[Ben Hollerbach]

The wonderful 1928 Donald Ross designed course at the Country Club of Asheville is currently undergoing a renovation. For those that have had the opportunity to play the course, I hope you’ll comment on your impressions. For those that will no longer get the chance to see it in its current form, I wanted to publish a tour of the golf course to preserve what was once there.

In recent years, the club has strived to follow many of the tenets espoused here on this website. The fairways average 55 yards wide and the greens have been enlarged by an average of 300 square feet, restoring much of their original size and shapes. The golf course is full of wonderful strategic qualities and I truly believe it is the most under appreciated Donald Ross courses in the nation. Ross once described the course as “equal in rank with the finest courses on earth today”, I hope by the end of this thread you will share his view.



History:

In the early part of the 1900’s Asheville, NC found itself in rapid growth. The cool mountain setting became a summer haven who found its moderate winters agreeable enough to call it home. By the 1920 the city was growing well beyond its means and 3 large neighborhood projects we begun to accommodate the growth, Biltmore Forest, Beverly Hills, and Lake View Park. Myers Park designer and Olmstead disciple John Nolan was hired to layout the Lake View Park neighborhood surrounding Beaver Lake. The project was designed to be rather inclusive with a large collection of leisure activities, including a substantial beach club and a 18 hole Donald Ross designed golf course. Ross was give nearly carte blanche as it came to course, being offered nearly 1000 acres of land to choose from. Completed in 1928, The courses first clubhouse was the Lake View Park real estate office across Merrimon ave. Play began on the current par 4 4th hole, and concluded on the current par 3 3rd hole. With the crash of the stock market, the growth of Asheville and the Lake View Park community halted. By 1938 the course had changed hands and names, and was being played as a the public Beaver Lake Golf Course. During the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s the course was a common venue for the PGA tour’s “Land of the Sky” Asheville Open, sharing hosting duties with the Country Club of Asheville (current Grove Park course) and Biltmore Forest. Saddly, the condition and maintenance of the course deteriorated during the mid century.  I believe its reputation clearly diminished during this time as a public golf course, which is a reason why no one discusses it among other Ross classics in the Carolinas, even though it was designed to be every bit the equal of others.



 In 1976, After the Grove Park Inn purchased their home facilities, the member of Country Club of Asheville purchased the Beaver Lake course. Following the purchase, CCA constructed the current clubhouse on the site originally planned by Ross and began playing the course in its originally intended sequence. Exceptions being given to a period encompassing the 1990’s in which the nines were reversed. Starting around 2010, The maintenance staff began reclaiming much of the cut grass that had been lost over the previous 80 years, increasing fairway widths by an average of 10 yards and green area by an average of 300 sqft. It was also during this time that the bunkers were re-profiled in a flat bottom grass faced style.



Hole: 1
Par: 4
Yards: 370



What initially faces the player off of the first tee is a wonderful view of the western North Carolina mountains. The hole plays significantly downhill and the landing zone is blind from the tee.  The hole doglegs slightly to the right with an ample fairway of XX yards to accept ones drive.  The ideal line is a shot of 200-230 yards played down the righthand tree line.  A ball on this line will land on the full down slope and bound another 40-60 yards down the hill,  leaving an approach of 100-120 yards.  A ball played safely out to the left will land running more along the hillside, limiting the amount of runout and increasing the approach shot.



The approach into the green is hit from an elevated position on a downhill lie.  Even though the player may only have a wedge in their hand, accurately judging distance can be challenging.  From this elevated position approach shots are typically played in very high and there is little roll after landing. The front two thirds of the greens slope fairly strongly toward the front left.  The downhill approach tending to add distance to the shot, coupled with the fear missing the pin long causes many players to end up with a 40 foot uphill putt.



Visually the left hand bunker appears to be the more difficult recovery of the two,  but as the green slopes from back right to front left, the runaway up and down from the right hand bunker is often the harder proposition.




