Golf Business News – Champion Hill reveals renovation route after storm injury
North Carolina’s Champion Hills Club is entering the heart of the summer, fully reopening its Tom Fazio-designed golf course after a major renovation.
The golf course of Champion Hills is widely regarded as one of Fazio’s best designs, destroying the property last September after the 18th hole was completed in May after Hurricane Helen was hit by Hurricane Helen.
Storms cause flushing, landslides and erosion, especially natural streams along the route. Holes 11, 15, 16 and 18 are the first to be hit.
Milan Turk Jr, chairman of the club’s board, said: “From the beginning, 2025 will be a big year for us. Before Hurricane Helen, we had major plans that brought unexpected challenges to the entire region, but we never stopped moving forward. Now, it has reached full speed.”
“The maintenance of riverbank and hillside roads makes the course safer and in many places, it’s more visually stunning,” Turk said. “The holes of 15 and 16 are absolutely breathtaking right now, more dramatic, more photogenic, and playable at every point.”
The improvements were directed by the Fazio design team, some of whom helped build the course 30 years ago. “This continuity is invaluable,” Turk noted. “They understand the terrain and the initial vision, which helps us stand out from the work with a truly special piece.”
The club also unveiled the club’s significantly expanded terrace space, a heartbeat of the club’s thriving social scene. The expanded patio space features more comfortable seating, improved viewing, updated railings and enhanced shade structure, providing members with the ideal place to gather, dine and enjoy the club’s famous mountain sunset.
“We added about 30% of the square foot, which makes a huge difference,” Turk said. “Now every social event has a terrace component. The view is unparalleled, and the fire pit has become a natural place for people to wander, toast and share stories.”
