The Grove Park Inn – Played October 2022
- Rankings: None of my four lists
- Location: 290 Macon Avenue, Asheville, North Carolina
- Year: 1926
- Architect: Donald Ross
- Course Access: Resort
- Walking Rules: Carts Available
Score Card Information:
- Black: 6,055 yards, Par 70, 69.5 Rating/125 Slope
- Blue: 5,701 yards, Par 70, 67.7 Rating/123 Slope
- Gold: 5,281 yards, Par 70, 65.4 Rating/118 Slope (Men’s), 70.6 Rating/125 Slope (Women’s)
- White: 4,181 yards, Par 70, 64.2 Rating/113 Slope
The Grove Park Inn is an Asheville landmark featuring a renowned spa and a Donald Ross golf course. The city is also host to many exquisite restaurants and numerous breweries. So much so that is a beer lover’s paradise.
All of that is great, but we’re here to focus on the golf course. Donald Ross doing a resort course in North Carolina is nothing new. On this project, he dealt with a cramped plot of land and had to route it over numerous hills.
The land movement provides the main defense on this shorter course. As evidence of the resort’s cache, visitors over the years have included Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, and Barack Obama.
Let’s start the tour.
Hole 1 – 390 yards – Par 4
Right from the beginning you realize that the confines at Grove Park are tight. The creek up the left and the road on the right must be avoided.
These might not be the most severe greens Ross ever designed but you will definitely need to think when putting on them.
Hole 2 – 177 yards – Par 3
I’m not sure about some of the yardage on the course because this one was much longer than the card. If memory serves, this was closer to 200 yards. Imagine playing this with hickories!
Hole 3 – 462 yards – Par 5
If you can hit a high hook there is room up the left side. The trees even clear out a bit on that side. Otherwise, playing along the curving fairway leaves a gettable green.
Any indifferent approaches will find the creek.
Hole 4 – 397 yards – Par 4
A drop-off on the right side to the previous hole is the main obstacle here. The green is relatively tame with a bunker guarding the left side.
Hole 5 – 421 yards – Par 4
Beware the right miss with a residential street running along that side. If you can block that out, it’s bombs away to this downhill fairway that should provide some runout.
The green falls off on the right and back sides. This one definitely feels Rossy.
Hole 6 – 312 yards – Par 4
Accuracy is a must on this tight, hilly hole. Hitting less than a driver is advised since there’s not much gained with that strategy. An approach from the flat part of the fairway is ideal.
Hole 7 – 207 yards – Par 3
I missed the tee photo, but you get the point of this hole from the photo below. This view is from the right of the green. You must carry the tall grass but you can still play out it in a pinch.
Hole 8 – 482 yards – Par 5
The second of the par fives on the front side is also scoreable. With the trees, a power fade is the preferred shot shape.
The fairway dips and rises before culminating at the green. The bunkers around the putting surface provide a challenge because they sit well below the green.
Hole 9 – 201 yards – Par 3
There’s no room to miss left here. The contour of the ground on the right makes that side the preferred miss.
Hole 10 – 376 yards – Par 4
We’ve got one of the wider tee shots at Grove Park Inn and you’ll need to wail on the driver. Despite the shorter yardage, the hole plays severely uphill.
You must carry your approach into this green or it will roll back.
Hole 11 – 419 yards – Par 4
The eleventh is one of the more interesting holes here. The fairway features ample contouring as the hole dives down and to the right. Trees provide cover on each side.
The green, like the fairway, is not lacking in contours.
Hole 12 – 472 yards – Par 5
A good drive here puts you in a position to go for the green. From the top of this hill, it is all downhill to the green on this straightaway hole.
Bounding second shots have a good chance to chase onto the green.
Hole 13 – 335 yards – Par 4
I’d advise favoring the left side on this tee shot. A dense forest lies to the right.
The green is perched and tucked next to the trees but with a short iron in your hand, this is set up to attack.
Hole 14 – 175 yards – Par 3
Be careful not to lose your tee shot to the right on this one. The hill continues all the way down to the previous green.
Hole 15 – 330 yards – Par 4
Here you are given a nice history lesson about the house that sits behind this tee. The cramped quarters of the golf course make this a looming site.
There are more trees along the left side that provide defense on this hole. I found that out the hard way. Any straight drives can get quite close due to the elevated tee box.
Hole 16 – 337 yards – Par 4
This domed fairway can be a challenge to hit. Being on the left side presents a better approach angle.
The pitch of the slope obscures your view of this green almost completely.
Hole 17 – 171 yards – Par 3
You might have some onlookers for this tee shot. The hotel is quite close to the green, so beware the right miss.
The left side isn’t much better with a dropoff and tall grass.
Hole 18 – 391 yards – Par 4
Take note of the road on the right and be aware that it is definitely in play. Our group was a bit shy when hitting the tee shots here.
You’ve got one last hill to traverse with the approach shot.
On a clear day, you can get some views of downtown Asheville from this green.
The Grove Park Inn is well known around these parts. That is more so for the hotel and the spa. However, the golf course was a wonderful step back in time. It won’t overpower you but probably won’t overpower it either. If you find yourself in Asheville, check this place out.