Grove Park Inn R&S
Asheville, NC
1899, Donald Ross (1926 Ross redesign?); 2002 renovation, Kris Spence
Gold 6520, 71.7, 125, 71
Blue 6039, 69.4, 119, 71
Directions: From I-40 or I-26, travel 5 mi. NE to Asheville to Hwy 240E to Exit 5 (Charlotte St), turn L, go 1.5 miles to Edwin Pl, turn L and go 2 mi. to Country Club Rd, make a R to course
'03 Fees: $85-$114
AAA World magazine touts Asheville as a perfect balance between the money-set and the mountain people since the turn of the century, with a lack of pretension and embracing its weirdness; a not-quite-Paris Of The South with its sidewalk cafes and romance in the crisp mountain air; a haven of craftsmanship uninvaded by homogeonized corporate chains, with camp-counselor-friendly locals among happily-converted transplants. A trip to Asheville isn't about championship golf, but it doesn't mean you can't play a few gems in between relaxing and chasing down those perfect antique finds.
T&L Golf Review, Grove Park: 4.0/5.0 stars. Asheville's local star is a Donald Ross-designed former Tour stop (the Land Of Sky Open) that underwent a 2002 $2.3 milliion overhaul. The cover of the yardage book offers the Ross adage, "Golf should be a pleasure, not a penance." One of the neatest little tracks anywhere, with a Rube Goldberg-like jigsawed routing on just 86 acres. Instead of Ross' usual 6 "showcase" greens, here you get all 18. Walk the same hallowed fairways as Jones, Sarazen, Nelson, and Snead, and feel the connection to history.
Where To Stay: T&L Golf says of the collossal on-premisis Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa (800-438-0050, $119-$389/night): "Opened in 1913 by E.W. Grove, who made his fortune with 'Grove's Tasteless Chill Tonic', and discovered Asheville while searching for a cure to his chronic hiccups. In truth, the hotel's a bit creepy in a Southern Gothic kind of a way. The teenaged and the antediluvian seem overrepresented on staff, with the associated shortcomings (skittish, overcasual, slow moving, hard of hearing). The rooms are small and the walls are thin. In recompense, however, you get blimp-like views of the Blue Ridge Mountains from the spacious porches, a huge collection of Arts and Crafts lighting fixtures and furniture, and a remarkable $42 million, 40,000 square foot underground spa." AAA World loved the 80-minute, $180 massage there, which buys you an all day pass to the spa's "water park" of 7 pools with NewAge music playing underwater. Historical notes from the property include F. Scott Fitzgerald drinking and skirt-chasing at Grove Park while his wife received psychiatric treatment in town.
If this all sounds like too much, T&L recommends other options including the elegant Inn on Biltmore Estate (800-922-0084, $149-$429/night) or any of the area's upscale B&B's, such as the Sourwood Inn (828-255-0690, $150-$180/night).
Where To Booze & Grub: Asheville's cuisine is open-minded and varied, in casual settings. T&L Golf digs Zambra (828-232-1060), a hip basement tapas bar with a notable wine list. Tupelo Honey Cafe (828-255-4863) serves up Southern Comfort food and lively atmosphere. Jerusalem Garden Cafe (828-254-0255) has a globe-trotting menu that careens from "Jordanian chicken" to "New York subs" to burritos and gyros. Get wired at Beanstreets Coffee House (828-255-8180). Sophisticated Cafe On The Square (828-251-5565) features flash-seared tuna or Cajun-fried eggplant. AAA World likes Flying Frog for fusion, Limones for MexiCali, Rezaz for Mediterranean, Early Girl Eatery for brunch, Mast General Store for Moon Pies among hiking gear and sundries, and Asheville Pizza Company for kids and movie watching. Live music at Stella Blue (Blues) or The Orange Peel (everything else).
Other Places To Play: T&L Golf says drive the 90 minutes for another area big-rep Ross, Linville GC in Linville (828-733-4363, 1924 Ross, $62+, 6780/132), which requires a stay at the rustic Eseeola Lodge--no hardship there--but likely too far out of the way for those on a short vacation. Mount Mitchell GC in Burnsville, an hour north (828-675-5454, 1975 Fred Hawtree, $40-$79, 6475/141, 4.0/5.0 stars), is another low-key charmer with overwhelming views. Long-weekenders can try nearby Reems Creek GC (828-645-4393), a tough walk with pretty mountain vistas.
Further Distractions: George Vanderbilt's 250-acre Biltmore Estates (800-543-2961, www.biltmore.com), the largest private home in the U.S., is astonishing inside and out. Consider the highlights list: 90-foot Tapestry Room, John Singer portraits, 10,000 volume library, the nation's most visited winery, Frederick Law Olmstead's magnificent gardens, and a bowling alley in the basement. Many of the craftsment who helped build the Biltmore stayed in Asheville, helping to make it the country's folk art capital. Hit the Allanstand Craft Shop (828-298-7928) at the Folk Art Center Building; the Appalachian Craft Center (828-253-8499); and the villiage of Black Mountain, 15 mi. east of Asheville, dubbed "the front porch of Western NC."