Ballantyne Resort, offically known as the Golf Club at Ballantyne Resort, opened in 1998. Land Design laid out the course in association with a review committee. Fairways are bermudagrass; greens are bentgrass. North Carolina Magazine named it the state's Best New Public Course.

First, it's important to get some nomenclature clear. Ballantyne is a massive new 2,000-acre mixed-use development on the southern leg of Charlotte's new outerbelt--I-485, a ring road that's revolutionizing life on the fringes of the metro area. There's a Rees Jones-designed course at Ballantyne Country Club, which is private; that course is most often referred to as simply "Ballantyne." Ballantyne Resort is part of an office and hotel development that's part of the Ballantyne development. Locals usually refer to this course as "Ballantyne Resort."

Have we completely confused you? One visit to Ballantyne (Resort) will end the confusion. Plus, if you turn up at Ballantyne Country Club hoping to play, the staff will politely tell you to mount your bicycle.

Ballantyne Resort is a fine, and in many ways, amazing golf course. Its owner, real estate developer Smoky Bissell, decided that his Ballantyne office development needed some sizzle, so he took the land he could not use immediately for offices and built an award-winning golf course, without the assistance (and fee) of an architect.

While members of the American Society of Golf Course Architects might not like people like Smoky Bissell, the public does. Ballantyne Resort is one of the busiest courses in the Charlotte area, and it's by no means the least expensive. Several local courses offer serious competition, yet Ballantyne Resort gets the most play.

So why has Ballantyne Resort been so successful? Is it a big marketing and PR budget? Is it the hotdogs at the turn? Is it the cadre of cart girls?

Regulars will tell you that it's the course--built on one of the best natural sites in the area.

The design committee, which included expert and non-expert golfers, produced several interesting strategic holes on a routing that makes excellent use of a relatively tight space.

The green complexes at Ballantyne Resort are the meat of Ballantyne's challenge. Small but shapely mounds and tricky bunkers flank greens that are among the most undulating in the area. Scoring is not easy at Ballantyne Resort.

The par 5 3rd is a solid hole requiring a good smack off the tee to cross a stream. Once over, it's a relatively easy second to set up birdie or eagle. Also memorable is the 10th, a shortish par 3 over water, and the 16th, another par 3, this time about 200 picturesque yards downhill to a large green. The equally scenic 17th, a par 5, requires an accurate tee shot to avoid the water hazard left of the fairway; it can be just a long iron in after that. The 18th, a medium-length par 4, is another superb hole: The tee shot is best shaped right-to-left and must cross a stream. Position 'A' is the left side of the fairway, and from there, it's a mid-iron at most to a receptive green.

Just as receptive is the welcome inside the magnificent 15,000 square-foot clubhouse, easily the finest of all Charlotte's public-access facilities. The clubhouse is geared toward attracting the corporate meeting crowd, and Smoky Bissell has been particularly successful at making this a big part of Ballantyne Resort's success. Outings occur regularly, so plan and call ahead before you venture out.

Most golfers enjoy Ballantyne Resort. From the moment you park you car in the lot, you feel pampered. A headsetted ground crew member removes your bags from your trunk and places them on your cart. Rangers roam the course to help you look for errant balls and rake bunkers--should the need arise. After the round, your clubs are cleaned and placed back in the trunk of your sled.

The course, too, is enjoyable, with mostly wide fairways and generous green complexes that reward laser-like accuracy, but don't punish wayward shots too severely. Only those whose game truly needs serious, serious help will find Ballantyne Resort a bear.

Speaking of help--it's on hand right in the middle of the course, in the form of the Dana Rader Golf School. Rader is a Golf Magazine Top 100 teacher and boasts a loyal following throughout the United States. She's even appeared on the Golf Channel. The school's facilities are magnificent and include an indoor classroom that opens up to the range. The school employs seven full-time instructors.

With its outstanding course, service, ambiance and facilities, coupled with owner Smoky Bissell's legendary attention to detail, Ballantyne Resort quickly established itself as one of North Carolina's top-tier public golf facilities.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, restaurant and pro shop, plus the aforementioned Dana Rader school. Walking is restricted to certain times but the course is walkable. You can book a tee time seven days in advance. Approximate cost, including cart, is $45 Monday to Thursday and $59 Friday to Sunday.

Birkdale
16500 Birkdale Commons Pkwy.,Huntersville • (704) 895-8038
Championship Yardage: 7013 Slope: 130 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6485 Slope: 126 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 5175 Slope: 113 Par: 72

Birkdale, designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay, opened in late 1996. The course is routed through woodlands and is bordered by homes and condominiums in a couple of places. Fairways are carpeted with 419 bermudagrass, while greens are seeded with Crenshaw bentgrass.

Birkdale is a development of the Harris Group, a Charlotte commercial real estate company headed by Johnny Harris, one of the most influential and prominent people in the region. Harris is a member of a number of the country's most famous golf clubs, including Augusta National and Pine Valley. He's a close friend of Arnold Palmer and a keen golfer in his own right. If there's one thing you should know about him, it's this: If Johnny Harris is going to do something, then it's going to be done properly, whatever the cost.

In the first half of 1997 and 1998, Birkdale was the talk of the town, mostly because the price of a round outpaced the competition by more than $25. But that's changed. Birkdale advertises itself as an upscale "country club for a day" golf course, from course conditioning to ambiance to quality of design. The smart golfer supposedly adds up the numbers and realizes that it's actually a lot less expensive to plunk down $60 once or twice a week than to join a club and pay the monthly dues and food minimum. That's Birkdale's modus operandi, and time will tell if it's going to be successful.

Arnold Palmer and his team designed a course that's easily one of the best public courses in the Charlotte region. Now that it's had a little time to mature, Birkdale's is one of the best challenges around, especially from the tips. But it's still going to be playable from the forward tees.

The layout begins inauspiciously with a moderate dogleg left par 4 where your approach shot must be played through the main power lines from McGuire Nuclear Station to Charlotte. Should your crisply struck eight-iron plunge most of the largest city in the Carolinas into darkness and chaos, don't worry--it's a free drop. The aforementioned high-tension power line bisects the property and creates a visual nuisance on more than one hole. A pity.

It only takes three holes to realize that Birkdale is a big course. Many greens are huge enough to create a four-club difference, based on pin placement. Fairways are wide enough to land commuter aircraft, and bunkers are deep enough and large enough to accommodate Madonna and her full touring entourage.

But is Birkdale a big hitter's dream course? Perhaps not.

There are spots where discretion is valued more than power. One such spot is the 5th, a 569-yard par 5 and one of two three-shotters that few could reach in two. The hole plays downhill to an enormous fairway. A whack with the big stick is not really a necessity, and the prudent play is to take a three wood out, then play a long iron to lay up at no more than 100 yards. The approach shot to the extremely shallow green fronted by water and backed by a downhill sloping bunker requires a high shot. A punched sand iron from 70 yards might not hold the firm green.

Water is a primary concern on a few holes, most notably the par 4 436-yard 18th, framed by condos to the left, trees to the right and the clubhouse in the background. The hole slopes considerably downhill to a pond, and the big hitter will want to leave the driver in the bag. The approach, depending on pin placement, must traverse the pond to a severely sloping green guarded by some nasty sand. It's a good hole to round off a round, but less exciting than the very reachable downhill 17th, just 511 from the tips to a two-tiered green that slopes away from fairway--quite a rarity these days.

Birkdale's quirks come in the form of a couple of extremely short par 4s of just 330 and 334, holes which play even shorter and are driveable without serious consequence. The muscular par 5 13th, at 595 yards, will irritate the golfer who must avoid a stream placed exactly in the spot where a perfect lay-up might land.

Still, the better courses are unpredictable and shun any degree of cookie-cutter mentality, and thus Birkdale succeeds. Is it worth the price of admission? There are courses that offer better value in the Charlotte region--where just over $20 buys a lot of golf--but we firmly believe plenty of serious golfers will flock to Birkdale and gladly shell out the dough to experience the very best in Charlotte public golf. It's a golf course everyone should play at least once a year, even if it's just a once-in-a-while treat. Is there a better spot north of Charlotte for corporate golf? No. So if you have to entertain a big customer (or vice versa) then head straight for Birkdale.

Amenities include driving range, pro shop, 18-hole putting green, pitching green, Arnie's Tavern (a grill and snack bar) and changing rooms.

You can walk this course anytime, and the course is very walkable. You can book a tee when you wish. Approximate cost, including cart, is $55 during the week and $60 on weekends.

Charles T. Myers
7816 Harrisburg Rd., Charlotte • (704) 536-1692
Championship Yardage: 6334 Slope: 130 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6002 Slope: 122 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 5213 Slope: 121 Par: 72

The front nine of Charles T. Myers opened in 1992; the back nine followed in 1997. Edmund Ault Associates designed the course, which is built on reclaimed land. Fairways are bermudagrass, and greens are bentgrass.

Reclaimed land is the politically correct phrase to describe land formerly used as a landfill. Where there once was garbage, there is now golf. Not a bad swap. The Mecklenburg County Department of Parks and Recreation owns the course and provides local golfers with a decent facility at a sensible price.

