A Complete Guide to Asheville Area Golf Communities

About The Cliffs at Walnut Cove

The Cliffs at Walnut Cove features a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course set within a rich landscape of cultivated gardens and thousands of acres of land abutting the Blue Ridge Parkway, with convenient access to premium dining, culture, and healthcare in nearby Asheville, North Carolina. The community offers a range of housing options, from single-family homes, to townhomes, to lots and acreage.

The course itself has not only been recognized as one of the best in North Carolina by Golf Digest and Golfweek, but has the honor of being the home facility for the UNC Asheville Women's Golf Team. It features four sets of women's tees and five sets of men's tees, and offers both structured, club-run groups and informal, member-run groups, giving the course a neighborhood golf feel while providing a best-in-state experience.

Surrounded by the Pisgah National Forest, it features playable bentgrass fairways, rolling slopes, challenging greens, bunkers, and elevation changes from 2,100 to 2,250 feet through mountain meadows, creeks, and streams set against rolling grassland within a natural amphitheater.

The first nine wind through open fields of once rolling farmland, lying over and across soft ridges with plenty of bunkers to provide a variety of obstacles—and opportunities—for smart play. The back nine crisscrosses over and around mountain streams carved through local woodland in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

In particular, players may appreciate hole seven, which features a par-four that requires you to play over the fairway bunkers and into a green that has water on three sides, as if you’re hitting the ball into a lake. Similarly, scenic hole 16 is a par-three over a creek tucked below the Pisgah National Forest.

After a morning’s round, the Club Village is the perfect spot to relax. Residents can wash up in the locker room facilities, have a leisurely lunch featuring locally sourced ingredients at the Tavern, enjoy a cocktail on the patio, or savor a satisfying vintage from the on-site wine room, before ducking into the pro shop to browse their assortment of gear, including a wide selection of women’s products.

What’s more, members of the club can enjoy traditional, seasonal, and special events as well as forge new friendships in groups like the Walnut Cove Ladies Golf Association. Member-guests, men’s and ladies’ days, club championships, Christmas tournaments, nine and dines, USGA tournaments, afternoon women’s programs, casual golf groups: something is bound to be happening at the club.

The community

Beyond golf, the community itself is amenity-rich. It features an 18,000-foot luxury wellness center with pools, fitness equipment, and tennis court, as well as miles of in-gate hiking trails. Residents can enjoy classes like yoga or spin, receive guidance from personal trainers, participate in guided outdoor activities, or enjoy a well-earned massage.

Looking to enrich your life and those of others? Walnut Cove is home to a number of member-run clubs for a range of interests, from bridge and mahjong to fishing and bowling. In addition, The Walnut Cove Members Association, a group of property owners interested in supporting local nonprofits, provides additional charitable opportunities, notably a mentorship program for student athletes at UNC Asheville and grants for local charities.

Move into your dream home faster at Walnut Cove.

Looking to build your forever home in the North Carolina mountains? Walnut Cove Realty’s Luxury Build Program combines the speed and convenience of buying a home with the freedom of customization afforded by building. It’s essentially the best of both worlds, without the worst of either.

We partner with trusted builders and residents of select communities within The Cliffs at Walnut Cove to fund the design and construction of new luxury homes with popular features and much shorter build times. Luxury home buyers looking to build don’t have to spend months closing on a lot, planning from scratch with designers, and waiting even longer for the build.

If you're looking for a home in the western North Carolina mountains, Walnut Cove is an ideal choice. Come visit us and see our gorgeous mountain homes, amenities, and community for yourself!

About Biltmore Forest

While not a golf community in the traditional sense, Biltmore Forest is a historic district in Asheville, North Carolina, that features a Donald Ross designed golf course and the exclusive, member-owned Biltmore Forest Country Club, in operation since 1922. Home to some of the largest estates in Asheville, Biltmore Forest is one of the most desirable areas for luxury buyers in the whole of the Carolinas and not to be overlooked by golf connoisseurs.

The town is named for the Biltmore Estate located nearby. Both places were owned by George Washington Vanderbilt II, who built the Estate from 1889 to 1895. In 1916, a historic flood in the Asheville area caused extensive damage to the Biltmore Estate. To reduce the cost of maintaining the estate and its tax liability, approximately 1,500 acres were sold to make residential lots.

