A spring day view from Etowah Valley Country Club & Golf Lodge
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Rating Index Rating
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3.7
296 Reviews (296)
5 Stars
66
4 Stars
142
3 Stars
57
2 Stars
18
1 Stars
13
Conditions
3.0
Value
3.6
Layout
4.1
Friendliness
4.4
Pace
3.7
Amenities
3.4
78.7%
Recommend this course
247 out of 296 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.0
3 Reviews (3)
5 Stars
1
4 Stars
1
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
2.7
Value
3.7
Layout
4.3
Pace
3.7
Amenities
2.5
StaffFriendliness
4.3
66.7%
Recommend this course
2 out of 3 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.5
15 Reviews (15)
5 Stars
2
4 Stars
8
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
1
Conditions
2.6
Value
3.1
Layout
3.9
Pace
3.7
Amenities
2.9
StaffFriendliness
4.4
73.3%
Recommend this course
11 out of 15 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Resort
Par 73
Length 6911 yards
Slope 131
Rating 72.7
Book a Tee Time at
Etowah Valley Golf & Resort
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Course Details

Year Built 1967
Golf Season Year round
Architect Ed Ault (1967)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Bunker Yes
Golf School Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes
Dress code Proper golf attire required.

Food & Beverage

Restaurant

Lodging

Lodging Available

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Meeting Facilities, Banquet Facilities

Available Sports

Tennis, Croquet

Reviews

3.7
296 Reviews (296)

What Golfers Are Saying

Course Challenges Include:
Bunkers 9
Elevation Changes 9
Water Hazards 7
This course/club is great for:
Playing Multiple Courses 7
Group Getaways 6
Junior Golfers 6

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Nice layout

All 3 of the 9 hole layouts are fun and challenging and the variety makes me keep coming back

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great Staff

Winter time golf conditions, lots of rain recently, and one of the three 9’s was closed as they were clearing trees- a good time to do it. The course was in decent shape all things considered but the sand traps need lots of work, but why I come back to this place is the staff. The guys in the pro shop and the starter have always come thru to accommodate….the condition of the course is a 3, but the staff bumps this to a 4 for me.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart

Oh my bunkers

I recently had the opportunity to play at the Etowah Valley Golf Course and had a somewhat disappointing experience. The course has three 9-hole courses, we played the North/South combo. Unfortunately the courses, especially the North Course, had drawbacks that significantly impacted the overall enjoyment of the game.

Starting with the North Course, one minor grievance was the kitchen was closed at the turn, which happened around 5pm. This was quite inconvenient for players who wanted to grab a quick bite to eat during their round. Although the bar was open, the lack of basic hot dogs was disappointing.

Another issue on the North Course was the inconsistency between the pin positions and the GPS system in the cart. It was frustrating to rely on the GPS for accurate distances and then find out that the pin was in a different location. Additionally, it was evident that the pins had recently been moved, but the old holes had not been filled, which created an unappealing and inconsistent putting surface.

Furthermore, the bunkers on the North Course were in extremely poor condition. They had not been raked, and there was noticeable growth, ranging from minor to major, which detracted from the overall aesthetic appeal. Additionally, there were major drainage problems, making it challenging or impossible to play out of the bunkers effectively.

On the South Course, one of the main issues was that it was designated as "Cart Path Only." While this is sometimes necessary for maintenance purposes, it significantly affects the pace of play and limits the overall experience of navigating the course freely.

Moreover, there was a technical issue with the cart locking itself on the cart path when the GPS mistakenly believed that we had entered the fairway. This unexpected occurrence disrupted the flow of the game and created unnecessary inconvenience.

On a positive note, the greens on both courses were well maintained and in nice shape.
Taking everything into consideration, I have mixed feelings about the Etowah Valley Golf Course. While the greens were in good condition, no food, unfilled pins and pin position mismatch, bunker maintenance, drainage problems, cart restrictions, and technical glitches dampened the overall experience. At a price point of $47, I would hesitate to play this course again unless significant improvements are made to address the aforementioned concerns.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Nice course and friendly staff!

I played the south course today. It was in nice condition overall and I really enjoyed the layout. The staff in the pro shop where very polite and easy going. I will be back again soon!

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Super slow for a Tuesday afternoon

Had groups of 4 stacked on top of each other, pretty unfortunate to have such a slow outing on a Tuesday afternoon.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 83
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Top 500 Contributor
New Jersey Advisor
First Time Playing
Cold weather
Used cart

Course with Good Bones but Disappointing Conditions

Went on a vacation and this course was only 5 mins from where we were staying. The Senior rate was $32 for 9 holes (with cart). It had 27 holes and when we called to make a tee time the South course was closed so we were booked on the West course.

