How did a small town build the Jamestown Park Golf Course, a challenging, well-maintained facility with 18 holes and a driving range?
“It literally was built with booze and liquor money,” said Scott Coakley, the longtime parks and recreation director for the Town of Jamestown.
You see, back in 1974, Jamestown (population 2,231 in 1970 Census) had a bustling ABC store near the border with then-dry High Point. Revenues were pouring in, and not enough was getting spent by the town.
According to what’s he been told, Coakley said state officials told Jamestown to spend some of that money. To back up the story, Coakley said he’s seen the state grant request from the town, listing ABC revenues as the source of matching funds.
So the town pieced together Jamestown Park’s 180 acres — some acquired in a land swap with High Point — and built the golf facility.
The small town, still under 4,000 in population, built a big-time muni course, most of it free of adjoining housing, with Tif-Eagle Bermuda greens among the fastest in the Triad.
The par-72 layout measures 6,700 yards from tips with a rating of 72.4 and a 129 slope. Three other sets of tees are available, beginning at less than 5,000 yards.
Jamestown has made the commitment to maintain the course in good condition. The course’s staff is made up of full-time city employees. There’s never been a management company.
“Jamestown has always taken pride in this place, a small community with an 18-hole course and a driving range,” said Coakley, who believes the town may be the nation’s smallest to operate an 18-hole course with a range.
Architect Lester George renovated the greens of the John Townsend design in 2016, softening some of the contours to allow more pin positions and replacing the former bent grass surfaces.
Coakley said only 6% of play at Jamestown Park is from town residents, who get a discount. But the course played 33,000 rounds last year. Rack rates for 18 holes and cart are $45 on weekdays and $55 on weekends.
“Honestly, word of mouth is important,” said head professional Marcy Newton. “The greens are good — we hear that all the time. Our greens rival some of the country clubs.”
Undulating fairways, often lined by trees, provide much of the difficulty. Water rarely comes into play on a few holes — the par-3 17th requires a carry to a green that slopes back toward a lake.
No. 9, requires a medium-length carry over water to an uphill fairway bending slightly left toward the clubhouse.
There are opportunities to roll shots onto most of the greens. Bunkers aren’t dramatically deep.
“I would say we get all types of golfers — beginning to scratch,” Newton said. “I think the course is good in that way.
But the par-3 eighth is probably the signature hole. Stretching to almost 200 yards from the back tees, the holes plays longer, ranging uphill to a green featuring a big hump on the right. Woods run tightly along the right. Shots missing to the left either find a deep bunker several yards short of the putting surface or tumble down a steep slope, leaving a tough pitch. Out of bounds are only a few steps over the green.
The majority of the course’s par-4 and par-5 holes bend at least slightly to the left, prompting another Jamestown Park legend.
“Rumor has it that all of our holes bend left because our town manager (Charles Turner) at the time was left-handed,” Coakley said. “I’ve heard that story several times.”
In June, the course got new lithium-powered Yamaha carts with GPS — a feature new to the course.
“We keep trying to push the envelope to get better and better,” Coakley said.
Superintendent Justin May said the course hopes to make renovations to bunkers and tees in the next few years. Coakley said the town is also considering reopening the clubhouse kitchen to offer more than the current hotdogs and cold sandwiches.
