Wilmington Municipal Golf Course celebrates 100 years

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WWAY) — A Wilmington landmark is celebrating a century on the links.

The Wilmington Municipal Golf Course turns 100 this year, with a centennial celebration planned for Saturday.

On Friday, golfers took to the 18-hole course designed by famed golf course architect Donald Ross. Known by many as the “Muni,” the course has been a fixture in Wilmington’s golf community for a century.

The course has also undergone major changes over the years. A 2014 renovation rebuilt the greens and restored more of Ross’ original design. The clubhouse and pro shop were also renovated, and a new irrigation system was completed in 2025.

PGA General Manager David Donovan has been at the course for 19 years and has seen those changes firsthand.

“I’ve been here almost one-fifth of a hundred years right now, and I’ve seen it go to, the term I use, from rags to riches,” Donovan said. “When I first got here, it was pretty rough, and if you look at it today, it’s one of the best munis in the country.”

There’s also a new addition greeting golfers just in time for the centennial.

A four-sided clock was installed this week with funding from the Friends of Muni. Donovan said it is intended to serve as a centerpiece for the course, similar to clocks found at other historic golf courses.

For regular golfer Zach Smith, who has called the Muni his home course for about seven years, the milestone is also about preserving the course for future generations.

“I think it’s an awesome place for people to be introduced to the game and learn how to play the game and preserve the traditions of the game as well as just the classic architecture of the golf course,” Smith said.

The centennial celebration begins Saturday at 11 a.m. with remarks from Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo.