Beech Mountain, NC

[DSCJNKY]

Do this... Combine your Parkway drive with the trip over to West Jefferson. You can get on the Parkway in Boone and take it over to West Jefferson (Ashe Co.), then take either Hwy 18 or 421 down to N Wilkesboro (whichever makes the most sense, I'd have to look at the map).


^^^^^^^^^^
This is a very smart suggestion.
DSCJNKY

 

[Peter S]

Thank you, the hope was to take as many scenic routes as possable to any of the ones in the high country. Since we are not from the area we are looking at a scenic drive atlas we have trying to figure out best routes. We will have the GPS with us as well. However, want to take the scenic routes if we can.

 

[ncgamedog]

revised:
Monday 9/8 IDGC
Tues 9/9 Hippo
Wed 9/10 CK out White Columns Inn, Drive to rental home. PK? Richmond Hill in Asheville, NC.
Thursday 9/11 Ashe County park, Jefferson, NC + Highland Hills in North Wilkesboro, NC (if time).
Fri 9/12 Harmon Hills + Winged Deer in Johnson City, TN + Warriors Path state park in Kingsport, TN if time?
Sat 9/13- Scenic drive on Blueridge
Sun 9/14- Scenic drive on Blueridge
Monday 9/15 Cherokee Park in Morristown, TN + Morristown Kiwanis DGC in Morristown, TN? (2 hour drive) or Highland Hills if missed 9/11
Tues 9/16? Winged Deer in Johnson City, TN+ Warriors Path state park in Kingsport, TN if missed 9/12. pack up/clean cabin
Wed 9/17 Check out of rental by 10:00am. Drive to Glen C. in Hickory, NC. check into hotel.
Thursday 9/18 – Charlotte, NC for Hornets Nest and R.L. Smith.
Friday 9/19- ck out of hotel. play Renny and Plantation Ruins. Drive back towards home.

Monday 9/8: IDGC
Tues 9/9: Hippo => Arrive in Asheville, NC, spend night.
Wed 9/10: Richmond Hill in Asheville, NC. => Drive Parkway North toward Boone, NC.=> Stop at Mt. Mitchell State Park along way.=> Play BlackJack DGC in Valle Crucis. => Arrive at Rental in Banner Elk, NC
Thursday 9/11:Harmon Hills + Winged Deer in Johnson City, TN + Warriors Path state park in Kingsport, TN. Back to Banner Elk rental
Fri 9/12 Ashe County park, Jefferson, NC + Highland Hills in North Wilkesboro, NC => back to Banner Elk
Sat 9/13: Scenic drive on Blueridge
Sun 9/14- Drive Hwy 184 => 105 => 181 in Linville, NC. Follow 181 S to Morganton, NC and Play Catawba Meadows DGC. => take I-40 to Hickory, NC Play Glen C Hilton DGC. => Hwy 321 from Hickory to Gastonia. => Play Rankin Lake in Gastonia (if time). => arrive La Quinta in Charlotte.
Monday 9/15 : Stumpy Creek Mooresville, NC & Bradford in Hutersville, NC
Tues 9/16: Hornets Nest & Sugaw => Reedy Creek if time
Wed 9/17: Eastway DGC, Kilborne DGC, Idlewild DGC
Thursday 9/18 – Renny Grey, R.L. Smith.
Friday 9/19- ck out of hotel. play Plantation Ruins. Play Chester State Park in Chester, SC on Drive back towards home.

This would be the most efficient itenerary to get a SOLID taste of NC and TN. By combining the Parkway into your transitions, you get to enjoy the scenic drives and take breaks to stretch your legs/arms

 

[DSCJNKY]

^WOW!
DSCJNKY

 

[sidewinder22]

Blackjack. It would be a shame to be that close and not even try.

^ This, and Harmon Hill the same day instead of the others. Do all 27 at HH, the back 9 really isn't that hard, it's just different than the front 18.