The front nine has matured and clearly outshines the back for aesthetic pleasure, even though the phrase "aesthetic pleasure" is not one that should often be used in association with the course. The open layout is the result of the land's former occupation and lends an aura of moonscapishness not found on other Charlotte courses, which tend to be more wooded. On a windy day, gusts might well knock one over--with the smell.

The back nine has not yet had time to mature, and thus a comparison with the front is unfair. Still, it's difficult to say anything pleasing about 10 through 18, except that they makes up the additional nine holes and prevents the tedium of repeating 1 through 9. Time changes all--at least let's hope so.

Several solid holes make the front nine worth the moderate price of admission. The two par 3s are fun: 150 yards downhill over ponds to shallow greens. The 402-yard 6th demands a long and straight drive to set up a mid to short iron to a peninsular green that's quite small for such a long hole. The 301-yard par 4 7th must surely be included as one of the most eclectic holes in the region as the fairway lacks any sort of definition.

Given a choice right now, we might be tempted to play the front nine twice, but in time the back nine should provide added value to a course that will be good enough to warrant its extremely moderate fee structure.

Amenities include a driving range, putting green, chipping green, restaurant and snack bar.

Walking is an option for the fit. You can book a tee time anytime. Approximate cost, including cart, is $22 weekdays and $27 weekends.

Charlotte Golf Links
11500 Providence Rd., Charlotte• (704) 846-7990
Championship Yardage: 6700 Slope: 127 Par: 71
Men's Yardage: 6220 Slope: 121 Par: 71
Ladies' Yardage: 5279 Slope: 117 Par: 72

Charlotte Golf Links, designed by Tom Doak, opened in 1992. The course is mostly flat and open, with bermudagrass fairways and bentgrass greens.

Doak is a young(ish) architect who, after graduating from Cornell University, spent several months touring Scottish courses, and even spent some time as a caddie at the Old Course at St. Andrews. He's authored two fine books about golf courses, including Anatomy of a Golf Course, a must-read for anyone interested in golf course architecture and design. Doak is also an expert golf course photographer. He apprenticed himself to Pete Dye, although you'll find more touches of Donald Ross than Dye.

Doak is quite opinionated about design. In his second book, The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses, he's not afraid to pan the work of his competitors and highly praise his own designs. Ironically, Charlotte Golf Links is the only one of Doak's courses of which he is not particularly fond. Credit where credit is due, right?

Charlotte Golf Links is a challenging course and a must-play for the golfing purist. Much of the land here is open. With the wind blowing and a light rain coating the course, you're going to feel like you're in Scotland--or at least that's the idea. The fairways are wide in places, narrow in others, but they boast a number of subtle slopes and undulations just like the genuine article. Many holes were designed to reward the successful risk-taker more than the conservative. However, with risk comes the potential for poor results, and there's always a chance that your ball might find the long native grass that borders many holes. Locals have a name for this "stuff"--it's a scatological word we can't publish in this book.

The green complexes feature a number of small pot bunkers with grass faces and coarse sand. Some of the greens are flat, while others are much more undulating.

Charlotte Golf Links, along with Highland Creek, marked the beginning of a new era in public golf in Charlotte, and it's exciting that one of the newest courses is also one of the most traditional and walkable.

The best time to see and play Charlotte Golf Links is late on a sunny day when the shadows bring out all the subtle shaping in the fairways, and the grass faces of the bunkers are dark and menacing.

The best hole on the course might be the bunkerless 15th, one of the finest short par 4s around. It's a mere 310 from the tips, slightly downhill. On a firm day, with the prevailing wind, the bold golfer will reach for the driver and try to put it on the small and wild green. But disaster lurks in the form of a clump of trees on the left and unkempt mounds on the right. Even a well-struck drive will pinball around on the mounds in front of the putting surface, yielding an unpredictable result. The safety-conscious will take out a mid-iron and lay up safely to the wide expanse of fairway to the left of the direct line; a bit too much to the left and the trees come into play on your approach. Yet the direct lay-up will skirt the long grass to the left and mustn't leak right. Even the most accurate of wedges will have difficulty finding the exact mark due to the severity of the buried elephant green. Par is the just reward for two safe shots, but the bold will more likely find disaster than eagles or birdies.

Those who have played a genuine Scottish links course will find that Charlotte Golf Links is a mediocre imitation of the real thing--mostly because the course (like all others in Charlotte) is on clay while a true links course is on sandly loam. However, after a prolonged dry spell in the spring or fall, the course gets bouncy and can become a true links. This is when the course is at its best.

Still, Charlotte Golf Links stands out from the crowd of newcomers because it's so radically different from the development courses.

Charlotte Golf Links' ownership changed in late 1999--let's hope the new crew pumps some money into a course with a tremendous amount of potential.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, locker room, snack bar, rental clubs, a beverage cart and pro shop.

You can walk Charlotte Golf Links on weekdays, and weekends after 2 PM. The course is very walkable. You can book a tee time whenever you choose. Approximate cost, including cart, is $35 Monday through Thursday, $39 on Friday and $49 on weekends.

Charlotte National
6920 Howey Bottoms Rd., Charlotte• (704) 882-8282
Championship Yardage: 7227 Slope: 134 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6700 Slope: 129 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 5423 Slope: 121 Par: 72

Charlotte National opened in 1996. Russell Breeden designed the course, which is set on primarily flat land bordered in places by mature woods. Bermudagrass fairways run up to bentgrass greens.

As soon as you step onto the first tee at Charlotte National, it's clear that you're on a Russell Breeden course: The fairways are mostly wide; the bunkers are large and flat; most of the greens are large and subtly sloped. There are no tricks, and the challenges of the course are laid out in front of you--a classic case of what you see is what you get. In today's era of golf course architecture, where good courses are defined by the difficulty of the test, the amount of earth moved and the layers upon layers of severity, Charlotte National is a welcome step back to minimalism. It's a step back we're happy to say has gained favor with several new courses in the Charlotte region in the past five years.

Charlotte National proves that a designer need not move mountains to produce a course that's fun and playable--yet still challenging. There's more than one golfer who firmly believes Charlotte National stands up very well against its more extravagantly built sisters in Union County.

The course is fun so long as you don't play from the tips--a backbreaking 7227 yards. That's longer than any course we've seen, even though Charlotte National drains well and can get quite firm. The course blankets some fine Union County farmland and winds through some attractive woodland; thus, it boasts a pleasant and relaxed air free of houses and other urban encroachments. Water comes into play on some holes but, with the exception of the final four holes, should not prove too hazardous to your score or overall golfing health.

The 18th presents a rousing challenge. More than 450 yards from the tips, it invites the bold driver to cut off the pond at the crux of the dogleg, yet offers ample room for those less courageous who will find themselves faced with 200-plus yards uphill to a green with three distinct levels. The successful risk taker will bomb the green with a mid-iron, which might yield a match-winning birdie.

Like many Breeden courses, this track will not make you say "Wow!" or "Gee whiz, this is amazing!," but you'll probably appreciate its ambiance and playability. It's one of the finest courses in the Charlotte region.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, snack bar and pro shop.

You can walk this course anytime during the week and on weekend afternoons, and the course is very walkable. You can book a tee time on Wednesday for Saturday, or Thursday for Sunday. Approximate cost, including cart, is $30 during the week and $40 on weekends.

Deer Brook Golf Club
201 Deer Brook Dr., Shelby• (704) 482-4653
Championship Yardage: 6911 Slope: 133 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6407 Slope: 128 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 5825 Slope: 123 Par: 72

Deer Brook opened in 1999. Rick Robbins designed the course, which is set on primarily flat land bordered by mature woods. As at many courses in this region, you'll play from bermudagrass fairways onto bentgrass greens.

Deer Brook is a new and welcome addition to golf in the northwest portion of the Charlotte region. Rick Robbins is a former associate with Jack Nicklaus' design firm. Many golfers lauded Robbins' Mill Creek near Burlington, North Carolina--a new housing development course. Robbins' work here at Deer Brook is just as commendable though less involved.

The site is primarily open--former dairy pasture--with almost perfect undulation. The result is a pretty and playable course where Robbins clearly did not move a lot of earth to achieve a satisfying result.

Playability was obviously a major goal when building Deer Brook. However, the course is by no means a pushover, and good golfers will find that Deer Brook is a decent challenge from the back tees.

Only really poor drivers of the ball will have a hard time at Deer Croft, and the multi-tiered greens are not overly undulating. Getting up and down after a missed green should not be a problem for a golfer with a polished short game. Fairway and greenside bunkers provide ample strategic interest.

While there are many solid one- and two-shot holes on the course, it's the par 5s at Deer Brook that provide the most interest. The 519-yard dogleg 8th is reachable but offers one of the narrower fairways on the course. The fairway on the 533-yard 17th is wider, and a well struck drive leaves a tempting shot over water to a smallish, sloping green that might be better attacked with a wedge or short iron.

Robbins designed the course to provide a fun and easily maintainable layout.

