[Steve Lapper]

Jeff,


  As the "less gracious" of our duo that day, let's all not forget that Mr. Randolph Morrissett is far, far from a model of golfing comity when he's on the losing end of the equation!


  Muttering, despondent and bitter are more like it!!


  That said, we do love him nonetheless!!

[Dunlop_White]

adding to Ran's post …. here's an outstanding parkland shot taken today ….capturing our newest vista.

Hole 4 green in the foreground with the fall-away 6th in the backdrop.

[George Freeman]

Dunlop:   

Looks amazing.  Thank you for posting.

[Dunlop_White]

Thanks George. To get an idea of the architectural evolution and transformation here in this isolated segment of the golf course, one must look at the following set of photos taken from the approach of hole 4 over a period of 20-years. We all still marvel at the achievement.


Twenty Years Ago: Circa 1996

Eight Years Ago: Circa 2009

Two Days Ago: 2017

Check out the wall of trees or the lack thereof, the new vista, the natives in all their summer glory, and the C&C bunkers, the green sizes and their relationship to the bunkers, the fairway expansion, the grass-types, the mowing lines, and even the accessories. An all encompassing make-over that exposes the land and punctuates it with some great, natural looking golf features.

[Mike Sweeney]

Dunlop,


Spectacular. If there is a "Poster Child" for this website, your restoration of OTC is #1 from my view.


I sent you an email, let me know if you did not get it. That photo sequence above should really be added to the OTC profile so it does not get lost in the archives.


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

[Sean_A]

Thanks George. To get an idea of the architectural evolution and transformation here in this isolated segment of the golf course, one must look at the following set of photos taken from the approach of hole 4 over a period of 20-years. We all still marvel at the achievement.


Twenty Years Ago: Circa 1996

Eight Years Ago: Circa 2009

Two Days Ago: 2017

Check out the wall of trees or the lack thereof, the new vista, the natives in all their summer glory, and the C&C bunkers, the green sizes and their relationship to the bunkers, the fairway expansion, the grass-types, the mowing lines, and even the accessories. An all encompassing make-over that exposes the land and punctuates it with some great, natural looking golf features.

Dunlop

Thanks.  It beggars belief that there are still folks out there who expouse the green wall look.  Believe it or not, just this past Sunday a good friend was defending this as something positive.


Thanks again for all your hard work!

Ciao

[Tom Fagerli]

Dunlop OTC amazes me more everyday. 

[Dunlop_White]

Dunlop,


Spectacular. If there is a "Poster Child" for this website, your restoration of OTC is #1 from my view.

That photo sequence above should really be added to the OTC profile so it does not get lost in the archives.

Thanks Tom Fagerli and Mike Sweeney. I can do photo sequencing for almost each hole. Any ideas from you or Ran as to where this should be posted as an archive or resource?

[Morgan Clawson]

Dunlop,

My vote would be to post a detailed "before and after" in the Best of Golf section.

The 3 photo montage you posted above is really stunning. 

Has there been a more dramatic restoration in the US?  Possibly not.  A restoration deep dive would be a useful resource and a fun read.

[Carson Pilcher]

If anyone has some more "Before & After" pictures, please post them or send them to me.  We have removed a substantial amount of trees at my home course and are considering an updated of the bunkering as well.

[BCrosby]

Amazing Dunlop. Congrats on the great work.


Bob

[Dunlop_White]

Dunlop, My vote would be to post a detailed "before and after" in the Best of Golf section. The 3 photo montage you posted above is really stunning.  Has there been a more dramatic restoration in the US?  Possibly not.  A restoration deep dive would be a useful resource and a fun read.

Thanks Morgan, Sean Arble, Bob Crosby and everyone. Much appreciated. Let Ran weigh-in to see what he prefers? I would be glad to put together something for the "Best In Golf" section about Old Town's ongoing restoration.  We have documented everything over the last 20 years.

I will also share these compliments with all who have been involved. As you know, there's no way I have been acting alone. Much of the credit goes to our current and past Presidents, Joe Young and Jimmy Einstein, our former golf chair, Loge Jackson, and our supers, O'Neil and Mac Crouch. And the architects, C & C, Dave Axland, Keith Rhebb and Quinn Thompson, and of course the Board and membership. We have had a big team with lots of support. And all those who mentored us through the pre and post-restoration politics. Thank you.
 

[Dunlop_White]

As requested, here's another photo sequence at hole 14.