In 1923, the town of Biltmore Forest was formally chartered. Since then, residential zoning designations and conscientious zoning restrictions have preserved the attention to detail and natural environment that were so prominent during the town's development. Through community forestry programs and a tree protection ordinance, the naturalistic landscaping evocative of the Biltmore Estate continues to be thoughtfully preserved.

The course

Those seeking an old-fashioned golf club experience need look no further than The Biltmore Country Club. Walk through its doors and you’ll find genteel traditions from the Gilded Age proudly carried into the present.

It is said the idea for the course came to George Vanderbilt’s wife after she was snubbed while smoking a cigarette at another country club, where she was told that smoking was unladylike, and as a woman, she did not belong on the course. The club was later completed as part of the development of Biltmore Forest, owned by none other than Edith’s daughter, Cornelia, who supplied additional funds to finish the project. Today, the club is within the top 3% of all private clubs in North America.

Restored by architect Brian Silva, and ranked 12th in the state of North Carolina by Golf Digest, the course itself sits upon 135 acres and features a creek, bunkers revised from historical photos to feel more characteristically Ross, and rolling hills that will both please the eye and challenge your game. The second hole in particular was hailed by Ben Hogan as the “greatest Par-four on the PGA tour,” characterized by its elegant morning shadows and dogleg right.

Meanwhile, golfers can delight in walking in the footsteps of famous leaders of the past, from former president Calvin Coolidge to tycoon John D. Rockefeller. The club also hosted the Land of Sky Open from 1939 to 1942 and has been the site of US Women’s Amateur and US Women’s Mid Amateur tournaments.

Afterwards, members can enjoy the luxurious 47,495 square foot clubhouse’s amenities, from dining and locker room facilities to a pro shop and fitness center. Peckish members can relax in two bars and get lunch at the grill or enjoy an elegant meal in the main dining room. Don’t forget to tuck your shirt in after 6:00 PM!

Meanwhile, those eager to build their strength off the course can take advantage of the fitness center’s equipment, from ellipticals and treadmills to weight machines and free weights. 19 bedrooms are also available for guests.

The Ramble at Biltmore Forest

Just two miles from the golf course, this master-planned, gated community within Biltmore Forest is set in the woods of Ducker Mountain and bordered by the Blue Ridge Parkway. For members of the Biltmore Forest Country Club who seek the security and tranquility of a private community, The Ramble may be a perfect fit.

This woodland oasis is only six miles from downtown Asheville, six and a half from the airport, and five from Mission Hospital. Residents can effortlessly partake in Asheville’s thriving arts and culture, decadent dining, and wellness amenities while drinking in the natural beauty of all four seasons of Asheville’s mild climate.

Besides the golf course, the Ramble is decked out with luxury amenities that support an active and social lifestyle, from a wellness center and extensive network of trails and open spaces, to tennis, bocce, and pickleball courts, all just a stone’s throw away from the Asheville Racquet Club.

Like Biltmore Forest, The Ramble's acreage was initially owned by George W. Vanderbilt, owner of the renowned Biltmore Estate, and was a favorite strolling spot of his. The community was closely modeled after the design and conservation concepts utilized by architect Frederick Law Olmsted, conceptually mimicking his work in New York Central Park.

Luxury homes are available for sale as well as homesites for custom home building. Its featured builders are some of western North Carolina's most experienced specialists, ready to help you design a bespoke home that artistically represents your ideas.

About Champion Hills

Champion Hills is one of the most sought-after private golfing communities in the area. Nestled in the pristine splendor of North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains in Hendersonville, residents enjoy a beautiful living experience that combines southern hospitality with a mountain lifestyle.

The course

Here, you’ll find one of the best residential courses in the US, according to Golfweek—a Tom Fazio-designed championship-rated masterpiece where you can play your best game with great company any time of year.

Touted as one of Tom Fazio’s personal favorites, the course itself is a portfolio of stunning vistas featuring streams, forested hills, and deep ravines, at a range of angles, elevations, and settings, engrossing players in the game while offering something new to look forward to at each hole.

With 350 feet of elevation change, it’s meticulously designed to be fun, fair, and challenging for players of different abilities, featuring a generous number of downhill holes, level lies, and fairways simultaneously challenging and sculpted to encourage your ball to bounce toward you rather than away.

A collection of club events and golf groups help residents find community while pro instruction, a putting green, and driving range are available to help residents master their game. Meanwhile, a full-service clubhouse awaits golfers after a long day with luxurious fine and casual dining opportunities.

