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3.2
106 Reviews (106)
5 Stars
21
4 Stars
27
3 Stars
25
2 Stars
13
1 Stars
20
Conditions
3.0
Value
3.2
Layout
4.1
Friendliness
4.2
Pace
3.7
Amenities
3.6
60.4%
Recommend this course
64 out of 106 reviews
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2 Stars
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1 Stars
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Conditions
0
Value
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Layout
0
Friendliness
0
Pace
0
Amenities
0
0%
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About

Holes 18
Type Public
Par 72
Length 7043 yards
Slope 137
Rating 74.0

This 18-hole championship course, designed by Clifton, Ezell, and Clifton, is consistently rated both the best and the toughest public golf course in the Charlotte area. Designed with extra care to preserve the natural beauty of the area, Highland Creek Golf Club winds through towering trees and over meandering creeks. The course features bentgrass greens and bermuda fairways. There are four sets of tees and four individual tee boxes per hole, providing playing distances measuring from 5080 to over 7043 yards. Guarding the course are 72 bunkers, five lakes and water features on 13 holes.

The 15,000 square foot clubhouse has men's and ladies locker rooms, a fully stocked pro shop and a full-service dining facility. The dining area has wonderful views of the 18th hole and surrounding lake

Course Details

Year Built 1993
Fairways Bermuda Grass
Greens Bent Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Clifton, Ezell & Clifton (1993)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Bunker Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No

Accolades

  • Golf Advisor: Top 25 Most Improved U.S. Golf Courses (2020 #16)
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$120 in tee time credits
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Reviews

3.2
106 Reviews (106)
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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
First Time Playing

Leave your driver at home.

Course was in decent shape. Lots of bare spots in the fairways and rough. Greens were above average. Probably the worst course layout I've ever played. If you hit your driver more than 240 yards, leave it at home. Nearly all par 4s and half the par 5s require 170-220 yard placement shots from the blue tees. If you want to hit irons all day long, this is the place for you. Boring.

Conditions Average
Value Fair
Layout Poor
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 56
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 19
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Pleasantly Surprised!

I decided to return to this course after 2 years.

I was pleasantly surprised. The course condition was very good. Greens rolled true and very well. I am by no means a homer but the last time I played it (2 years ago)

I wouldn't have said the same thing. But go play it now and enjoy.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 123
Handicap 15-19
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
First Time Playing

The staff was very friendly and helpful,the carts were clean and sterile. The course is in good shape except for some tee areas are in need of some water and grass . They are replacing some grass around a few greens. Similar course layout as Birkdale Golf Club. The greens are quick and most are angled. My wife and I will be back.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 18
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
3.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

League play

Made reservation for a tee time 2 days in advance,(3:51) for Wednesday. Went to pay at the pro shop for 18 holes, the attendant said if you want to play 18 holes then you have to play the same 9 holes twice. There was a league that is getting ready to play at 4:00. All I ask is whenever someone called to play just tell them if you want to play 18 holes you have to play the same 9 twice. I would have went somewhere else for sure.That's why they don't tell you.

By the way the greens are still in bad shape, Fairways are getting brown in spots, (CUT SHORT).

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 23
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
3.0
Previously Played

Not ready for play

Played here today, greens had recently been “needle” aerated in the last few days. Must have bee a pretty large needle. The fairways are the best part of the course. Will not be back.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap Don't know
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Cold weather
Used cart

Loving the Greens

Since renovation has been completed, the tee boxes and greens are very nice. Hole 16 is the only green struggling due to lack of sun. Before the fall of 2018, the fairways were extremely inviting. Now that the tee boxes are greens are ready, this course is going to be phenomenal! The staff is awesome as well. Joe and Jim are very helpful, and professional. I'm considering a membership I like playing here! I'll continue my play, but can't wait until spring. Highland Creek is going to be very busy in 2019.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

The course is greatly improved

The course at Highland Creek is greatly improved over the last 3 months. The new green superintendent is making great improvements in the greens and most are now in good condition. They are still working to improve greens 4, 10, and 13 and thus Average course conditions rating. You will be pleased to play the course now and if improvements continue through the summer this course will return to what it use to be come fall.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 13
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
1.0
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

Stay away

Course had a great layout, but thats where it stops. The tee boxes were dirt in most cases and where there was grass, it was overgrown. The fairways looked like they haven't been mowed in several weeks and were a mix of several types of grass and weeds. The rough was full of clover and you can lose a ball in the middle of the faiway or just a yard into the rough. The greens were less then average and very slow.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

The Place is dying

The course will soon be 25 years old and it has been in horrible condition more years than good condition. Hopefully 2018 will be a turning point for the course.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 11
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
2.0
Previously Played

Improving but a ways to go

Tee to green very good but greens still lacking. Crab grass has been killed and bent grass trying to fill in but not there yet. The test will be how well the superintendent handles them come spring. Played on a special rate, so it was a good deal for the special price. Anyone paying regular rate will feel ripped off and appropropriately so. Hopefully things will be better next year. would have loved to be able to rate it a little higher as it is a great layout.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 12
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Highland Creek 8-26-17

This course has a really nice layout. When the greens are rolling fast and the course is in good shape, Highland Creek is one of the premier courses in Charlotte. Unfortunately it is not in good condition. The greens have a lot of invasive grass. They are burnt out and bumpy. The rough is 6-10 inches deep in some spots, and my group spent a lot of time looking for balls just off the fairway. The fairway is in good condition, the tee boxes are in fair condition. Surprisingly a lot of brown on the tee boxes. Bunkers need help. It's worth maybe $20 a round here just to practice your ball striking, but the greens are too beat for putting to be meaningful.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 25
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Needs more routine maintenance and fix the greens

The greens were missing turf and extremely slow and bumpy. Mowing seems to happen infrequently as the fairways and rough are very long. The traps on the back were not maintained and most needed sand.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Course in rough shape

The greens consist of sand and crab grass. Maybe 2 on the stimp meter. Fairways aren't mowed evenly. Bunkers have little sand. Plenty of potential, but the course is going downhill to closure.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Horrible consition

Have played this coure in the past and it was descent and kept up. Now the course is in horrible condition, greens almost gone, bunkers not raked and have grass growing in them but not growling on greens unless you count the crabgrass.. really disappointing to see the course in this condition and for $50 a round, it's really hard to swollow..

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 21
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Needs work

The bent grass greens are stressed.

The new management is aware of past mantainance problems and is working to correct them.

Some of the terrain is difficult for older golfers.

Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

stay in the fairway, you will do fine

The lay out of this course is very challenging due to the water hazards but the toughest part is the tall grass that is everywhere and quite a few weeds as well. Another golfer shared that this course was beautiful in its hay day but has fallen on hard times of late. Friendly staff and the layout of the course is interesting and challenging. Would not play here without the discount price.

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

Great!

We played this course on vacation! It was great! The staff was really friendly! I highly recommend! It is definitely a challenging course!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
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