Old Town Club profile is posted ...

[Ran Morrissett]

...under Architecture Timeline and Courses by Country.

I have returned to courses that have become worse with time (Royal Sydney, Medalist, Cascades) and I have been to courses that have gotten better over time (Sleepy Hollow, Lancaster, The Country Club in Brookline). Never have I returned to a course and not recognized it! That is what just happened when I visited Old Town after a short 28 year hiatus.  I swear, it was as if I had never been there. Sweeping views abound, beautiful deep hazards punctuate the rolling terrain and the fabric of the course speaks in a homogeneous, Golden Age manner.
 
Pinehurst No.2 casts a long shadow across my state so the conversation usually turns to what is the second best course? Wade Hampton and Charlotte CC (which I just saw three weeks ago and is looking spectacular) are obvious contenders. Maybe if you’re a bomber, you favor Quail Hollow and if you swing hickories it may be  Mid-Pines. Old Town now thrusts itself into the conversation because this Maxwell design has it all. In my own mind, Old Town stacks up very well on a hole by hole basis with other courses I consider to be world top 100. It is highly uncommon to find a course both this strong and fun from top to bottom.
 
When I saw it in 1986, I was working for the USGA, living in NJ and happily bitched to friends that the south didn't have a course/club as cool as Somerset Hills.  That visit didn't alter my sentiment but after last weekend’s stroll around Old Town, there is a new sheriff in town! The transformation is that complete, that dramatic.


See - I am not crazy! The first photo with the two small oval greens and cart path behind is akin to what I saw years ago …
 
 
… and here is a photo from Dunlop from last fall of Old Town’s Double Green returned to its full glory!
 
As is well known, Old Town's restoration has been a labor of love for both Dunlop White and Bill Coore. Patience, perseverance, good sense and talented workers have won out. The great thing about White and Coore is that they freely share what was done and as importantly, how it was accomplished. Some people/clubs are so hush-hush that little can be gleaned from their undertaking. Not here. Starting late next week after the Open, we will release three video clips with Bill Coore about this restoration. They are highly informative and augment the Old Town profile that is now posted.
 
When I moved to North Carolina from Australia in 1999, it wasn't for the golf. Pinehurst No.2, Pine Needles, Mid-Pines, CCC, & Old Town were shadows of what they are now. Dormie, Diamond Creek and second course at Forest Creek didn't exist. This state has gotten its act together. It is exciting to live somewhere that is going in the proper direction and Old Town sets the bar incredibly high.
 
Panelists from various magazines are flocking to Old Town. I have heard from raters that hail from Arizona, New York, & Florida, and all of their comments re: Old Town are universally glowing, a rarity in itself. Everyone agrees: When you layer Coore & Crenshaw on top of Maxwell, you have something unique - and (once again) very special.

Best,

[Thomas Dai]

A very nice read as usual, and wow, what a course transformation. Where there's a will there's a way.
atb

[PCCraig]

Just incredible! Looks like the type of golf course you would be happy playing every day.

[Jerry Kluger]

Ran: Old Town is a gem.  It should be an example for every greens committee to see what restoration and tree removal can do.  It is important to recognize that it is a par 70 when deciding which tees to play as it can be a bear if you go too far back.

[Andy Troeger]

Panelists from various magazines are flocking to Old Town. I have heard from raters that hail from Arizona, New York, & Florida, and all of their comments re: Old Town are universally glowing, a rarity in itself. Everyone agrees: When you layer Coore & Crenshaw on top of Maxwell, you have something unique - and (once again) very special.

Best,

And New Mexico! Old Town is fantastic--I had not seen any previous versions but the current course is certainly one of the best in North Carolina and probably a top 50 course in the country. Really worth seeing!

[Ronald Montesano]

Two questions~

1. What does "whoila" mean?

2. Did Jeff Bradley do the bunker work?

[Chris Buie]

Old Town is a masterwork.
Its spectacular return to greatness would not have happened without Dunlop White. Highest commendations.

[Tim Gavrich]

To me, this line from the profile sums up what I perceived to be Old Town's greatness:

"Old Town’s ultimate trump card is that it’s both great fun (ask the members) and a great test (ask the Wake Forest golf team alums)."

