Rock Barn is a 36-hole, resort-style venue with a full suite of amenities, including the signature spa, casual and fine dining, fitness center, outdoor swimming complex, tennis, event space and lodging. The golf courses are two of the best in the region. The Tom Jackson course is a fixture in B-Man's Top 10 Public Courses each year, and you won't find a better value for the pristine conditions and fun challenges you will find on this relatively short (6,427 yards from the tips) par-71 layout. The Robert Trent Jones II course is a private, championship-caliber track that hosted the Champions Tour Greater Hickory Classic for over 13 years. Both courses feature dramatic elevation changes throughout, and the Jones course plays along Lyle Creek. If you're looking for a resort lifestyle club, inquire about their membership packages.

Catawba Country Club is conveniently located just 6 miles south of Hickory and boasts a championship layout designed by acclaimed golf course architect Donald Ross in 1946. The course stretches to 6,635 yards from the tips as a par 72, with typical Ross challenges around the fast Bentgrass greens. This private club also offers swimming, tennis, fitness and several dining options, including Ernie's Grill, the Ross Grille and the McCreary Room for banquets and special events. The club offers memberships for Catawba County residents, adjoining county residents and non-residents as well as junior and social memberships.

Lake Hickory Country Club is a full-service, private facility offering golf, tennis, fitness and aquatics as well as dining and event hosting. The nearly 100-year-old club has two locations about 15 minutes apart and serves as Hickory's premier country club. The Town Course is a nine-hole executive practice facility that can play as a 3,806-yard, par-60 layout over 18 holes. The Catawba Springs Course features 27 holes designed by Willard Byrd. The Fox Run and Sulphur Springs nines combine into a par-72, 6610-yard course. Water comes into play on almost every hole of the Sulphur Springs nine and all three of the nines play as a par 36 between 3,200 and 3,300 yards.

Located just north of Lake Hickory, Players Ridge is a young, semi-private course designed by Karl Litten and renovated with Sunday Bermuda greens in 2020. The layout plays difficult (slope rating 138) though relatively short (only 6,319 yards from the back tees). It features rolling terrain bordered by hardwoods and evergreens, frequently leaving you with uphill, downhill and sidehill lies. The course hosts a variety of weekly matches and games and offers unlimited golf memberships.

Lenoir Golf Club is an affordable, public golf course that opened in 1928 but was later redesigned by Donald Ross and expanded to 18 holes in 1961. The course features small Bentgrass greens and two creeks that meander throughout the property. It plays 6,385 yards from the longest tees as a par 71. The course does offer memberships that make it even more of a value for the avid golfer.

Cedar Rock Country Club is a semi-private club located just east of Lenoir in the Village of Cedar Rock. The club opened in 1965 as an Ellis Maples championship layout of 7,153 yards with Bentgrass greens and was quickly recognized as one of the Top 100 courses in America (Golf Digest, 1969-'70) and number three in the state behind Charlotte Country Club and Pinehurst number two. It remains one of western North Carolina's finest courses, featuring scenic, panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, especially Hibriten Mountain. The club offers an array of membership options that include access to the swimming, tennis and dining facilities in addition to golf.

 

Orchard Hills, once an apple orchard, is a public golf course that opened in 1963 and meanders through the rural hills of the Baton Community in Granite Falls. This is a short, relatively easy par-72 course, measuring only 6,134 yards from the back tees. Very affordable rates make this one of the best golfing values in the area.

 

Opened in 1976, the golf course at Granada Farms Country Club is a par-72, Tom Jackson design of 6,761 yards. The hilly layout features lots of elevation changes, especially on tee shots, and picturesque mountain views on the back nine. Course conditions can vary throughout the season but the affordable rates make the course a good value.

Chris Beeman runs The B-Man's Guide to Golf in Charlotte and has reviewed local golf courses in the area since 2002. You can follow him on Instagram, @charlottegolfer, to get his updates on golf clubs throughout the Carolinas. To get information on all the public golf courses within an hour of Charlotte, visit his website at http://golf.bman.com.