Primland Golf Resort

Perched on a mountain plateau high in Virginia's Blue Ridge, the Highland Course opened in 2006 as the centerpiece of the sprawling Primland estate near Meadows of Dan. Veteran British architect Donald Steel routed the par-72 layout, stretching roughly 7,053 yards, along ridgelines, across chasms and down into valleys, always leaving a cautious alternative to every daring carry. The land dictated an unusual balance of five par 3s and five par 5s. Holes frame panoramic views of a deep river gorge studded with rock spires known as the Pinnacles of the Dan River. Widely rated the top course in Virginia by national publications, it now anchors a luxury property within the Auberge Resorts Collection, pairing high-country golf with a lodge, spa and stargazing observatory.