Hole: 2
Par: 5
Yards: 479



The first of three wonderful half par holes on the front nine, the second can be played clear of all the danger for a simple 5 or challenged greatly for a chance at a rare 3. While the road and out of bounds line that runs the right hand side of the hole is very evident,  out of bounds also borders the left. This out of bounds line is absent from most playings of the hole, but can become problematic for a longer player who has lost their drive to the left. Two bunkers flank the driving zone at well as a rise in the fairway 270 yards off of the tee. The left hand bunker often acts as a catch for wayward drives bound for the ob line, as blessed as you may feel finding your ball located there rather than across the boundary line it is nearly impossible to advance the ball down the hole with much more than a 7 or 8 iron from the sand. The preferred play off of the tee for the player planning on getting on in two is towards the right hand bunker,  while the player choosing to play the hole as a three shotter is wise to play a ball short of the left hand bunker.




From the driving zone, the three shot player must contend with the large fairway bunker that lives 100 yards short of the green. The safest shot is to play short and slightly right of the bunker,  but the preferred play would be to play the ball over and right of the bunker. This play is not without its risks, as a ball played too far right will run through the fairway, leaving the player an awkward third shot from a sidehill lie. The first time player that elects to go for the green in two will notice that the green is cut into a hillside that slopes from left to right. They will notice that the fall off on the right is fairly severe and elect to play their long approach towards the left hand side of the green. Unfortunate for them, located just short of the green on the left hand side a small sunken bunker is waiting to swallow up their approach.







Ross cut the green into this hillside in such a way that the left hand portion the green slopes left. Visually this is very hard to read and tricks even the most observant first time players. The middle and right side of the green follows the natural flow to the right, but is often visually disguised do to the larger back to front slope. The low point is off of the front right corner, making playing to a pin in that area rather challenging. The hillside to the right of the green is a very dangerous recovery and if your approach is played too far of line, has the potential to bounce into a hidden creek that sits some 25 yards off of the front right corner.



Hole: 3
Par: 3
Yards: 180



A downhill par three that when played from the very back tee is blind.  The green sits at the opening of Beaverdam Creek Valley, the crosswinds that move through the valley suggest that a knockdown approach is prefered as a shot thrown up in the air is subject to the whims of the winds. A collection of three bunkers border the left hand side of the hole, with the tail of this grouping encroaching into the fairway slightly on the right. Originally intended for a run up approach, the last of these bunkers makes the shot a bit more challenging but still an effective approach play onto the green. Beyond and right of the green the turf falls away towards a small creek.








Located just short and right of the green a small bunker is placed to catch those wayward run-up shots that are lost towards the creek, but rarely does this bunker influence the path of a carried ball destined for the middle or rear of the green. A player that aggressively attacks a back pin must be sure of their strike as a ball intended to fly back to that pin can be difficult to judge in both distance and windage. A ball missed long presents a difficult up and down for a back flag as the green is pitched from back to front.

[Ben Hollerbach]

Hole: 4
Par: 4
Yards: 440



When the course first opened in 1928, it was on the current fourth tee that their round began.
The right hand side of the fairway is bordered by a creek that for decades was obscured from play by a long row of large willow trees. These trees have been removed and replaced with a row of saplings,bringing the creek back into play for wayward tee shots. Currently the corner of the dogleg is defined by a large oak tree just of the right hand side of the fairway and a pair of trees that live across the creek. Longer players will attempt to play their tee shot down the right hand side just beyond the corner oak. If they succeed they will face an approach shot of between 160-170 yards, if the fail they will be forced to play a ball around the oak into the green. The shorter, more conservative, line off of the tee is down the middle to left side of the fairway, but one must attempt to play the ball as far to the right as possible as a ball played too conservatively to the right may leave the player an approach well over 200 yards into the green.






The approach to the green must be played over the creek and up the hill towards the green, much like the tee shot off of the 3rd, the cross winds that blow down the valley must be minded. It is often the case that players don’t recognize how much uphill the approach plays and find their ball falling short of its intended target. For those players who are forced to attack the green with a long iron or wood, they will find a green that is receptive to shots coming in at a low angle.  A bunkerless green site that is draped over the side of a hill presents numerous small topographical features hard to distinguish for a player trying to chip or putt their ball close.







Hole: 5
Par: 4
Yards: 460



Climbing up to the tee box on the 5th the player can take a moment to enjoy the view straight up the valley. But after noticing the yardage and the par must again buckle down and produce a long tee shot. The 5th is the second half par hole on the outward nine and one of the best par 4’s on the course. From an elevated position, the player is asked to play to the narrowest driving zones on the course, at only 28 yards wide. Right of the fairway is a hillside that itself can act as a hazard for balls played into it, or can send balls down into the fairway.. The left side of the fairway is bordered by 25 yards of rough and then the creek that comes into play more of the tee than one would commonly think.



