Old Works

The course is cleverly surrounded by the old mining site with amazing structures and a magnificent view of the Old Concrete Smelter Smokestack (State Park now). The course sits next to the historic town of Anaconda. The facility is clean and modern and the practice facility is fantastic with the Moose, Bear, Elk targets to shoot at it just has a great feel. The course layout is challenging but fair. I am a 7 and typically shoot in the low 80s there. Fairway are generous but with the elevations and the Warm Springs Creek meandering along the way there are plenty of chances to get some doubles and triples if you get out of position. Greens are large and very undulating typically fast but not super fast. Usually see some Deer and on a good day a couple birdies and usually a double or two. The bar is great with plenty of good beers both local and the usual. All the good booze too. Love the place

This is our favorite course in Montana! Jack Nicklaus Signature course, fabulous views, brick "ruins" from the old Copper Barron's copper smelter, black slag bunkers. Challenging but fun. We love this place- the course is really on the way back to it's glory days. The only issue here is there aren't any upscale places to stay. We always stay at Faye's- the Marcus Daly motel- clean and comfy- but she is always full. There is supposed to be a new boutique cottage resort on the Warm Springs Creek and looking over the golf course. Hot tubs on the deck and inside- a wine frig and a cigar humidor! Can't wait to come and stay a week there! Don't make the mistake of not staying in Anaconda- cool undiscovered town (for now!) There are great resturants- Donivans bar is unique and the food is great, O'bellas Italian food is yummy and the breadsticks are worth the carbs, and Barkley's !! is a trip into the past with great food! Go there! It's open!

The bunkers a black slag, a bi-product of the smelting process, and approved by Jack Nicklaus who designed the course.

Probably the lowest cost Nicklaus Signature Course you can play. The course was in good condition from tee to green. The front nine upper course has more elevation changes while the back lower nine pretty flat. Water comes into play on a few holes, and a few forced carries. Good mix of grip it and rip it holes and others where club selection is a premium. Course also has a very interesting history and there is some restoration going on of the old smelter plant. Paid $45 on teeoff, which made it a great value. If in the area, definitely give it a play. You will enjoy!

Great course. Challenging but playable. Wind came on the back 9 to add difficulty. Wonderful views with deer running around. Not much water. Spot sand traps play very well.

Start to finish it was the highlight of my trip. Play some of my best golf here. Staff was amazing. Only gripe is the lack of meal after my round because of a tournament. Practice facilities were great. Bunkers were different. Beautiful views. amazing time. Cant wait to go back.

Take a quick spin off the I-15 and enjoy the Old Works. Wide fairways, no homes to worry about and quick greens. Well worth the time. Oh yeah and the traps!

Who would think an EPA Superfund site could be so nice? Jack has used some of the old foundations as a back drop for a great tack. Wide fairways, a bit tricky greens, and you have to love the black “sand” traps. Great experience and an interesting town to visit post round.

This place is so awesome. Its hard to pick out what I like the most. This was my first time making this trip, but it won't be the last. I am already looking into flights so I can return. Great course that is a tough, but fair test. Absolutely gorgeous layout that uses the terrain of the old smelter plant. Such a special piece of "Golf Art" designed by a MASTER.

Requires accuracy off tee or you’ll be looking for ball in deep rough Greens were excellent shape and fast. Pace of play was slow 5 hours at midday

Very nice course. Holes well designed and interesting. Greens are large, fast and with subtle breaks. Lucky to 2 putt a hole. Fun to see the history of the place all around you. Sand takes a bit getting used to. Be sure to hit a few out of the sand in the practice area before teeing off.

We have played Old Works for years. This year the course is in better shape than previous (wetter) years. They had a tournament that slowed us down, 2 hours on the front, 3 hours on the back, but great day .

Enjoyed the course. Tough layout, particularly with wind conditions. Only drawback was very slow play. Nearly 5 hours.

Great layout, only 17 holes open due to erosion, no reduced rate, the temporary green was just cut in the fairway and not good!

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 be more than worth your time (with them, it’s even better).

This course is a very beautiful setting in an old mining town with challenging holes. Fun for anyone. Pace of play was excellent. Fairways were a bit soft, greens are small and will challenge anyone my

The course was in good condition. Fairways were excellent and greens good. Challenging but playable for all skill levels.

Greens in atrocious condition for $95.00 green fee.

This is the best Nicklaus course I've played out of 6. Generous fairways but trouble if you miss them. Greens have lots of slope yet they are not impossible. A mix of a few hard holes (10 & 11), some intermediate difficulty and a few easy holes. Lots of black slag bunkering but room to miss them. This is a must play course if you are anywhere in the area. The price is fair too .