Old Works (Copper)
6776 yards – 71.9 Rating – 125 Slope – 81 Score
Day 46; June 5th, 2017
The signature element of Old Works is the black slag bunkers, and you can’t miss them when you are on the course. In fact to me, at first, they kept appearing to be water rather than traps. Fortunately, they don’t play like water if you find yourself in one (as I did on two occasions). While they don’t play exactly the same as a standard sand bunker, I felt they played true and had no problem with them. My best shot of the day was arguably a 7 iron from 174 out of a fairway slag waste area where I had absolutely no problem picking the ball clean off the glistening black surface.
Beyond the traps, there is some good golf to be played at Old Works. I think the course probably plays a bit tougher later in the year when some of the grass gets a bit thicker in the rough areas (which benefitted me on a day I wasn’t as precise as I’d like to have been off the tee). However, the Nicolaus course winding through an EPA super-fund site still presents plenty of challenge and there are tee boxes available for every ability. As you play the upper portions of the course, don’t miss the ruins of the “Old Works” themselves; it’s pretty cool climbing from the 5th green to the 6th tee box through the brick foundations of what was once a bustling industrial complex.
This track has a links feel to it, without many trees or a lot of water (although the bunkers lulled me to sleep and when I first looked at the one pond on the course, I thought it was a fairway waste area). There is a creek running by the clubhouse which you will cross a couple of times (more depending on which tees you play), but it really does not come into play very much. There is a bit of elevation change and some tricky angles and hazards. While Old Works has some holes that can be scored upon, it also has a few that will take a stroke (or more) away from you for an errant shot.
The view from the tips on #1 is worth taking in, even if you don’t play back from back there. It is opposite the creek from the other tees and we didn’t even see it until we were heading to the parking lot after our round. You fire over the creek (with a decent carry) into a relatively small visible landing area. It left me wishing, at least for that hole, I had played all the way back.
The staff at Old Works was nothing short of wonderful; friendly, helpful, and eager to chat about the course for which they clearly have affection. It is also well maintained by a grounds crew that, despite me being first off in the morning, managed to be largely invisible as we made our way around the grounds. Pace of play was brisk when I started off and as far as I can tell stayed that way as the morning went on.
I would certainly play Old Works again and recommend it based on more than just the novelty of the black bunkers. Without them this course would still be more than worth your time (with them, it’s even better).
