Home of Wake Forest University Golf

Both Old Town Club and Wake Forest University are located on the original 1000 acre estate of tobacco scion R.J. Reynolds, known at the time as Reynolda. In 1938, R.J.'s daughter, Mary Reynolds, and her husband, Charlie Babcock, donated 165 acres of the Reynolda estate to form Old Town Club next to their homestead, which is showcased today as the Reynolda House and Gardens and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1956, the Babcocks donated 300 more acres of the Reynolda estate to bring Wake Forest College to Winston-Salem from the eastern part of North Carolina. 

Old Town's close association with Wake Forest golf actually pre-dated the University's relocation to Winston-Salem. The Wake Forest men's golf team participated in the Southern Conference Championships at Old Town in 1942, 1947, 1949, 1950 and 1952.   

By all accounts, Arnold Palmer's masterful play during a trio of conference championships helped forge the early bonds between Old Town and Wake Forest golf. Mr. Palmer won medalists honors at Old Town in 1949 and finished runner-up to Harvie Ward at Old Town in 1950.

In 1954, Wake Forest joined the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), and Old Town hosted their inaugural Men's Conference Championship. After serving a three-year stint with the United States Coast Guard, Palmer returned to Wake Forest and prevailed again to win his second Conference title at Old Town. Following that exciting beginning, the ACC Men's Golf Championship returned to Old Town every year through 1958, and then again in 1962. Old Town has proudly served as the home course of both the men's and women's golf teams since their relocation to Winston-Salem in 1956.

Today Old Town has a burgeoning National and State membership that includes many Wake Forest parents and alums. Plus, the Club has granted honorary memberships to a handful of Wake Forest's most distinguished golfers, including the following professional Major Champions: Mr. Arnold Palmer, Lanny Wadkins, Curtis Strange, Jay Haas, and Webb Simpson. Old Town has also helped develop many talented young lady golfers, including Stephanie Neill, Laura Diaz, Cheyenne Woods and Jennifer Kupcho.