The community

As with the other communities on this list, a mild, four-season climate with temperate Winters and cool mountain Summers allows you to experience Champion Hills through vibrant Springs and Autumns as well as lush Summers. Glorious seasonal colors draw residents from all around in addition to easy access to the vibrant arts, entertainment, sports, and healthcare amenities of the Hendersonville, Asheville, and Greenville regions.

Residents here enjoy a lifestyle that offers the best of both worlds: a sense of solitude and quiet, along with an active social life. Besides top shelf golf, a fully-equipped fitness and wellness center, tennis courts with accompanying programs for various skill levels, and 17 miles of marked walking trails help residents stay fit.

Meanwhile, seasonal events ensure there is never a dull moment, from wine tastings and cooking demonstrations to holiday gatherings. The community also offers a variety of other clubs, groups, and volunteer opportunities to suit your interests, whether you yearn for a game of bridge or want to give back by supporting local nonprofits.

No matter what you’re seeking in a full-time residence or seasonal retreat, Champion Hills offers attractive homes in a range of styles and sizes—each thoughtfully crafted for elegant living.

About North Asheville

Neighborhoods of interest to luxury buyers in the North Asheville area include Lake View Park, Grove Park, The Hills of Beaverdam, and Lakeshore Heights. These neighborhoods and communities are all convenient to the Country Club of Asheville, one of the first private clubs founded in the US, established in 1894.

The club’s golf course was designed by legendary architect Donald Ross, like the nearby course at the Omni Grove Park Inn. In fact, it is said that the Country Club of Asheville was originally located where the Grove Park Inn is today, and the Grove Park Inn golf course once belonged to the Country Club of Asheville. Later, the club was moved North to its current location, and Donald Ross designed a new course there which members are familiar with today. It was updated by Richard Mandell in 2016.

The course features bent grass fairways. These are at times challengingly long with multiple uphill and downhill shots. Hole 16 in particular offers an enchanting view of Asheville and the surrounding mountains, and was once the longest in North Carolina, at 600 yards, with a creek in between.

Hole 17, in turn, may be the longest and most difficult Par-three of the course. As a local watering hole, it’s not uncommon for neighbors to create their own, informal groups to practice and socialize.

Golfers can warm up for their game at the 25-tee driving range, putting, and chipping greens in the practice area. Meanwhile, personal training and golf clinics are available to help perfect your swing, as is the SkyTrak indoor golf simulator.

Aside from golf, members can enjoy the club’s Olympic-size swimming pool, indoor and outdoor tennis facilities, indoor pickleball courts, new 2,500 square foot fitness center, and even rec rooms to entertain children and teens.

Those interested can join men’s, and women’s, or youth programs and lessons for swimming, water aerobics, tennis, and more. As for culinary delights after a round, fine mountain views await al fresco diners as well as indoor dinner and cocktail options—family friendly, casual, or buttoned up.

The community

These established, historic neighborhoods feature a mix of older homes, including grand plantation-style and old world, European-style houses convenient to Asheville’s restaurants, nightlife, shopping, wellness, and cultural opportunities, as well as rare natural attractions such as the Blue Ridge Parkway and Pisgah National Forest.

In addition, UNC Asheville and its Osher Lifelong Learning Institute are nearby, offering retired residents a revolving calendar of expert talks, workshops, socials, courses, and performances to feed their minds.

For many homes in this area, the privately-owned Beaver Lake and Park is within easy walking distance. This spot is popular for aquatics like fishing, boating, and paddleboarding as well as walking, biking, and jogging. The man-made lake and neighborhood were designed by architect John Nolen, possibly with the assistance of his friend, Frederick Law Olmstead, who designed the grounds of the Biltmore Estate.

The nearby Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary, managed by the Audubon Society, offers birdwatchers in the area a convenient outlet. Visitors can enjoy a three-eighths mile walk through the wetland and stop to sit and watch a wide variety of birds, notably Brown-headed Nuthatches, Warbling Vireos, and Eastern Kingbirds.

To the South, The Grove Park Inn offers luxury indulgences, from spa treatments to tennis and some of Asheville’s finest dining, served by its five-star hotel staff.

Tired foodies can enjoy anything from an al fresco dinner with a dusk mountain view at the Sunset Terrace restaurant to a farm-to-table Sunday brunch featuring the likes of citrus poached shrimp, eggs benedict, and frangipane cake at the Blue Ridge restaurant.

The resort is also known for its gingerbread house competition: a special treat during the holiday season.