A new Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course planned for Walnut Cove promises to be as enticing as the celebrity roundup at this year’s BMW Charity Pro-Am at The Cliffs 

The chic culture and sterling reputation of Asheville, NC, will share the spotlight with a host of celebrities when the Nationwide Tour’s premier event, the BMW Charity Pro-Am at The Cliffs, comes to town this spring.

Asheville’s debut on the professional golf circuit marks the addition of a third venue to the popular tournament, and coincides with the unveiling of a Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove. Cradled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Walnut Cove could not provide a more pristine setting for the BMW event. Jack Nicklaus notes, “Some areas of the course make you feel as if you are playing golf in a national forest.”

Founder of The Cliffs, Jim Anthony, adds, “We’re really excited about hosting the tournament again. It provides support for local charities and really brings us together as a community.”

The opening backdrop will include thousands of spectators as well as a live international audience via the Golf Channel. The captivating 7,000-yard course joins the stellar duo of existing courses, The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards and The Cliffs Valley, in the Pro-Am rotation.

In addition to such past PGA standouts as Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, the tournament traditionally hosts celebrities like Kevin Costner and Kurt Russell as well as other noted actors and professional athletes, raising millions for charities each year.

Plans for the week of festivities include the annual grand opening round in which the Golden Bear himself is expected to team with Costner in a friendly exhibition held exclusively for Walnut Cove Members and guests. As part of his grand opening round, Nicklaus is expected to convey to invitees the vision and design philosophy behind this magnificent course.