Jul. 16—Folks used to weaving their way between irate Canada Geese on Lake Junaluska's walking trails will soon be able to mimic the experience in the realm of putt-putt.
The animals will feature as obstacles on Lake Junaluska's upcoming revamped mini-golf course, along with other lake hallmarks — like Stuart Auditorium, the Lambuth Inn, Shackford Hall, the Rose Walk, and of course, a pair of swans.
The modern course will update the somewhat utilitarian strips of astroturf that currently comprise the mini-golf course.
"We feel like the current course has reached the end of its lifespan," said Lake Junaluska's Executive Director Ken Howle. It has served its purpose, connecting families and friends for playful competition, but it's dated and a bit boring by today's mini-golf standards.
As Howle and others in leadership began brainstorming the new course, an idea began to take shape thanks to Lake Junaluska resident Gary Keckley.
With an architectural background and a professional life as a developer/operator of senior communities, Keckley knows more about designing and placing mini-golf courses than your average county resident.
"So we started fooling around with it and came up with something that could only be done at Lake Junaluska," Keckley said. He pointed out that most mini-golf courses have the same basic kinds of obstacles — windmills, water features, pirates.
"And there's nothing wrong with that," Keckley said. "But at Lake Junaluska, we could take advantage of the symbolism that they've had for 100-plus years and work off that."
So a round of mini golf will feel like a walk around the lake, complete with a miniature colonnade, a hole featuring a labyrinth, and the conference center's iconic cross.
Designing all that was a bit of a challenge, Keckley said, given some of the considerations he had to work with.
"We're using up an old tennis court, and getting 18 holes in," he said. Keckley realized the course's thematic elements could be of help.
"Like the hole where you putt through a flock of geese, geese that are close together, so the hole doesn't have to be that big. And the feature is the geese, not so much the length of the hole or the width of the hole," he explained.
The holes will also feature life lessons.
"From scripture, from people, from history. There's a lot of really great wisdom out there for the 10-year-old and the 50-year-old," Keckley said.
Recreation as ministry
The new, modern course is part of Lake Junaluska's Sharing Our Gifts Campaign, launched in 2022. The campaign is a $14 million fundraising drive aimed at transforming the grounds around the lake. Twelve million was raised during the fund's "quiet phase," during which key supporters were privately contacted. In March of this year, Lake Junaluska opened the campaign and is now seeking support from the public.
"We're inviting all of those who love Junaluska to participate," Howle said. "Many of the things people love and cherish about Lake Junaluska are things that have been made possible by charitable giving over the years.
The campaign is built around five priorities, Howle said: sustaining Lake Junaluska's annual fund, building youth and family housing, strengthening recreation ministry, preserving the lake and dam, and restoring sacred spaces.
The mini-golf course is just the latest item to fall under the "strengthening recreation ministry" umbrella. Since the campaign began three years ago, Lake Junaluska has replaced 400 feet of walking trail, constructed new raised beds along the Rose Walk, repaired Helene damage, added new bocce ball, cornhole, and pickleball courts, and renovated the bathrooms adjacent to those courts.
"One of the things that recreation creates is a recreational experience. And there is a need within our country, and the world, for renewal. And for us, what we focus on is nurturing people's souls and their minds, and their bodies. And recreation is a key component of enabling that to happen," Howle said.
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