The Highlands Course

Getting To Know: The Highland Course at Primland

An Insightful Interview With Brian L. Alley, PGA, Head Golf Professional

By Brian Weis

Whether you have played a course 20+ times a year or looking to play the course for the first time, insights from an insider can help enhance your golf experience. Below is an interview with Brian L. Alley, PGA who shares some valuable tidbits about the course, memorable holes and must eats and treats at the 19th.

Give Our Readers An Overview of the Golf Course/Property
The Highland Course sits atop the Dan River Gorge with scenic views in every direction. We have bentgrass from tee to green with bluegrass, and native fescue roughs. We feature five sets of tees, large green complexes, and superb course conditioning. The property itself is 12,000 acres and offers a wide array of outdoor activities. Some of our most popular activities include hunting, fishing, clay shooting, kayaking, ATV's, and disc golf.

What Tips or Local Knowledge Would You Provide To Help Them Score Better At Your Course?
Drive well or perish! Finding the fairway with your tee shot is imperative!

When putting, find the major break or the overall lay of the land. There are obviously subtle breaks but knowing the main slope is crucial.

Recent Awards or What You Are Most Proud About The Course?
Won Best new Public Golf Course in 2007 according to Golf Digest.
#13 America's 100 Greatest Public Courses - Golf Digest, 2011
#1 Public Course in Virginia - Golf Digest 2013

What Is The Signature, Most Talked About, or Most Photographed Hole?
That is the beauty of our course. There are so many great holes with fantastic views it is hard to pick one. Our legendary architect, Donald Steel will not pick just one hole, so I better follow suit.

What Is Your Favorite Hole? Any Tips to Play It?
My favorite hole is 16. It is a great risk reward par 4 from every tee box. The view from that tee is second to none. The green complex defends itself well, even for the longer hitters with a short second shot. Play for the front yardage no matter the hole location. That is just my opinion and I could honestly make a case for every hole out here.

Must Have Dish or Drink after the round at the 19th Hole?
Everything in the 19th Pub is worth trying. For starters, try our pig candy. It is definitely unique and delicious.

Who Holds Course Record and What Was Their Score?
David Bradshaw = 64

Back Tee Stats
Par: 72
Yardage: 7053
Slope: 150
Rating: 75.1

More Information
The Highland Course at Primland
Primland Resort
Meadows of Dan, VA, 24120
276.222.3827
www.primland.com

Revised: 01/28/2014 - Article Viewed 31,191 Times - View Course Profile

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.