Yesterday I played 18 (walked for $16 beginning at 10 am) at the Grassy Creek Golf and Country Club in Spruce Pine, N.C. [USA] (a/k/a the Mineral City and Home of the Perfect Christmas Tree), way off the beaten path in the western N.C. mountains (Mitchell County, with a total county pop. of about 15,000). I've known of the course for years and have driven past it many times. I have no idea who designed and/or built it or when. It was always dissed by my friends. What I found was a sufficeintly well conditioned, very interesting course. I say it's "little" because the course is 6,277 from the back, the greens are fairly small and the fairways somewhat narrow. Other "faults": the greens are a little spongy and slow (but without blemishes), a number of traps in disrepair, and "tree management" is lacking. [Edit: revisit in 2011 found greens firm, not too slow, and in great shape.] Yet, and this is based on my recent interest in gca, both from reading and this site, I found the course well-routed and challenging, yet sufficiently low-key to be available to any player. The practice range and green are small, yet as we finished there were probably 15 to 20 children having a group lesson. The staff was exceptionally welcoming. The two of us, in our late 60's, who made the tee time walked and carried our bags (6/7 clubs), and a single joined us in a cart. We played the somewhat hilly course in 3:40, taking about 10 min. off for a hot dog at the turn. Among other things, I amused myself by imagining what could be done to bring this course to the next level. On this site we talk about gca at your Prestwicks, Cruden Bays, Hidden Creeks, ANGC and so on. What about the Grassy Creeks of the world? There must be lots of them -- not to say that every little, small town course (or even this one) should be revered. Should we care about these courses? What makes them?