Wade Hampton Golf Club

Tom Fazio's mountain course at 3,500 feet in Cashiers, North Carolina, routed through two valleys beneath Chimney Top Mountain with creeks, granite peaks and little elevation change.

Wade Hampton sits in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Cashiers, about 3,500 feet above sea level and bordered by national forest. Tom Fazio opened it in 1987, and it did more than any other early project to establish his reputation as the leading American architect of the following two decades. The club is private and largely a summer retreat for members from across the Southeast.

The surprise is how gentle the walk is for a mountain site. Fazio fit the holes into two enclosed valleys and kept elevation change across the course to about 100 feet, though shaping fairway areas took substantial earthwork. Creeks and ponds come into play repeatedly, granite peaks frame the views, and strategic bunkering does the rest. Fazio Design closed the course from July 2017 to June 2018 for a full restoration. Wade Hampton has never pursued championships, and its ranking rests on setting and polish.

Holes to know

17

Par 3

Drops over a stream to a green with one of the best settings on the property.

18

Par 5

A reachable closer with an inviting entrance to the green and a small water hazard to avoid.

12

Par 4

Climbs along a narrow ridge, punishing anything longer than a careful tee shot.

Design history

• 2017–18: 11-month restoration by Fazio Design