Golf at the Grove Park Inn
Property and Course Overview
The Grove Park Inn is a historic hotel located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is included on the National Register of Historic Places and has hosted a reported ten different Presidents since its original opening in 1913. The hotel sits on a expansive 140 acre property just a few miles north of downtown Asheville, North Carolina. The main hotel building is a massive and impressive structure and described as a ‘Arts and Crafts Style’ build with large rocks layering the exterior of the building. The interior of the hotel has a very rustic and relaxed feel with large sitting areas and fireplaces spread throughout making this place a excellent option to visit in the colder or warmer months. There are are ten different restaurants and bars, 500 plus guest rooms, a spa, multiple pools, tennis courts, workout facilities, and meetings rooms. The Grove Park is setup to hold and host a vast variety of business and pleasure travelers. Of course, I was at the Grove Park Inn to check out their six tennis courts as you might suspect. From one of the many outdoor terraces or even a number of the guest rooms, views of the Grove Park Inn golf course can be seen.
The Grove Park Inn is a early 1900’s design that has withheld the test of time
The Grove Park Inn course opened just over 100 years ago in 1926 and was designed by Donald Ross. Shortly after its opening it hosted PGA tournament events for close to twenty years and has seen some of the all time greats walk its fairways including Bobby Jones, Harry Vardon, Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan. A large renovation was completed in 2001 to restore many of the Donald Ross features and from what I have read it was a major overhaul that brought much needed and real improvements to the course.
A plaque at Grove Park dedicated to Bobby Jones and his time at the course
The Grove Park Inn comes in at 92 on top 100 rankings via top1000golfcourses.com for North Carolina in a state is rich with great golf courses. The course is not long and maxes out at 6,039 yards with a slope rating of 125 playing to a par 70. In season rates run between $135 and $240 and $120 to $140 range for offseason. The course is open to resort guests and the public as well. The clubhouse is relatively simple and set apart from the hotel.
Tight passageways is one of the aspects that define the course layout and topography of The Grove Park Inn
This Blue Ridge Mountain layout is filled with rolling hills and elevation changes as one might expect for a mountain based course layout. The front nine is more flat in nature while the back nine is carved into the side of the mountain the hotel sits on. While the course is short in yardage, many of the holes are very tight and leave minimal room for error off the tee. There are a number of lengthy par threes as well. The slope rating on this course should not be taken lightly. We played four rounds during our time at the Grove Park Inn as part of a trip with college friends. The first day was the rainiest day of golf I have ever experienced so I did not get a feel for course conditions until things dried out some, never in full. The fairways and greens are both bent grass and were very well kept all things considered with the weather we delt with. The layout itself is really fun and well designed making it a great one stop option for multiple rounds of golf.
Signature Holes*
*All hole yardages are from the black tees
Hole 17: Par 3, 173 Yards
The short par three 17th bears resemblance to the 17th at St. Andrews as nestles in next to hotel. Ross worked with Old Tom Morris at St. Andrews so this is most likely a influential aspect of the hole placement and design here. As an onlooker from a hotel room or terrace you have a clear view of the hole. Even though this is a short par three, it is certainly not a easy one. The hotel sits on the right with possible onlookers watching your shot and a miss left means you are in a greenside bunker or your ball has taken a tumble down a pretty steep slope. If there is any saving grace, the green is a large one. It appears much larger from view below than the tee box. Hitting the green is the only way to go on this final par three on the course; imagine that.
The short par three 17th as seen from the inside of The Grove Park Inn; the hole appears less intimidating from this angle
Hole 18: Par 4, 392 Yards
Following the par three 17th, the course turns back away from the hotel towards the clubhouse. Eighteen is one of best holes on the course and is a fine synopsis of the overall course design. From the tee box you are standing at one of the highest elevations on the course and have a great view of the entirety of the hole and surrounding Blue Ridge Mountain range. This par four requires a well placed tee shot. Middle left is the ideal play here. The hole slopes down to a valley where you will hit your approach shot and with some distance off the tee you can get a nice added roll. Misses right can bring the road into play and quickly lead to lost golf balls. The final approach shot on the course plays to another elevated green, one of many on the course. The green is a fairly large one, but getting out of the Grove Park Inn finale with a par is a nice win.
The finale at The Grove Park Inn is a great hole design and finishing hole
In Summary
While most people won’t be going to The Grove Park Inn for golf only, this Donald Ross design is well worth checking out if your seeking a great course option in the Asheville area.