The famous Scot laid out Asheville’s routing during 1928, after a few false starts at other spots around the city. That course remains in play today, with many thanks to Richard Mandell, who oversaw a restoration effort during 2016 to return the course to the way Ross left it.

Players will enjoy the downhill distance-gain of mountain golf frequently throughout the round, but Ross will make them come right back up again, so the ability to measure distance against altitude will be the key factor for winning a match at Asheville.