 

[ncgamedog]

Monday 9/8: IDGC
Tues 9/9: Hippo => Arrive in Asheville, NC, spend night.
Wed 9/10: Richmond Hill in Asheville, NC. => Drive Parkway North toward Boone, NC.=> Stop at Mt. Mitchell State Park along way.=> Linville Caverns. => Arrive at Rental in Banner Elk, NC
Thursday 9/11:Harmon Hills + Play BlackJack DGC in Valle Crucis=> Back to Banner Elk rental
Fri 9/12 Ashe County park, Jefferson, NC + Highland Hills in North Wilkesboro, NC => back to Banner Elk
Sat 9/13: Scenic drive on Blueridge
Sun 9/14- Drive Hwy 184 => 105 => 181 in Linville, NC. Follow 181 S to Morganton, NC and Play Catawba Meadows DGC. => take I-40 to Hickory, NC Play Glen C Hilton DGC. => Hwy 321 from Hickory to Gastonia. => Play Rankin Lake in Gastonia (if time). => arrive La Quinta in Charlotte.
Monday 9/15 : Stumpy Creek Mooresville, NC & Bradford in Hutersville, NC
Tues 9/16: Hornets Nest & Sugaw => Reedy Creek if time
Wed 9/17: Eastway DGC, Kilborne DGC, Idlewild DGC
Thursday 9/18 – Renny Grey, R.L. Smith.
Friday 9/19- ck out of hotel. play Plantation Ruins. Play Chester State Park in Chester, SC on Drive back towards home.

^ This, and Harmon Hill the same day instead of the others. Do all 27 at HH, the back 9 really isn't that hard, it's just different than the front 18.

Honestly YUP. Use Wed 9/10 as your MTN tourist day and rest.
I modded the above to show this option

 

[sloppydisc]

Don't forget beer and your Bengay! That's going to be a workout.

 

[Peter S]

WOW:thmbup:

So many courses, so little time. Keep in mind we are at the rental cabin in Banner Elk 28604 from 9/10 through 9/17.

Also it is my wife and I. I am rated 898 (this week). My wife does not have a official rating as no tourney play yet. However, she is not much under my level. We usually play white or blue tees at most parks. However, also enjoy red tees on more difficult courses. The goal is not just to play the hardest courses each day. I tried to mix hard par 60 or 60+ or hilly courses with flatter par 54ish courses the next day or same day to kind of rest.

Taking the weekends off to avoid parks on peak days when courses are most busy. Also to do some tourist things such as hikes, etc.

 

[Mando]

Traveling from Georgia to Banner Elk,I would try to hit either Foothills in Easley and/or Timmons in Greenville. Two really fun courses. I would an make an entire day of Asheville taking the Parkway coming or going...one of the best stretches of the BRP for sure. In addition to RH, I think you would enjoy Avery Springs if you can get a guide. If not, consider Black Mountain. Make time to hit downtown Asheville for lunch. Tons of great restaurants.
The must play in east tennessee is harmon hills, but only if you enjoy multi-shot holes. Warriors Path might be more of what you are looking for and Winged Deer is fun as well. No way you are playing all three in one day.
If you do make two trips to east tenn, don't drive the extra miles to Morristown.
Harmon Hills/Steele Creek one day, Warriors Path/Winged Deer another.

Hiking; If visibility is good, there are several good hikes between Grandfather and Blowing Rock along the Parkway. If not, head down into Wilson Creek...if you are not bothered by gravel roads.

Restaurants;Puerto Nuevo in Banner Elk is top notch and inexpensive... Painted Fish is also top notch, but a little more pricey.

 

[Peter S]

Thanks for the good tips for hiking as well. Shame you think I should pass on Morristown due to the extra drive. Morristown Kiwanis looks very cool from the few pix & videos I could find. Some cool rocks throughout, a mini Stoney Hill? I mixed it up a bit but will leave Morristown Kiwanis as a ? for now. May play it after Harmon Hills as 1) we will be about 1/2 was there 2) par 58, looks kind of easy after getting a butt kicking at Harmon Hills.

Monday 9/8 IDGC Jackson first.
Tues 9/9 Hippo + PK.
Wed 9/10 CK out of hotel, Drive to rental home Banner Elk, NC. Richmond Hill in Asheville, NC on the way.
Thursday 9/11 Ashe County park, Jefferson, NC + Highland Hills in North Wilkesboro, NC.
Fri 9/12 Winged Deer in Johnson City, TN + Warriors Path state park in Kingsport, TN.
Sat 9/13- Scenic drive on Blueridge, Grandfather to Blowing Rock hikes
Sun 9/14- Scenic drive on Blueridge – Linville Gorge hikes.
Monday 9/15 Harmon Hills (must) + Morristown Kiwanis DGC in Morristown, TN? (2 hour drive).
Tues 9/16? (any encores, any missed or shorted on time?) pack up/clean cabin.
Wed 9/17 Check out of rental by 10:00am. Drive to Glen C. in Hickory, NC. check into hotel.
Thursday 9/18 – Charlotte, NC. Hornets Nest & R.L. Smith.
Friday 9/19- ck out of hotel. play Renny & Plantation Ruins. Drive back towards GA.

