Representative image Photo: Stuart Logan · CC BY-SA 2.0
Old Town Club
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States
18 Holes · Par 70 · Private club — no published green fee; play is by member invitation · Parkland
— About
About Old Town Club
Old Town Club sits in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on a 165-acre parcel that was once part of the Reynolds family estate. Perry Maxwell designed the course, which opened in 1939, and he let the land lead, so the routing follows the natural contours of the site instead of forcing holes onto it. The course plays to par 70, and its greens are known for the rolls and mounds that admirers call Maxwell's puffs. It is often described as the last great course of the Golden Age of American design. Over the decades the layout changed in ways that clouded Maxwell's intent, and Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw carried out a restoration in 2013 that brought his ideas back. The best-known feature is a double green that serves both the eighth and 17th holes. Despite the hills, the property is described as walkable, and walking is allowed. Old Town is a private club with no published green fee, so play is by member invitation and guests need a host to arrange a round. It is a course where the ground matters more than any single hole.
- Perry Maxwell's 18-hole course opened in 1939 on a 165-acre parcel of the old Reynolds family estate in Winston-Salem.
- The eighth and 17th holes share a double green, one of the most distinctive features on the property.
- Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw restored the course in 2013, recovering Maxwell's original intent after later changes had obscured it.
- The course plays to par 70 and is described as very walkable despite its rolling ground.
- The greens are known for their puffs and mounds, which reviewers describe as a hallmark of Maxwell's putting surfaces.
History of Old Town Club
Old Town Club took shape on land that had been part of the Reynolds family estate in Winston-Salem, with Charles Babcock involved in bringing Perry Maxwell to the project. The club settled on a 165-acre parcel, and Maxwell's course opened in 1939, late in what is usually called the Golden Age of American golf design. Some writers go further and call it the last great course of that era. He worked with the rolling ground rather than moving much earth, and the routing follows the natural contours of the site. In later decades the course was changed in ways that blurred his intentions, and in 2013 Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw carried out a restoration to bring those intentions back into view. The club remains private, and its layout is still defined by Maxwell's routing and by the double green at the eighth and 17th, the two features most closely tied to its identity.
Signature holes at Old Town Club
The double green shared by the eighth and 17th holes is the feature most often used to describe Old Town, because two holes on different parts of the course finish on the same putting surface. Around it, the course is known for greens with distinctive rolls and mounds, and for a routing that draws on the natural contours of the site. The result is a course where the shape of the land matters more than any single hole, and where a walk from the eighth to the 17th shows the same idea in two very different settings.
When to play Old Town Club
Winston-Salem has four seasons, with hot, humid summers and mild springs and falls. Spring and fall are usually the most comfortable for walking a course that is built across rolling ground, and the greens tend to be at their best when the weather is dry. Winter rounds are possible on milder days. Because Old Town Club is private and open only by member invitation, the season you choose matters less than getting an invitation from a member.
Playing Old Town Club: tips
Old Town Club is private and does not publish a green fee, so you will need a member to host you and to arrange the round. Walking is allowed and the property is described as walkable, so ask your host whether the group will walk. Expect greens with real movement, the puffs and mounds that Maxwell built, so leave time on the practice green before you play. Winston-Salem is in the Piedmont region of North Carolina; confirm the route from your arrival airport with your host.
Visit Old Town Club
2875 Old Town Club Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27106
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States
— FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Old Town Club
Can the public play Old Town Club?
No. Old Town Club is private, and play is by member invitation. The club does not publish a green fee, so a guest needs a member to host them.
Who designed Old Town Club?
Perry Maxwell designed the course, which opened in 1939. Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw carried out a restoration in 2013 to recover Maxwell's original design intent.
What is the double green at Old Town?
The eighth and 17th holes share a single putting surface, which makes for a rare double green. It is one of the most distinctive features of Maxwell's design.
Is Old Town Club walkable?
Yes. The course covers 165 acres of rolling ground, and writers describe it as very walkable. Walking is allowed, but ask your host about walking arrangements before you visit.