A Complete Guide to Golf Communities in Western NC: A Complete Guide (2024)

About The Cliffs at Walnut Cove

The Cliffs at Walnut Cove is nestled within a picturesque landscape of meticulously tended gardens and sprawling acres that border the Blue Ridge Parkway. It boasts a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course and easy access to top-notch dining, cultural attractions, and healthcare amenities in the vibrant city of Asheville, North Carolina. Choose from a diverse array of housing options, ranging from luxurious single-family homes to charming townhomes and spacious lots.

The course has been acclaimed as one of North Carolina's finest by Golf Digest and Golfweek, but it also proudly serves as the home club for the UNC Asheville Women's Golf Team. With four sets of tees for women and five for men, the course caters to everyone. It supports both formal, club-organized groups and casual, member-initiated gatherings, combining a community golf ambiance with a top-tier golfing experience.

Set amidst the picturesque Pisgah National Forest, the course showcases playable bentgrass fairways, undulating slopes, challenging greens, strategic bunkers, and elevation variances ranging from 2,100 to 2,250 feet. It winds through mountain meadows, alongside tranquil creeks, and amidst rolling grasslands, combining into an unparalleled golfing experience.

The front nine meander through sprawling fields once used for farming, weaving over gentle hills and bunkers that present both challenges and strategic opportunities for savvy players. Meanwhile, the back nine traverse over and around mountain streams that carve through the nearby woodlands in the foothills of the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains.

Golf enthusiasts will find Hole Seven particularly intriguing, with its challenging par-four that requires players to navigate over fairway bunkers to a green surrounded by water on three sides, creating the illusion of hitting into a lake. Equally captivating is the picturesque Hole 16, a par-three that plays over a creek nestled beneath National Forest.

Following a morning of golf, the Club Village beckons. Here, residents can freshen up in the locker room facilities, indulge in a leisurely lunch showcasing locally sourced ingredients at the Tavern, sip on a refreshing cocktail on the patio, or savor a delightful vintage from the on-site wine room. Afterwards, they can peruse the pro shop's collection of gear, which includes a diverse array of women's products.

Additionally, club members can partake in a variety of engaging events and build lasting friendships through groups like the Walnut Cove Ladies Golf Association. From member-guest outings and club championships to festive tournaments, USGA events, and casual golf gatherings, there's always something exciting happening at the club.

The community

Aside from golf, the community at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove offers a wealth of amenities. This includes an expansive 18,000-square-foot luxury wellness center complete with pools, fitness equipment, tennis court, and spa. Whether you're looking to join a yoga class, spin session, or receive personal training, the wellness center has you covered. Additionally, residents have access to miles of scenic hiking trails within the gated community.

Looking to enhance your life and make a positive impact on others? Within Walnut Cove, you'll discover a variety of member-led clubs catering to diverse interests, from engaging in games like bridge and mahjong to enjoying activities such as fishing and bowling. Moreover, The Walnut Cove Members Association, a collective of property owners dedicated to supporting local nonprofits, offers additional opportunities for charitable endeavors. This includes a mentorship program for student athletes at UNC Asheville and grants for deserving local charities.

Don't Wait to Move into Your Dream Home at Walnut Cove.

Everyone is excited to move into their dream home, but few are excited by the process of building it. Walnut Cove Realty’s Luxury Build Program marries the ease and swiftness of purchasing a home with the flexibility and personal touch of building from scratch. It truly offers the perfect blend of convenience and customization.

We collaborate with reputable builders and homeowners in exclusive communities such as The Cliffs at Walnut Cove to support the creation of new luxury homes featuring sought-after amenities and significantly reduced construction times. Aspiring luxury homeowners interested in building no long need to go through the lengthy processes of closing on land, starting from scratch with designers, and enduring extended wait times for completion.

If you're searching for the perfect mountain retreat in the western North Carolina mountains, Walnut Cove is the ultimate destination. Plan a visit to experience our stunning mountain homes, exceptional amenities, and welcoming community firsthand.