The approach from the fairway is straightforward, hit the green anyway you can. For an approach that is generally flat and without a bunker this often is not a difficult proposition, but here the approach is being played with a long iron or fairway wood towards a green that is one of the smallest on the course. During the dry months, a run-up shot is the approach of choice.



The green is bisected laterally by a small ridge, creating a slight backstop for long approaches as well as a pinnable rear shelf. Long and right of the green are defended by two mounds that make recoveries rather difficult. While much of the green slopes from the rear shelf towards the front in a predictable manner, putting to a pin in the front left corner leaves many players scratching their head.






Note: Both the 4th and 5th holes are without a sand bunker. When playing with someone who is enjoying the course for the first time I often like to ask them later in the round if they noticed while playing those holes, not a single person I have asked has ever realized they were bunkerless. I can’t determine a location where the placement of the bunker would enhance either the hole in any way.

Hole: 6
Par: 3
Yards: 138/122







Playing from split tees, the sixth is a very fine example of a Ross short. While the push-up green is rather large, it also sits at just below eye level, making visually judging distance from the tee rather a challenge. Often playing into the green with a short iron or wedge, the player still feels pressure in finding the putting surface, rather their ball falling into one of the deep bunkers that surround three sides of the putting surface.



The green is one of the flattest on the course and a good approach is often rewarded with a birdie. Caution is needed when playing to a back left pin location, an approach played with enough distance to reach the pin must be very true on aim. A ball lost off to the right will carry beyond the green, leaving possibly the most difficult up and down on the hole.




With the hole only playing 130 yards and a green more than large enough to accept the approach shot, it’s amazing how many times a player had to scramble to make par.  Something about this hole lulls the player into sloppiness.

[Carl Rogers]

Ben, I hope you keep going!

[Sean_A]

Damn if that 6th hole doesn't look like a carbon copy of Raleigh CC's 17th!


Ciao

[Ben Hollerbach]

Hole: 7
Par: 5
Yards: 490



The third and final half par hole on the front side, the seventh mirrors the fifth as it runs back up the valley’s creek. Playing from a tee sitting on the very edge of the property, the straight line drive towards the green is intersected by a pair of fairway bunkers. The common play is a drive out to the left of the bunkers, a route that takes the player closer to the creek.





A well placed drive just to the left of the bunkers can leave an approach of 220 into the raises green. With your wind at your back during the summer it's a shot worth attempting. For those players unable to play for the green on their second, the layup is guarded by 2 clusters of mounds that flank the fairway between 90-130 yards from the green.






Another push up green, the seventh is protected on the left by a deep bunker. The right hand side is guarded by a bunker places front right and a pair of low hanging evergreens off the back right. These right hand guards see frequent action from long second shots intended to be drawn up onto the green. The putting surface is unlike most of the other greens on the course in that it doesn’t have a noticeable back to front tilt.  Instead Ross built a well sculpted ridge and swale that cross the green diagonally from front left to back right. Recent green reclamation has helped to expand the greens back tier, but has also made the recovery for balls hit long much more difficult.  The edges of the green roll off in places, not unlike other Ross courses in North Carolina.





Hole: 8
Par: 4
Yards: 416



Following the seventh the course leaves the valley and begins climbing up into the hills. The eighth acts as a wonderful introduced to the new challenges yet to face the player over the remaining 11 holes. The drive is played over a ridge and into a small valley, at which point the hole turns left, up the valley, and towards the green.





The conservative play off of the tee is out to the right and visually down the middle of the fairway. While this line will result in the flattest lie for the approach, it will also force the approach to be played from well back of the green. Longer players will choose a line over top the very penal grass bunker that protects the inside corner of the dogleg. A ball struck on this line that travels with a slight right to left ball flight can leave a short iron approach into the green. Caution must be heeded on this line as a ball that is missed to the left or short can easily find themselves caught up on the hillside, while a ball that is missed to the right will travel too far and come to rest along the other hillside. It is only the best struck shots that winds up in the bottom of the valley.





While it initially appears relatively flat, The approach to the green is actually a slight and consistent climb up to the green. This is often misjudged and missing the green short is a common occurrence.
 
