OUR WORK · helene recovery

With Muni through its hardest chapter.

How the course was hit, who is rebuilding it, and where the Friends fit.

On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene sent the Swannanoa River across Muni.

The front nine was destroyed, with downed trees and heavy flood damage, just as a $3 million renovation, the largest capital project in the course's history, was reaching completion.

While the back nine reopened within a month, the front nine was completely destroyed, leaving layers of mud and debris across our beautiful golf course.

photo of hurricane helene flooding asheville muni golf course
photo of swannanoa river flooding asheville muni golf course
photo of asheville muni golf course during hurricane helene
photo of hurrican helene flooding at muni golf course
photo of hole one at asheville muni after hurricane helene

STRUCK

September 27, 2024

BACK NINE

Reopened within a month

FRONT NINE

Awaiting federal and state rebuild funding

FOAM’S ROLE

Community, story, and our own course projects

Where we are today

The renovation is being funded by the City of Asheville and its partners, including Explore Asheville, and managed by Commonwealth Golf. The front-nine rebuild now awaits federal and state funding, and it will be everyone’s responsibility to complete the project.

What the Friends do is everything around it:

  • keeping the community rallied

  • telling the story

  • funding FOAM's own projects, youth golf, habitat, and course improvements in this time

Why it matters to Asheville: before the flood, the Muni drew more than 40,000 rounds a year, about 22,500 of them by local residents, and generated over $300,000 a year for nearby hotels, restaurants, and shops.

This helps Muni keeps moving forward as the public course it has always been. That is the work your membership supports.

photo of FOAM discussion about asheville muni front nine
photo of friends of asheville muni design meeting
photo of redesign of asheville muni front nine holes
photo of course design discussion for asheville muni

BECOME ONE OF THE FRIENDS

Join the Friends for as little as $50 a year.

It is the most direct way to stand behind Muni. Your membership funds real projects on the course, and you become one of the neighbors keeping public golf open to everyone.

WHAT COMES WITH IT

  • A Friends of Asheville Muni bag tag

  • 10 percent off Pro Shop merchandise

  • Twelve months, renewed each January

  • Pride in supporting a historic part of Asheville

  • Membership in a caring community