Biltmore Forest Country Club – Played August 2020
- Rankings: None of my four lists
- Location: 31 Stuyvesant Road, Asheville, North Carolina
- Year: 1922
- Original Architect: Donald Ross
- Additional Work By: Brian Silva
- Course Access: Private
- Walking Rules: Carts & Caddies Available
Score Card Information:
- Gold: 6,750 yards, Par 70, 72.4 Rating/139 Slope
- White: 6,252 yards, Par 70, 70.0 Rating/131 Slope
- Green: 5,885 yards, Par 70, 68.2 Rating/127 Slope
- Blue: 5,329 yards, Par 70, 65.8 Rating/120 Slope (Men’s), 71.5 Rating/126 Slope (Women’s)
- Red: 4,796 yards, Par 72, 67.9 Rating/123 Slope
I had the pleasure of playing Biltmore Forest Country Club over 15 years ago when I was in high school. To be honest, I didn’t remember much of it except for a few holes.
Since I’ve played it the course underwent a major restoration by Brian Silva. The tees and fairways were grassed with Zoysia throughout. The bunkering was reworked using old photos to adhere more to the Ross originals.
Along with the restoration, new watering practices have reduced the amount of water used to less than 1/4 of pre-2017 levels. That kind of responsibility could be embraced by more clubs.
Regarding the club history, anything with the name Biltmore in it will usually have ties to the prominent families of the early 1900s. Biltmore Forest Country Club is no different.
Edith Vanderbilt, the widow of George, helped acquire the land for the town of Biltmore Forest from the Biltmore Estate. Space for a golf course was included in this acquisition.
She, along with other charter members, engaged Donald Ross to design the golf course. Edward Palmer was tasked with designing the clubhouse (more on that later).
Once built, the club entertained many notable guests including Bobby Jones, General Pershing, John D Rockefeller, William Jennings Bryan, and Queen Juliana of Holland.
By 1948 the club became member-owned as it is today.
As I mentioned, the clubhouse was designed by Edward Palmer. I captured the view from the parking lot below. It is a massive structure covering 47,495 square feet. Included in the layout are multiple dining rooms, pro shot, fitness center, locker rooms, as well as 19 guest bedrooms.
The history of Biltmore Forest Country Club includes playing exploits as well. The club was a host of the early touring professionals during the Land of Sky Open from 1939-1942. The photo below documents Ben Hogan’s participation in the tournament, which he won in three consecutive years.
The club also hosted the 1999 US Women’s Amateur and 2013 US Women’s Mid Amateur.
The compact range forces you to reign in your shots before taking on the course.
Hole 1 – 316 yards – Par 4
The first hole plays downhill into a blind landing area. With a creek crossing the fairway, driver might not be the play for everyone. I chose to play something 200-210 yards.
The large green slopes from back to front and should be an easy target with a wedge in your hand.
Hole 2 – 399 yards – Par 4
This dogleg right demands a good drive to put you in a position to reach the green. The view with the morning shadows is very nice.
Ben Hogan was quite fond of this hole as referenced below.
The approach plays up the hill, lengthening the effective yardage.
I didn’t even notice this pond while playing the hole. I would guess it isn’t in play for most people.
Hole 3 – 136 yards – Par 3
This looks like an easy hole but good luck if your shot stays on the top level and you have a front pin position. Precise shots can utilize the backstop to get to front pins. The bunkers are quite deep.
Hole 4 – 430 yards – Par 4
This is a beastly hole that plays slightly uphill. I complicated matters with a stinky drive up the left. The preferred route is a drive that avoids the right bunker.
Hole 5 – 397 yards – Par 4
With the fairway canting to the left you will want to keep your drive up the right side here. The fairway is quite wide.
The green is on the flatter side of things.
Hole 6 – 367 yards – Par 4
The name of the game here is to avoid the sand. Depending on the club choice on the tee, the three middle bunkers are definitely in play. Anything out to the right should leave a good angle into the elevated green.
Hole 7 – 502 yards – Par 5
This par five is straightaway but features massive elevation changes. Having a caddie to show us the way was very helpful.
The second shot will almost always be blind.
The green sits further to the right than your instincts tell you it should. Chipping from the left and short of this green is lightning quick.
Hole 8 – 395 yards – Par 4
This hole played shorter than the listed yardage. I’m not sure if the tees were up or not. Either way, the landing area is hidden and a bunker sits on the right very much in play.
The hill behind the green rises quickly. I flew the green and can confirm it’s a brutal up and down.
Hole 9 – 155 yards – Par 3
The front side finishes off with a seemingly easy one-shot hole. But if you miss this green left, trouble can ensue with the bunker sitting well below the green.
Hole 10 – 379 yards – Par 4
After doglegs and hidden fairways, it was nice to start off the back with a straightforward tee shot.
The approach plays uphill to a very large green.
See what I mean! The only thing bigger than the green is the house behind it.
Hole 11 – 360 yards – Par 4
If you choose driver on this tee the landing area can get a bit claustrophobic. I laid back with three wood and was able to make a comfortable swing. The hole bends slightly to the right with the out of bounds running down the left side.
You can really feel the slope in the green in the photo below.
Hole 12 – 310 yards – Par 4
My playing partner could have a go at this green but for the shorter players like me, a 185-200 yard shot to the fairway is the go-to shot.
The green is elevated high above the fairway. Make sure you get the right yardage.
Hole 13 – 423 yards – Par 4
On this tee, you have to step up and a hit a good drive. Trees stand on the left of the fairway that slopes that direction, while out of bounds lines the right side. A powerful shot up the right side of the fairway is ideal.
The center of the green is advisable here. There is a false front that will send short shots back down the fairway. From experience, long is no picnic either.
Hole 14 – 279 yards – Par 4
I really enjoyed this hole. The green is perched with almost no room to the right or behind. I bailed out to the left, which still left me with a shot but no view of the putting surface.
Hole 15 – 201 yards – Par 4
A bit of quirk on the back nine is that there is only one par three and no par fives. The green here slopes back to front and features a bit of a false front.
Hole 16 – 399 yards – Par 4
Everything goes left here. The hole moves that way and the fairway slopes that way. Anything just inside of the left bunkers will turn out fine.
The second shot will most likely play blind.
The slopes will help shots out to the right carom back to the green, so favor that side.
Hole 17 – 427 yards – Par 4
After having a lot of shorter clubs into greens, Biltmore Forest tightens the screws for the penultimate hole. The creek meanders down the left before it crosses the fairway and continues up the right side of the hole.
Most players will have a long second shot. Accordingly, the green is open in front and quite wide. It’s very conducive to a running approach.
Hole 18 – 377 yards – Par 4
The final hole really calls for a fade. Any shots favoring the left run the risk of catching the sand.
The final approach is to another elevated green. The front bunker is well below the putting surface. Classic Donald Ross.
The day at Biltmore Forest Country Club was simply delightful. The staff was telling me about all the rain they have had and how they wished it was playing firmer. I understand what they mean but the grounds were in superb condition. It might not have been as bouncy as they like but there was still bounce and the greens were running pure.
With Covid precautions, I didn’t spend a ton of time looking around in the clubhouse. If you get there once we are past this, I definitely recommend checking it out. This club is truly a special day of golf and golf history.