Hendersonville – The course includes a running waterfall and other symbols of area cultural landmarks, and the huge 700-pound black bear statue from the prior Corn Course 1,000 feet away.
Corn Mini Golf is busiest during cooler dinner times, staff noted. On Friday, June 21, an East Henderson First Baptist youth group of nearly 20 teens, families, and senior citizens “puttered around.”
It cost $2.2 million to build the 18-hole course, concession stand and other Edwards Park amenities, city officials noted. The City of Hendersonville owns and runs it. It’s named after “Putt Putt Lady” Laura Corn, like the prior city course at nearby Boyd Park. Corn worked there for 35 summers. The new course is also affordable – at $3 for adults or $2 for youths aged 2-18. Revenue goes to the City.
Revitalized Edwards Park is at 904 N. Main St., between Five Points and Locust Street. Parking is at the adjacent VFW Hall’s 44-space lot. It is near Pop’s Diner, Bruce Drysdale Elementary, and Hendersonville High School. City Manager John Connet said that the project “infuses new life” into Five Points.
The grand opening of the course and renovated 1.48-acre Edwards Park was on Oct. 19, 2023. Completing it two months early enabled the course to operate for one month, before shutting for winter. The first full season launched on May 25.
Longtime City Council member Jerry Smith, now retired, oversaw parks. Smith told the Tribune that he is proud he helped get the course opened early to avoid a full year without affordable mini golf. City-run Boyd Park’s course and two public tennis courts were demolished for fire station expansion that’s nearly complete.
Regarding loss of Boyd Park, Hendersonville Mayor Barbara Volk reasons that “change can be painful, but good” long-range.
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Hendersonville Assistant City Manager Brian Pahle oversaw the mini-golf/park project. A cornhole target is on pavilion space, where groups congregate. There is a large concession stand, new playground, shaded umbrella, bicycle racks, and nearly 200 pollinator-friendly plants.
William Robinson graduated from West Henderson in late May. The Falcon track standout putted with that youth group. “It’s a nice way to connect with friends from church and the community,” he said.
The front nine and 18th hole are all wheelchair accessible. That pleased Mitzi Hill, who stepped out of her motorized wheelchair to putt.
Creek’s Safe Transport
“Let’s honor history and tradition” was Pahle’s slogan, at the course opening. Harris Miniature Golf of Scranton, Pa. designed it, implementing city officials’ wishes for cultural aspects. Each hole has elements representing a facet of local history and culture and also WNC attractions. Public “In-Putt” sessions guided what to represent, and which artifacts to transfer from the old course.
A majestic centerpiece is hole eight’s large rock waterfall. It honors Looking Glass Falls. Brody Speight, age nine, likes its large rocks and the tunnel to shoot the ball through.
Many golfers’ favorite hole is a forgiving one, leading off the back nine. Let’s Go Tubing on the Green River has an ingenious water-flow design. Golfers try to hit the tee shot along a narrow, carpeted plank bridge to cross over toward the hole.
But the ball stays in play even if it misses the bridge, falling into a fast-flowing mini-creek that represents the Green River. The ball flows toward decorative fountains, bounces out of the creek and rightward through a small log tunnel, lands on the green, and rolls toward the hole.
Cultural Artifacts
Barb Speight most enjoyed hearing interactive musical instruments on hole four, honoring Boyd Park’s Teen Canteen jukebox.
The towering bear statue guards hole seven. Putts go through its small rock “cave.” The bear reflects WNC’s large bear population. The old-time church on hole 12, grinning white squirrel, apple worm, and the Chimney Rock rock are also among seven items renovated and moved from course to course.
A Fifties toy car replica is on the final hole, entitled Let’s Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway. Hole tributes include to Hendersonville’s Main Street, Biltmore House, Jump Off Rock, and Oklawaha Greenway cycling.
The first hole’s giant apple worm honors Henderson County’s historic industry. A goat fiberglass figurine on hole 3 is the new symbol for the historic Carl Sandburg Home and its goat farm. There is a weather-proofed Hendersonville Train Depot model. A flashy blue-and-orange tiger figurine is the mascot of the Ninth Avenue School Tigers, the city’s all-black high school in 1950-65.
Corn Mini Golf operates 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily through Sept. 1, then 3:30-9 p.m. on Fridays and 11-9 on weekends through Oct. 6. The course is subject to closing due to inclement weather. Check www.hvlnc.gov/edwardspark for hole cultural descriptions.