OLD WORKS GOLF CLUB
RUNDOWN: Old Works Golf Club in Anaconda Montana is an amazing golf course! Not only does it bring people from miles around, which benefits the community, but just having the course built was a major benefit to Anaconda's environment. It is built on Anaconda's first copper smelter and brought a huge improvement to the community. This is the first course to be put onto a Super Fund clean up site. To make a long story short that means the area was deemed to be hazardous to the environment and needed to be brought up to better safety standards. The community decided to really push for a world class golf course to be in the area and in 1997 Old Works was open for public play. A true signature Jack Nicklaus course provides a wonderful round of golf at a solid rate as well.
What you will encounter here is a pure, open golf course! Your driver will either be your friend or your foe on this course. The fairways are huge and lend towards a grip it and rip it type of play off the tees. But, veer too far off course and there is plenty of trouble in the native areas and black slag bunkers. They used the leftover slag from the copper smelting process to fill all the bunkers on the course. They used what they had and it adds a level of enjoyment to this course! The course can play very long from the tips, but shortening it up allows any individual the ability to enjoy this track. You will enjoy this course from beginning to end. Drive off the beaten path and stop by this course, you will not be disappointed in the least!
Due to higher winds on our visit and a little poor planning on our part, we did not capture all that this course has to offer. We will make due with what we have for now, but keep your eyes peeled for updates to come next year! This is one of our favorite courses and we will have some great stuff to show you in the future!
COURSE INFO AND DIRECTIONS
Designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened to the public in 1997.
Rates range from $59 to $99. They have great replay rates and you will not find a better value in the area.
Multiple sets of tees ranging from 5,348 yards all the way up to 7,705 yards.
www.oldworks.org/index.php
406-563-5989 1205 Pizzini Way, Anaconda MT 59711
What you will encounter here is a pure, open golf course! Your driver will either be your friend or your foe on this course. The fairways are huge and lend towards a grip it and rip it type of play off the tees. But, veer too far off course and there is plenty of trouble in the native areas and black slag bunkers. They used the leftover slag from the copper smelting process to fill all the bunkers on the course. They used what they had and it adds a level of enjoyment to this course! The course can play very long from the tips, but shortening it up allows any individual the ability to enjoy this track. You will enjoy this course from beginning to end. Drive off the beaten path and stop by this course, you will not be disappointed in the least!
Due to higher winds on our visit and a little poor planning on our part, we did not capture all that this course has to offer. We will make due with what we have for now, but keep your eyes peeled for updates to come next year! This is one of our favorite courses and we will have some great stuff to show you in the future!
COURSE INFO AND DIRECTIONS
Designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened to the public in 1997.
Rates range from $59 to $99. They have great replay rates and you will not find a better value in the area.
Multiple sets of tees ranging from 5,348 yards all the way up to 7,705 yards.
www.oldworks.org/index.php
406-563-5989 1205 Pizzini Way, Anaconda MT 59711
REVIEW AND HIGHLIGHTS
Hole 1 "Warm Springs" Par 4 - 451 Yards
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Warm Springs Creek makes a very prominent entrance into this opening hole from the back tees. You won't see the creek again until you hit the back 9, so just enjoy it from afar. From the back tee box it looks like there is not much room for error, but play to the right side or a slight fade and there is plenty of fairway to work with. Pull your tee shot left and get ready to work out some deals with your playing partners for a quick mulligan. Being safe in the fairway doesn't necessarily mean an easy shot into this par four. You will become accustomed to using mid to long irons coming into the greens if playing the tips. Your first glimpse of the black slag bunker basically shuts off the left side of the green to a low approach shot. Keep it on the right hand side if you need to run anything up, or you just want to play it safe starting out. The green is large but relatively tame, as are many of the greens here. You will usually read more break than there actually is in most of your putts. Putts do not usually scream along here either, so be confident with your stroke and walk away with a solid opening score.
Hole 12 "Copper Kings" Par 4 - 445 Yards
This is your only par four where you will not encounter a black bunker during play. It is a straightforward hole that seems like it should be one of your easier holes. For some reason this hole tends to play difficult for me though. Generally it plays into a firm wind that will help push your ball towards the large rock face on the right side. Me and many others have watched our tee shot ride the wind and careen to parts unknown off the rocks. However, play it to the middle of the fairway and this hole can play relatively easy. Your approach shot into this green is key as it tends to be one of the more difficult reads on the course. A couple different levels lay on this large green and will not provide such an easy putt if not close to the hole. I seem to always walk away with a bogey, but straightforward play will bring about a chance at birdie or at least par.
Hole 13 "Rail" Par 3 - 206 Yards
I love this par three! Next to hole seven, this is my favorite on the property. We will capture seven for you at a later date. However, I nearly aced this hole this year playing from the tips, which may be the reason I love it. Playing into a slight wind I took a 5 iron as the pin was on the back right portion of the green. Striking it solid I hit the pin on the fly about 6 inches up from the opening to the cup. You could see the mark on the flagstick when we got up there to examine it more closely. Unfortunately the ball bounced hard off the pin and left me about a 30 ft putt for birdie. Left with par, but a solid memory of this hole.
The hole plays into a crosswind from right to left on most days. There is a large collection area on the left side of the green that is a much better miss than to the right. The green has a large ridge that runs off the left side of the green towards the middle. The ridge can make it difficult to get all the way to the back of the green when avoiding the water on the right. Keep your ball dry and enjoy the view of the large smokestack in the distance.
The hole plays into a crosswind from right to left on most days. There is a large collection area on the left side of the green that is a much better miss than to the right. The green has a large ridge that runs off the left side of the green towards the middle. The ridge can make it difficult to get all the way to the back of the green when avoiding the water on the right. Keep your ball dry and enjoy the view of the large smokestack in the distance.
Hole 15 "Crusher" Par 5 - 644 Yards
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Anytime a hole yardage starts off with a "6" you know you are in for a beast of a hole! Enjoy the view of the mountains ahead of you, as this hole may torches the shorter player. Pull out driver and swing away! The large waste bunker on the right side seems to draw a golf ball to it like a magnet. Hitting the fairway gives you some options to think about. You can let your ego get the best of you and try to power home in two shots, but it is probably not your best option as few will hit the green in two. You can lay up 75 yards out, but you fight with a narrowing fairway that is almost snakelike. Or, you can lay up outside of 100 yards for a little better opportunity to be in the short grass with a solid approach shot. The green is wide but fairly shallow, so a higher lofted club provides your best option onto the putting surface. They love to tuck the pin towards the front, avoid playing at it as it is easier to hit into the bunker up front than it is to hit it tight. Overall, you are playing to get on in three, so play to your personal strengths and you have a decent chance at taming this beast of a hole!