Springdale Country Club

A great friendly staff that matches a wonderful golf course layout and a perfect early fall day with stunning views.

Play here at least 6 times per year. We love it. However, this round was 5 hours due to the pace of play. The group in front of us were playing games, had to do push ups if you miss a put, sending a player back to redo a great shot. Did not see the marshall until hole 13. Guys, keep the pace of play please!

I really enjoyed my round. The course, which is bent grass, was in fantastic shape. The restaurant is excellent. Also, they have their Geofences much better balanced then they did last year. Look forward to playing again soon.

This is a really fun course that was in fantastic shape. Greens were very good.

First time playing Springdale GC. What a beautiful course. The course was in great shape and very well maintained. The greens were slow at the start (8:30am), but sped up quickly when the sun beat down on them. Overall, I was very impressed with Springdale. The only knock I had was the driving range was closed and the chipping green was tiny. Also, no coffee to be found until 9am when the restaurant opens. Gotta have coffee! Probably why I shot so poorly. That’s my official excuse.

For golfers who visit or live in the mountains of Western North Carolina, there are many options when choosing a golf course for your next round. A search of golf courses in the Canton, NC area lists more than 10 public and municipal facilities within 20 miles; add in private clubs and that number increases significantly. There’s one facility that I am particularly familiar with and it’s a must-play whenever I’m in the area: Springdale Resort.

Springdale has been around for over 50 years and continues to impress golfers. The course was originally designed by Joseph Holmes and in 2018, noted golf course architect Ron Garl did some work for course owner Lex West that included a new irrigation system, upgrades to bunkers, and improvements to cart paths. The West family also made several other investments in the resort including a new welcome center and clubhouse, the Rocky Face Tavern - a 7000 sq ft bar and restaurant with an outdoor fireplace, heated pool and hot tub, a fitness center, and a new teen center. The new clubhouse recently reopened and won Golf Inc.’s “New Public Clubhouse of the Year” Award for 2022.

Whether you’re an accomplished, low-handicap golfer or are just new to the game, Springdale is a course that can be enjoyed by anyone. It’s located at the base of Cold Mountain and is a golf resort that combines the extraordinary beauty of the awe-inspiring natural landscape with the hospitality and simple comforts you’d expect at a golf resort.

The course itself is a one-of-a-kind golf experience, with rolling, mountainous terrain, hidden hazards, and plush greens. It’s one of the best-maintained courses in the area, as the members will attest to. There are a few blind shots out here. One significant blind shot is on the third hole. It’s a par 3 that plays slightly uphill, and you can’t see the hole from the tee box. You can see the pin, so pay attention to the GPS on the cart for further details.

Number 4 is a risk-reward par 4 that plays downhill and is shorter than the 336 yards stated on the scorecard. Longball hitters may be tempted to go for the green off the tee but beware of the pond in front on the left side as well as the two bunkers by the green. Your best bet is to hit something less than a driver off the tee, leave a manageable approach distance, and make birdie that way.

As you play the first few holes, you may be saying to yourself, “I thought this was a mountain golf course.” So far, it’s been relatively flat with a few exceptions such as the tee shot on three and a couple of elevated tee boxes. Number 6 is the first hole where you start to see some major elevation changes. It’s a XXX-yard dogleg left par 4 that plays slightly uphill, maybe half club to club longer. The green is influenced by the mountain and what you think may be an uphill putt that breaks right is exactly the opposite.

The front nine finishes with a 454-yard par 5, dogleg left. If you can catch the downhill slope on the left side, not only have you crushed your drive, but you’ll leave yourself in a good position for the next shot and an opportunity to go for the green. A good drive could leave you inside the 200-yard marker with an approach shot that plays slightly downhill into a green protected on the right side by a bunker. Beware of the creek that crosses about 50 yards in front of the green.

The back nine starts with a dogleg left 511-yard par 5 and will be a three-shot hole for most players. You'll hit your tee shot from the elevated tee box downhill to the fairway and then back uphill on your layup and approach shots. Watch out for the creek that crosses the fairway just in front of the cart path. The green slopes slightly from left to right with a large deep bunker in front.

The 13th hole is called The Spasm; it’s Springdale’s signature hole and comes with a warning that it may be hazardous to your mental health. From the White Tees The Spasm plays 422 yards; move up to the Golds and it becomes a 335-yard hole. Not only will you save 87 yards, but you may also preserve some of that mental health you were warned about! Trees line the right side of this challenging par 4 that doglegs to the right and to complicate matters there’s a creek that runs down the right side as well. Hit your tee shot over the bunker at the corner of the dogleg and you’ll still have a long approach shot into a slightly elevated green with more sand on the right. Anything left may find a downhill slope and leave a tough up and down.