Note:You will see Ross employ this design feature often in the remaining holes.  Impactful elevation changes are obscured and dwarfed by other larger surround elevation features, making them very hard to recognize.

For those that select the conservative line off of the tee, the elevation difference makes their already long approach play even longer, forcing them to run the ball up on the putting surface. Often playing from a sidehill line, this typically means the approach is being brought in from right to left.



The green is pinched between the valley sides. The steep banks on either side aid at redirecting missed shots back towards the putting green, while the flatter sections of rough just off the putting surface more often collect near misses. Don’t believe that the risk to the green in minimal as Ross constructed two bunkers up the hillsides and short of the green. These bunkers, while they appear awkwardly places, are excellent at catching low hooks or draws attempting to be flown in over their heads. It’s not uncommon in a foursome to have one or more players attempting a recovery from one of the two bunkers



Hole: 9
Par: 4
Yards: 347





The front nine ends with a wonderful little par 4 that presents the player with a multitude of playing options. Playing from a split upper and lower tees that present their own advantages, the player has three options off of the tee:  a drive of 220 yards to the high side on the right, a similar shot down the low left side, or a full driver down the middle as near to the green as possible





A drive to the upper fairway is played much like an approach to a long par 3 in which holding the green can be rather difficult, but if executed will give the player a clear visual approach to the putting surface.  This strategy leaves the player closest in elevation to the green, but an approach from here  has a noticeable side hill lie.  A right hand flag has to be approached with a shot played over the front right green side bunker.
 


A drive to the lower fairway presents the player a much larger margin for error and often a shorter approach, but an approach that is completely blind and uphill. Hitting driver as close to the green as you can will leave a reasonably flat lie, but also an awkward uphill half wedge shot.  Attacking a front pin from here is very risky.



The green is perched high above the lower portion of the fairway and protected in front by a pair of deep bunkers and a steep bank. For a hole of this length, the putting surface is rather large. With a slightly domed profile, the green is challenging to read on long putts and downright terrifying when putting back towards the invisible front edge. The back 3 sides of the green are protected by a shallow swale that kicks slightly missed approach shots even farther away.

[Joe Sponcia]

Ben,


Thanks for posting these.


Having played multiple Ross courses...and being a member of one in Knoxville, the renovation of Asheville is of great interest.  My wife and I played in the Spring of this year, and that is my one and only round.


"I believe its reputation clearly diminished during this time as a public golf course, which is a reason why no one discusses it among other Ross classics in the Carolinas, even though it was designed to be every bit the equal of others".

Unfortunately the routing of CC of Asheville will, in my view, never be the equal of Biltmore Forest across the road.  You can cut the ambiance with a knife there...but that doesn't mean CC of Asheville can't get better.

Not much can be done with #1, is what it is.

#2 is an ok par and a half, but would be better as a par 4 forcing players to blast drive then run up a wood or long iron.  As it is now, kind of a boring par/easy birdie.  I really like the 20-30 yards leading up to the green.

#3 is a basic green that looks like it has been cut into a circle from 'normal' mowing.  I am hoping Mr. Mandell can bring back/find some shape.  The bunkers are a bit lifeless on the left, not much teeth for a fairly easy hole.

#4 I liked 4.  That bottom part of the property looks like it has drainage issues, so not sure if he can fix it?  This is one of the better holes on the front as the green has more movement than you can see from the fairway...and is right-sized for the shot with many pinnable positions.

#5 needs help.  Weak.

#6 This seemed inauthentic for the shorty Ross holes I've seen for it's length.  Most of this size are more treacherous, birdie or bogey type holes.  Wannomoisset comes to mind.  Cherokee (#8) in Knoxville has one as does Holston (#8).  It reminds me of Chattanooga's short hole - something just seems off?

#7 Kind of a snoozer, the bunkering could be greatly improved in the fairway.  The green could be better as a dustpan.  Another saucer that needs some love.

#8  Tee ball is a joy to hit!  Loved the look from the tee box.  The bunker to the blind-ish fairway is spot on.  Approach could be improved, but overall, I really like this hole. 

#9 My favorite hole on this side.  Beautiful green with lots of pin options.  Fun tee ball.  Really good short par 4.

The back is solid...hoping you'll post those soon.

