Kenmure CC Under New Ownership

Flat Rock, North Carolina--Steven Schorr is the new owner of Kenmure Country Club and says, "This is my first golf course and I bought it because, aside from being an investment, it's a beautiful piece of property. I fell in love with it when it came on the market. I had been looking to buy a golf course for the past year and a half or so. When I saw this one, I said, 'This is the one I want' and now I'm the proud owner."

Schorr paid a total of $10.8 million for 244 acres including $6,725,000 for 22,700-square-foot clubhouse, a 160-acre Joe Lee designed golf course and $4,075,000 for 84 acres of vacant land.

He brought in Kemper Sports of Chicago to manage the golf and food service. As the management company for more than 100 golf properties including Streamsong in Florida, Bandon Dunes in Oregon, Sand Valley in Wisconsin, and Sequoyah in Whittier, North Carolina, Kemper brings all the best practices in food and beverage for golf clubs. Their expertise in agronomy and golf course maintenance is second to none.

The one new thing Schorr and Lee King, the previous owner who sold the property on January 17, boasted about was the delivery of new carts that arrived within a few weeks of the sale. They have access to a whole network of event planners and the like so they will continue to promote the clubhouse as an event location for the community and clientele. "I think we should under promise and over deliver," Schorr said when asked what other changes golfers and diners might expect. "Let's leave it open."

The Kenmure development was started in the 1980s by King and three University of North Carolina basketball coaches-two of whom would turn out to have Hall of Fame coaching careers. The investors were Dean Smith, Roy Williams and Eddie Fogler, plus 'their finance guy, Bill Miller. King's connection to the Tar Heels was Williams, the Ashville native whom King had known since he coached at Owen High School, before joining Coach Smith's staff.

Like the ancient mountains that surround it, Kenmure is steeped in history, from its origins as a Cherokee hunting grounds to its transformation into a summer refuge for wealthy Charleston families, these 1,400 acres have always been a place of healing. The area surrounding "The Flat Rock," with its fresh mountain air and its pure spring waters, has a mystique and a serenity unique to the Smokies.

At the centerpoint of these crossroads sits Kenmure, a place that has weaved together a tapestry of Appalachian and Charleton cultures. At the heart of the property is the historical and stately plantation mansion that now serves as the clubhouse, a place whose very construction reflects the juncture of cultures and history.

Built in the second half of the 19th century by Dr. Michael King, the Kenmure mansion was designed by a Scottish architect and shipbuilder. Its ship-like construction can be witnessed in its notched timbers and a scarcity of nails while the building materials incuded both local Flat Rock brick and cypress from Charleston. As time passed, and renovations and additions were made, the character of the mansion continued to reflect the merging of communities, and visitors can experience it in a comfortable seat on the large veranda or at an informal dinner in the Grill Room.

Kenmure still welcomes newcomers from Charleston as well as Florida and from around the world.
Regardless of their point of origin, the residents and members relish the elegance and easy life that is Kenmure.

The membership reflects an eclectic mix with a variety of backgrounds and interests. The community has a plethora of activities to satisfy all who live here including hiking, biking, book club,
sewing, cards, bible study and more. Golf, tennis, pickleball, swimming and other recreational pastimes complete the club.

To experience classic Southern elegance meeting pure mountain air, please visit Kenmure.org.