Bobby Weed Golf Design this summer will begin a renovation of Waynesville Inn & Golf Club in western North Carolina, including plans to reduce the facility from 27 holes to a better 18.
The original nine holes at Waynesville, which is near Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway, were designed by famed architect Donald Ross and opened in 1926. Another 18 were added later.
The master plans include a study on possibly adding a short course and Himalayan-style putting green. Other master plan highlights include addressing infrastructure and capital improvement needs, a hole-by-hole analysis, a full course restoration, introducing agronomic best practices and efficient budgeting. The facility is owned by Raines Company, a hotel ownership group with multiple locations in the southeastern United States.
Bobby Weed will renovate the course at Waynesville Inn & Golf Club in western North Carolina. (Courtesy of Waynesville Inn & Golf Club)
“My wife, Leslie, has generational family ties in Waynesville that date back over 100 years,” architect Bobby Weed said in a media release announcing the plans. “As long-time area residents, we sincerely thank Grey Raines and David Tart of Raines for allowing our team to modernize this revered western North Carolina layout.”
The work should begin this summer and last 16 to 24 months as the 111-room inn and accompanying mountainous course joins Raines’ boutique hotel division, Woven by Raines.
Weed has extensive experience working on Ross courses, including at Linville Golf Club in North Carolina, Palatka Golf Club in Florida, Palma Ceia Golf & Country Club in Florida, Timuquana Country Club in Florida and the University of Florida’s Mark Bostick Golf Club.
“With deep roots in the Carolinas and 40-plus years of experience, we have entrusted Bobby Weed Golf Design to direct our golf course restoration,” said Grey Raines, managing partner of Raines. “Bobby has pledged to be on-site to lead our promising road ahead, and for that we are most grateful.”