Private clubs set records for new members in 2021, and 2022 is off to a fast start for Champion Hills in Hendersonville, N.C. The antiquated categories of yesteryear just don’t cut it anymore, and this boutique club in the Blue Ridge Mountains is offering a variety of memberships to suit any golf-lifestyle.
The exponential increase in remote work and the resulting freedom to move from densely populated urban areas in cold climates to Sun Belt states has led to a surge in relocations to the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. That, coupled with the increase in new members joining private clubs for the first time, has led to record membership sales at Champion Hills.
As a year-round golf community and club, Champion Hills’ members enjoy golf, tennis, hiking and other outdoor activities during all four seasons. Its enviable location in bucolic Henderson County is just 45 minutes south of the craft beer capital and cultural center of Asheville and an hour north of award-winning Greenville, S.C. Downtown Hendersonville, a charming main street town with shops and restaurants, is only a few minutes away.
“The majority of our members live here full-time, which has changed the way they engage and utilize the club,” says Champion Hills General Manager and Chief Operating Officer Dana Schultz. “Our memberships are designed to meet the needs of a wide range of lifestyles and our location in the majestic mountains, pristine lakes and vibrant towns of Western N.C. makes Champion Hills a top choice for those looking for a mild four-season climate with a comparatively low cost of living.”
Membership Plans
Champion Hills’ new Equity 55 is a full golf membership designed for those age 55 and under in search of a club to call home. The $40,000 initiation fee is divided into four equal payments over four years, dues and replacement reserve fund contributions are reduced by 50% and the club’s $800 annual food and beverage minimum is prorated for new members.
Champion Hills’ newly enhanced National Membership is for those who don’t own property in Henderson County but want to enjoy all the privileges, social activities and friendly competition that come with belonging to a premier private golf club. The initiation fee is $7,500 and monthly dues are $275 with 30 rounds of golf included before incurring a guest fee.
The Annual Explorer is a 12-month trial membership showcasing the complete Champion Hills experience. The Initiation fee is $3,500, which can be applied to any membership at the end of the year, and monthly dues are $1212. It’s ideal for those who want to immerse themselves in club life before selecting their long-term membership plan.
Champion Hills’ flagship offering is the Full Equity Golf Membership, which in addition to full access to all club activities and amenities includes both vertical family and Troon Privé benefits. One of the most valuable benefits a club can offer, vertical family membership enables a members’ parents, children and grandchildren, to experience all aspects of the club, unaccompanied, regardless of age.
Member-owned and managed by Troon, Champion Hills’ Full Equity Golf members enjoy entree to 100+ Troon Privé golf courses, preferred rates at more than 150 Troon Golf resort and daily fee locations, enjoyment of amenities at participating private clubs and preferred benefits at participating Cliff Drysdale Tennis clubs and resorts.
The Community
Champion Hills boasts a broad array of residential options – luxury homes, low maintenance cottages, lock-and-leave villas and a limited number of building lots – suiting a wide variety of buyers. With the U.S. housing supply being near a two-decade low, and Western N.C. following suit, we encourage prospective member-buyers to continually visit our website for an update on existing inventory.
New residents are often pleasantly surprised by “how much home” they can afford in one of Western North Carolina’s most exclusive mountain communities. Building lots typically range from .5 up to 1.5 acres, with prices from $50,000 to $300,000. Move-in ready luxury residences range from $500,000 to $3 million featuring golf course, mountain and wooded views (inventory is subject to availability and prices are subject to market fluctuations).
The Golf Course
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.
