Woods to take aim at WNC golf course

TRAVELERS REST, S.C. — On the heels of Sunday’s victory in the PGA Championship, Tuesday Tiger Woods officially announced he will design his first course in the United States at The Cliffs at High Carolina.

High Carolina will be the eighth community within the Cliffs collective.

With cameras flashing from every angle, Woods and Jim Anthony, the Cliffs Communities president and founder, answered questions from media members Tuesday afternoon.

"I have been offered the chance to design courses before, but I never felt comfortable doing it," the world's No. 1 ranked golfer said. "I wanted to play at courses around the world and have the knowledge of as many different types of courses as possible before getting involved in design."

Woods said several things contributed to his decision to work with the Cliffs Communities.

"Jim Anthony is the major reason why I chose this project," Woods said. "I felt at ease when I met him and his commitment to wellness and the example he leads in that pursuit are in line with my own interests."

Woods also commented on the natural beauty of the area.

"You can't mess this up," he said. "It's an amazing piece of property with a southern view of seven mountain ranges."

Woods assured the gathering that he would be involved in the day-to-day groundwork of the course's creation.

"I will be up here as much as I can working on this. And as you know, I'm kind of a perfectionist," he said, smiling.

Woods also stressed that High Carolina will be a walking only course, part of his overall focus on fitness and combating obesity.

Woods said that his design style could be described as "minimalist," utilizing the natural lay of the land without "moving a bunch of dirt around."

Woods also stressed that the course would feature "fantastic bunkering," something he hopes will become the trademark of his design style.

Due to its elevation of 4,000 feet, Woods said High Carolina will be a substantially long course.

When asked if he planned on buying property in the Cliffs Communities, Woods responded with a quick, "Yes."

Woods joins several other prominent designers with ties to the Cliffs Communities. Jack Nicklaus designed the Walnut Cove and Keowee Falls courses, and Tom Fazio designed the Keowee Vineyards course as well as the Keowee Springs course, slated to open in 2008.

Gary Player will design the Mountain Park course near Travelers Rest, S.C., and move his family and corporate headquarters to the community.

Woods created a design company, Tiger Woods Design (TWD), in November 2006 and shortly thereafter announced plans for a course named Al Ruwaya in Dubai, U.A.E. Woods was reportedly paid $25 million for his design. That course is scheduled for completion in 2009.