Linville Golf Club - North Carolina - USA

Linville Golf Club claims fame as one of the oldest clubs in the mountains of North Carolina, having been founded during 1892, but it was also one of the first to jump on the golf course trend as well. The members initiated a 14-hole course, and later Donald Ross came to the property during 1924 to build an out-and-back route that heads up into the hills and back down.

The hole everybody talks about is No. 3, which was ranked among the Top 100 in the world by GOLF magazine. A lengthy par four (475 yards), it plays across three separate creeks on its way to the green, requiring two strong shots to get home in two. The second of those shots is perhaps more valuable, as it will be to a lofted green that dispels balls in all directions...almost a mini “volcano” green attached to the end of a very stiff par four.

Having survived that, players will continue out to Lake Kawahna and around the rest of the property, where the same creeks will return to create forced carries (albeit not as many as at No. 3). Elsewhere on the property those same creeks can become a positive for those who enjoy angling along with golf.