About Champion Hills

Located in the breathtaking beauty of North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains in Hendersonville, Champion Hills stands out as a one of the best golfing communities in the state. Residents here revel in an exquisite living experience that seamlessly blends southern charm with mountain-living.

The course

This exceptional residential course is ranked amongst the finest in the US by Golfweek. Designed by Tom Fazio, this championship-rated gem offers the perfect setting to showcase your skills and enjoy a round of golf with peers year-round.

One of Tom Fazio’s favorite works, the course features wooded hills, deep ravines, and gentle streams framed elegantly at each hole. A range of angles, elevations, and settings keeps players on their toes when they aren't admiring the landscape.

Featuring a 350-foot elevation change, the course is intricately crafted to deliver a thrilling, equitable, and engaging experience for golfers of all skill levels. With a mix of downhill holes, level lies, and meticulously sculpted fairways, every shot is a dynamic challenge.

Residents have the opportunity to connect and build a sense of community through a variety of club events and golf groups. Professional instruction, a well-manicured putting green, and a driving range are also available to help residents hone their golfing skills. After a rewarding day on the course, golfers can unwind at the full-service clubhouse, which offers luxurious fine and casual dining options.

The community

Like the other prestigious communities in the area, Champion Hills benefits from a mild, four-season climate that showcases temperate winters and refreshing mountain summers. The vibrant springs, colorful autumns, and lush summers attract residents from far and wide, while providing easy access to the dynamic arts, entertainment, sports, and healthcare offerings of the Hendersonville, Asheville, and Greenville regions.

Residents at Champion Hills embrace a lifestyle that balances tranquility and community engagement. In addition to golfing, residents have access to a well-appointed fitness and wellness center, tennis courts with programming for all levels, and an impressive 17-mile network of scenic walking trails to keep them active and healthy.

Additionally, the community hosts a diverse array of seasonal events to enjoy throughout the year. From exclusive wine tastings and interactive cooking demonstrations to festive holiday gatherings, there is always something exciting happening at Champion Hills. Moreover, residents can partake in various clubs, groups, and volunteer opportunities tailored to their interests, whether it's a friendly game of bridge or giving back to the community by supporting local nonprofits.

Whether you are in search of a permanent home or a seasonal getaway, Champion Hills presents a selection of charming homes in various styles and sizes, each meticulously designed for refined living.

About Balsam Mountain Preserve

The community centers around a mountainside Arnold Palmer Signature Course. Here, golfers are treated to rippling folds of green winding along the wooded mountainside, designed to follow the natural flow of the land. At junctures, streams cut through the course, and misty mountains rise in the distance. Rather than offering a single, signature hole, each one frames the landscape uniquely, like an unfolding booklet of postcards.

In addition, the main course is complemented by Palmer Practice Park: a 6-hole course with bent-grass teeing surfaces for golf clinics, junior golf, and night rounds.

The community

Land once used for logging and mining in bygone days is now preserved as a "human settlement within a park," balancing unspoiled mountain beauty with luxury living.

In addition to golf, Balsam Mountain Preserve offers amenities to accommodate a variety of interests. Residents can enjoy fine dining and wine at the clubhouse; fitness activities, tennis, and spa experiences at the wellness center; and camping and hiking within the 3,200-acre preserve. Additionally, a nature center in-gates and three on-staff naturalists provide wonderful opportunities for children to connect with nature.

A unique special feature is the community's equestrian center, which features club horses, complete boarding facilities, and a sitting area to relax after a ride. 42 miles of trails fan out from the center for you to explore on horseback. Meanwhile, beginners can take advantage of lessons, camps, and other programming.

About Connestee Falls

This community features a semi-private, George Cobb designed 18-hole championship course dappled with water features, up to 3200 foot elevation changes, and multiple tees featuring challenging 3,000 to 6,500 yard play. Enjoy gently rolling greens surrounded by forest and distant mountain vistas. Golfers can practice their swing on a multifunctional practice green and visit the full service golf pro shop for supplies and equipment repairs.

Before or after a round, residents can stop by the 26,000 square foot clubhouse for casual bites or a formal dinner inside or al fresco. A lively community center, the clubhouse also features a dance floor, lounge, spaces for banquets, meetings, and events, locker rooms with showers, and a wellness center.