The Spasm is followed up by another 400-yard par 4 and requires an accurate tee shot between two giant oak trees. A good drive to the top of the hill will leave a manageable approach shot into a green fronted on either side by sand. If you can somehow catch the downslope, not only will you make your second shot considerably shorter, but you may also hit the longest drive of your life!

The 16th hole is a 449-yard par 4 that should be called Son or Spasm (or Father of Spasm, depending upon how you look at it.) It does play downhill so you’ve got that going for you! Trees line the right side, and there’s a fairway bunker on the right. Your approach shot plays downhill into a green that slopes back left to front right. Just to add a little intrigue to this long par 4, that creek you’ve encountered a few times crosses the fairway just in front of the green.

Number 18 is a great finishing hole. It’s a dogleg right, par 5, with trees on the right side off the tee. There’s a creek that crosses the fairway about 300 yards from the White Tees. Your tee shot plays downhill and if you can avoid the creek and wetlands on your layup shot, you’ll be left with an uphill approach shot into the green flanked on either side in front with bunkers and a beautiful view of the new clubhouse.

Springdale Resort is one of those courses that never plays the same way twice. That’s why it’s a good idea to look into one of their stay-and-play packages if you plan on being in the area and want to play some challenging golf. Springdale offers guests a variety of accommodations including villas, cottages, forest homes, and treehouses. Each villa is equipped with 4 queen beds, 2 full baths, a kitchen, a living area, and a large deck overlooking the Great Smokey Mountains. Cottages are 2-bedroom, 2-bath units and forest homes are multi-level townhomes that are perfect for the entire family. Need more rooms? Springdale’s Treehouse Village is made up of 6 round houses that can accommodate up to 36 people. It’s the perfect destination for a corporate team-building event. With so many courses in the area that allow public play, their rentals make for a great base. You will have complete access to their course and amenities, and they can also help you arrange rounds at other area courses.

Springdale is still one of the best rounds of public golf you will be able to find at an affordable price. Got up there yesterday for the 2nd time this summer, and both times I was sad when I got to the end because I wanted to keep playing this course. Course is in excellent shape from tee to green. Greens were a good bit slower than they usually are, especially on the front. It seems as if they had a bunch of rain last week and a few holes were also cart path only. However, the condition of the course is still really good. The layout is outstanding and very challenging. If you arent hitting it good it will be. along day. (I wasnt!). The scenery around the course of the nearby mountains really makes for a great setting. All in all, if you get.a chance, go play, and dont be in a hurry. Take it all in!

I enjoyed Springdale & will be back - especially when it is in dryer conditions. The tee boxes & fairways were fairly saturated but the greens were in good shape. The driving range was closed and looked like it could use some TLC and the large putting green was non-operational, too. But I do plan to return for another round in the future.

Nice golf course up in the mountains , greens are nice . Rough is not too bad , great layout .

It was our bad luck to play this course on a day when the range was closed due to road construction, and the 3 of us were behind some slow groups ahead of us. However, fairways and greens in excellent shape; interesting layout and great mountain views. The creek that criss-crossed the fairways on many holes added to the challenge.

Course is in incredible condition. Have played here several times in the past and it just keeps getting better. Fairways and tee boxes are in great shape and the greens roll true. Tip of the cap to greens crew and staff. New clubhouse and restaurant are very impressive. Can’t wait to play again!

Vacationing in Cherokee so made the hour drive over as I had played the course in the Spring and enjoyed it. Mike in the pro shop is so personable and welcoming to guests. Was invited to play with some regulars (Jack, Don & Harry) who were a lot of fun and made me feel at ease despite them all being better players. Course was in great shape despite the heavy rains with just a few patches of standing water on a couple of fairways but all the greens were dry and well drained although playing a bit slow.

A fun Mountain golf course well-kept, interesting at a times very challenging.

Pros:
This course was in great shape and a very nice layout. The off course amenities were very nice.
Con:
Place to play was ridiculously slow, and I did not see a ranger while on the course.

Pros: fantastic layout & course conditions; the superintendent and staff should be commended. One of my favorite tracts in the western NC area.

Cons: GPS system alerts were over the top interactive, a non-stop sensory overload which couldn’t be turned off or muted. Pace of play was terrible. A 5 hr & 15 minutes round is completely unacceptable, but not surprising when I witnessed a 12-some with 7 carts on the 17 green as I was standing on the 11th tee. To add insult to injury, the GPS system alerted at 6:30pm the carts would shut off, which is rich since we’re 3 groups deep on the 14th tee. The carts started constant, annoying beeping/alerting at 8pm, while we were in the 18th fairway.

Everything was great! Beautiful day not too crowded. I just want to say that Mike and the rest of the staff couldn’t be nicer. Always friendly and helpful which isn’t always the case when you use GN at places. Will be back again soon!