(HENDERSONVILLE, N.C.) – Champion Hills, home of Tom Fazio’s seminal “Mountain Masterpiece,” is 39th in the North Carolina Golf Panel’s (NCGP) ranking of the “Top 100 Golf Courses in the State.”
The NCGP Top 100 is comprised of both public and private courses of which there are over 600 in the Old North State. The vaunted list includes U.S. Open Anchor Site Pinehurst No. 2 at Pinehurst Resort, storied Grandfather Golf and Country Club, Pine Needles Lodge and Club (host of the 2022 Women’s U.S. Open), and Quail Hollow Club (site of the 2022 President’s Cup), as well as other noted Western N.C. courses like Wade Hampton Golf Club and Mountaintop Golf and Lake Club.
“We are in excellent company on the North Carolina Golf Panel’s ‘Top 100 Golf Courses’ list, and we’re honored to be ranked by fellow North Carolinians who know golf in this state inside and out,” says Champion Hills PGA Head Professional Scooter Buhrman. “Tom Fazio is well-represented among the top 100 courses, and the impact of his design Champion Hills continues to stand the test of time.”
Founded by beloved public relations specialist Bill Hensley who passed away in March at age 96, the NCGP consists of approximately 175 members from the mountains to the coast. Since its inception, it has emerged as the authoritative source of golf rankings in a state that boasts many of the country’s most highly-regarded layouts. The panel’s unique composition includes media, club professionals, general managers, accomplished amateur players, prominent business figures, and others who actively promote golf in North Carolina.
Published annually in Business North Carolina, the rankings are determined by a scoring system in which panelists consider these factors, among others: routing, design, strategy, memorability, fairness, variety and aesthetics. Panelists can vote only for courses they’ve played. In addition to the Top 100, they also vote on the “Top 50 You Can Play,” plus the best dozen courses in each of seven regions in the state. For 2022, there are two specialty rankings: “Best Shorter Courses” (under 6,500 yards) and “Best Resorts.” All current rankings will be posted at NCGolfPanel.com.
Champion Hills is Fazio’s former home course and club, and the legendary golf course architect devised a brilliant routing wending through heavily forested hills, deep ravines and cool mountain streams in a scenic Blue Ridge Mountain setting. He and his team of shapers pulled ridges into valleys and filled hollows to create “playing platforms” providing golfers with level lies amid 350-feet of elevation change.
The course has moved up 19 spots in two years on Golfweek’s list of the “Top 200 Residential Golf Courses in the U.S.” to 51st, and additional enhancements are planned through 2022 to further elevate its playability. Of note, Champion Hills is one of the few golf courses in the Carolinas to feature five sets of tees rated for women, responding to the growth in this rapidly expanding player segment.
About Champion Hills
Champion Hills is a private boutique club in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, situated just south of the acclaimed “Main Street Town” of Hendersonville and 45 minutes from burgeoning Asheville. Its Tom Fazio-designed “Mountain Masterpiece” is ranked among the top private courses in the state by Golfweek and is the No. 1 year-round private course in Western North Carolina in Golfweek’s “Top 200 Residential Golf Courses in the U.S.” Champion Hills is managed by Troon Privé, the private club operations division of Troon, the world’s largest golf management company.
Resident-members enjoy a balanced and relaxed lifestyle steeped in golf, tennis, fitness, hiking and swimming, all surrounded by the recreation, entertainment and culture of Western North Carolina. Unlike many private, seasonal, mountain communities, Champion Hills offers year-round golf and activities, as well as casual and fine dining options. For more information, visit www.championhills.com or call (828) 696-1962.
