Golf Courses Near Lake Lure & Chimney Rock, NC
A historic 9-hole town course, two resort courses, and a longer public round in Rutherfordton.
Photo: Gene Gallin / Unsplash
Quick Answer
- In Lake Lure itself
- Lake Lure Golf Club (town-owned, 9 holes) and two Rumbling Bald Resort courses
- Most affordable
- Lake Lure Golf Club — the town's own municipal course
- Highest rated
- Apple Valley Golf Course at Rumbling Bald, on Tripadvisor
- Full 18-hole public round
- Cleghorn Plantation Golf & Country Club in Rutherfordton
Lake Lure has been a golf town since 1927, when the Donald Ross-designed municipal course first opened — it's still there, still public, and still one of the most affordable rounds in the area. Rumbling Bald Resort adds two more, fuller 18-hole courses right in town. For a longer, more championship-scale round, Cleghorn Plantation in Rutherfordton is worth the extra drive.
658 Memorial Hwy (US 64/74A), Lake Lure, NC 28746
Public — open year-round, no membership required for daily play
The town's own municipal course — the most affordable and most historic option here. Green fees start around a walking rate for 9 holes; annual memberships also available. Clubhouse, driving range, and two putting greens on site.
309 Winesap Rd, Lake Lure, NC 28746
Part of Rumbling Bald Resort — call ahead to confirm public tee-time availability
Highest-rated course in the group.
162 Mountains Blvd, Lake Lure, NC 28746
Part of Rumbling Bald Resort — call ahead to confirm public tee-time availability
183 Golf Cir, Rutherfordton, NC 28139
Public
Farthest of the group, in Rutherfordton — worth it for a full round on a longer, more championship-scale course.
Call ahead for tee times, especially at the resort courses — availability for non-guests can vary by season. Directory last verified 2026-08-28.
More Things to Do
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is there a golf course in Lake Lure itself?
- Yes — three, in fact. Lake Lure Golf Club is the town's own 9-hole municipal course, a Donald Ross design from 1927, open to the public year-round. Rumbling Bald Resort has two more, 18-hole Apple Valley and Bald Mountain.
- Can non-resort guests play Apple Valley or Bald Mountain?
- Both are part of Rumbling Bald Resort, and their sites didn't spell out public access policy in what we found — call ahead to confirm tee-time availability if you're not staying at the resort.
- Is Lake Lure Golf Club actually open? I saw it listed as closed somewhere.
- It's open. Tripadvisor's listing carries a crowd-flagged "reported permanently closed" note, but the Town of Lake Lure's own website states plainly that the course is open year-round and lists current green fees — we're treating the town's own page as the authoritative source.
- Where's the best full 18-hole public round near Lake Lure?
- Cleghorn Plantation Golf & Country Club in Rutherfordton — a longer, more championship-scale public course designed by George Cobb. It's the farthest of the four from Lake Lure, but a real round rather than a resort-adjacent course.
Last updated: 2026-08-28