Not every course can be a 8-10.  This one could be greatly improved and hoping it will be.       

[Ben Hollerbach]

Hole: 10
Par: 4
Yards: 398




Perched over 40 feet above the fairway, the tenth tee provides a wonderful overlook of the back nine.  At 66 yards at its widest, the fairway tapers to just 34 yards at the 300 yard mark. While still a large hitting area, the valley crosswinds and large altitude drop makes it a hard fairway to hit. The shorter and conservative players can play a running drive of 200-220 yards that will catch a hill and bound down to the low point of the fairway above a buried creek.. The longer players will often elect to sacrifice some distance for finding the fairway by hitting a low launching fairway wood, leaving an approach of 120-140 yards.




The approach is played subtly uphill to a large green cut into a left to right sloping hill. A small bunker protects the front right and the green falls off on the front and left. Caution must be taken when attacking a front left pin as a ball not carried to pin high will often trickle back off of the green  Anything missed left is like to bound down the hill 10 to 15 yards away.




At over 5300 sqft, the 10th is the second largest green on the back nine. A ridge that extend onto the green from the back right influences putting around back flagsticks. The green gently slopes from back to front and from right to left, falling off steeper as it approaches the fringe on the left hand side. When the greens are fast, being above the hole is terrifying, which always plays on your mind during the approach shot.  It becomes a difficult dichotomy of telling yourself the shot plays uphill a club, but also trying to protect against being beyond the hole.


Hole: 11
Par: 4
Yards: 455



At one point playing as a 470 yard par 5, time and technology caught up with the 11th and in the late 90’s the hole was converted to a par 4. The downhill tee shot is played to another wide fairway protected by one lone bunker. Those players that decide to play around the bunker to the right will be playing towards the flattest section of the driving zone, but a ball played too far right will often run through the fairway, flirting with a creek that borders the hole to the right. The longer players that challenges the lefthand bunker can benefit greatly, as balls that carries the bunker typically bound an additional 30 to 40 yards a down the fairway.





The wide fairway continues to gently fall towards the green, helping to facilitate the mid to long iron approach often required for those drives played right of the fairway bunker. Those players fortunate to carry the fairway bunker are often rewarded with a short iron Approach. While the creek that borders the hole does not directly influence the line of play, it’s presence seems to influence the approach, with a common miss being pulled wide to the left and into an awaiting green side bunker.



The green itself is rather large and quite flat compared to the rest of the course, having more than 300 sqft of putting surface being reclaimed from behind the green. These new back pin positions have been found best to be attacked with a ball landing short and run back towards them as a ball flown to pin high has the potential to run over the green and into a precarious up and down opportunity.

[Ben Hollerbach]

Hole: 12
Par: 4
Yards: 325



The 12th is an especially fine example of a short par 4 that puts ball placement at a premium well over distance, but still finds a way to reward accurate power.  The hole offers a multitude of playing options, each one has strengths and weakness over the other, and depending on the wind, playing conditions, and hole locations, a different strategy can be preferable each day.   For a hole of only 320 yards this is a great architectural achievement By Ross.



Playing over multiple hills and valleys, the hole does a masterful job of hiding and revealing the the green from multiple points along play. The wide fairway cants hard from right to left and while a ball played down the lefthand side of the fairway leaves the player with an unobstructed view of the green, their tee ball must flirt with a fairway bunker that protects the left side of the hole.  For most players their tee ball is struck into the valley that bisects the hole, leaving an approach of 120 yards. The preferred line is down the right edge of the fairway, while a ball played from the right will leave a blind approach it will also be played from a less severe side hill lie and a more favorable approach elevation.



The second option is to play a 220 yard shot off the tee.  This shortens the approach to just 100 yards, but leaves the ball on a fairly severe uphill lie, to a green which is semi-blind.  The player is making a tradeoff for a shorter club, and a visual of the green, for a much more uncomfortable lie which takes more skill to control.



The stronger players will often attempt to drive their ball to the top of the hill, leaving a partial wedge approach into the green. A longer ball must be played towards the right edge of the fairway as a ball struck with enough distance to clear the hill, but on the improper line, has a high potential to kick hard and into the left hand rough, leaving a very challenging approach onto the green. If a player attempts to hit their tee ball onto the top of the hill but errors right, there is an out of bounds line waiting for them just off of the cart path as well as bunker that sits some 30 yards short of the green if they are really long.  This clearly they best place to attack the green from, but the player has to be willing to bring some danger into the shot to get there.



