Black Mountain, North Carolina

[Bruce Brakel]

Black Mountain, North Carolina

I'm at a four-day conference in Appalachia in the shadow of Mount Mitchell.  Yesterday I played the course in the public park before checking in at the conference center.  If you're passing by Black Mountain on I-40 or I-26, whatever the I is out there, just keep going.  This course is a little pitch and putt from the long tees.  There are several stand and deliver holes where you'll be throwing your putter and a lot of Roc shots.  To get to the back nine you take the tunnel under the interstate.  I shot the course -6 or -7 but had a disappointing slew of 3s on the back.  I was having a blood sugar problem so that might have been the problem.  Poor diet on the way down here.  I just can't live on Bugles anymore! 

The conference center has a course also.  I'm glad I brought my discs.  We get 90 minute breaks between sessions and it is just enough time to race around the course and then clean up a bit.  This is also a short pitch and putt course but the elevation makes it interesting as well as a little huffy-puffy.  If you are staying at the conference center you can get a map and scorecard.  Without one, you'd never find your way around. 

This course plays like the course designer was told to design a short recreational course but in his own mind he also designed a relatively challenging par 3 course.  On almost every hole you can imagine where you'd place a long tee for tournament play.  Some places there is huge separation between the holes.  I shot the course -13 with a missed putt or two.  I'll probably play it every day.