Olde Homeplace Golf Club 4295 Wallburg Road Winston-Salem, NC 27107 336-769-1076 Opened: 1993 Architects: Don and Mark Charles General Manager/Superintendent: Mark Charles Head Professional: Harold Hoover Type: public Walking Policy: M-F anytime, after 1:30 on weekends Greens Fees (including cart): $28 M-F, $34 weekends Spike Policy: none, soft preferred Greens: Dominant bent, 6,500 sq. ft. on average Fairways & Rough: 419 Bermuda Clubhouse: 1,000 sq. ft. with pro shop and full service grill Practice Facilities: Three practice greens, grass-tee driving range scheduled for 2001 Par: 71 Yardages: 6,649, 6,303, 5,862, 4,583 Course Rating (temporary): 71.4, 69.7, 67.1, 61.8 Slope (temporary): 124, 120, 118, 105

For years golf course architect Don Charles and his son Mark have built other people’s dreams. But in 1992 they built their own in southeastern Forsyth county. Well designed and well conditioned, Olde Homeplace Golf Club has been a popular stop for local golfers since its opening in 1993, but there’s always been one complaint. "It’s too short," Mark says when asked what his customers’ number one gripe has been.

At 6,345 yards from the back tees, the customers were right. But all that changed Oct. 6 when Olde Homeplace debuted a new layout featuring two new holes and 300 more yards of golf. Now, with a new set of tees measuring a roomy 6,649 yards and a driving range on the way, Olde Homeplace is the course the Charleses envisioned back in ’92. "I’m really excited about this," Mark says. "But as glad as I am to get the new holes, I really can’t wait for the driving range."

From the start the problem at Olde Homeplace (originally dubbed Homestead) was a lack of space. Back in ’92 the Charleses only had 135 acres to work with and no matter how they sliced it, they couldn’t fit in a driving range. After a failed zoning request which would have allowed them to purchase nearby land for a range, the men appeared content to leave Olde Homeplace as it was—all 6,300 yards of it.

Then lady luck shined on them.

When 38 acres became available adjacent to the course’s northern boundary, the Charleses bought it and immediately made plans to finish what they had started eight years ago. Almost by divine intervention the new layout sprang forth from the old.

Following the original routing the course now begins on the downhill par-4, 1st hole. Play then proceeds to the "old" No. 2 which has been changed from a gimme par-5 to a stout par-4. Play then skips the old 3rd and 4th holes (which have become the new 15th and 14th holes respectively) and continues to the par-3, 5th which is now the par-3 3rd. Next is the old 6th which is now the 4th, followed by the first of the two new holes.

The new No. 5 is a legitimate par-5 at 526 yards. The tee shot must carry 190 yards from the back (black) tee to a fairly generous fairway guarded by a lone bunker on the right. From there the approach shot must find fairway or green and avoid going over the bulkhead which runs up the right side of the hole. The green is flanked by a bunker on each side, but the front is open and the surface relatively flat. When compared to the par-5 it replaced in No. 2, this par-5 is far superior—and in No. 2 the course gains a strong par-4.

The second of the new holes is the demanding par-4, 6th. Here the tee shot must find the fairway as bunkers protect both sides of the landing area and a ravine awaits any shot sent far right. From the back tee a drive of 270 will barely stay in the short grass as the fairway gives way to a ravine that must be cleared on the approach shot. Like the 5th, the green on No. 6 is fairly flat and compares favorably to Olde Homeplace’s original greens. One bunker guards the left side.

After a swing through the new holes the course then follows the original 7th, 8th, and 9th holes to complete the front side.

The back nine is a bit more scrambled. To make room for the future driving range (they hope to have it finished by next June) Nos. 10 and 18 have been removed. To start the back nine golfers will play down the old par-4 16th, up old No. 17, and then over to the two par-3s—old Nos. 11 and 12. Then they simply play the old 4th and 3rd holes as the new 14th and 15th before coming home on the old 13th, 14th and 15th as the new 16th, 17th and 18th holes.

It sounds convoluted. But in truth it works perfectly. In fact, everything fell into place so well that the new holes were constructed and four new tees built (to facilitate the new black tees) without regular play ever being interrupted. "I’d like to say we planned it that way," Mark Charles says with a grin, "but the truth is we got lucky."

Following the $450,000 makeover, Olde Homeplace now provides a challenge for all golfers. And shorter hitters who never had a problem with the original length needn’t worry about the changes. Though the routing has changed and a once easy par-5 dropped to a par-4, the course is just as playable. The new black tees have allowed the course to increase in yardage from the tips without significantly altering the distance from the red, white, and blue tees. And par remains at 71.

"I think it’s all going to flow and tie in real nice," Mark Charles predicts. "It just happened that everything was in the right place to begin with."

True enough. But it took the skillful eyes of Don and Mark Charles to recognize it.

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