 

[curveball4]

In Morristown Rotary is also a great course. Kind of a mix of the other two. Longer & more open than Kiwanis & a little shorter but not as wide open as Cherokee.
Also, and I'm not sure about logistics, but Fontana Village in NC was a super fun course & you can rent golf carts. But it is out of the way so may not be an option

 

[Peter S]

FYI- Foothills in Easley and Timmons in Greenville both seem to have problems per conditions on DGCR.

 

[pmay5]

Now that you've got your schedule nailed down, let me throw this idea at you ... just 30 miles up I-81 from Kingsport is a fairly new 9 holer, in Abingdon VIRGINIA. I know you are hitting just highly rated courses, and 18 hole courses, but you are that close from ... bagging another state on your course list! :thmbup:
I've not played that course, but I know it is a couple of quick turns off the highway (you will prob hear the highway traffic the entire time you are playing) and should be a quick play.
Anyway, sounds like a great trip, have an excellent time in our mountains, and send me the kool-aid you've got your wife drinking to agree to this! :clap:

 

[Mando]

Kiwanis is one of my wife's favorites, so I don't want to dissuade you from going. It's great fun. Getting into the gorge is treacherous. A much easier and more scenic water hike is graggs prong. I've done both in the last month. If you are into biking, the virginia creeper is arguably the most scenic rails to trails in the east and is all level or downhill with rental bikes and a shuttle.

 

[Peter S]

Found It. VHCC Wolves DGC in Abingdon, VA.
Looks very nice by the pix. Does #8 look familiar? yes, It is June 2014 on the Innova calendar. Looks like I will have to play it to bag another state and eagle that #8 hole that I said back in June looks like an easy par 4.

 

[Agricolae]

It looks like you're getting plenty of help with courses and itinerary. Something I didn't see mentioned regarding the Blue Ridge Parkway ... they are serious about the 45 mph speed limit. You've been warned!

 

[DBdiscgolf]

I had Harmon Hills on the list, off the list so many times. Plan for now is to do 1 through 18 & skip the last 9. As a while level player rated around 898, we do not want to kill ourselves or a whole day there. Not much pictures or vidoes that I could find of Harmon Hills so we were on the fence for a while. Since it is or was a top 10 on DGCR for a while it is in my wish list.

Was wondering about Beech just because it is so close to where we will be staying.

I live about 10 mins from HH. If you have to skip both winged deer and warriors to play all 27 there it is worth it. If you can only play 18 then do that, but I'm telling you, skipping the last nine is like skipping a whole other course. Ideally I would say play winged deer and Harmon if you can only play 2.

 

[Peter S]

It looks like you're getting plenty of help with courses and itinerary. Something I didn't see mentioned regarding the Blue Ridge Parkway ... they are serious about the 45 mph speed limit. You've been warned!

Thank you. Sounds like I will set the cruise at 45 & take it all in.

 

[Peter S]

I live about 10 mins from HH. If you have to skip both winged deer and warriors to play all 27 there it is worth it. If you can only play 18 then do that, but I'm telling you, skipping the last nine is like skipping a whole other course. Ideally I would say play winged deer and Harmon if you can only play 2.

Yeah, Looks like I will plan a whole day for Harmon as this (DGCR top 10 in U.S.) is what started us on this entire adventure in the first place.

If there is any time after we may play another or just do tourist stuff.

 

[ToddL]

Traveling from Georgia to Banner Elk,I would try to hit either Foothills in Easley and/or Timmons in Greenville. Two really fun courses. I would an make an entire day of Asheville taking the Parkway coming or going...one of the best stretches of the BRP for sure. In addition to RH, I think you would enjoy Avery Springs if you can get a guide. If not, consider Black Mountain. Make time to hit downtown Asheville for lunch. Tons of great restaurants.

Timmons is currently closed. We had a massive flood a couple of weeks ago that destroyed the bridges on the course. In addition to the course being unsafe, we're pulling the baskets and making some changes to the course while the city rebuilds the bridges.
Haven't been out to Easley in a while, but that course gets very little support from the city and often has some maintenance issues.

The two best in the upstate area are Central near Clemson and Shoally Creek/Va-Du-Mar in Spartanburg. Either of those are worth playing if you're driving past. I'd prefer either of them over Richmond Hills.