1996

2006

Two days ago in 2017


Again, to understand the magnitude and scope of our transformation, look at the following photo sequence taken from Hole 14 over a period of 20-years. Scroll back and forth to examine the many areas of enhancements.

[Morgan Clawson]

Amazing how small those '96 greens were.
The new vistas are spectacular!

[Dunlop_White]

Amazing how small those '96 greens were.
The new vistas are spectacular!

Yes, the 1996 greens were tiny. Hard to believe the amount of shrinkage that occurred since their inception in 1939. Here's another photo sequence where you can visualize the 1996 evolved footprint of the putting surface on hole 2.



1996

2004

2014
To appreciate the magnitude and scope of this evolution, look at the following photo sequence taken from Hole 2 over a period of 20-years. Scroll back and forth to compare and contrast the following areas.

-- the green expansion and its intimate connection to the bunkers;
-- Coore & Crenshaw’s artistic Perry Maxwell bunkering.
-- the native grasses.
-- the natural sand color and texture;
-- the new turf types;
-- the new mowing lines and heights.

[Josh Tarble]

Dunlop,
These photos are the best visualization I've ever seen of what a great union of architecture and maintenance can do for a course.  These are truly phenomenal and I hope to experience Old Town in person one day soon.

[Michael Whitaker]

Dunlop - just curious... what's the story on the changes from 1996 and 2004? In your photos of #2 I really prefer the 1996 version over the 2004 version. Who? What? Why?

The current course is amazing. What a case study for course improvement! This would really make a great presentation for a GCA dinner. 

Mike

[Carl Nichols]

Dunlop - just curious... what's the story on the changes from 1996 and 2004? In your photos of #2 I really prefer the 1996 version over the 2004 version. Who? What? Why?

I had the same reaction to the other holes as well.

[Dunlop_White]

Dunlop - just curious... what's the story on the changes from 1996 and 2004? In your photos of #2 I really prefer the 1996 version over the 2004 version. Who? What? Why?

The current course is amazing. What a case study for course improvement! This would really make a great presentation for a GCA dinner. 

Mike

Mike,

Glad you visited us two weeks ago.  I was just talking to Dave Axland down at Seminole today who reiterated just how difficult it is to maintain a golf course in the transition zone of NC in the summer. Come see us again between September and December. I know most courses hit their stride in the fall but the difference seems to be greater in the transition zone of NC -- or at least at Old Town.

Josh, Carl and Mike….Here's the architectural history over the last 21 years, as requested.

1996: Bob Cupp: green restoration and bunker renovation.
2000 - Present: In House Tree Management Program
2002: Bobby Weed: new irrigation and back tees.
2013 - 2016: Coore and Crenshaw: all encompassing; touching everything!

[Michael Whitaker]

So... the 2004 photos represent Bob Cupp's work?


I will definitely take you up on that invitation. I'd love to play he course when you can breathe air that doesn't cook your lungs.    The heat and humidity were brutal!!!


Old Town is the most dramatic improvement of a course that I have ever seen. It's absolutely stunning!

[JC Jones]

Dunlop,
These photos are the best visualization I've ever seen of what a great union of architecture and maintenance can do for a course.  These are truly phenomenal and I hope to experience Old Town in person one day soon.

Get there now.  Old Town was awesome before the restoration and is nothing short of sensational after.  Add to that a great club, fantastic men's grill and Dunlop (the ultimate gentleman [size=0pt]) and it is one of the best places in golf.[/size]

[Dunlop_White]

Thanks everyone. Here's another … Hole 17 from the tee.


1996

2015

[Tommy Williamsen]

Thanks everyone. Here's another … Hole 17 from the tee.


1996

2015

I remember this hole very well. It is amazing that anyone would hide the creek. It is a wonderful hole on a great course.

[PCCraig]

Dunlop,


I have never been to Old Town, but it has been a real treat to follow it's progress. Congratulations on the results of all your hard work.


I know putting together these photo tours are time consuming, but if you ever find the time, it would be wonderful if you could put together an essay on the process(es) you took to restore Old Town, almost on a "step by step" basis, so others across the country could use it as guidance for their own clubs.


Either way, everything is looking good down there! I hope you're enjoying your summer.

[Sean_A]

Thanks everyone. Here's another … Hole 17 from the tee.


1996

2015

Dunlop

What the devil were people thinking?

Ciao

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