PGA Master Professional Mark E. Darnell has joined the Seven Falls Golf and River Club in Hendersonville, N.C. as the Director of Golf for the new Arnold Palmer Premier golf course. Palmer Premier is an exclusive golf and luxury lifestyle brand with every detail inspired, influenced and elevated to the standards of Arnold Palmer. The 19-hole championship course is scheduled to open by late fall 2008.
Darnell comes to Seven Falls from the West Lake Country Club in Augusta, Ga., where he served as the club professional for over thirty years. Thirteen of those years he served in the dual capacity as General Manager and Director of Golf. He is one of only 14 PGA Members to have won two national awards; the National Merchandiser of the Year and the National Horton Smith Award for contributions in PGA Education. Darnell's golf shop was ranked as one of Golf Digest's 100 Best Golf Shop Operations for 10 consecutive years. In addition to being a PGA Master Professional, Darnell has two PGA Specialty Certifications in General Management and Retail. In 2000, he was inducted into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame.
Darnell has a Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University where he was an All-American and captain of the golf team that won both the NCAA and Big Ten Championships. During one NCAA Championship, Darnell was medalist runner-up to Jack Nicklaus.
Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Seven Falls provides unparalleled views and a member friendly golf experience that will be enjoyed by players of all skill levels. The golf facility includes a 19-hole championship course, a 58-acre practice area featuring a state-of-the-art golf academy and a nine-hole short course. The practice area will be ready for play in the spring of 2008.
Home sites at Seven Falls start at $300,000 and townhomes start at $900,000. At the community’s center will be a Town Village, amphitheater, shops, restaurants, a chapel, a general store and a fitness facility with tennis courts, a swimming pool, an indoor climbing wall and basketball courts. An extensive trail system will link a series of private parks in the community, passing the site's 23 waterfalls and following the French Broad River in places.