I have played a lot of golf courses that seem to favor one or the other of those two principles. I would put Tobacco Road on the "fun" end of the spectrum and the pre-restoration Pinehurst No. 2 (have not played it post-C&C) on the "test" end. No course that I have seen brings better unity of those two than Old Town. Maxwell's greens supply a great deal of that unity, I found. It is extremely difficult to get most approach shots close to the hole, but all the little subtle shelves and side and back slopes work together in such a way that the player has to visualize every shot. And when a golf course engages the player on that level, I find that it's easier to make good swings because basic execution becomes almost a foregone conclusion and the strategy of it all becomes the thing the player is most concerned about.

[Dunlop_White]

Thanks to everyone for their kind remarks. I am truly humbled by Ran's introduction here and encourage everyone to read his write-up.

We all have loved GCA.com over the past 15-years plus, but naturally noone is more invested and devoted to the study, discussion and advancement of golf course architecture than its founder, Ran Morrissett. 

For the first time, I have just witnessed the time, effort and vigor he dedicates to a course profile. It's simply amazing, and I'm most appreciative. We all should be. A big shout out to Chris Buie as well for his help with the technical stuff.

[Jason Topp]

I am thrilled to see Old Town profiled here.  I loved it when I visited last fall even though I spent most of my time zig-zagging from trouble spot to trouble spot while Cory and Dunlop showed me how the course should be played. 

Ran - The 9th was the one hole you skipped.  Was there a reason for the omission?  I would be interested in your thoughts on that one.  It sure looked like it would have been easier to play if I had actually followed Dunlop's admonition to keep the tee shot left.  I am sure I would find it difficult with repeat play but wonder if I would like it in a tough love sort of way.

[Jay Flemma]

I echo everything Ran said here, and will add it's possible it's Maxwell's best course while definitely being his most interesting.  Is it possibly also the coolest restoration ever done by C&C?  The attached fairways at four, seven, eight, seventeen, eighteen, and nine!  The double green!  The bunkering!  It's downright majestic, the sweeping vistas and Golden Age feel!  Here's some pics:

Tee shot on 7:



Into the double green at 17:



The tee marker for 9/17 and:



The cool criss-cross! Love it!  Who says crossovers are a negative!  Rockaway Hunting Club is another with great crossovers, so is Bayonne!



More pics to come!

[Ronald Montesano]

My last question is this: Ran, did Dunlop show you that giant, black bird that lives over by 13/14? I have a photo to prove it does exist.

[Dunlop_White]

Did Jeff Bradley do the bunker work?

Ron — No, we had Dave Axland, Keith Rhebb, and Quinn Thompson.

Dave has been teaming up with Coore actually longer than Ben has. Dave was our project manager, shaper, and has been heavily involved with most of C & C's major works through the years. Keith, another shaper, came to Old Town directly from Streamsong, as their Project Manager. Quinn came to Old Town via Shanqin Bay and Maidstone. Quinn was our detail specialist and closed the deal.

[Mike Hendren]

Congrats to all.  Can't say I love the bunker eyebrows behind the double-green, but I'm guessing I'm supposed to.  Hopefully the answer is revealed in historical photographs.  Interesting that Ran cites Maxwell's "uncluttered architectural style" out of the gate.  Do you agree?

I'd honestly like to be educated on this, knowing that Ran and Dunlop are a majority in just about any room where golf architecture is being discussed.  Thanks in advance.

Bogey

[Sean_A]

Bogey

I think the grass serves to hide the cart path to the rear.  There are a few spots where work was done to hide paths...and to great effect.

Ran - very, very fine.

Ciao

[Ronald Montesano]

Congrats to all.  Can't say I love the bunker eyebrows behind the double-green, but I'm guessing I'm supposed to.  
Bogey

ha ha ha ... would you prefer that one eyebrow be winking?

[Mike Hendren]

Bogey

I think the grass serves to hide the cart path to the rear.  There are a few spots where work was done to hide paths...and to great effect.

Ran - very, very fine.