The community

A community rich with amenities, Connestee Falls' natural attractions are particularly hard to beat. 20 miles of forested hiking trails are contained within its gates, featuring creeks, waterfalls, lakes and mountain vistas. Whereas anglers and aquatics enthusiasts are likely to be won over by the community's four lakes, stocked with bass, bluegill, redear, red breast, green sunfish, catfish, crapie and Rainbow trout. The whole family can enjoy the community's parks and overlooks, ranging from lakefronts with grills and playgrounds to a fenced dog park. Want to get your hands dirty? Residents can apply for a plot in the community organic gardens, which feature fenced-in raised beds ideal for growing your own veggies and herbs. 

Additionally, the community offers robust outlets for pickleball, tennis, and bocceball, including a full pickleball facility that includes six newly resurfaced courts, four ClayTech tennis courts open year round, two bocceball courts, and clubs of other enthusiasts to play with. You can also stay in shape with group fitness classes or personal training at the wellness center.

About Kenmure

The Kenmure Country Club offers challenging golf for every skill level. Well-groomed fairways and greens keep the course difficult yet friendly, and staff can offer tips and tricks for playing your best round.

The community

Kenmure is a gated golf community located in Historic Flat Rock. The community has 1,400 acres of lush mountain property with a rich history and offers all types of mountain lifestyle housing and homesites in an established neighborhood.

Flat Rock, which is often called the "Little Charleston of the Mountains," has a history that dates back to the 18th century. Estate owners from South Carolina built English-style summer estates in the vicinity to escape the heat. Today, Flat Rock remains as charming as ever with art studios and unique specialty shops. In fact, the entire district is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Members of the Kenmure Country Club enjoy the club's wide variety of amenities, including an 18-hole championship golf course, an indoor heated saline pool and steam saunas, an outdoor heated pool and tennis courts, a fitness facility with state-of-the-art equipment, and a formal dining room, informal grill room, and banquet facilities. You'll find a variety of social opportunities as well, including clubs and a thriving community association.

The Flat Rock Playhouse, North Carolina's State Theater, is located in the heart of Flat Rock. This professional theater company is nationally recognized for its performances and theater training programs. Performances run from April through December each year, with more than 88,000 patrons attending each season. The Playhouse presents top-quality entertainment, including Broadway musicals and dramas, comedies, and theater for young audiences.

About High Vista

Members of the POA can enjoy The Chestnut Mountain Golf Course. At the feet of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this course boasts five levels of tee boxes, a putting green, and a pitching/chipping area. Experienced Golfers will find their game challenged by narrow fairways, varied terrain with elevation shifts, serene ponds, and an array of mature oaks, pines, and vibrant azaleas.

The community

The High Vista gated community rests within the picturesque Mills River area between between Asheville and Hendersonville, NC. Across 500 acres of rolling hills and native forest featuring azaleas and mountain laurel are 350 homes and homesites located at 2,200 to 3,200 foot elevations. Many properties boast views of the surrounding mountains or the community's rolling golf course—all just six miles from the airport.

Additionally, joining the POA, known as High Vista’s Amenities Association, unlocks access to exclusive amenities including the swimming pool, clubhouse, tennis courts, and the inviting Robinson’s Pub. Yet, for those who value the peace of mind a gated community provides without the desire for extra amenities, the option to forgo membership offers flexibility and freedom from additional fees.

About Mountain Air

Mountain Air's 18-hole golf course offers five primary tees and three secondary sets of tees within a natural mountainside setting that features epic vistas shrouded in clouds. Those looking to hone their skills can take advantage of the community's deluxe amenities in the Lost Chimneys Learning & Performance Center. It features a complete practice range with grass tees, and five heated and cooled hitting bays. One features cutting edge V1 teaching software, cameras, and the FlightScope X2 teaching and fitting tool. Rainy day? Take advantage of the private club’s TruGolf indoor golf simulator and pro shop and treat yourself to farm-to-table dining.

