Midwest & Mountain Golf - Photo Tour: Old Works

[Jim Johnson]

After golfing at Canyon River near Missoula, Montana:
http://canyonrivergolfclub.com

my wife and I hit the road and travelled southeast a bit to Anaconda...


Anaconda is the site of Old Works, a course designed by the Jack Nicklaus company, and quite an engineering feat. From the course's website:
In 1883, an Irish immigrant, Marcus Daly backed by J.B. Haggin and others purchased the land on which the city of Anaconda and the Old Works were to be built. In September 1884 the Upper Works began production, with a capacity to treat 500 tons of ore daily. (Remnants of the Upper Works can be seen today when playing the front nine at Old Works.) In 1886, installing updated equipment increased capacity to 1,000 tons per day. The need for more smelting capacity from the Butte mine's resulted in construction beginning on the Lower Works in 1887, one mile east of the Upper Works. Shortly after completion, the Lower Works were destroyed by fire. The rebuilt Lower Works were operational by 1889 with a capacity to process 3,000 tons of ore daily. To keep up with the ore supply, a third smelter was planned across the valley. Marcus Daly never saw these Reduction Works in operation; he died in New York in 1900.

The new more modern Washoe Smelter had the capacity to process all of the ore from the Butte mines, resulting in the dismantling and closure of the Old Works. The location lay idle until 1983 when it became a super fund cleanup site. In 1989, Anaconda citizen's formed a group to promote the construction of a "world class" golf course on the site. Through hard work and cooperation, between the community, ARCO, State and Federal Agencies along with golf legend Jack Nicklaus, ground was broken on May 26, 1994.

With 5 sets of tees, the course plays to 7,705 yards/75.8 rating/135 slope (Slag), 7,211/73.4/131 (Gold), 6,776/71.6/125 (Copper), 6,144/68.5/113 (Limestone), and 5,348/70.1 women/122.

On the entrance road...


Smelter ladles near the clubhouse


Holes to note:
The uphill par-5 3rd hole on the northern edge of the property, playing to 587 yards (back tees/Slag)...




Downhill par-4 #5, at 463 yards...


Below is the uphill 6th hole, a long par 5 stretching to 600 yards...


Looking back down the 6th hole...


The downhill par-3 7th playing at 238 yards...


Hole #9 was my favorite hole on the weeklong trip. From the back tees at 485 yards, it's a stern par-4 whose strategy is dictated by the green's angle to the fairway and the day's pin position. The mound on the right side hides a vast fairway, and the fairway bunker on the left dares you to shorten the hole, a dogleg left, by hitting anywhere near it. Thin wispy fescues between the tees and the fairway enable topped shots to be found, always a nice feature for the duffer...


Looking back from behind the 9th green. Note the wide expanse of fairway, particularly the area hidden by the mound from the teeboxes...


Then it was a quick visit to the clubhouse for a great cheeseburger and onto the back nine...

[Jim Johnson]

As some on this site have remarked, the back nine isn't quite as memorable/scenic/picturesque as the front nine. It does have its moments though, in particular the 12th hole and its adjacent hillside.

Back nine holes to note:
Looking up the par-5 11th hole, 597 yards...


And from behind the green, looking back over the creek fronting the green...


The picturesque par-4 12th hole, 445 yards...


And looking back toward the tee...


Here's the 13th hole, a par-3 of 206 yards


From the tees on the 644 yard par-5 15th hole...


Looking from the tee up at the par-4 16th, 471 yards...


Here's a shot from behind the green on the 16th...


Hole #17, a par-3 of 202 yards...


Overall, Old Works was our favorite course on the trip. It was in excellent condition, there was enough room to manipulate the ball, green contours weren't out of control, weather conditions were close to ideal, surrounding scenery was gorgeous, the copper mining remnants were interesting, etc. etc.

If I had one complaint, it is that it is a l-o-n-g course (7,705 yards) and with five sets of tees, it would be a helluva long walk for me to get to my tees (I took it easy that day and played from the Limestone tees at 6,144 yards). Like the other rounds that week, we carted. 

Next, we traveled to the Big Sky Resort, for a peak at The Reserve at Moonlight Basin and a round at Spanish Peaks.

[Mark Saltzman]

Jim,

Thanks for posting the photos.  I too recently played Old Works and will be posting some photos at some point. 

Some have said the course is not worthy of travel to see.  I disagree.  The front 9, particularly holes 3-9 are an exceptional stretch of strategic golf.  In particular, holes 5 and 8 are stellar par 4s with plenty of choice on tee shots and approach.

Again the GCA crowd is correct.  The back 9 is not of the same quality as the front (15 is probably the exception - the best hole on the back, in my opinion).  I knew I was in for a weaker 9 when I challenged the hazard on 10 only to find the approach from that angle is more difficult.  Then the right fairway bunker on 11 protected against a bail out (which I didn't like).  I know you wrote that you liked 12, but I felt like the hole was just filler, getting you to the piece of property with the lake on it.  14 was a mirror image of 12.

All in all, very happy I saw the golf course.  It is just too bad Mr. Nicklaus couldn't keep up the quality of the front.

[Chris Flamion]

Those bunkers are surreal.  The scenery is also gorgeous.

[Garland Bayley]

Jim,

Are par 5s your favorite? From your pictures, it would seem so.

My favorite hole there is #6. I thought #5 was a hit one long (vastly elevated tee), hit one high hole. I didn't see much strategy in it.

[Mark Saltzman]

Jim,

Are par 5s your favorite? From your pictures, it would seem so.

My favorite hole there is #6. I thought #5 was a hit one long (vastly elevated tee), hit one high hole. I didn't see much strategy in it.

Garland,

I disagree about 5.  On the tee shot, the staggered bunkers (short right and long left) and water left create several choices off the tee.  The choice off the tee dictates the type of shot you will have into the green.  If brave enough to challenge the short right bunker then an easy approach awaits.  From anywhere else it is a tough one.

[Garland Bayley]

Jim,

Are par 5s your favorite? From your pictures, it would seem so.

My favorite hole there is #6. I thought #5 was a hit one long (vastly elevated tee), hit one high hole. I didn't see much strategy in it.

Garland,

I disagree about 5.  On the tee shot, the staggered bunkers (short right and long left) and water left create several choices off the tee.  The choice off the tee dictates the type of shot you will have into the green.  If brave enough to challenge the short right bunker then an easy approach awaits.  From anywhere else it is a tough one.

Our difference here may be that I hit it too far for my handicap. Therefore, if I play appropriate tees, my approach is just target golf from the flattest most boring fairway on the course.