The Highland Course at Primland

Overview: The Highland Course at Primland is a resort course on a high plateau in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Meadows of Dan. Donald Steel routed the course across the 14,000-acre Primland estate, using ridges, native grass, open mountain ground and views toward the Dan River Gorge and the Pinnacles of the Dan River.

History: The 18-hole course opened in spring 2006 and was one of Donald Steel’s first completed North American designs. Steel’s brief was to preserve the remote character of the estate, and the course avoids artificial lakes and excessive forced carries while still demanding accurate positioning on sloping mountain ground.

Did You Know? Primland sits at roughly 3,000 feet, and the Highland Course is one of the rare American layouts built on a mountain plateau rather than in a valley or beside a resort lake. That high setting is why the views remain a major part of the round from multiple holes.