An approach that is played from the bottom off the valley is almost always blind. Many players will use the large oak tree left of thee green as a directional aid, knowing their approach needs to be kept right of the tree. Approach shots being played from the left rough will have to contend with this tree, making their uphill approach even more difficult.



Those players fortunate enough to be playing their approach from the top of the hill will get a good look at the flagstick but not the green surface. The skyline green does a marvelous job at disguising depth, and with the greens preponderance for repelling shots struck with too much spin off the front it’s not uncommon that approach shots are played long of the flag stick.



The green is cut into the side of a hillside, but the average break is back towards the hill.  Ross did an amazing job hiding this slope, as first time players rarely see this and assume the green slopes with the predominant hill.   Well short and right sits a bunker that is often used by players who miss judge how uphill the approach shot is. The front and left sides of the green fall away rather abruptly, a bunker occupies the corner of this slope and leaves for a rather difficult up and down. The smaller greens on the course presents a good opportunity for birdie after a well placed shot into the green, but one needs to play with caution when putting back towards the front of the green as the slope is greater than the eye often perceives.



The 12th is one of those rare holes that’s an amazing judge of the quality of your round.  If the confidence is there and the quality of your play is strong it’s a birdie hole.  But but borderline quality rounds will often be exposed here by an unfortunate bogey.

[Ben Hollerbach]

Hole: 13
Par: 3
Yards: 160



One of the great visual tricks not often found on modern golf courses is a green set just below eye level. The green sitting A mere 5 or 6 feet above the approach gives the player a chance to see the bottom of the flag stick but not enough information to discern the depth of the flag on the green. Ross used this principle on the 13th, a mid length par three played to a slightly elevated green,beautifully. Cut into a right to left hillside much like the preceding 12th, the player is faced with what looks like a daunting shot. The front left and right are protected by two very deep bunkers, paired with the small sliver of green visible these bunkers dominate the player's view. Add to it a large and steep slope off the left edge of the green convinces many players to err long and right with their approach.



The smart player will device to play by the number and hit their approach towards the middle of the green. Those players really trying to score will have to study Ross’ optical illusion and decide at what depth the pin is set. Due to its position within the valley,gauging wind often becomes a must. This hole benefits from greatly changing wind directions that can present a new challenge on each playing. Especially when the wind is into and from the right.



The green is much larger than it appears from the tee, expanded all the way to the fall off to the left and hidden by the bunker on the right. While the green is cut into the hillside, the left hand portion of the green breaks back into the middle, providing a slight backstop for those approach shots creeping too far to the left.



Note: One of the favorite views on the course is walking out of the valley toward the front of the green. The left side of the green has a “negative edge” look to it where the green itself rolls over the hill, and the next view of earth is 1000 yards away on a mountain in the distance.

Hole: 14
Par:4
Yards: 410



While the widest fairway on the course, at 61 yards, the elevated tee shot of the 14th is no easy bargain. While much of the right hand portion of the fairway is sloped back towards the middle, tee shots struck on this line will often hang up on the hill side. This leave an incredibly difficult approach as the trees that border the right side of the hole will block the player's view of the green, demanding they hit a left to right shot from a severe right to left lie.  Bisected by a creek 280 yards out, the stronger players often have to select a fairway wood over the driver off of the tee. Even then a ball played to far out to the left has a potential to bounce into the creek.





The approach is played over the creek to a green perched into a hill. Playing straight up the valley, this shot is often played with either a true headwind or tailwind. Most players will be hitting a mid to long iron towards the green.  This is another shot, which is far more uphill than it looks. A shot purposely played low will run up the rise short of the green, but a ball miss hit short will not.



The green is protected short left by a bunker built into the hillside and another to the right, well below green surface. Neither option present an easy up and down, with the right hand bunker presenting the more difficult challenge. A crescent shaped rise adorns the green, creating quite a few challenging pin positions. The front left pin is aided by the crescent as shots can use the crescent to funnel balls towards the hole. The back left pin presents the player with the flattest portion off the green,but putting back to this pin presents a very stout test in green reading. The shape of the rise makes two putts from just a foot apart break vary differently. The most challenging pin location on the hole is in the front right. This position has the most slope and careless putts struck towards the hole are often seen rolling off of the front.



