Biltmore Championship Asheville Debuts at Walnut Cove Sept. 17

The PGA Tour returns to the Asheville area for the first time in 84 years when the Biltmore Championship Asheville tees off Sept. 17-20 at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove, a private Jack Nicklaus-designed course in Arden, North Carolina. The inaugural event will field 132 players competing for a $5 million purse.

How is the course being prepared?

Course superintendent Steve Shand and his crew survey The Cliffs at Walnut Cove starting around 5 a.m. each day, tracking how the course responds to heat to plan maintenance. Shand, who has worked at the facility for 14 years, said the course needs no major upgrades but is growing its rough to nearly 6 inches, at least 3.5 times taller than usual for member play, to add difficulty for the field.

The layout mixes bentgrass fairways and tees, a bentgrass-Poa blend on the greens, and Kentucky bluegrass rough, meaning some players may have an edge depending on which grass types they see most often. Shand's 23-person maintenance staff will get help from more than 44 expert volunteers during tournament week, working around wildlife neighbors that include black bears known to make off with flagsticks.

Why is the PGA Tour coming to Asheville now?

Event director Nathan Goldsnider said conversations about bringing a PGA Tour event to the region began before Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina as a tropical storm in the fall of 2024, and resumed afterward. The tournament is not framed as a direct response to the storm, but organizers see it as support for the area's ongoing recovery, similar to the role the Sentry played in Maui after the 2023 wildfires.

"Our success is Asheville's success," Goldsnider said.

The tournament arrives framed as much around Asheville's post-Helene recovery as around the leaderboard.

Explore Asheville projects the event will generate $15-30 million in economic impact over the four-year contract, with more than 10,000 daily attendees expected, including over 2,000 out-of-state visitors as of late August.

What is notable about the tournament trophy?

The Biltmore Championship trophy was designed by Aubrey Vanderbilt Cecil Baliles, the great-great-granddaughter of Biltmore Estate founders George and Edith Vanderbilt, working through her jewelry company, Avermore, along with Biltmore, Explore Asheville and Marthaler Jewelers. The Cliffs at Walnut Cove's clubhouse, which spans more than 23,000 square feet, will serve as the event's hospitality hub.

What is planned off the course?

The tournament includes four $10,000 grants to local nonprofits, and nearly 50 nonprofits have registered for the event's Birdies for Charities program, which sends 100% of donations directly to participating organizations. On Sept. 14, the PGA Tour and First Tee WNC will host a private youth clinic tied to the event.

What should fans know before attending?

General admission grounds tickets range from $67.41 to $104.56, and a ticketed adult can bring up to two youths age 15 and under for free. Active-duty service members and one dependent receive complimentary grounds tickets while supplies last, and veterans, reserve members, National Guard members and first responders can buy discounted tickets. Organizers recommend comfortable outdoor footwear, a hat and sunscreen, and the PGA Tour app for tee times and scoring. Unlike a stadium event with fixed seating, the tournament is designed for fans to move freely around all 18 holes and visit hospitality tents, a kids' zone, local food vendors and merchandise shops. Standard tournament etiquette applies: fans are asked not to clap, cheer or talk while players are hitting or approaching their shots.