History with ‘Hud’: Detailing the oldest golf course in the Cape Fear region
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — As the weather continues to warm up, more and more people are hitting the links to improve their golf game. While there are numerous courses around the region, one is older than all the rest.
The Cape Fear Country Club was founded in 1896, making it not just the earliest golf course in the region but also the oldest private country club in North Carolina.
A group of men in that year, including Colonel David Porter Heap, arranged a meeting with the purpose of organizing a golf club. The eventual course was designed by Donald Ross, who also went on to design the Wilmington Municipal Golf Course established three decades later.
The first location for the Cape Fear Country Club course was within a public park on the property of the old Hilton Plantation, just north of Wilmington. The club has relocated two times from that site, to the north side of Oleander Drive and the south side of Oleander Drive, where it remains today.
The clubhouse itself has also been reconstructed three times, starting off as a modest cottage in 1900 and growing to the center piece it is now.
Not surprisingly, the Cape Fear Country Club has hosted several prominent tournaments and golfers over the years, being the home of the PGA Tour’s Azalea Open from 1949 through 1971 – with Arnold Palmer among the winners. Palmer’s victory in 1957 earned him $1,700 and solidified his rising fame. Other famous golfer such as Jack Nicklaus, Sam Snead and Ben Hogan have also played the course.
During golf course renovation in 2019, numerous Civil War–era cannonballs were discovered on the property. These artifacts came from the Confederate Battery McRee, which once stood on the grounds of what is now Cape Fear Country Club.
With nearly 7,000 yards of course, holding a total par of 72, the course offers year-round fun with a wide variety of shot values and angles, but is restricted to Cape Fear Country Club members.
It’s been more than a century since the course opened, but the site is as popular as ever. From beginners to those on the verge of a record round, the course will likely remain a go-to spot for years to come.
Meteorologist Matthew Huddleston (‘Hud’) has always had two major loves – weather and history. While you can watch him talk about weather each morning on WWAY, he looks forward to bringing you a little piece of history each Thursday on WWAY’s website.
To read other History with ‘Hud’ segments, click HERE.