Deer Croft offers several membership options, but daily-fee golfers will find the head pro and his staff extremely welcoming. A new clubhouse opened in the spring.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, snack bar and pro shop. The course is walkable, though walking is restricted. At press time, there was no set policy for booking in advance. Approximate cost, including cart, is $36 during the week and $46 on weekends.

The Divide
2200 Divide Dr., Matthews • (704) 882-8088
Championship Yardage: 6973 Slope: 137 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6587 Slope: 127 Par: 72
Other Yardage: 6145 Slope: 121 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 5213 Slope: 121 Par: 72

The Divide opened in late 1995. John Cassells designed the course, which is set on gently undulating terrain surrounded primarily by woods, although houses will eventually border some holes. Fairways are seeded with 419 bermudagrass, and greens are Pennlinks bentgrass.

The Divide is brought to you by the same group that built Charlotte Golf Links, one of the Queen City's better public courses. So it comes as no surprise that The Divide, despite its youth, is already shaping up as a decent public golf facility.

The Divide marks John Cassells' entry into the noble profession of golf course architecture. Cassells designed the track with the help of Todd Smith and the staff and ownership of the course, thus the emphasis is playability. If you're an average public golfer, then you'll find the course has been built with you in mind. However, if you're a stronger player, this course still should give you a stern test from the back tees (note the 137 slope from the tips).

The fairways are mostly wide, and occasional bunkers lurk, although they tend to be on the small side. On many holes, a wayward drive might find the woods. The green complexes feature mildly undulating putting surfaces, pot bunkers, flat bunkers and embankments. You'll need to bring a strong short game to get up and down successfully. A brook wanders through some of the layout and poses a serious hazard on quite a few holes, including the dramatic 18th, where the big hitter will want to challenge the creek and get to the green in two.

What we liked most about The Divide is that it's straightforward but interesting: It lacks the excesses that make too many public courses too difficult and time consuming. The course clearly has been designed to keep your round less than four hours, and most importantly, it's clearly been designed to put the fun back into public golf. We think that The Divide will ultimately become one of Charlotte's most popular public golf courses. You'll also find that it's one of the prettiest once all the housing and construction work is finished--that is, if you don't mind staring into people's back yards while you play.

Amenities include a driving range, putting green, chipping green, bar, restaurant, snack bar, pro shop and beverage cart.

With 8 miles of cart path, you'll need to take a cart. You can book a tee time three days in advance. Approximate cost, including cart, is $33 weekdays and $39 weekends.

Eagle Chase Golf Club
3215 Brantley Rd., Marshville • (704) 385-9000
Championship Yardage: 6723 Slope: 128 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6103 Slope: 122 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 5139 Slope: 121 Par: 72

Eagle Chase Golf Course opened in 1994. Tom Jackson designed this rolling and mostly open course. Bermudagrass covers the fairways, and bentgrass carpets the greens.

To most Charlotteans, Marshville is best known as a town you pass through on your way to the beach. Doze off for a few minutes and you've missed it. It's the boyhood home of country musician Randy Travis and numerous poultry processing plants--two facts that are not necessarily related. Marshville is also home to this outstanding golf course. It's well worth the 45-minute drive from downtown Charlotte.

The most talked-about hole on the course is No. 2, a mid-length par 4 where the elevated tee gives you a great look at the treacherous shot you must negotiate: water to the left and right. The early holes feature significant elevation changes. For the most part, you'll find a decent amount of room off the tee with very few long, forced carries. The bunkers are large and clover-leafed, as you might expect from an architect who spent a couple of years under the tutelage of Robert Trent Jones. The greens also are large but not particularly undulating. The course features a number of interesting and difficult par 3s, where par is a good score.

Even though Eagle Chase is not very close to Charlotte, it can still be counted as one of the best public courses in the Charlotte area. It's quite a challenge from any of the tees and a lot of fun for golfers of all levels.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, locker room, bar, rental clubs and a pro shop.

We don't recommend walking this course, but you're allowed to anytime. You can book a tee time five days in advance. Approximate cost, including cart, is $30 weekdays and $34 on weekends.

Emerald Lake
1 Tournament Drive, Matthews• (704) 882-7888
Championship Yardage: 6756 Slope: 124 Par: 71
Men's Yardage: 6455 Slope: 120 Par: 71
Ladies' Yardage: 5120 Slope: 116 Par: 71

Emerald Lake opened in 1997. Gary Wirth designed the course, which is set on undulating land bordered by mature woods, with bermudagrass fairways and bentgrass greens.

Gary Wirth is by no means a well known architect, but his work here at Emerald Lake is extremely commendable: he took a choice site and created, with the possible exception of the 9th, a fine and playable course with significant interest.

Fairways are, for the most part, wide enough to promote use of the driver, while the greens are large yet fair. There is not a lot of fairway bunkering on the course, but most green complexes include at least one trap.

The par 5s at Emerald Lake are particularly good. The 5th requires a long drive over water, but the reward for a well-struck tee shot is a good look at a receptive green. The 14th also requires a good drive over a hazard, but the bold will also try to fly it over a stand of trees, leaving what might be just a seven iron, once again over water--an exciting hole for the gambler. Those trying to reach the par 5 18th in two shots might seriously think about laying up: The green slopes quite severely away from the fairway, and anything coming in hot might bounce through to the water behind the green complex.

The 9th, a long par 4, is the only controversial hole on the course. A good drive might reach a stream that bisects the fairway about 150 yards from the green. It might be a good idea to play this hole like a par 5.

But overall, Emerald Lake is a solid track that compares favorably to the other new courses in the area. It's also a good value.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, snack bar and pro shop.

Walking is restricted but the course is very walkable. You can book a tee time anytime. Approximate cost, including cart, is $36 during the week and $45 on weekends.

Firethorne Country Club
Marvin Rd., Charlotte• (704) 843-3111
Championship Yardage: 6904 Slope: 145 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6406 Slope: 133 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 5423 Slope: 120 Par: 72

Firethorne opened in 1998. Tom Jackson designed the course, built on hilly land bordered by mature woods. Fairways are bermudagrass; greens are bentgrass. At press time, the course was nearing its membership goal and thus may no longer be open for full-time public play.

Here at Firethorne, Tom Jackson built a spectacular golf course on a difficult site that must have required significant tree clearing and earth moving. The result is admirable: the holes with the least undulation tend to be longer, while the almost mountainous ones are shorter. Still, Firethorne is no pushover, claiming the toughest slope rating in the Charlotte area.

Even though Firethorne is still in its infancy, it boasts the maturity of a much older and grander course. A great example is the long par-5 13th, a muscular 575 yards from the tips, requiring two massive shots to reach the green: It's a hole that you could slide into any existing country club and nobody would complain.

The one shot holes are particularly notable, especially the 15th, 207 yards from the back tees over a chasm to what looks like one of the tougher greens on the course.

The greens vary in size and undulation.

Even if your golf game isn't going that well, you'll enjoy the ride through one of Charlotte's most picturesque layouts. A special touch: the concrete fords that bridge ponds and streams at three points.

Beginning golfers may find that Firethorne is a bit too much of a test, but the mid- to low-handicapper will relish the challenge.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, snack bar and pro shop.

You can walk the course at certain times, although it's quite a hike. Approximate cost, including cart, is $50 on Tuesday and Wednesday; $40 on Thursdays and $60 Friday through Sunday.

Fort Mill Golf Club
101 Country Club Dr., Fort Mill, S.C.• (803) 547-2044
Championship Yardage: 6865 Slope: 133 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6373 Slope: 118 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 5448 Slope: 123 Par: 72

The front nine at Fort Mill Golf Club opened in the 1947. The back nine opened in the 1970s. Donald Ross designed the front nine just before his death in 1948, and George Cobb designed the back. The front nine is open, and the back is set in rolling terrain. In the fairways, you'll find bermudagrass; on the greens, bentgrass.

Fort Mill has long been a well-known favorite of Charlotte golfers. The club is part of a triumvirate of Springs Industries-owned courses, all of which are popular and well run; the others are in Chester and Lancaster, and each is worth a visit. (You'll find write-ups of each of these South Carolina courses in our Midlands chapter.) Ross also designed the course in Lancaster.

It's difficult to find a golf course that enlisted two better architects than Ross and Cobb. The result is a fine and mature course that's more challenging than it looks. This is a country-club caliber design, and the recent reconstruction of the greens means better conditioning.

The front nine offers plenty of room off the tee. If you're wayward with your driver, the large trees pose the most significant hazards. As you might expect with a Ross course, the trouble begins on and around the greens, where you'll encounter plenty of small bunkers and difficult putts. If you're playing for money, never give your opponent a gimme on the front--make 'em drop it in the hole. Watch as a 2-foot putt is rammed 3 feet past or ends up 2 inches short. ("Hit it, Allis.") It's part of what makes Ross's designs so timeless--and irritating.

Most Donald Ross courses offer a couple of easier par 4s to let the golfer gain his bearings. Not so here at Fort Mill, where the 430-yard 1st yields few fours. The drive must draw around a large oak to avoid another tree on the right, which will block the approach to the small and sloped green, which must be hit on the fly. The 2nd, at 412 yards, also requires a decent thump off the tee. There's water to the right and water directly in front of the large and flattish green. Only the low-handicapper will be dissatisfied with a pair of bogeys.

