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With the unmistakable crack of his persimmon-wood driver, this spring Jack Nicklaus officially opened the par-71, 7,278-yard Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course he designed at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove. “Walnut Cove provides an extraordinary natural setting for golf,” Nicklaus noted. “There are areas on the course that make you feel as if you are playing through a national forest.” Just ask another golf aficionado, Oscar-winning actor and director Kevin Costner, who teed off with Nicklaus for the course’s inaugural round.
Attended by more than 900 owners, fans and friends of The Cliffs, the star-studded unveiling was a fitting commemoration of an exciting spring for The Cliffs Communities and IMI. In the weeks leading up to this much-anticipated golf course opening, the excitement over the new community was evidenced in its robust real-estate activity. In fact, the first phase of The Meadow at Walnut Cove, a spectacular group of enclave and estate residences nestled along the first fairway of the Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, sold out the week prior to “The homes are situated on the fairways and greens, offering spectacular vistas of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains,” noted Bruce Fine, national director of sales for The Cliffs at Walnut Cove. “Our success with this phase propels us into the second phase this fall.” On the heels of the successful launch, the introduction of the Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course at Walnut Cove was particularly festive. Guests were treated to a delightful lunch overlooking the golf course in a tent that was immaculately adorned with interior landscaping that included blooming azaleas and 20-foot dogwood trees. Guests were entertained by live music and video footage of hallmark moments from Jack Nicklaus’ tournament events on plasma-screen televisions. Following lunch and a press conference, Nicklaus used his warm-up time to offer tips to the gallery on everything from putting to wedge shots. After the ceremonial tee shot, he and Costner christened the course with an exhibition match; the next day, the course would make history, hosting the internationally televised 2005 Nationwide BMW Charity Pro-Am, which The Cliffs and IMI help sponsor each year. “Opening a course of this caliber—and to do so by hosting such an important PGA event—is exciting,” said Ken Costanzo, chief operating officer of The Cliffs Communities. “We are all very proud that Walnut Cove’s impeccable condition met PGA approval.” Photo: Jack Nicklaus and Kevin Costner enjoy a light-hearted moment at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove |
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