The Cliffs Clubs, The Cliffs at Walnut Cove community, and the University of North Carolina at Asheville have teamed up to create the university’s first women’s golf program. The Bulldogs’ first season, to begin in the 2016-17 academic year, along with its new coach, Breanne R. Hall, were announced at the university’s annual “Our Turn to Play” luncheon benefitting UNC Asheville Women’s Athletics and Scholarship Fund, held on May 11 at Kimmel Arena in Asheville, N.C. The Cliffs at Walnut Cove’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course will serve as a primary practice facility for the team, and Coach Hall will have the opportunity to enhance The Cliffs’ golf instruction team for its members and their guests.
David Sawyer, Managing Partner of The Cliffs Clubs, said, “On behalf of our board, members and staff, I speak for all of us at The Cliffs in bestowing a well-deserved congratulations to UNC Asheville on the formation of what we know will be a successful women’s golf program. The Cliffs at Walnut Cove is honored to serve and support the university, and we look forward to seeing the team on the range. ”
"UNC Asheville wants to thank The Cliffs, Walnut Cove, and David Sawyer for believing and investing in our inaugural women's golf program,” said Janet R. Cone, Director of Athletics for UNC Asheville. “We recognized early that having key community partners would be vital to the long-term success and sustainability of women's golf at UNC Asheville. Our partnership with The Cliffs will serve as a tremendous asset to not only the golf program but our entire university."
A Michigan native, Hall became the first amateur to win the Women’s Michigan Open Golf Tournament in 2003. She is a 2004 graduate and former collegiate golfer at the University of Toledo and received a bachelor’s degree in organizational management after being a member of the Mid-American Conference Honor Roll. Hall also worked as the head golf professional at the Grove Park Inn Resort and is a PGA instructor. She is presently working to complete her LPGA teaching certificate.
Women’s golf will become UNC Asheville’s ninth women’s sport and 16th NCAA Division I athletic program.
The Cliffs at Walnut Cove’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Design Golf Course will be a primary practice facility for the Bulldogs. The par-71, located in Arden, N.C., approximately 10 miles from downtown Asheville, was recognized by the PGA Tour as the only championship golf course to debut in tournament-ready conditions when it opened in 2005. Walnut Cove spans 4,646 yards from the ladies tees and 7,270 yards from the championship tees, with a respective rating of 66.7 (74.7), and slope of 117.0 (141.0). Golfers enjoy playing through rolling hills and woodland vegetation, accented by the natural buffer of both Pisgah National Forest and America’s scenic Blue Ridge Parkway.
The Cliffs at Walnut Cove community of members and employees have been a strong source of support for the university, assisting with the formation of the women’s golf program, a mentorship program for student-athletes, and fundraising and donor support for various initiatives, events and programs.
“As a member of The Cliffs at Walnut Cove, I am excited for the opportunity to support and nurture young women golfers in their pursuit of an education at UNC Asheville,” said Donna Bailey, who also serves on the LPGA Foundation Board. “What better way to give back to the game of golf than to encourage young women to participate in a sport that teaches integrity, leadership and empowerment all important skills for their futures. These young women will go on to be professionals in all aspects of the workforce and become the leaders of tomorrow.”
About The Cliffs
The Cliffs is a collection of seven premier, private residential golf club communities located between Greenville, SC and Asheville, NC. Members of The Cliffs have access and privileges to all seven of The Cliffs’ clubs. The golf experience at The Cliffs includes seven award-winning, championship 18-hole golf courses, including two by Tom Fazio, two by Jack Nicklaus, and one each by Gary Player, Ben Wright and Tom Jackson. The Cliffs’ golf courses have been honored in the Top 100 Modern Courses in America by Golfweek, among the “Best of the Best” of America’s Premier Properties by LINKS, and in the Best New Private Courses by Golf Digest and GOLF Magazine. To learn more about The Cliffs’ golf experience, visit www.cliffsliving.com or watch this brief video. Homes at The Cliffs range in price from $500,000 to $4 million+; homesites, from $150,000. Contact The Cliffs at 866.411.5771 or info@cliffsliving.com to arrange a Discovery Tour.
About UNC Asheville
UNC Asheville is the designated liberal arts institution for the UNC system, with Bulldog Athletics competing in 15 Division I sports. Enrolling about 3,700 students and offering more than 30 undergraduate majors and a Master of Liberal Arts and Sciences degree, UNC Asheville encourages students to take part in a nationally acclaimed undergraduate research program and participate in interdisciplinary learning that extends beyond campus into the vibrant City of Asheville and the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. For more information, visit www.unca.edu. For information on Bulldog Athletics, visit www.uncabulldogs.com.
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