There are only a handful of golf courses in America that manage to tickle my fancy quite like Old Town Club in Winston Salem, North Carolina does.
Designed by Perry Maxwell in 1939, Old Town Club not only left a lasting impression on me, but also left an impression with some of today’s finest architects. in 2013, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw had the opportunity to restore the golf course to it’s original Maxwell intentions and were certainly impressed with what they saw. Bill Coore describes Old Town Club as “a masterclass in routing a golf course.” His partner Crenshaw adds “This is the best land I’ve ever seen for golf.” Coore goes on to say "its actually how Mr. Maxwell utilized the land here...maximizing every inch...that’s so fascinating."
It doesn’t take long for the visiting golfer to understand just what Ben and Bill are talking about. The slopes, hazards and terrain at Old Town Club are utilized to create a dramatic variation of golf holes that keep the golfer challenged, engaged, and visually enthralled from beginning to end. Please join me on this photographic tour of Old Town Club.
Hole #1 - Par 4, 423 yards
The golf juices will be flowing when you stop onto the first tee at Old Town Club, However, you will want to dial down the adrenaline in order to stay short of the creek that meanders across the fairway. An uphill approach awaits the golfer on his second shot to a green with a tricky false front. The hole is nothing spectacular on paper, but the slope of the land turns it into a marvelous opening hole. This utilization of terrain and natural hazards will be a consistent theme throughout the golf course.
Hole #2 - Par 3, 166 yards
After a very short walk from the first green, the golfer arrives on the second tee and takes in the view from the well bunkered and shortest of the par 3’s at Old Town Club. As the round progresses, each par 3 will face a different direction as they grow in length and difficulty. While the par 3’s are varied, the short walk to the next teeing ground will remain a consistent theme.
Hole #3 - Par 4, 427 yards
The third hole at Old Town Club’s trio of opening holes is perhaps the most benign of the bunch. An interesting green and some strategy off of the tee will keep you moving forward as you head across the road and into the heart of the golf course. This will be the final time during the round that the word benign will be used in connection with Old Town Club.
Hole #4, Par 5, 526 yards
Old Town Club really starts to roar as you play your drive down the corridor and out onto the spilling terrain of the spectacular 4th hole. If you manage a good drive on the 4th you can go for this par five in two shots. With a branch of Silas Creek fronting the green, there is a reasonable amount of risk associated with this option, but most golfers in good position will opt to fire one at the flag. As the golfer approaches the green and the rolling green topography of the golf course comes into view, you get a sense that something special is on the horizon.
Hole #5 - Par 4, 383 yards
A row of tall trees and bunkers down the left side of the fairway on #5 forces a decision on the short 5th hole. With three carry bunkers benched into the fairway at a diagonal, the golfer has an option to lay out to the right safely or try to get close to the green. The smart golfer lays to the right and attacks with a short iron.
Hole #6 - Par 3, 186 yards
The second of the par 3’s is slightly longer and slightly downhill. With the green perched on top of a ridge, a miss left or right could really get away from you and will take some serious work to get up and down. The photo below is taken from the 5th fairway and shows off Maxwell’s excellent choice of land for the green site.
Hole #7 - Par 4, 419 yards
The tee shot on the 7th hole is one of the most scenic and visually welcoming at Old Town Club. If you challenge the bunkers to the left you will be rewarded with an ideal uphill angle into this challenging green.
Hole #8 - Par 4, 402 yards
On the 8th hole we get our first taste of Old Town Club’s double green. After the restoration by Coore and Crenshaw, the green has resumed its original and grand size. This bold and undulating green serves as home for both holes #8 and #17 and provides a plethora of options for pin placements. In a sense, This green is the heart of Old Town Club. Maxwell continues to make sure that we run into Silas creek and any poor shots here on 8 or 17 might find a watery grave.
Hole #9 - Par 4, 436 yards
The 8th green blends seamlessly into the 9th tee and the golfer is greeted with another splendid use of the undulating landscape that creates a unique and interesting end to the front nine. Placed strategically along the slope is a fairway bunker that one would be wise to avoid. The second shot plays uphill to a perched green located right next to the clubhouse. Sounds of happy children playing in the clubhouse pool are likely to fill the air.
Hole #10 - Par 4, 406 yards
From a photographic perspective, the 10th hole is one of my least favorite golf holes at Old Town Club. Fortunately, I was playing with Mac McCall, who is one of the most photogenic models in the game. Please enjoy this picture of his approach on #10. The hole plays along the range and challenges the golfer to hold their drive against the slope. The green provides adiitional interest with several prominent “Maxwell Muffins.” These muffins are little mounds placed strategically throughout the green.
Hole #11 - Par 3, 216 yards
The 3rd par 3 at Old Town Club is without a doubt the best of the bunch. At 216 yards it’s a challenging shot with a green located directly alongside Silas Creek. A bunker on the left challenges those looking for an easy bailout. The 11th hole beckons to you. It is time to step up and hit your finest shot of the day.
Hole #12 Par 4, 451 yards
Not surprisingly, the 12th hole is another excellent use of the terrain at Old Town Club. A drive out to the right provides the golfer with the flattest portion of the fairway and a drive down the middle allows the golfer to attack from high ground. Another branch of Silas creek fronts the beautifully bunkered green with one of the most gorgeous trees on the property framing the golf hole. This is my favorite golf hole at Old Town Club from a photography perspective.
Hole #13 - Par 4, 444 yards
It’s another short walk from the 12th green to the 13th tee and we get another lengthy par 4. The 13th plays to the far western edge of the golf course and requires position off of the tee. If you are looking to attack the pin and navigate the slope in front of the green, a drive down the left side is much preferred to one down the right side. I found myself out of position and too far left in the rough. In a rare feet of brilliance, I slapped one through the trees, bounced it over the humps and watched it roll up to 2 inches. I cannot recommend this strategy.
Hole #14 - Par 4, 335 yards
In my opinion, this short par 4 is the best golf hole at Old Town Club. Perched on the top of several layers of slope, only the strongest and purest drives will find the green. If the drive is left, it will certainly find the slope and settle below the green leaving a delicate uphill pitch to the green. A drive too far to the right could find the trees or leave a treacherous angle into the green. Many short par 4’s aspire to find such spectacular options for play and the 14th manages to find the perfect mixture with brilliant use of the given terrain.
Hole #15 - Par 3, 245 yards
The final and longest par 3 on the property requires a mighty lash to reach the green in a single shot. Here we find our photogenic model Mac McCall taking not one but two mighty lashes as he makes his way to the putting surface on #15. Silas Creek runs down the left side and while the green is guarded by 3 bunkers it is receptive to the well struck low running approach.
Hole #16 - Par 4, 367 yards
Due to Maxwell’s routing genius and excellent use of elevation changes, the hits never slow down at Old Town Club. With a large swale in the fairway, most golfers will want to lay back and approach this volcano shaped green with a medium to short iron. If care is not exercised on the green, the golfer might find themselves playing their second putt with a wedge.
Hole #17 - Par 5, 590 yards
The penultimate hole at OTC returns to Maxwells double green. However, it is a damn long way to get there. Two well struck shots will navigate bunkers and bumps to set up a familiar approach over Silas Creek to the secondary pin.
Hole 18 - Par 4, 441 yards
The 18th hole shares a tee box with number 9 and the two fairways head in opposite directions only to reconvene by the clubhouse. It’s a fantastic little quirk that should remind the passing golfer just how magnificent the routing at Old Town Club is. The finishing hole requires two solid shots and if played properly should leave the golfer with a chance at a closing birdie before a short walk to the clubhouse.