This review (as all my reviews) are from the forward tees.

First impressions - the website said it was a "resort" course so when we pulled into the parking lot we were a bit surprised because it did not have a "resort" vibe at all. It looked like your local older muni that you only play because it's inexpensive. Looking back at the history section of the website, it was built in 1964 and the buildings definitely have that 1970s look. But just because the buildings have an "old school" feel doesn't mean the course won't be excellent. Well, the course fit the buildings.

I will say the staff was great! All very friendly and helpful from the Proshop to the starter/ranger.

As my title states the course has good bones. It's pretty, the 9 holes we played on the WEST course had some variety, the greens had undulation (so depending on pin placement could be tricky). All good.

However, the conditions of the fairways were just awful, the bunkers were in terrible condition (lucky for me I did not end up in any) and really took away from the golf experience. Yes, NC and SC have had a lot of rain this spring but I've played a lot of courses which are in great condition (given the rain and we are coming out of winter).

So I can't really say the weather was the excuse for the conditions.

The fairways were in just very poor condition and seemed to have a lot of what looked like "crab grass" and dead spots? I'm not an agronomist so I'm not sure what was up with the fairways but it was not a pleasant experience.

I always feel a bit bad when I can't recommend a course but I have to be honest with my opinion. My gage for recommending a course is "would I play this course again" and I would NOT go out of my way to play Etowah.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 3
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Fun layout

The holes are varied and interesting. I look forward to playing there again, only without 30 mph winds.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 8
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Early Spring Conditions - Nice Round

Greens in very good shape, but fairways in winter recovery. Staff always friendly.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 91
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 500 Contributor
First Time Playing

Sunset

1st time playing this course. Played south to west.... really liked the hilly west course.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 91
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 500 Contributor
First Time Playing

Sunset

1st time playing this course and really liked the layout.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 53
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Used cart
Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 6
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 11
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

WORST COURSE IN WESTERN NC

I'm not exaggerating or embellishing at all. Let me start by saying I'm not one to hold grudges or be petty, and up until this last visit this was still my local go-to course due to proximity of my house. But I've played just about every public course in western NC and this place continues to be the WORST golf experience within the western part of NC. Even long term members agree that this course is a trash hole and only belong because it's nearby.

Conditions are always terrible. I've never once played here where there was actually sand in the bunkers. The fairways are always a mud bowl and it's regularly cart path only.

Driving range, if it's even open, is nearly always mat only and the machine is almost always out of balls. The staff is always standoff-ish and unfriendly as if you're an inconvenience to their already failing property.

All that said, this course was still a regular visit from me as it's the most local course to me and paying to walk 9 was always a reasonable experience to get some practice reps in. BUT NOW A NEW RULE to the course is NO MORE WALKING unless you're a member?! These clowns tried to charge me $30 to walk 9!!!

If you're local, go to Cummings Cove or Connestee Falls. If you're looking for a range for to ForeU in Brevard or Fireside in Hendersonville.

If you were considering a stay-and-play package: Don't do it. There are so many better option than this trash.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Poor
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Fairly Easy
Played On
Reviews 9
1.0
Previously Played

HORRIBLE MANAGEMENT!!

Closed course for storm the night before and never told us. Drove an hour!!!

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Poor
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
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Golf Packages

Experience Maggie Valley Package

FROM $227 (USD)
ASHEVILLE, NC | Enjoy 2 nights' accommodations and 1 round of golf at Maggie Valley Club & Resort.

Hilton Grand Vacations Bent Creek Golf Village Gatlinburg Stay & Play Package

FROM $157 (USD)
GATLINBURG, TN | Enjoy 2 nights’ accommodations at Hilton Grand Vacations Bent Creek Golf Village Gatlinburg and 2 rounds of golf at Bent Creek Golf Course.

Château Élan Stay & Play Golf Package

FROM $267 (USD)
BRASELTON, GA | Enjoy 3 nights' accommodations at Château Élan Winery & Resort (Inn at Château or Villas at Château) and 3 rounds of golf at Château Élan Golf Club - Château, Woodlands, & Executive Courses.

Talamore Golf Resort Stay & Play Package

FROM $137 (USD)
SOUTHERN PINES, NC | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Talamore Golf Resort and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Mid Pines Golf Course, Mid South Course, Tobacco Road Golf Course, and The New Course.

Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club Stay & Play Package

FROM $167 (USD)
SOUTHERN PINES, NC | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Mid Pines Golf Course, Pine Needles Golf Course, Tobacco Road Golf Course, and The New Course.
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