A Place to Play

Making new memories at North Carolina’s oldest country club

He spent his teenage years as a groundskeeper at a local golf club, and that’s where Matt Ostwalt developed not only respect for the game but also reverence for the beauty of a well-tended course.

“Playing golf gives me a sense of peace,” says Matt, sharing his intimate appreciation of the grass, the lay of the land, the melding of sport with nature. “I always find joy out on the golf course.”

Matt and his family find that – and so much more – at the Country Club of Asheville.

“We are having an amazing experience as members,” he says. “When friends ask, we sing the praises of the family atmosphere.”

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, the Country Club of Asheville, established in 1894, is the second-oldest private club in the South and among the oldest clubs in continuous operation in the entire country. It is anchored today by a championship Donald Ross golf course. This historic club also features a recently updated clubhouse, Olympic-size swimming pool, new fitness center, indoor and outdoor tennis facilities, and dedicated recreation rooms for kids and teens.

A Family Affair

Matt and his wife, Amy – along with their children Charlotte, 10, and Birch, 7 – joined the Country Club of Asheville in 2017. However, the family’s own history here dates back to a decade earlier when, as a newly-engaged couple, they were seeking out wedding and reception venues.

“We fell in love with the location,” Amy recalls.

You could say Matt horsed around a bit in his pursuit of the love of his life. He proposed to Amy at The Carolina Cup on April Fools’ Day and they got married on Derby Day which, in 2007, coincided with Cinco de Mayo.

“Our wedding reception featured Mint juleps and mojitos!” he says. “Everything was fantastic – the club did an amazing job. We were so happy with how the reception turned out. That was our first introduction [to the Country Club of Asheville] and it made a huge impression.”

After settling into Montford, a historic district just north of downtown Asheville, the Ostwalts intended to join the country club once they completed renovations to their 1920s-era home. “We kept having numerous delays – like having babies,” Matt laughs, noting that Charlotte added to the family’s horsey tradition by being born on Derby Day in 2010. “But really, the kids were a big part of our decision to join – we wanted a place where they could meet friends, a place to make memories as they grow up.”

And that’s exactly what they’ve been doing.

“Being members [at the Country Club of Asheville] has impacted our family in such a positive way,” says Amy. “It provides an outlet for the kids and also for us as a couple. Charlotte and Birch have a place to play, we can do things together as a family, and we can also enjoy time with our couple friends.”

Finding Joy

As new members, Matt and Amy were greeted with the same enthusiastic hospitality they enjoyed during their wedding reception 10 years earlier.  

“The staff embraced our children from Day 1,” Matt says. “They give them so much attention – our kids love coming here.”

Charlotte and Birch joined the Fins, the summer swim team, where there’s equal emphasis on technique and sportsmanship. They are also regulars at the club’s long roster of clinics and summer day camps, focusing on everything from sports to science, arts and crafts.

“The camps in the summer have been a saving grace,” Amy says, noting the sports programs ensure the kids come home happily exhausted. “They spend a lot of time up at the club. It’s fun, especially when it’s with friends.”

Since becoming members, Amy has fallen in love with tennis and Matt has rekindled his lifelong passion for golf. The entire Ostwalt family enjoys the culinary program, whether it’s a family meal or date night. 

“The kids really like the Sunday brunch – they ask to go all the time after church,” Matt says. And, adds Amy, “we like the wine tasting events; we have so much fun learning about and trying new wines.”

As a sales rep for an out-of-town manufacturing company, Matt spends a lot of time on the road. By playing golf with a rotating group of fellow members, he feels connected to the local community. 

His favorite people to play with, though, are Charlotte and Birch. “I’m glad the kids can enjoy this sport with me,” he says, noting the pleasure he takes in passing along all the traditions of the game.  “I love when they ask to go to the putting green.”

Matt also takes pleasure in a home golf course that’s a gem in the North Carolina mountains.

“It’s a unique place,” he says. “I’ve always enjoyed playing a lot of courses and I never really expected myself to ‘marry’ one golf course. But this one plays a little different every time you go out there. The course changes constantly – in ways that defy physics – and I don’t feel like I’m playing the same course over and over.”

The subtlety of the course challenges golfers at every level. “Whether you’re a skilled golfer or a novice,” Matt says, “you can find joy in playing here.”