Linville

[Tim Book]

Looking for any info on Linville?  Besides being a Donald Ross design and being tied to The Eseeola Lodge I haven't found out much about it.  I read a few older threads, but I don't remember it being discussed recently.  Has anyone played it recently.  What would it be considered on the Doak scale?

[hhuffines]

It's a great place with a really fun course.  I think Mr. Doak gave it a 6 himself.  I would play it every time I was up there but access can be limited unless you are staying at the Lodge.

[Tom_Doak]

I did give the course a 6 in The Confidential Guide and enjoyed my walking tour ... unfortunately, they had closed for the season when I visited, even though it was a gorgeous fall day with the sun out and in full fall color. 

Sad to say I didn't get any pictures because they had cored the greens and left the cores on them!

[Mitch Hantman]

I played it about three years ago, and I loved it.  Many terrific holes, with wonderful greens and enough quirk to make me want to come back again soon.  It's worth going out of your way to play it if you get the chance. 

[Chris Cupit]

Linville is a terrific place.  The little town and lodge are first rate and the Seafood Buffets on Wednesday nights at the Eseeola are beyond belief.  Oh, and the golf course is a ton of fun to play too

Not overly long but plenty of length--it is one of those courses that plays longer than the yardage.  Lots of really outstanding holes:

#1  Nice opening par four that seems easy until you hit it above the hole and putt your first attempt right off the green!
#2  A "short" hole that can play long.  340 or so but blind off the tee and many lay back to 150 for a level lie into one of the most severely crowned greens I have ever played.  The actual green space is 1/3 less of what you see.  You can try and drive the ball farther down the fairway (bringing the mountain laurel and OB into play) to leave yourself a wedge but I never felt that confident.  Hole high can leave a fifteen foot putt that breaks three feet!

#3  Long, tough hole.  Great drive over a plateau then up hill to another crowned Ross gem  If the drive doesn't get down the plateau you may have 225 plus for your approach.  Beautiful hole with the creek bisecting the hole twice.

#4  Fun par five and now with the creek crossing about forty yards short of the green there is a lot of interest to either going for the green or laying up.  Backdrop of the lake is stunning.

#5  What would be a "typical" hole at most places that stands out because of the interest at the green and surrounds.

#6  Again, a flat piece of land and yet a par three with a center spine that makes this a cool one shotter.

#7  The green on the haunted hill!  Short dogleg right which is a hybrid and 9 iron or wedge for many to a sharply tilted green on a hill.  Tree removal has helped a bunch and I think they may have added a touch of green to help but this is a very severe green where you can easily go from putter to wedge before you know it.

#8  If you like options this par 5 has them.  You can try and go up and over the corner of teh creek and trees to leave yourself 210 to the green or play safe and left iff the tee and resign yourslef to at least three shots.  Broken record but another green with just enough slope and crown to have you hitting a "do over" 

#9  The second of four really great par threes.  Downhill and there is a magnet of some type that pulls all balls to the golfer's right.  Of course I almost always overcompensate by pulling it left of the left bunker under one of the eighty foot pine trees but.......

#10  Short, straight par 4 with maybe the most controversal green on the course.  Two distinct tiers and if you are on the upper tier and the hole is on the lower there is nothing you can do to keep your ball on the green.  The green is elevated so a putt that rolls down the fairway leaves an awkward 30 yard shot.  If I get on the upper tier by mistake and if I was playing for a score, the play is a flanking manouver and then an easier chip to the hole.

#11  Along with #3 a stunning par four.  Long and due to the creek crossing you are certain to be left with a long approach to another small, pitched green  440 yards or so but the approach is almost always from 180-200

#12  Easiest par four on the course    220 yards uphill and blind.  green is not a punchbowl but is nestled into the hillside.  All carry to (thankfully) the flattest (NOT flat) green on the course.

#13  Dogleg right par five that is reachable though the drive is tough.  Doglegging right and fighting the land (reverse camber) the drive must thread the mountain laurel and rhodos on the right and the creek all down the left side.  One of the most unique greens I have ever seen with an incredible back tier/shelf that is immenently "fair" and equally maddening.

#14 last of four terrific par threes.  About 160 but plays longer uphill over a deep ravine/creek.  OB tight on the right and maybe the widest target on the course.  False front can mean having to fix your ball mark and drop outside and behind the hazard!

#15  Another tempting par five with numerous choices off the tee.  You can try and drive over the crossing creek that runs at an angle away from you as the hole bends back to the left.  Or lay up as near to the creek as possible and perhaps still have a go at the green.  And, yes, another great, rolling green.  Any miss right of the green is a lost shot.

#16  Short, uphill and doglegging right.  Another severe and perched green that thankfully has had additional green added in the last year or so. 

#17  Straight and scary.  Tighest drive on the course but as you top the hill you ee yet another really cool green.  A spine running at an angle from the front left to back right.  A mini false front short and right leading to a depression of humps and bumps that give you countless options when plotting your recovery.  Skyline green as well with nothing but death for a shot hit long.

#18  Long tough finish.  Bunkers on the left and OB right always pucker me up even though you really have room.  Fairway is easily forty yards wide.  A long drive to the top of the hill gives a nice view to the final, smallish green that is begging for you to run your approach up.  Nice backdrop with grandfather mountain and the clubhouse in the background.

An absolutely charming place.

[Chris Cupit]

Teeing off on #5 with the lake in the background.  Looks like I lost this one right 

[Carl Johnson]

Although not a member, I've played there a lot over the years . . . last time a year or so ago.  This would be as an Eseeola Lodge guest or the guest of a club member.  IMHO, it is all about the greens.  (Correction - it's all about the approach shots.  If you're not in the right place on the green, you've got problems.)  Spring, summer, not too bad.  Early to mid-fall, if they cut them like they have done in the past . . . if you putt from above the hole and miss, you're back down the fairway more than you'd like on a number of holes.  I endorse the hole-by-hole detail of Chris Cupit, above.  The greens are poa annua - extremely true, a plus.  Very nice scenery, if you're into that.  Regarding play, you can stay at the Eseeola Lodge or you can be a club member or a guest of a club member.  A couple of years ago you could play without your member-sponsor being present, but the green fee was a lot more in that case.  I don't know if that's still an option today.  The club itself is very old school, etc., but they are taking members.  I believe that in order to be a member you must have a house (or maybe just property or access thereto) in the Linville Club community.

[Scott_Burroughs]

For a course in the mountains of NC, there are very few holes with much elevation change.....which makes it VERY walkable....yet they don't allow walking, at least for resort guests (a few years ago...could have changed).  Perhaps members are allowed, not sure.

[Jackson C]

Yes, it is definitely worth playing.  You should enjoy the routing as it uses the hills surrounding the valley.  The holes which incorporate the hills are particularly interesting and unique.  For example, #2, 7, 10, and 13 were my favorites with #13 standing out as a long par 5 winding around the side of hill.  There is a lot of elevation change and I felt the purely valley holes were much less interesting.  Not surprisingly the greens are very good.