Hole: 15
Par: 4
Yards: 385





When Ross initially constructed the course, players leaving the 14th green would turn right and walk down towards the creek for the 15th tee. At some point around the 60’s and 70’s a back tee was built up the hill left of the 14th green. This upper teebox played as the primary tee box until the mid 2000’s when the lower tee box was restored back to playing shape. Today both boxes are used, with the lower acting as the primary. The tee shot plays very differently from each box. From the lower the player finds themselves looking straight up a valley, with much of the right hand portion of the fairway obscured by a large hill. The player is naturally directed out towards the left, farther away from the direct line to the green. The high ball hitter can attempt to take on the hill down the right, but little benefit is often found. The low ball hitter needs to be a bit cautious as the rise up the valley can rob them of much needed yards. From the upper tee box much of the landing zone is obscured from view and the player feels like they are playing their drive down into the valley below. From this tee box the hill down the right can be used to correct an errant shot, but the most common miss is a shot out to the left and into the rough.





The 15th plays steeply uphill, climbing over 100 feet from the lower tee to the green. The approach shot is played to wide going green that sits well above the fairway. Much like the approach to the 13th, the player is required to properly read the wind on their approach. Even though it is often played with a short iron or wedge, this is an approach not to be taken lightly. The number one goal of any player when attacking the green is to make sure you stay below the hole, the number two goal is to ensure you do not end up shot. This becomes most challenging when the pin is on the front, a ball struck with spin in an attempt to check the ball dead near the pin are often seen spinning off the front of the green and trundling back down the fairway 30 yards or more. Leaving a very precarious up and down.



In context to the surrounding land the green appears very flat, but in fact drops nearly 5 feet from back to front. Putting from behind the hole feels like you’re about to hit the ball off the edge of the world and the putt must be played with the softest of touch. The bunkers that adorn the front corners of the green get minimal usage and act primarily as visual indicators of the green edges from the fairway.



Note: In the prior 8 holes the course has risen 250 ft. From this point, the golfer gets a panoramic view of the skyline of asheville and the surrounding mountains..  However, Ross, routing was so ingenious, that only 2 holes consecutively play uphill.  Its an ingenious stretch of holes in mountainous terrain.

[Ben Hollerbach]

Hole: 16
Par: 5
Yards: 652





Well before the trend of signature holes, the 16th became the signature hole at Beaver Lake. Originally built at 632 yards in 1928, the par 5 was once the longest hole in the world. Playing downhill off of the tee and then slightly back uphill to the green, this stout par 5 ask the player to cross the same creek 3 times. This was a hole that Ross held in high esteem, he provided a drawings of the hole to George Thomas that was included in his 1927 book “Golf Architecture in America” and  included it in his own 1948 writing that became “Golf Has Never Failed Me”.



Playing from a very elevated position above the valley bottom fairway, the 16th employs a variety of teeing positions that can dramatically affect the drive at hand. The farthest back tee box is set higher and further the the left. This presents a shot that is forced to played over the creek at a more oblique fairway. This forces the longer players tee ball into a dramatically decreasing and semi blind landing zone. On a hole where both a good drive and second is required to set up a favorable approach many players will elect to play a pair of fairway woods rather than risk losing a shot to the creek. The back tee also presents the player with a rather heroic option. On a calm day or with a favorable wind, the longest of players may risk a shot over the trees, left of the creek, in an attempt to bounce a ball off of the hillside and into the second fairway below. This is very much an ego driven play in the hope to hit a 650 yard par 5 in two, but a play that fails to provide any advantage with all but the most perfect of shots.



The shorter and more in line tees play much more along the creek with it bordering the landing zone to the left. The view from here is unobstructed and the landing zone is clear. While the fairway is once again wide, most players will still challenge the creek as much as they can. A ball played to the right side of the fairway will present the player with a sidehill downhill second over the creek to a raised second fairway, a shot not envied by any player holding a fairway wood or long iron.





The second shot is played out towards the left edge of the second fairway, a well placed halfway house often acts as a good aiming point. The elevated fairway falls off towards the creek, making the layup even more difficult. A well placed second shot will leave the player a flat approach from a position above the green less than 140 yards away.



