Highlands Falls Country Club sits in a mountain valley where the Cashiers River cuts through the property, creating a series of elevation changes that shape each hole. The course was designed by Arnold Palmer and opened in 1986, with fairways lined by native hardwoods and rhododendron. Greens are bentgrass and built to USGA specifications, while the cart paths follow the natural contours of the land rather than cutting straight lines. Several tee boxes overlook the valley floor, and a few fairways cross small streams that feed into the river. The clubhouse, finished in native stone and cedar, sits above the 18th green and contains both a pro shop and a dining room that serves members year-round. Maintenance crews aerate the greens twice annually and keep the rough at four inches during the summer months. The property borders the Nantahala National Forest, so wildlife such as deer and wild turkey are common on the course.