Ciao

Thanks Sean.  If that's the case, it's brilliant.

Bogey

[Gary Sato]

I find these before and after photos some of the most striking that I have seen on GCA.  Is the superintendent still employed at the club?


See - I am not crazy! The first photo with the two small oval greens and cart path behind is akin to what I saw years ago …
 
 
… and here is a photo from Dunlop from last fall of Old Town’s Double Green returned to its full glory!
 

[Dunlop_White]

Congrats to all.  Can't say I love the bunker eyebrows behind the double-green, but I'm guessing I'm supposed to.  Hopefully the answer is revealed in historical photographs.

In the historic 1939 photos of Old Town, Maxwell incorporated tall stalks of native broomsedge that enveloped the outside edges of his bunkers. Broomsedge protruded from the surrounds adding a character-rich third dimension, which visually demanded a golfer’s full attention. Before Maxwell arrived at Old Town in 1938, he relocated the green at Hole 10 at ANGC and added the right green side bunker(s). Yes, there were two located there originally — a big guy and a little guy — which also contained broomsedge plantings. During our archival research, Maxwell historian Chris Clouser provided some images of the original bunkers at Twin Hills. Broomsedge again was used to accent his naturalistic bunkers. The native plant material at Prairie Dunes was different, but nevertheless still used.

Quinn Thompson, Coore's talented detail man, recovered this artistic look at Old Town. Sometime the plant material was meticulously transplanted plug-by-plug (by shovel and hand) from our on-course nursery. Other times a dozer or a mini-ex would scoop a mass of earth containing dozens of broomsedge stalks, and it would simply be relocated and plopped down behind a newly restored bunker as if they had always been together. (Simple but awesome!)

In the double green pic you refer to above, the "eyebrows" of broomsedge also in fact help hide the cart trail. But an important point must be made. Though Coore uses bunker eyebrows of natives in places, my guess is that he probably prefers bunkers to back into and eat up into a larger native stand. Depends on context, I presume. In this case, however, we will be converting the bermuda turf behind the eyebrows to a larger sweeping stand of broomsedge in the months and years to come.

As Ran mentioned, Coore's punch list for "in-house" items is a mile long, so further improvements will be on-going.

[Dunlop_White]

Here's the direct link to Ran's profile.

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/courses-by-country/usa/old-town-club/

[Mike Hendren]

Congrats to all.  Can't say I love the bunker eyebrows behind the double-green, but I'm guessing I'm supposed to.  Hopefully the answer is revealed in historical photographs.

 Though Coore uses bunker brows in places, my guess is that he probably prefers bunkers to back into and eat up into a larger native stand. In this case, we will be converting the bermuda turf behind the eyebrows to a larger sweeping stand of broomsedge in the months and years to come.

Thank you Dunlop.  You helped me realize that it is the isolated string of the native that I struggled with rather than its transition into a large stand as you noted.  This is depicted elsewhere in Ran's excellent review.

Thanks for making a difference.

Kindest regards,

Mike

[Criss Titschinger]

Write-ups like this are why I started reading/lurking on the site 12 years ago. Loved this profile. From the write-up to pictures showing before and after. A course I didn't know much about and seeing that transformation is just wonderful. Thanks again!

[Terry Lavin]

This course has always intrigued me, but this profile has cinched the deal.  I'm gonna get down there this fall without fail.  It is such an unbelievably remarkable transformation/restoration.  Awe inspiring.

[Matt MacIver]

I have never played a course in the U.S. where there are so many uneven lies, and I mean massively so: on several fairways the ball hangs on the side slope, defying gravity and adding great fun to the next shot. As hilly as Quail, maybe more so. And the greens have tons of internal contour and false fronts, at least as much as Charlotte.  Combine those two aspects with a first-class routing and there not much more to say except OTC ranks first among equals.

[Jay Flemma]

Here's some more pics:

A little blurry, but a good look at number 2:



The tee shot on 5 reminds me of 5 at Crystal Downs with it's three sisters bunker complex, undulating fairway, and doctrine of deception.



The approach into 5...best green on the course.  Be below the hole, but watch out for the wicked false front!