News

New minigolf course taking shape at Edwards Park

The new minigolf course at Edwards Park features a waterfall, musical steps, the Laura E. Corn Bearfootin’ Bear, the Ninth Avenue School Tiger and the Carl Sandburg goat plus the new concession stand. It’s expected to be open for play in October.

By Bill Moss, Published: July 5, 2023

Fans of the old Laura E. Corn Minigolf Course will be able to try their putting skills on the new and improved city course this fall if construction proceeds as planned.

The Hendersonville City Council a year ago awarded a $350,575 to New Jersey-based Harris Miniature Golf Course Inc. to design and build the course across U.S. 25 from the old one at Boyd Park.

“Next steps are you’re gonna see a lot of landscaping occurring on site,” Assistant City Manager Brian Pahle told the council last week. “Once the landscaping contractor finishes, the minigolf creators will carpet the course.”

In addition to a concession stand, playground, shades and benches, the new course will feature nods to the city’s cultural history.

“This is our probably pride and joy. This is our Laura Corn bear,” Pahle said, showing a slide of the Bearfootin’ Bear dedicated to the longtime minigolf manager who kept a diary of her experience. “It’s really awesome. It has a lot of good mementos to her and the best quotes we had from her notebooks.”

Other features include the (pre-desegregation) Ninth Avenue High School Tiger, the Carl Sandburg goat, musical steps and a waterfall.

“The waterfall is really cool when it’s turned on,” Pahle said. “I was very impressed with the work they did.”

Plans now are to open the golf course for play on weekends in October and possibly for a holiday event later.