Tuesday, July 25, 2023

My Favorite Historic Photo of Highlands CC...

The photo below is the most intriguing photo of all the historic shots in our collection. 

It's taken on the 10th hole; a golf hole that famed golf course architect, Tom Doak, ranked in the top 18 holes that Donald Ross ever designed.  I often wonder if the two men, who don't seem to be golfing, are Jones and Ross?  From a distance, the case could be made for that.  However, after the back nine was completed in 1930 or 1931, I'm not sure Ross made a return trip to Highlands, given how difficult it was to access Western NC in those days.

On the left side of the photo, you can clearly make out Dillard Road.  On the golf course side of the road, there looks to be a fenced-in animal pen with a shelter in the center.  A gravel path makes its way down to the golf course.  In an era with out golf carts, I can only assume this access path was used to get horse-drawn mowing reels onto the golf course.  Between the two men and the gravel path, is a larger boulder.  This area is solid rock today but at some point that portion of the rock was either removed or even buried. 

It's definitely a great photo that makes me wonder.