The community

For many, Mountain Air's selling point is a 2,875-foot private runway that welcomes private aircraft to the heart of the community, enabling residents to fly in and out as they please. But the mountaintop retreat offers a variety of amenities to suit other interests.

The Slickrock Village Green is the center of activity in the community, featuring the private clubhouse, golf pro shop, Orville and Wilbur's Bar and Grill, a postal station, an amphitheater for exercise and events, a nature center with on-staff naturalist, and a family center with a theater, teen room, and children's activities.

Moreover, racquet sports enthusiasts can enjoy mountaintop Har-Tru tennis courts and a pickleball court to keep their game sharp, while nature lovers can enjoy the community's six parks and network of trails. In addition, a 4,500-square-foot Wellness Center with locker rooms, spa, and programs offers an ideal space for reaching day-to-day fitness goals.

About North Asheville

In North Asheville, luxury home buyers often gravitate towards neighborhoods such as Lake View Park, Grove Park, The Hills of Beaverdam, and Lakeshore Heights. These areas are notably close to the Country Club of Asheville, which holds the distinction of being among the earliest private clubs in the United States, founded in 1894.

The club boasts a golf course crafted by architect Donald Ross, who also designed the course for the nearby Omni Grove Park Inn. It is believed that the original location of the Country Club of Asheville was where the Grove Park Inn now stands, with the golf course there once being part of the Country Club. The club later relocated to its present northern location, where Donald Ross created another course, now well-known to its members. This course was modernized by Richard Mandell in 2016.

Characterized by bent grass fairways, the course presents a mix of lengthy fairways requiring uphill and downhill play. The 16th hole is particularly memorable for its panoramic views of Asheville and the adjacent mountains and was recognized as the longest hole in North Carolina, stretching 600 yards with a creek midway.

The 17th hole stands out as perhaps the most challenging Par-three on the course, serving as a popular gathering spot for local residents to meet informally for practice and socialization.

For preparation before playing, the club provides a 25-tee driving range, along with putting and chipping greens in the practice area. Additional amenities include personal training, golf clinics, and a SkyTrak indoor golf simulator to enhance one's game.

Beyond golf, the club features an Olympic-sized swimming pool, both indoor and outdoor tennis facilities, indoor pickleball courts, a newly expanded 2,500 square foot fitness center, and recreational rooms designed for young members and teenagers.

Members have access to a variety of programs and lessons for swimming, water aerobics, tennis, and other activities for men, women, and youths. Culinary experiences at the club range from casual to formal dining options, with both indoor and outdoor seating offering stunning views of the mountains, making it a perfect spot for a meal after a game.

The community

These historical neighborhoods boast a variety of older residences, ranging from sprawling plantation-style homes to European-inspired architecture. They are conveniently located near Asheville's diverse dining, nightlife, shopping, wellness, and cultural scenes, as well as unique natural wonders like the Blue Ridge Parkway and Pisgah National Forest.

Close by is UNC Asheville and its Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, providing retirees with a rich schedule of expert lectures, workshops, social gatherings, classes, and performances to stimulate their intellect.

Many of the area's homes are a short walk from the privately-owned Beaver Lake and Park, a favored spot for activities such as fishing, boating, walking, biking, and jogging. The lake and surrounding neighborhood were planned by John Nolen, with possible input from his associate, Frederick Law Olmsted, known for his work on the Biltmore Estate grounds.

The adjacent Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary, under the care of the Audubon Society, is a haven for bird enthusiasts, offering a short stroll through its wetlands with opportunities to observe a variety of bird species, including Brown-headed Nuthatches, Warbling Vireos, and Eastern Kingbirds.

Southward, The Grove Park Inn provides opulent amenities, including spa services, tennis courts, and some of Asheville’s premier dining experiences, all hosted by its five-star hotel staff.

Culinary enthusiasts can savor everything from outdoor dining with views of the mountains at the Sunset Terrace to a farm-to-table Sunday brunch at the Blue Ridge restaurant, featuring dishes such as citrus poached shrimp, eggs benedict, and frangipane cake.

Additionally, the resort is celebrated for its gingerbread house contest, a highlight of the holiday festivities.