After more than 100 years of golf at Forsyth Country Club (FCC), a strong case could be made that the golf course has never been better. Starting as a 9-hole layout with sand greens soon after the Club was founded in 1913, the course was upgraded to a “real” 9-hole course by A.W. Tillinghast on the property that today contains the back 9. In 1920, Donald Ross was hired to give FCC a true championship 18-hole course.
Today, Ross is regarded as one of the best, if not the best, golf course architects in history. In Golf Week’s “100 Best Classic and 100 Best Modern Courses”, Ross tops all other architects with 26 to his credit.
Over the years, however, small and large changes were made to the course, and much of Ross’s genius had been lost. Recognizing that FCC owned a truly spectacular piece of real estate with significant elevation changes right in the heart of Winston-Salem, and that the course routing was still intact from possibly the greatest golf course architect ever, the next step was obvious. In 2007, Ross restoration specialist Kris Spence was hired to restore and update the course and to bring back the classic elements of Ross courses that make them so highly regarded.
The result is a great classic layout, updated for today’s game, and showcasing the latest advancements in turf quality. Champion Ultradwarf Bermudagrass greens provide smooth, fast surfaces for greens that replicate Ross’s original design. Several unique architectural features restored from Ross’s original work at FCC include the rugged “Bear’s Mouth” hillside on #8, the mounds known as the “Coffins” on #16, and the “Hornet’s Nest” cluster of bunkers on #18. Classic Ross bunkering of flat sand bottoms and steep grass faces require that golfers must think their way around the course. Ross is famous for his green complexes, and some of Forsyth’s greens have distinct shoulders and steep fall-offs while others are low to the ground. Regardless, all will accept low running shots, making the course playable and fun for all ages and abilities.
Playing to a par of 71 or 70, depending on how #8 is set up, Forsyth is 6,784 yards and plays to a course rating of 72.8 at par 71 and 72.2 on the par 70 layout. The practice facility is second to none with extensive driving range tee space, a large 12,000 square foot putting green, and a 2 acre short game facility, complete with a large 7,500 square foot green and 2 sand bunkers. The course has been getting rave reviews from members, as well as guests and course raters from all over the South. Michael Fay, executive director of the Donald Ross Society, summed up his recent visit by saying “Forsyth Club and Kris Spence have done a great job with this Ross restoration. I’m blown away!”
