More Work at Old Town

[Dunlop_White]

Bill Coore and Dave Axland returned in 2016. Just sharing some additional work that has taken place this year.

1. Two bunkers were added to the left of the crowned fairway on Hole 8.
2. Two bunkers were added to the right of the fairway on Hole 7.
3. Finished removing 50+ trees in the creaked behind Hole 14 green.
4. Remove a few dozen trees leftover behind Hole 4 green.
5. Changed flagstick size and color pattern for better visibility.
6. Continued Native Program.

Some pics are below.



A view of Hole 8 green from the approach just behind C & C's new bunkers to the left of the crowned fairway.



A reverse view of the new bunkers on hole 8 in an expansive sea of fairway -- one swath extends continuously across holes 17, 8, 9, and 18 shown above from Left to right). Fairways total 75-acres altogether. I love having the ability to cut fairway height into the edge of the bunker around its full perimeter. No ribbons of rough. Also these bunkers are positioned for guidance on your tee shot on hole 9. Visually, they effectively break up all that "green" as well.



Double green is located here in the foreground, along with the joint tee for hole 9 and 18.



Two additional bunkers backing up against the natives to the right of hole 7: both a big guy and a little guy.



The stand of trees behind hole 4 green has been removed. Photo shows hole 4 green in the foreground and hole 6 green in the background. Natives between greens should turn colors during the first week of October. Also check out the new 3/4" tapered tournament flagsticks with a busy stripe pattern for good visibility.



A vista across the golf course from hole 14 is now available due to the elimination of 50+ volunteer trees, which have grown unchecked from the creek beds over the decades.

[Jerry Kluger]

Looks great - course just keeps getting better.

[Michael J. Moss]

Dunlop,
What grassing decisions have been made (or not made) over the years. Winston-Salem gets pretty toasty in the summer yet you maintain fairway turfgrass right up to bunker entrances. It's a great look and helps an errant shot get to where it belongs! We in the New York area rarely see that presentation unless one includes the famous eastern Long Island courses where the ocean keeps things a bit cooler.

In all, Old Town looks just great!

Congratulations.

[David Wuthrich]

You guys are doing a wonderful job with a classic course!

[Dunlop_White]

Fairways are a smorgasbord of grasses: Commom bermuda, Tifsport, 419 and their mutations. No clean monostand. Fairways have a "mottled" look, like patchwork, which Coore likes. Gives a antiquated sensibility -- as if they have evolved that way for years. No problem with these in the summer.

[Theresa Stotler]

Thanks for the updates.

[Kevin_Reilly]

Very nice.


For the last picture (with the removal of the volunteer trees), is there a "before" picture available for comparison?

[Tom Fagerli]

The vista of the back nine is amazing, especially when you know it is behind a condo development and a car lot! OTC is an amazing place.

[Tim Martin]

The pictures look awesome! Congrats to OTC!!!!

[Tommy Williamsen]

Didn't think the course could get any better!! Good work by all who participated. You should be proud of what was done, Dunlop. Good work. It is nice that folks like you keep our classic courses classic.

[PThomas]

A great course keeps getting better! Well done Dunlop

[William_G]

love it

[ChipRoyce]

...maintain fairway turfgrass right up to bunker entrances. It's a great look and helps an errant shot get to where it belongs! ...

I only wish more clubs would do this (bring the fairways into the first 1/2 or more of a bunker

[Ryan Taylor]

Thanks for the update Dunlop! Changes implemented are perfect. Truly one of the great golf courses in the world. Hope to play again in 2017.

[Wayne Wiggins, Jr.]

Very nice.


For the last picture (with the removal of the volunteer trees), is there a "before" picture available for comparison?

Don't know how to pull these photos out individually, but here's the link that Jon Cavalier did last fall. You can scroll down and there are before shots for each hole. Pretty cool... especially the clearing out of trees behind #4 and #14.

[RSantangelo]

wow...stunning

[Patrick Kiser]

Dunlop,


As always, thanks for sharing in the progress being made at Old Town.  Just looks incredible!

[Dunlop_White]

For the last picture (with the removal of the volunteer trees), is there a "before" picture available for comparison?

Thanks! Glad everyone likes the work. Looks better in person with all the colors, textures and shadows revealing the fairway and green contours, artistic bunkering, etc.


Here are the only pics I could find of the stand of trees behind holes 14 and 12…. and the old round bunkers with bright white sand. Ikes!



Nothing but trees and vegetation behind 14 circa 2002



Nice cross-course view beyond 14 today.



a glimpse of the wall of trees behind 12 in 1998



much more inspiring panorama today.

[Brett Wiesley]

Sexy!!!  That sums it up.  Can't wait to get back and see the course again in the future.

[Mark Greer]

OT is really as special place.  You've done a great job with it.  Would love to return some day. 

[Sean_A]

Dunlop


Jeepers...you said that horrible tree behind 12 was coming out soon, that was no lie!  Was there any thought to keeping some of the nice trees in that area behind and to the right of 12 green?





Ciao

[Dunlop_White]

The majority of the tree removal is done. Yes, the specimens are being preserved, where they haven't outgrown their space. Next week we will take the lift out and start raising canopies. The course always looks its best bottomed-up like this. It's good to be at a point where we can focus on details…. the fun part.

[Jason Topp]

Dunlop - how do you assess the native program?  I know we have struggled with it although we are in a very different environment.  It is very difficult to achieve anything resembling links courses that looks good and still offers the potential for a recovery shot.

[Dunlop_White]

Fortunately, Old Town is routed on a large undulating tract of land -- 170+ acres. We can afford to have natives only for aesthetic purposes because their locations are so far outside of normal play -- really in large open expanses between holes. If Old Town was more intimately routed on a smaller piece of land, we would have to pay more attention to and worry about the playability of these natives -- which in this area and climate usually proves to be a losing cause. At Old Town, we promote broomsedge and little bluestem. Thanks Jason!

[Bart Bradley]

Dunlop:


You are my hero.  The changes you have inspired and the architects you engaged have been amazingly successful.  Old Town just keeps getting better.  I only dream of having the impact on my courses that you have had at Old Town.


Cheers and congrats!


Bart