Old Town Club Winston Salem NC Event Photography
Old Town Club of Winston Salem NC celebrated it's 75th anniversary this year. It was an evening filled with old members along with new, amazing food and lively music and lots of dancing. A perfect blend of the past and present in honor of celebrating 75 years of the club.As a Winston Salem native, it was intriguing to read the history of the club and the people that make Winston Salem and this club such a rich culture. If you are interested yourself, you can read more below or go to Old Town Club website HERE.
The history of Old Town Club begins with Mrs. Mary Reynolds Babcock. The daughter of R.J. Reynolds, founder of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, she married Charles Henry Babcock, an investment banker from Philadelphia. They lived for a time in Greenwich, Connecticut but moved to Winston-Salem in 1934 when she acquired Reynolda. Upon her father’s death she inherited $30 million dollars and was able to indulge her great interest in philanthropy. Over the years she contributed generously to many organizations, particularly those concerned with private higher education, social welfare and the arts. In 1951 she and her husband gave three hundred acres of the Reynolda estate to Wake Forest College. An entire new campus was built on this land and the college moved from Wake County to its new home.
Mrs. Babcock built the golf course and clubhouse for Old Town Club on land that she owned. Her husband commissioned famed golf course architect Perry Maxwell, who at that time was renovating Augusta National, to come to Winston and design the course for the club. It took some time for Mr. Maxwell to decide which portion of the 1,000-acre estate he would use for the course. Work began on January 1, 1939 and the entire 18 holes was opened and played upon on November 11 that same year.
This venerable course is best known for its distinctive routing, rolling topography and undulating putting surfaces. It has a unique double green that is shared by two holes approaching from different directions. Uncharacteristically long, number 17 is a 585-yard par 5, and shares the green with the par 4,382-yard 8th hole. There are also several beautiful stone bridges constructed at various points on the course. One of those is named in honor of Purvis Ferree, who was the Golf Professional at Old Town from 1942 until 1965.
The opening reception for the clubhouse was on Friday, December 22, 1939. Built of brick, the clubhouse contained locker rooms and dining facilities for the members. Since Forsyth County was dry at that time, members had to provide their own alcoholic beverages and store them in lockers at the club. Over the years there have been several additions and improvements to the clubhouse to expand the dining rooms, locker rooms, kitchens and swimming pool area. The clubhouse now has food and beverage service including banquet facilities, men’s grill and family grill, and a pool pavilion ideally suited for outdoor parties. There are also 8 tennis courts, 2 platform tennis courts, a full size swimming pool, a junior pool and a baby pool.
Since its opening in 1939 Old Town Club has succeeded in providing a welcoming, relaxing atmosphere for its members and their guests, as well as a superbly challenging golf experience.