The back nine is a genuine Cobb championship-caliber test. Many of the holes are truly long and seem to play even longer. The greens are large and not quite as undulating as the Ross greens, but no less difficult. The bunkers are larger and the fairways wider on this nine. Water is sparse, but you'll discover that wayward shots will find the hazard if you're not sensible. Have fun here, and buy textiles made by Springs Industries out of gratitude for their excellent contributions to public golf in South Carolina.

Amenities include a practice green, snack bar and pro shop.

You can walk anytime on weekdays and after 2 PM on weekends. You can book a tee time three days in advance. Approximate cost, including cart, is $29 weekdays and $32 on weekends.

Gastonia Municipal Golf Course
Niblick Dr., Gastonia • (704) 866-6945
Championship Yardage: 6474 Slope: 115 Par: 71
Men's Yardage: 5671 Slope: 110 Par: 71
Ladies' Yardage: 4344 Slope: 110 Par: 71

Gastonia Municipal Golf Course opened in the 1930s, although there's no real record of who designed it. The course is set on open and rolling terrain, with bermudagrass fairways and greens.

Gastonia Muni offers a fun and playable track that's a great value for Gastonia residents. If you live in this lovely town just west of Charlotte, you can walk as many holes as you're able on a weekday for just $10. You can't beat that deal anywhere.

Muni courses have a charm and quality that's sometimes hard to define. Many munis were built on land that was once open countryside. Thus as a metropolis expands, its municipal golf course often becomes an oasis of green in the middle of urban sprawl. That's the case at Gastonia Muni, even though it's difficult to use "Gastonia" and "urban" in the same sentence. A couple of power lines traverse the course in a few places, but for the most part you still feel like you're out in the country.

The front nine is open but the fairways are a little tight in places. The greens are small and sloped, and you can run the ball up to the pin on quite a few holes. You'll find an average of one bunker per green on both the back and front nines. A stream wanders through the track. The course opens with two of its tougher tests: the numbers one and three handicap holes. The 1st is a par 5, 563 from the tips to a small green, and the 2nd is a mere 403 from all the way back. Welcome to Gastonia!

The back nine offers a bit more room off the tee, and many of the holes are more strategic--especially around the green complexes. Still, the setting is pleasant and relaxed, and the course provides a fun and potentially rewarding challenge for all levels of golfer. The more than 40,000 rounds of golf played here per annum prove that Gastonia Muni has something going for it besides sensible greens fees.

Amenities include a practice green, chipping green, locker room, restaurant, beverage cart and pro shop.

The course is walkable anytime. You can book a tee time seven days in advance. Approximate cost, including cart, is $25 weekdays and $27 on weekends. As we mentioned before, the rates are lower if you're a resident of Gastonia, which you should at least think about--if only very briefly.

Glen Oaks Country Club
245 Golf Course Rd., Maiden • (704) 428-2451
Championship Yardage: 6430 Slope: 116 Par: 70
Men's Yardage: 6026 Slope: No rating Par: 70
Ladies' Yardage: 4953 Slope: No rating Par: 70

The golf course at Glen Oaks Country Club opened in 1967. This Bill McRee design is set on flat terrain with many open holes. Bermudagrass covers the fairways, and bentgrass covers the greens.

Glen Oaks presents a remarkably interesting and challenging course in a country setting. The strength of the course is its variety, although the routing of the holes is a little bizarre. The course is intelligently bunkered. The front nine tends to be a little more wooded than the back and is a little tighter off the tee. The greens are mostly flat and midsize, and many are flush with the fairway, making run-up shots possible and advisable if the fairways, greens and approach aprons are hard. There's quite a bit of water on the back nine, and you'll find your golfing skills tested by a number of approach shots requiring accurate club selection and shot execution. There's even an island green. You might arrive at the 18th with your best score ever only to find the closing hole one of the most difficult on the course. Clearly, Glen Oaks is popular with the local population--for good reason.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, locker room, bar, snack bar, restaurant, rental clubs and a pro shop.

The course is walkable for the fit and dedicated, and you can walk on weekdays. You can book a tee time seven days in advance. Approximate cost, including cart, is $28 weekdays and $38 on weekends.

Highland Creek Golf Club
7001 Highland Creek Blvd., Charlotte• (704) 875-9000
Championship Yardage: 7008 Slope: 133 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6505 Slope: 124 Par: 72
Other Yardage: 5947 Slope: 122 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 5080 Slope: 128 Par: 72

Highland Creek Golf Club opened in 1993. Lloyd Clifton and Ken Ezell designed the course, which is set in rolling wooded terrain bordered with houses. In the fairways, you'll play on bermudagrass; on the greens, bentgrass.

When it opened, Highland Creek was almost universally acclaimed as the greatest thing for public golf in the Charlotte area since the invention of... public golf. Along with Charlotte Golf Links, Highland Creek marked the end of a drought for Charlotte's public golfer. Here at last was a modern and well-designed course, well kept and within sensible driving distance of Charlotte. Since then, the course has maintained its popularity.

The Clifton-Ezell team hasn't completed a lot of work in North and South Carolina--Highland Creek is only one of two in the Carolinas--but the firm has been active for years in Florida. At Highland Creek, they produced one of the most challenging and demanding public golf courses in the western section of the two states. In places, it's also one of the prettiest and most varied.

On quite a few holes, the course is tight off the tee. Locals will tell you that it's essential to be in just the right place in the fairway; thus, you need to be accurate with whatever you like to use off the tee. Should you spray your shots around somewhat, you'll find your ball in Highland Creek, someone's back yard or the woods. If it seems like Highland Creek comes into play on just about every hole, it's not an illusion. The creek poses quite a hazard, and it's no fun having to fish for your ball.

Easily the most difficult of many, many difficult holes must be the par 5 12th, a solid 550 from the tips. The tee shot is played to a sloping and narrow fairway bordered by woods and the creek. With the ball below the right-handers feet, a long-iron or fairway wood must find the second fairway to the right, again sloping and somewhat narrow. The third is a wedge off a downhill lie to an island green backed by bunkers. A par is cause for massive celebration.

Once you've navigated the hazards off the tee, you must play an accurate approach shot. The greens are predominantly large, as are the bunkers and embankments that flank many of the significantly undulating green complexes. You'll certainly leave here with memories of many holes--and with an opinion about the layout. We think you'll want to come back and challenge this exciting course again. Despite all the new courses opening in the Charlotte region, Highland Creek should keep its place as one of the most difficult and exciting.

The new clubhouse is large and magnificent and offers rooms for corporate meetings and other such events.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, chipping green, locker room, bar, restaurant, rental clubs, a beverage cart and pro shop.

Walking is not a viable option here. You can book a tee time three days in advance. Approximate cost, including cart, is $42 weekdays and $48 on weekends.

King's Mountain Country Club
Country Club Dr., Kings Mountain• (704) 739-5871
Championship Yardage: 6483 Slope: 121 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6143 Slope: 118 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 5019 Slope: 119 Par: 72

King's Mountain Golf Course opened its first nine holes in the 1940s; the second nine opened in the 1970s. The course is set in rolling wooded terrain, with the typical bermudagrass fairways and bentgrass greens.

King's Mountain offers a couple of varied and thoroughly interesting nines. The front is the original nine and is built much like many courses of its day. The greens are somewhat small and sloped, and there's plenty of room for run-up shots from just about anywhere. Your chipping game will be seriously tested. The few bunkers should not pose too much of a problem. Steep embankments flank many of the greens. What you'll probably notice most about the front nine are the towering pine trees that delineate the fairways. They create quite a frame for many holes.

On the back nine, there's a little more room off the tee. Thick woods border many of the holes, creating quite a hazard. The greens are still relatively flat and somewhat small. It's still possible to run the ball up to many of the holes due to the lack of bunkers fronting the greens. There are also some fun tee placements on a few holes. Overall, it's a relaxed yet challenging course, exhibiting a maturity rarely seen on many modern courses.

Amenities include a practice green and snack bar.

The course is walkable anytime. You can book a tee time whenever you choose for the weekdays, and starting on Wednesday for the weekend. Approximate cost, including cart, is $27 weekdays and $32 on weekends.

Larkhaven Golf Club
4801 Camp Stewart Rd., Charlotte• (704) 545-GOLF
Championship Yardage: 6464 Slope: 121 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6042 Slope: 115 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 4645 Slope: 110 Par: 72

Larkhaven Golf Club opened in 1959. A.B. Connell designed the course, which is set in undulating terrain bordered by woods. You'll find bermudagrass fairways and bentgrass greens here at Larkhaven.

Larkhaven has long been a popular golf course among Charlotte-area public golfers. The course is relatively straightforward; the challenges here come from a couple of water hazards and the tightness of the fairways in places, particularly on the front nine. The key to scoring well here is doing whatever it takes to keep the ball in play.