A ball lost to the right will catch the slope and bound down towards the rough and creek. This margin becomes smaller as one tries to advance the ball further down the fairway as the slope begins to pinch in the fairway towards the halfway house. If you’re fortunate enough that your ball did not bounce all the way to the creek bottom you will be left with a short iron approach from a severe side hill lie and is often impeded by tree canopy trouble. Playing a lower shot under the trees is possible, but a bit frightening with the creek and large greenside bunkers looming.





Playing the approach to the green with a short iron or wedge, one can’t help to be distracted by the large sunken bunker that stands guard over the left side of the green. Slightly downhill, it’s not uncommon to see approach shots played towards the back of the large green, which makes trying to play a shot tight to a back left pin position rather difficult.



Build into the side of a hill, the green itself has a predominant slope from back left to front right. This slope fools many players as they try to convince themselves that their putt seemingly breaks uphill. As a reward for striking 3 good to great shots, the green is not overly difficult and can yield a surprising number of birdie opportunities. But, alas, 6 or worse is a more common score for those players that fail to execute a shot on their way to the green.

[Ben Hollerbach]

Hole: 17
Par: 3
Yards: 194



Ross doesn’t give the player much chance to relish in their conquest of the grand 16th, as they walk up the short hill to the next tee they are presented with a one shot hole that for many is a greater challenge. At nearly 200 yards the player has very little room for error when playing this sliver of a par three back down the valley. Playing over a small valley, the greenery that frames the narrow fairway and green on the left actually helps to hide the holes greatest defense.



Cut into a side of a hill, a ball missed even to the smallest degree to the left will bound down a long hill, leading to a recover pitch shot that must be played back up the hill towards the green, some 50 to 60’ above. The bunker that occupies the hillside short and left of the green aids in catching balls that would otherwise bound down the long hill, but other than saving one’s knees does little to improve one's scoring chances. Protecting the green on the right hand side, a pair of elevated bunker become frequent bail out locations for those not wanting to challenge the left side of the hole.



The green is built into a small valley with the left and right sides of the green sitting higher than the middle, sloping toward the very front of the green. Long iron approach shots can be played short and bumped onto the putting surface, with most players putting out to the pin from the middle of the green. An approach played into a right hand green side bunker will give the player a very straightforward recovery to a pin located on the left portion of the green, but when the pin is found on the right, most players are forced to scramble for par by making a 15-20’ putt from the middle of the green.






Hole: 18
Par: 4
Yards: 380



The home hole at the Country Club of Asheville returns the player back to the clubhouse by way of a medium length two shot hole. Playing over a wide valley, the drive is struck into an uphill sloping landing zone. Shorter hitters are forced to play their tee ball out to the left, in order to clear the large oaks that dominate the corner of the dogleg. Longer players will often choose to contest the oaks and the dogleg, but must be careful as a long ball played too far out to the right can find its way onto the bordering street.





The slope of the fairway will often kick balls played down the left further left, which at times will punish a player who’s tee ball was played to far to the left and aid another who’s aggressive ball might be just a bit too far to the right. A well struck driven inside the treeline can net a player with a wedge approach into the green.





From the middle of the fairway, the approach is played from a side hill like with a short iron or wedge. The exposed nature of the green and the short club in hand can make judging the wind on this approach a little tricky. But those that get it right will be rewarded with a good look at birdie.



The run up to the green is very flat, which makes playing a bump and run onto the green a good option when required. Guarded by bunkers front left and front right, the large flat green pitches ever so slightly from the back to the front.



Following the challenging end to the back nine, the 18th plays its role as a press hole very nicely and has been the savior of many a rounds yielding the player one last chance at birdie.

[Ben Hollerbach]

With Richard Mendell's work complete and the course back open for play, it dawned on me that I had not completed my photo tour. As stated at the beginning, my intent with this tour is to preserve how the course once looked and played for those that never had a chance to see it in its previous form. I hope to complete a comparison soon of before and after to look at the successes and the not so successful portions of the renovation.



In the meantime, I wanted to include some older images of the course that were taken shortly after it was constructed.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Thanks Ben, I played CC of A last year and enjoyed my round, especially the back nine. I am interested to see What Mr. Mandell has done. I hope to get back in July.

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