Balsam Mountain Preserve

Balsam Mountain Preserve sits in the mountains of western North Carolina near Sylva, approximately 35 miles west of Asheville. Designed by Arnold Palmer and opened in the early 2000s, the course occupies high-elevation terrain within a private residential community in the Plott Balsam range of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The property's elevation ranges from roughly 3,500 to 4,500 feet, making it one of the highest-elevation courses in the eastern United States. The routing takes advantage of the dramatic mountain topography, with holes moving through corridors of hardwood and evergreen forest and across natural ridgelines. Players encounter significant elevation changes throughout the round, with several holes playing sharply uphill or downhill and offering long views across the surrounding peaks and valleys. The design incorporates the native landscape with minimal clearing, preserving the forested mountain character while creating strategic playing corridors that reward accurate shot placement in the thin mountain air. The course serves a private membership within the gated residential community. Balsam Mountain Preserve operates as a conservation-oriented development, with the golf course representing one component of a larger property that emphasizes low-density building and protection of the mountain environment. The remote location and elevation create a distinct mountain golf experience, with cooler temperatures and dramatic seasonal changes in the surrounding forest canopy.