A couple of holes you'll really enjoy are the par 4 1st, a 262-yard par 4 that tempts you to bang it onto the green with the driver. All you have to do is smack it into a large bank and hope it rolls up to the green. It's a unique opening hole. The 9th, a 207-yard par 3 over water, is an exciting way to finish the front nine.

The greens here at Larkhaven are relatively small and sloped. A few bunkers lurk here and there, but getting up and down from within them should not be too difficult. Overall, we think you'll enjoy your round here. It's a fun course in a relaxed setting where the premium is accuracy, not length. In recent years, management made several improvements to the course, including the addition of practice facilities.

Amenities include a practice green, range, locker room, snack bar and pro shop.

The course is walkable and you can walk during the week. You can book a tee time on Monday for the weekend. Approximate cost, including cart, is $31 weekdays and $35 on weekends.

Lincoln Country Club
2108 Country Club Rd., Lincolnton• (704) 735-1382
Championship Yardage: 6467 Slope: 125 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6017 Slope: 121 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 5011 Slope: 118 Par: 72

The current back nine at Lincoln Country Club opened in 1949, and the front nine opened in 1993. Peter Tufts is credited with Lincoln's recent redesign. The course is set on rolling wooded terrain with bermudagrass fairways and bentgrass greens.

There are two distinct nines here. The front is newer, though not particularly modern or penal in design--it's not a tricked-up course. You'll find some mounds, but they're not of the massive variety. The terrain is pretty and undulating, and trees border many holes. Thankfully, there's decent width off the tee. You'll find a number of tough but short par 4s, each with an interesting and unique feature. The greens are midsize and sloped.

The back nine is older and more traditional in design. If the fairways are dry and hard, you'll be able to play a variety of run-up shots to the greens, which are flush with the fairways. You'll also find a fair amount of sensible bunkering. Overall, it's a fun and playable track that's justifiably popular with the local population.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, chipping green, locker room, snack bar and pro shop.

Walk this course anytime, and book a tee time whenever you choose during the week and two days before your weekend round. Approximate cost, including cart, is $25 weekdays and $31 on weekends.

Mallard Head Country Club
Brawley School Rd., Mooresville• (704) 664-7031
Championship Yardage: 6904 Slope: 121 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6442 Slope: 116 Par: 72
Other Yardage: 6233 Slope: 113 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 5469 Slope: 121 Par: 72

The golf course at Mallard Head Country Club opened in 1979. Porter Gibson designed this course, which is set in rolling terrain. Houses border some of the holes. Fairways are bermudagrass, and greens are bentgrass.

Mallard Head is a popular and reasonably priced golf course that has long attracted golfers from Charlotte and the eastern shores of Lake Norman. The course offers some interesting and diverse golf holes with plenty of challenge, particularly from the back tees. The greens are medium to large in size and flanked by bunkers and the occasional embankment. The front nine is more wooded than the back. Water comes into play on a few holes, and its influence varies in intensity. On most holes, you'll find enough room off the tee to pull out the big stick and take a big whack. Overall, Mallard Head is a fun course that's popular with the locals; it's well worth a visit if you're in the area. Greenskeeper Sam Linker is one of the better manicurists of bentgrass in the Charlotte region, and there must be quite a few country clubs that have tried to lure him from his position. Mallard Head routinely offers some of the best greens around.

Although it's not the number-one handicap hole on the course, the par 4 18th must see its fair share of big numbers. The tee shot must carry a creek: The surrounding ground slopes perilously close and will redirect any poor drive into the murky depths. A solid drive leaves a mid-iron into a smallish green bunkered back and front. Most are happy to leave with a four and head to the bar in the friendly clubhouse.

Amenities include a practice green, locker room, snack bar, rental clubs and a pro shop.

The course is walkable for the physically fit, and you can walk anytime during the week. You can book a tee time whenever you choose for weekdays and on Thursday for the weekend. Approximate cost, including cart, is $25 weekdays and $30 on weekends.

Monroe Country Club
U.S. Hwy. 601 S., Monroe • (704) 282-4661
Championship Yardage: 6759 Slope: 118 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6310 Slope: 116 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 4964 Slope: 117 Par: 73

The golf course at Monroe Country Club opened in 1936 with nine holes, and a second nine was added in 1984. Tom Jackson designed the newer front nine, and Donald Ross, the original nine, now the back. The course is set on rolling wooded terrain. You'll find bermudagrass on the greens and fairways.

There can't be many better Carolina-based architectural combinations than Donald Ross and Tom Jackson. Both have worked extensively in the area, and their efforts at Monroe Country Club make this course worth playing. It's also an excellent value.

The Jackson nine (no relation to the Jackson Five) is tight and challenging with few mounds. The greens are large and somewhat flat. The bunkers aren't quite as demonic as those on other Jackson layouts. Anyway, the length from the back and the tight fairways will give you all the challenge you want--and then some. Particularly remarkable is the maturity of the new front nine: It looks as though it's been there as long as the original nine.

We're constantly awestruck by the quality and timelessness of a Donald Ross track, and the back nine here is no exception. The simple yet sensible layout might lead you to believe that you'll run away with a low score. But the intelligent placement of bunkers and the small crowned greens make the course more difficult to play than it looks. There's no such thing as a gimme on a Ross course, and with the added element of grainy bermudagrass greens, you'll be praying that your 2- and 3-footers for bogey somehow find the bottom of the cup. The setting is pretty, and many of the holes have an Ellis Maples-like look with a couple of sweeping doglegs. The back nine is wider off the tee. If you're a fan of interesting golf course architecture, take some time to visit this course.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, snack bar, restaurant and pro shop.

You can walk anytime during the week and after 2 PM on weekends. You can book a tee time five days before you want to play. Approximate cost, including cart, is $26 weekdays and $30 on weekends.

Mooresville Golf Club
W. Wilson Ave., Mooresville • (704) 663-2539
Championship Yardage: 6528 Slope: 124 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6102 Slope: 121 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 4976 Slope: 115 Par: 72

The front nine at Mooresville Golf Club, designed by Donald Ross, opened in the 1940s. The back nine, designed by Porter Gibson, opened in 1978. The front nine is open, and the back is set on rolling terrain. In the fairways, you'll find bermudagrass; on the greens, bentgrass.

There aren't many ultra-low-cost public access Donald Ross courses in the Carolinas, but Mooresville Golf Club is one of them. As with many Ross courses, the layout is excellent. There's plenty of room off the tee. The difficulties include some awkward bunkers and mounding around small greens with numerous minute and irritating undulations. Donald Ross perfected the art of the heart-attack-inducing 2-foot putt, a shot you'll doubtless face many times here. Each hole has a character and challenge all its own. The subtle shaping and innuendoes become magnificently apparent late in the day, when the low sun and long shadows show off the undulations.

To score well on the front nine, you'll need to be precise with club selection and control. You'll also need to drive the ball well and in the correct part of the fairway. Believe it or not, the front nine here at Mooresville is something of a rarity--a relatively untouched and unmolested Donald Ross design. The course management regrew the greens in late 1996, and the resulting success is well worth the whopping $2 increase in greens fees.

The most entertaining hole on the front must be the par 5 7th. Less than 500 yards from the tips and all downhill, it's a hole that even the middle-of-the-road golfer will attempt to hit in two. Yet disaster lurks, and the number of big numbers must reach skyward. Locals call it "The Road Hole" (after the 17th at St. Andrew's, one of the sternest par 4s in all of golf) due to a heavily-trafficked road that will greet the right-hander's hook. A portion of the Town of Mooresville's water supply beckons on the right but is easily drivable. The solid drive leaves about 200 to 225 yards downhill to a small and tortoise-backed green with bunkers to the left and right. The well-struck long iron will yield a birdie or eagle, but there's little hope for par with any other shot, as two-putts on this green are rare. It's just one of many fine holes on the front nine.

Also daunting from the back tees is the 9th, 200 yards almost entirely over water to a one-club green; hit this one in regulation and walk away with par and you're a player.

The back nine is no less interesting. It's quite tight in places, and some of the holes require a decent thump off the tee if you're going to score well. The greens are larger, as are the bunkers and the embankments that flank some of the greens. Mooresville is a fun and challenging course, a great value and one of our favorites. Despite the sometime boggy nature of the course, many fine golfers in the Charlotte area will tell you that Mooresville National is a superb test from the back tees. Wait for a dry spell before playing here and you'll be similarly impressed.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, snack bar and pro shop.

Walk anytime you wish. You can book a tee time three days in advance. Approximate cost, including cart, is $22.50 weekdays and $26 on weekends.

Olde Sycamore Golf Plantation
7504 Olde Sycamore Drive., Charlotte• (704) 573-1000
Championship Yardage: 6965 Slope: 140 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6398 Slope: 133 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 4756 Slope: 120 Par: 72

Olde Sycamore Golf Plantation, a Tom Jackson design, opened in 1997. The course is wooded and will ultimately be ringed by large and expensive custom homes. Bermudagrass fairways lead to bentgrass greens.

One of Charlotte's newer courses, Olde Sycamore already rates as one of Charlotte's better public-access facilities. The owners gave the course a chance to mature before it opened, and the result is solid. Tom Jackson is one of the Carolinas' most prominent architects, and this course must rate as one of his better efforts.

