Walking through the front door of the Sky Valley (GA.) Country Club clubhouse, I was greeted with this salutation: “Welcome to Sky Valley. You’ll never want to leave.’’
Three days exploring the Club and its environs reinforced that welcome. With its location in the Blue Ridge Mountains, friendly staff, a golf course with the highest elevation in Georgia (3,500 feet) and surrounded by separately owned mountain homes, condominiums and time share units (ideal for large families, golf buddy trips and corporate getaways) Sky Valley Country Club indeed is a haven far removed from urban sprawl.
So far removed, in fact, that the main route – Dillard/Highlands Road – winds narrowly through Georgia and North Carolina. That can be a bit daunting for first-timers not accustomed to mountain roads, but the reward is one of the great mountain golf communities in the Southeast – and the only one in the Sky Valley/Highlands area that features a year-round golf course available to members, as well as the public.
Designed by Bill Watts in the mid 1970s, the course in 2007 was renovated by Bill Bergin, who extended the layout to current length of slightly more than 6,900 yards (par 72). With its bentgrass tees, fairways and greens combined with zoysia rough, the course has rightfully earned a reputation as one of the best-maintained public courses in Georgia.
A mountain house atop Sky Valley Country Club
Quirky in spots, the course definitely plays to local knowledge, thanks to its winds and narrow fairways. But that’s okay, you’ll want to come back and challenge it again and again, particularly the back side that features a 143-yard, par 3 that plays 150 feet down hill – a reminder that Sky Valley is really more a valley course than a true mountain course. You might want to keep that (and the winds) in mind for club selection.
“It’s a challenging course, but not overly challenging,’’ said Sky Valley Country Club General Manager Ryan DuBois. “There are lot of different opens – some short par threes and some long par fives.’’
DuBois and his staff can help arrange stay and play packages at homes within the Club or through hotels in the nearby towns of Dillard and Clayton.
While golf is a big draw for members (approximately 350) and locals, Sky Valley Country Club’s croquet lawn often is the center of attention. The Club has approximately 200 croquet players, several of whom compete in the United States Croquet Association regional and national tournaments.
Sky Valley Country Club’s 13,000 square-foot clubhouse – available to members and their guests – features great dining options and also is a hub of many of the Club’s social activities.
Any visit to Sky Valley Country Club isn’t complete without exploring the surrounding area – from the fall festivals and farmers markets of the town of Sky Valley to the Southern style cooking of the Dillard House to breakfast at the Rusty Bike Cafe in Clayton.
Mudd Trail Falls
One of my favorite outings? Hiking Mud Creek Falls. Located just outside Sky Valley Country Club, Mud Creek Falls is an out-and-back trail that is open year-round and shows off its surroundings in the Nantahala National Forest.. It’s an easy walk for novices, with the centerpiece being Mud Creek Falls (or Little Estatoah Falls) an 85-foot waterfall that can be easily accessed by a short walk from a public parking lot. Whether or not you’re into hiking, don’t pass on a visit to Mud Creek Falls.
And when you’re in the north Georgia Mountains, don’t pass on a visit to Sky Valley Country Club. But be warned: You might not want to leave.
Feature Photo: The Bill Watts-designed course at Sky Valley Country Club