LAKE LURE, N.C. -- Jack Nicklaus has signed on to design a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course at the Queens Gap resort and residential community.
Along with the golf course, the 3,500-acre private development will offer residents and guests an equestrian center, a tennis complex, a resort-style pool, a clubhouse and an outfitters lodge for fishing enthusiasts.
Other amenities include a spa, fitness and wellness pavilion situated on a primary mountain ridge, which affords 80-mile views across the surrounding mountain ranges, miles of walking and hiking trails leading to picturesque waterfalls, and fly-fishing in the waters where the Broad River and Cove Creek merge.
"Before we ever put pencil to paper or shovel to dirt, we know the canvas exists for something truly special at Queens Gap," Nicklaus said. "The mountainous terrain and naturally occurring elements, like large boulders and mountain streams, provide us a challenging, interesting and unique opportunity. With the impressive and dramatic long mountain views all along the course, the vistas at Queens Gap will be spectacular.
"What goes into creating a project of this magnitude is the collaborative effort of a dedicated team, but what eventually ends up on top of that piece of ground will not only have my name on it, but a lot of me in it," Nicklaus added.
"When I am given a piece of property and am asked to design a golf course, I take my most important cues from the person who hires me. I want to create a golf course that will fulfill the owner's needs, desires and goals. When the golf course is completed, I evaluate my success in terms of whether I have met those criteria.
Queens Gap is located an hour from Asheville, 90 minutes from Charlotte and 75 minutes from Greenville, S.C. Queens Gap's initial property release is scheduled for fall 2006.
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