Hacked mostly out of woods, Olde Sycamore is a peaceful excursion into a pleasant piece of property where Jackson built a course that's user-friendly in most places. We found no need to pull out the driver until the 9th, a huge par 4, 442 from the tips with an approach shot over water to a large and undulating green. The driver could well stay in the bag on much of the back nine as well, as Jackson emphasizes placement over raw power--at least from the front tees! Once your tee shot splits the fairway, your approach shot needs to find the right portion of the mostly largish greens, but mounds adjacent to many of the putting surfaces will bounce the slightly errant shot back onto the green--the exact opposite of a Donald Ross green complex.

There isn't much water on the golf course, and in true Tom Jackson style, there are no long carries off the tee. The fairways aren't especially wide, and plenty of bunkers lurk in wait of the errant drive. If the fairways are hard, an overhit drive could easily result in a lost ball through the fairway at a dogleg.

The owners built Olde Sycamore as an amenity to their housing development, and the course will surely succeed as such. It should also provide local golfers with an interesting test where even the mid-handicapper might be tempted to head for the tips for the full effect--but only if the fairways are running. Once it's had a couple more years to mature, Olde Sycamore will be yet another solid contribution to Charlotte's public-access golf portfolio.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, chipping green, snack bar, rental clubs and a pro shop.

You will not want to walk this course. You can book a tee time three days in advance of the weekend if you're not a member. Approximate cost, including cart, is $45 Monday through Thursday and $50 on weekends.

Piney Point Golf Club
Piney Point Rd., Norwood • (704) 474-3985
Championship Yardage: 6710 Slope: 118 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6385 Slope: 115 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 4955 Slope: 111 Par: 72

Piney Point Golf Club opened in 1964. Porter Gibson designed the course, which is mostly open, with woods bordering a few holes. The fairways are bermudagrass, and the club redesigned the green complexes with bentgrass in 1998.

This mature golf course, close to Lake Tillery, is justifiably popular among local golfers. The pace and overall ambiance of the course are relaxing and unassuming, offering countrified golf in a pastoral setting. It's only open for public play on weekdays; on weekends, you must play with a member.

There's a lot to like about Piney Point, and there's plenty to make it worth the price of admission, even if you can only play the course during the week. First among its attractions is the solid layout, which features four reachable par 5s, four indifferent but challenging par 3s and some interesting par 4s that vary in length from a mere 376 yards to a muscular 441.

Pride of the par 5s must be the dogleg left 2nd, 490 from the tips downhill to a wide fairway. A good drive on the normally hard surface leaves a tempting 225 or less to a thin green guarded by two bunkers on the left and a large pond on the right. The ball below the feet of the right-hander may push the shot to the right, but a laser-like second could lead to excellent results, while errant approaches will spell early disaster. The 9th, a 390-yard par 4 over water to a fairway set at 45 degrees to the tee, is a justifiably well-known hole that favors the slicer who will find the ball sitting comfortably at the bottom of a swale for the approach to the green.

Perhaps Piney Point is a throwback to a time when architects could take a pleasant piece of property and lay out a golf course without moving too much earth. There are no houses on the course, and wayward drives are more likely to find the next fairway than someone's back yard. The money is clearly spent on the golf course instead of the clubhouse, and the result is a routinely fast track where a downhill shot means two to three fewer clubs. It isn't easy to shoot very low scores on the course, but it's equally difficult to post really huge numbers.

Tipped-out, Piney Point will provide the good golfer with all he could want, particularly on the par 4s, which provide the course with the majority of its interest and challenge.

The club's powers-that-be expertly managed the recent and much needed redesign of the greens, converted from bermuda to Crenshaw bentgrass. It's always tempting to go overboard with this type of work, but Piney Point members do not want anything too disco and thus the greens are subtle and quirky without being too outrageously difficult to putt or maintain.

You can walk this course anytime. The course is very walkable, and lots of golfers walk here. You can book a tee time anytime, so long as it's not for the weekend. Approximate cost, including cart, is $25 Monday through Friday and $33 on weekends (remember, on weekends you must be with a member).

Regent Park Golf Club
3000 Heritage Pkwy., Fort Mill, S.C.• (803) 547-1300
Championship Yardage: 6861 Slope: No rating Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6478 Slope: No rating Par: 72
Other Yardage: 6083 Slope: No rating Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 5258 Slope: No rating Par: 72

Note: Regent Park is a South Carolina course; however, its proximity to Charlotte (it's less than 10 miles over the state line) and the fact that it is frequented by Charlotte golfers make it a natural addition to this Charlotte Region chapter.

Ron Garl designed Regent Park Golf Club, which opened in 1995. The course is set on rolling wooded terrain. In the fairways, you'll find bermudagrass; on the greens, bentgrass.

The sumptuous Regent Park is the centerpiece of what will eventually be a large housing community. The development also includes a top-quality, state-of-the-art practice facility--the finest in the area.

Playing at Regent Park, you can't help being staggered by and impressed with the money that must have been poured into its construction and design. It's a golfing extravaganza the likes of which you won't find on any public course in the immediate area, even with all the new competition. The result is a number of beautiful golf holes flanked by serious hazards and difficulties. You'll find large bunkers, mounds, water, swamp, tricky lies in the fairway and the type of problems normally reserved for professional and low-handicap golfers. It's as stern a test of golfing skill and patience as you'll find on any top-notch public or private course. Many of the greens are sensible and sloped, while others make you feel like you've landed on a Putt-Putt course with a few too many under your belt. You'll see what we mean when you visit this course--something you definitely should do.

The pros here are proudest of the dogleg right par 4 8th, 420 from the tips. Your tee shot needs to fade around a large mound on the right side of the fairway, leaving a long iron downhill to an undulating green surrounded by trees. A solid golf hole.

There's a serious emphasis at Regent Park on making this a top-quality public facility. Tee times are spread out at 10-minute intervals, and your tee time is secured by a credit card--so show up for your tee time. As you leave the course, your clubs are cleaned and carried to your car--talk about service. Golfers who show up at the practice range without collars on their shirts are turned away by the style police.

You won't find a larger testament to modern golf anywhere in the Charlotte region than at Regent Park. You must use a cart here.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, chipping green, snack bar, rental clubs, a beverage cart and pro shop.

You can book a tee time four to seven days in advance for an $8 service charge; otherwise it's three days in advance. Approximate cost, including cart, is $45 weekdays and $55 on weekends.

Renaissance Park Golf Course
1525 Tyvola Rd. W., Charlotte • (704) 357-3373
Championship Yardage: 7525 Slope: 126 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6880 Slope: 121 Par: 72
Other Yardage: 6270 Slope: 115 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 4606 Slope: No rating Par: 72

Renaissance Park Golf Course opened in 1987. Michael Hurdzan, a well-respected architect and agronomy expert, designed the course with bermudagrass fairways and bentgrass greens on a mix of open and wooded terrain on what used to be a landfill. The course is owned by the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.

Controversial from its very first day in operation, Renaissance Park opened during the "landfill boom" of the 1980s, when municipalities discovered the joys of building golf courses where there used to be garbage. Due to its proximity to downtown Charlotte, the airport and the Charlotte Coliseum, Renaissance packed 'em in during its first few years of life. Those who plunked down the almost $50 (then) to experience the joys of landfill golf found a wide-open links-like design with some interesting and difficult holes, most notably the 1st, a 600-yard par 5 where the only shot was a lay-up with a five iron. And then there was the smell--a sulfurous and nauseating odor oozing out of the earth, borne over the entire layout by the prevailing westerly winds.

Once the competition heated up, Renaissance began to feel the pinch, and the county ordered a $1 million rethink of the project, which coincided with the closure of the clubhouse due to potentially lethal levels of methane. Your tax dollars at work, ladies and gentlemen.

The result of the redesign is a course that's much more user-friendly than the original. Targets have been widened, and many of the blind shots have been eradicated. The price is lower, reducing its impact on the bank account, but most importantly, the smell has subsided. Now, the only obstacles to one's golfing enjoyment are the roaring jets making their final approach to Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, and the distant sound of gunfire from the Police Department's firing range. In his book The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses, Tom Doak gave the course a zero out of 10 rating. Things have improved since Tom's visit, making Renaissance a decent course if you're stuck at the airport with more than six hours to kill.

Amenities include a range, practice green, snack bar and rental clubs.

You can walk anytime, but it's not recommended. You can also book a tee time anytime. Approximate cost for Mecklenburg County residents, including cart, is $32 weekdays and $36 on weekends. It's about $5 more for nonresidents.

River Bend Golf Club
Longwood Dr., Shelby • (704) 482-4286
Championship Yardage: 6555 Slope: 130 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 5956 Slope: 117 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 4920 Slope: 102 Par: 72

River Bend opened in 1965. Russell Breeden designed the course, which is open and set on rolling terrain, with the typical bermudagrass fairways and bentgrass greens.

