About
The Story Behind
the Shootout.
What started with a simple idea — make real tournament golf more accessible to anyone who loves the game and wants to compete.
Built for Golfers
Who Still Want to Compete
Life gets busy. The competitive side doesn't just disappear.
The Smoky Mountain Shootout was created for golfers who still want something on the calendar worth practicing for — real competition, great courses, and a reason to get the crew together for a weekend in the mountains.
Our half-day tournaments bring together premier WNC courses, strong local competition, and multiple handicapped divisions designed to create a competitive experience for a range of golfers.
We're bringing tournament golf to some of Western North Carolina's most memorable courses and building an experience that's as much about the weekend as it is the scorecard — giving local golfers more opportunities to compete, improve their game, and connect with the golf community right here at home.
No long-distance travel. No full weekend commitment. Just quality tournament golf, close to home.
Premier courses. Local competition.
Built for WNC golfers.
Created by Locals,
for Locals
Smoky Mountain Shootout was created by Nick Hinton and Ben Schoenberg, owners of Ace & Eagle and competitive golfers themselves.
They know what it's like to want to keep competing while balancing careers, families, and everything else that fills the calendar. They also know that finding quality tournament golf often means traveling hours outside of Western North Carolina.
Their vision was simple: build the kind of tournament series they'd want to play in themselves.
Great local courses. Well-run events. Strong competition. A format that fits into real life.
The goal isn't to reinvent golf. It's to give competitive golfers more reasons to keep playing it.
More Than a Spot
on the Leaderboard
Competition brings golfers together.
Each Shootout is an opportunity to meet and compete with golfers from Asheville, across Western North Carolina, and throughout the region — building relationships with people who share the same love for the game.
Play against new competition. Find new playing partners. Grow your local golf network.
Compete locally. Connect beyond the course.
The People Behind
the Brand
Devereux Golf
Smoky Mountain Shootout's identity was developed in collaboration with Devereux Golf, bringing their modern perspective on golf culture to a tournament series built for Western North Carolina.
Melodic Sorbet
The Shootout comes to life through Melodic Sorbet, an Asheville-based production company capturing the courses, competition, players, and moments that define each tournament.
Ready to Tee Off?
Explore the 2026 tournament schedule and secure your spot on the course.
Explore Tournaments