“When I first visited High Carolina, I loved the site and the spectacular 50 mile views of the Asheville area and the Blue Ridge mountains.  When I got to the top of the mountain and I looked across those meadows I know this would be the site of my first American design.  I hope this will become one of the most talked about views in the country.” - Tiger Woods

Since the inception of TWD in 2006, this marks the second design that Tiger’s company will be building after already announcing a project in Dubai for a course to be named Al Ruwaya.  For his work in
Dubai, rumors have Tiger to be
earning around 10 times the 2.5
million sum that most established
golf course architects receive.  That
course is scheduled to open in 2009
and may just be why, based on
that pay scale precedent, Tiger
has allowed his endorsement
relationships with companies such as
American Express and Buick to either
come to an end or be reduced. “One
of the reasons why I’m moving
toward this is I want to do something
different, (something) that’s
challenging, that I’ve always wanted
to do,” Woods has been quoted as saying. “I figure I’ve done enough commercials and stuff like that. That part was fun for a while. Now I want to try something else that’s stimulating.”  Financial terms for his work at The Cliffs have not been disclosed and the course, which is the 8th in the master-planned Cliffs’ communities, is not scheduled to open for play until sometime in 2010.

Unfortunately for most, the course will not be a public play facility.  The prerequisite to play, not to worry, is purchasing a house on the property.  Prices, in case you’re interested, are being estimated in the range of $750,000 to $5 million. A golf membership will cost you an additional $125,000, though it does include reciprocal playing privileges at all of The Cliffs' seven other courses in North and South Carolina.
 
Cliffs’ officials have not yet
determined how many on-course lots
(if any) will be available at Tiger’s
course. Moreover, any properties on
Tiger’s course will apparently be
offered first to current home owners in
other Cliffs’ communities.

The interest as one can imagine has
been considerable and, evidently, the
line is already forming.

Details were scant for the course
design itself, but Woods has said that:
“This piece of property is
absolutely amazing, I’ve said it
before, you can’t mess this up.
Even an idiot can’t mess this up, and I think I’m a little bit above that.”

Woods has also stated that he wants the scenic land to dictate the proposed layout and hopes the course provides golfers a fair test and a chance to connect with nature. He has also stated that he likes layouts where golfers can see the hole ahead of them along with well-placed bunkers that require careful shot selection.  In describing himself Tiger deemed himself a "minimalist" designer and repeatedly said he didn't expect to move a lot of dirt during construction.  He has also stated that he would prefer the course be a walking only
design -- a daunting challenge
considering the 4,000 feet of elevation
and incumbent topography.

Woods, 31, says he and his company
are content with one or two select
projects at a time and that he took
his time before launching his design
business because he wanted a feel
for what makes the best courses by
playing the top layouts from around
the world.

The Cliffs at High Carolina will sit at
about 4,000 feet in the Blue Ridge
Mountains and there is no timetable
for its completion.  Woods pledges he'll make as many trips as necessary to do things right. "As you all know, I'm kind of a perfectionist," Woods reaffirmed.

And should he design courses the way he plays the game, The Cliffs at High Carolina will undoubtedly be the toast of the tee come 2010.

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Steve Woods is a contributing writer to golf-south.net and is also the co-publisher of GolfScene.