River Bend has a local reputation as a playable track that's usually in good condition. It's exactly what you'd expect from a Russell Breeden course. You won't find a ton of trouble off the tee, and your approach shot will be hit to a medium-sized green flanked by a series of bunkers that are not too penal. The owner of the course talks wistfully about Russell Breeden cruising around building the course with the help of his personal earth mover. He also talks proudly about the conditioning. The course is definitely worth a visit, and it's a good value.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, chipping green, snack bar and pro shop.

The course is walkable, and you can walk on weekdays. You can book a tee time three days in advance. Approximate cost, including cart, is $27 weekdays and $34 on weekends.

Rock Barn Club of Golf
Rock Barn Rd., Conover • (704) 459-9279
Championship Yardage: 6778 Slope: 132 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6318 Slope: 128 Par: 72
Other Yardage: 5921 Slope: 122 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 4812 Slope: 117 Par: 72

Rock Barn Club of Golf opened in 1968. Russell Breeden designed the course. The club recently added an additional nine holes, designed by Tom Jackson. The course, which is convenient to I-40, is set on rolling terrain, with woods bordering many of the holes. In the fairways, you'll find bermudagrass; on the greens, bentgrass.

Set in the northern reaches of the Charlotte region near Hickory, Rock Barn Club of Golf has long had an excellent reputation for its sound design and great conditioning. We found this to be true. In fact, we think this is perhaps one of Breeden's finest efforts--a course with outstanding variety and playability, laid out in a peaceful setting. Should anyone accuse Breeden of being a cookie-cutter architect, bring them here. There are some wonderful and imaginative holes on this excellent layout. You'll find decent room off the tee, though it helps to be in the right part of the fairway with your drive. The greens are large and sloped. Three-putts are an annoying possibility; there's just enough slope and undulation to make even the shortest putt an adventure. As with many Breeden courses, the large bunkers vary in intensity, depending upon pin placement. You should definitely take time to play here.

The Jackson nine is new and modern in design. The architect unleashed some of his most venomous features. You'll find plenty of major elevation changes, large mounds, nasty bunkers and severely undulating greens. It's certainly a stunning and entertaining track--a strong contrast to Breeden's more mature and less penal 18. After your round on the main course, take a few beers to the new nine and you'll have had all the golf you could possibly want--and more.

The club plans major modifications in 2000, so call first if you'd like to play there.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, locker room, snack bar, rental clubs and a pro shop.

The original course is walkable for the fit, and you can walk anytime, but we don't recommend you walk the Jackson nine. You can book a tee time six days in advance.

Approximate cost, including cart, is $37 weekdays and $32 on weekends.

Rocky River Golf Club
6900 Speedway Blvd., Concord• (704) 455-1200
Championship Yardage: 6970 Slope: 132 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6028 Slope: 119 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 4574 Slope: 119 Par: 72

Dan Maples designed Rocky River, which opened in 1997. The City of Concord owns the course, which is built on rolling woodlands. Greens are bentgrass and fairways are bermudagrass.

This municipally owned course is one of the better tracks northeast of Charlotte. Dan Maples, son of the great Ellis (who built Donald Ross' last golf course at Raleigh Country Club) is a well-known and well-respected architect who makes his home in the Pinehurst area. His work here at Rocky River has been well received and easily outshines all the publicly owned work in the Charlotte region. The course places a strong emphasis on service and conditioning: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Parks and Rec Department take note.

The site is excellent, with wetlands and rock outcroppings providing most of the danger. The rocks provide a quaint, "rugged" look that's unique in this area.

In fact, on the third hole, a solid 555-yard par 5, there's a bus-sized boulder 300 yards out in the middle of the fairway. After that's been negotiated, the approach to the large green is relatively straightforward. Most of the greens at Rocky River are large and somewhat undulating. Many offer the opportunity to bounce the ball up from the fairway--a design feature that's all too rare these days.

Overall, Rocky River provides an excellent example of what a local government can achieve with a golf course; it's well worth a visit if you're in the Concord area.

The course is walkable--but walking is restricted, which is an absolute crime at a municipal public facility. You can book a tee time six days in advance for weekdays and on Monday for the weekend. Approximate cost, including cart, is $40 weekdays and $50 on weekends. However, the course offers a slew of discounts for students, seniors, residents, etc.

Stonebridge Golf Club
2721 Swilcan Burn Rd., Monroe• (704) 283-8998
Championship Yardage: 6923 Slope: 132 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6374 Slope: 127 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 5145 Slope: 120 Par: 72

Stonebridge opened in 1998. Richard Osborne designed the course, which sits on flat land bordered by mature woods. Fairways are bermudagrass; greens are bentgrass. Osborne, who only recently opened his own firm, used to be an associate of Ron Garl, who designed the popular Regent Park.

Drive south and east of Charlotte, past the house farms to where you get to the horse farms, and you're in some of the prettiest land and scenery in the region. In 20 years or so, most of it will be developed, but for now, it's superb--pristine farmland and woodlands with nary a condo or strip mall in sight.

Stonebridge's developer, a company based in Jacksonville, Florida, found a prime chunk of this fair land upon which to build its course, and the result is outstanding. To the traditionalist or minimalist, Stonebridge is easily the most pleasing of all the new courses built in Charlotte in the past 10 years. In many ways, it's reminiscent of an English countryside parkland course. There are no houses adjacent to the course and civilization, for the most part, has been kept far away.

The imitation of the Swilcan Bridge on the 1st hole, a cracker of a par 5, 574 from the tips, is a bit silly, but overall, the layout is superbly designed. Some holes, particularly on the front are completely hemmed in by woods, while others are quite open and almost linksy. Adding to the Scottish touch is the nomenclature for each hole: the 451 yard par 4 8th is called "Saddleback." It's a tough hole, with a stand of oaks on the right side of the fairway just 200 yards from the back tee.

Most fairways are wide, and most green complexes offer generous putting surfaces with varying degrees of undulation and bunkering. But while the design is solid, the setting is even better. If you want to get away from it all for a few hours, Stonebridge might be your best bet. Afterwards, relax in the elegant 10,000 square-foot clubhouse.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, snack bar and pro shop.

The course is very walkable but walking is restricted primarily to weekdays. You can book a tee time four days in advance. Approximate cost, including cart, is $36 during the week and $50 on weekends.

The Tradition
3800 Prosperity Church Rd., Charlotte• (704) 549-9779
Championship Yardage: 6970 Slope: No rating Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6450 Slope: No rating Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 4754 Slope: No rating Par: 72

The Tradition opened in 1996. John Cassells designed the course, which is set on rolling, partially wooded terrain. The fairways are blanketed with bermudagrass; on the greens, you'll putt on bentgrass.

The Tradition is a sister course of The Divide (see write-up above). The taxpayers of Mecklenburg County own the land. A round at The Tradition is bound to be a pleasant ride through the woods over streams and around ponds. The wayward driver will find the course tight and will spend a good deal of time getting to know the woods firsthand.

The greens are midsize and undulating, with shallow bunkers catching off-line shots.

The Tradition offers a sensible value, coming in a price point that's noticeably lower than other newer public golf courses in the region. Once the course has fully matured and grown in, it'll be a solid addition to public golf in the northeast quadrant of the city.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, locker room, snack bar, rental clubs and a pro shop.

The course is walkable for the fit, but walking is restricted. You can book a tee time seven days in advance for weekday play and on Monday for the weekend. Approximate cost, including cart, is $29 weekdays and $39 on weekends.

Verdict Ridge
7332 Kidville Rd., Denver• (704) 489-1206
Championship Yardage: 6897 Slope: 142 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6347 Slope: 131 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 4932 Slope: 125 Par: 72

Verdict Ridge opened in 1998. Former Charlotte mayor Eddie Knox designed the course in association with the land planning firm Land Design. Bermudagrass fairways lead to bentgrass greens.

Is there a more visually appealing or stunning course in the Charlotte area than Verdict Ridge? Probably not. This site, in rustic east Lincoln County, has to be one of the most scenic in the Charlotte region. You'll feel like you're in the mountains of North Carolina, amid a virgin forest of hardwoods and shrubs, such is the splendor.

In addition to being a prominent citizen and former mayor, founder and designer Knox is also a lawyer, hence the club's name: Verdict Ridge.

Eventually, there will be houses up on the ridge and around the course.

Due to the hilliness of the site, Verdict Ridge is a difficult and challenging golf course. High handicappers might not enjoy themselves on this course and are best advised to leave the clubs at home and enjoy the scenery--particularly magnificent in spring and fall. Even the view from the practice tee is breathtaking!

On most holes, the undulations of the site come into play. Tee shots and approach shots are often quite significantly uphill or downhill, and many shots must be played from tricky sidehill lies, often to greens that are either shallow or narrow. If you don't know how to deal with uneven lies, a day at Verdict Ridge will be quite long.

Adding to the difficulty is the undulating design of the green complexes.

One of the many spectacular holes is the par 4 9th, 351 yards from the back tees. The drive must be played into the side of a hill to the left of the fairway--hopefully, the ball will run down to a relatively flat lie on the right side. From there, it's a short to mid iron to a triple-tiered green flanked by a waterfall. Par here is an achievement that will make your hot dog at the turn taste like caviar.

The 9th is just one of many visually pleasing yet tremendously demanding holes on what might be Charlotte's toughest golf course. We love the scenery. Play it once just for the vistas alone--we'll let you decide whether you're up for the challenge.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, snack bar and pro shop.

You can't walk this course even though it would make a nice day hike. Approximate cost, including cart, is $39 Monday to Thursday and $54 on weekends (including Fridays.)

The Warrior
890 Lake Wright Rd., China Grove• (704) 856-0871
Championship Yardage: 6609 Slope: 127 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6193 Slope: 121 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 4423 Slope: 110 Par: 72

The Warrior opened in 1999. Stan Gentry designed the course, which is set on undulating acreage bordered by mature woods, with bermudagrass fairways and bentgrass greens.

The Warrior Golf Club in China Grove provides a perfect example of the welcoming new movement towards golf courses designed to bring playability back to public golf in metro Charlotte. The Warrior fills the need for quality public golf in the Salisbury area.

Architect Stan Gentry worked on Meadowlands in Thomasville, a course that's been extremely well received by golfers in the Winston-Salem area. Gentry designed the course golf first and homesites second. The owners of The Warrior originally planned to build a course nearer to Salisbury but happened along this piece of property by accident. And what a piece of land. The centerpiece of the mostly wooded and superbly pitched site is Lake Wright, which supplies a portion of the water for the town of Landis. The small lake borders the first hole and provides a superb backdrop for the 16th, 17th and 18th. It also generates a breeze.

Ponds come into play on Warrior's No. 1 handicap hole, the 407 yard 7th. Players who risk hitting their driver may well end up in one of two water hazards. The big hitter will prudently lay up with a long iron or fairway wood, leaving a mid-iron to one of the few greens on the course with significant undulation.

Off the tee at Warrior, the trouble comes primarily in the form of dense woods, which line many of the fairways. Rope or slice a drive into the forest with the Biggest Big Bertha Ever and it's a lost ball. Thankfully, most of the fairways at Warrior are wide and, at just over 6600 yards from the tips, many players can afford to keep the driver in the bag off the tee.

Once successfully in the fairway, the golfer, should the course be dry, is presented with the option of flying the ball to the pin or running it up to the green. The latter is a rarity on many modern courses, and the bump-and-run will be particularly useful on windy days.

A rarity in this area, Warrior offers a real full-service pro shop, featuring complete club repair and fitting.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, grill, snack bar and pro shop.

Walking is restricted, but the course is very walkable. Approximate cost, including cart, is $35 during the week and $40 on weekends.

Waterford
1900 Clubhouse Rd., Rock Hill• (803) 324-0300
Championship Yardage: 6913 Slope: 132 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6513 Slope: 125 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 5196 Slope: 1112 Par: 72

Waterford opened in 1997. Hale Irwin designed the course, which is set on undulating land adjacent to the Catawba River. The Senior Tour star had the course seeded with bermudagrass fairways and bentgrass greens.

The Rock Hill area needed a couple more solid public-access courses and Waterford satiates the need extremely well. The site is outstanding, and Irwin produced a fine and scenic course that most golfers will enjoy. Irwin and his crew protected wetlands and streams, and these natural hazards provide most of the strategic challenge. Greens are mostly large and undulating but should not render too much trouble.

The par 4 13th, a decent 423 yards from the back tees, is a magnificent and tricky golf hole. The drive might be best played to the right side of the sloping, tiered fairway, so that your ball bounces back down to the middle. From there, it's a decent poke uphill to a green that's protected by a stream and long trap in front. Hale Irwin and many other professional golfers would be ecstatic with a par here.

The 9th, another fine hole, measures a whopping 596 yards from the back tees through a relatively narrow opening in the trees. Irwin is famous for his ability to hit consistently straight shots, and his design philosophy somwhat mirrors his playing abilities. This might be especially true on the downhill 15th, a 156-yard par 3 where accuracy is essential--there's water to the left and woods on the right.

Even though the soil here is red Piedmont clay, Waterford, with its abundance of tall pines, might remind you of a Pinehurst course, particularly on holes like the aforementioned 9th. It's definitely worth a visit if you're in south Charlotte or York County.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, snack bar and pro shop.

Walking is restricted, and the course is walkable. Approximate cost, including cart, is $36 during the week and $45 on weekends.

Westport Golf Course
7494 Golf Course Dr., Denver • (704) 483-5604
Championship Yardage: 6805 Slope: 123 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6291 Slope: 118 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 5597 Slope: 118 Par: 72

Westport Golf Course opened in 1968. Porter Gibson designed the course, which is set on rolling wooded terrain. Bermudagrass blankets the fairways, and bentgrass covers the greens.

Westport has been popular for quite some time with the droves of Charlotte golfers who gladly make the 30-minute trek to the western shores of Lake Norman in search of a fun round at a sensible price on a well-designed course.

Even though Lake Norman is close by, it does not come into play, and water is a factor on only a few holes. What makes Westport a popular course is the pretty setting combined with the ample variety and challenge. There's decent room off the tee on most holes, and the greens are medium-size, predominantly sloped and not excessively bunkered. Gibson placed some light mounding around the green complexes as well. For many years, the course was famous (or infamous) for its 4th hole, a 424-yard par 4 where you had to lay up with a mid-iron off the tee, then hit a long iron or fairway wood off a tight downhill lie over a pond and uphill to a large green. Three-putting was a distinct possibility. The most popular score on the hole was "X." The State of North Carolina recently forced the course to dredge part of the pond--why, we're not sure--and the result was that the hole evened out, making it slightly less difficult.

With all the new courses under construction closer to Charlotte, it will be interesting to see how Westport fares. If courses like Westport are going to prosper, it will be important to groom and maintain the track to consistently high standards year-round.

The ownership of the course has been up in the air for a while, but the new owners set about improving the maintenance, which should help the course compete with all the new tracks that have sprung up. It remains a solid value.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, locker room, snack bar, rental clubs and a pro shop.

You can walk the course anytime during the week and after 2 PM on weekends. You can book a tee time whenever you choose for the weekdays and on Wednesday for the upcoming weekend. Approximate cost, including cart, is $25 weekdays and $30 on weekends.

Woodbridge Golf Links
1007 New Camp Creek Church Rd.,Kings Mountain
• (704) 482-0353, (704) 338-9024 (Charlotte Number)
Championship Yardage: 6743 Slope: 131 Par: 72
Men's Yardage: 6156 Slope: 121 Par: 72
Ladies' Yardage: 5054 Slope: 127 Par: 73

Woodbridge Golf Links opened in 1971. Porter Gibson and Bob Toski designed the course, which is set on rolling, partially wooded terrain. The fairways are blanketed with bermudagrass; on the greens, you'll find bentgrass.

Porter Gibson is a well-known and respected Charlotte-based golf course architect. He has worked with the likes of Sam Snead and, for a while, Bob Toski, the renowned instructor. Gibson was a leader in the development of wastewater irrigation systems for golf courses. Bet you didn't know that!

Woodbridge is owned by the same people who own the Beck Mercedes auto dealership in Charlotte. The solid ownership has meant that the course has developed a reputation for good maintenance. This reputation has in turn helped the course attract numerous golfers from the Charlotte and Gastonia areas. It's always been a popular and challenging course with a sound design. Woodbridge has also hosted a women's collegiate golf tournament.

The front nine is set in open terrain. The course is at its prettiest on the back nine, where several holes dip into woodland next to a rivulet. A wooden bridge crosses the rivulet after the 600-yard par 5 No. 13 (hence the course's name). The greens are large enough that club selection becomes a significant issue on many holes. There's plenty of room off the tee, so you'll be fine taking the big stick out and giving the ball a good thump. Water comes into play in a number of instances and could really irritate you and lead to some big numbers.

Woodbridge is a fun and playable course that stands a good chance of remaining popular in the face of all the competition from the new courses in the Charlotte area.

Amenities include a practice green, driving range, locker room, snack bar, rental clubs, a beverage cart and pro shop.

The course is walkable for the fit, and you can walk anytime during the week. You can book a tee time seven days in advance for the week and on Monday for the weekend. Approximate cost, including cart, is $28 weekdays and $38 on weekends.

PGA Senior TourHome Depot Invitational

Held in mid- to late-spring at The Tournament Players Club at Piper Glen (which isn't written up in this chapter because it's a private course), the Home Depot Invitational is hosted by Arnold Palmer and usually attracts a solid field. Formerly called the World Seniors Invitational and the Paine Webber Invitational, the tournament is one of the oldest on the Senior PGA circuit.

Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay designed the varied course that's bordered by enormous houses. The best place to watch might be the par 5 16th--reachable in two by most players, the hole offers a chance to see the seniors' short games in action, always a marvelous sight.

Others will point you in the direction of the par 3 17th, just a wedge downhill to a multitiered green where birdies are always a possibility.

Home Depot signed on as tournament sponsor for 2000 and should provide a boost for an event that's waned in recent years. Rumor has it that it might move to another course (in the Charlotte area) in the near future.

For tickets and other information, call (704) 442-9797.