What's 'Old' is new again: Rejuvenating the Old Works Golf Course

While the word "old" may be in its name, and while its unique landscape may be dotted with all the signs of historic smelting operations in the area, the Old Works Golf Course is experiencing a renewal, as the Jack Nicklaus signature golf course's surge of interest since the publicly owned course came under new management not only hasn't abated – it's now setting records. 

The numbers speak for themselves, including this one: 23,256, the number of rounds played at the Old Works this year – the most ever recorded at the course, said Todd Lupkes, its superintendent and general manager who came on board in early 2020 after CourseCo was brought in to manage the course. 

"We beat last year by 7%," Lupkes said. "Only one or two other times has it hit 23,000." 

Not only is it a continued year-over increase from what they've seen since the pandemic, it's nearly double the number of rounds the course was consistently seeing from 2016 to 2019, four seasons in a row where the rounds were under 12,000.  

Or continuing with the numbers, there's this one: $292,968. That's the net operating income that the course's annual plan shows it's projected to earn above its expenses in 2024, putting it well into the black once again. 

The plan projects similar revenue over expenses for 2025, and even if it ends up being a down year the course is still in strong financial shape. 

"We're not scraping by," Lupkes said. "I'm very happy with our financial position because it allows us to do other things. So many courses die on their sword because they have had a bad April or May. Very few courses are in as good a position as we are."

Even so, Lupkes and his staff are continuing to look at ways to make the course a destination for many forms of recreation, and not just on the course itself. The clubhouse renovations that began in 2022 started that trend with the fire pits and the Trackman Golf Simulator, which has a large following for its winter league, and next year will see the opening of its pickleball courts and – once the snow starts falling – this winter will also see cross-country skiing on the course. 

"We're getting all the cross-country stuff ready. We're just waiting for the most important part," Lupkes said. He said a portion of the trails will be lighted so that people can ski from dusk to 8 p.m., with the practice course to be available in the evenings while the back nine will be daytime use only. 

As for pickleball, the courts will be open to the public and there will be equipment available for purchase or rent, and Lupkes said they're working with local pickleball experts Jim and Mary Lou Furaus on setting up a league. 

Golf though is still the main attraction, and there'll be a main event coming in 2025 as the Old Works will host the Pacific Northwest Golfers Association's Senior Men's Amateur Championship in September. 

"This is a major, major event and the timing couldn't be better than that," Lupkes said. "It covers a wide area. People will travel in from a thousand miles away for it, so that's a big deal."

Paul Johns, the head golf pro at Old Works, said the organization hasn't hosted a tournament in Montana since 1995, and before that the only time it held a tournament in this state was in 1913, making this just its third appearance ever in the Treasure State.

And while the course is getting considerable attention from out of state, the success hasn't gone unnoticed at the local government level either. At an Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Commission meeting earlier this month, ADLC Chief Executive Bill Everett thanked Lupkes for all the work he's done for the publicly owned golf course, which Everett called "one of the shining stars of the community." 

"You've done an A-plus-plus job. Thank you," he said. 

Commissioner Mike Beausoleil  – who is on the Golf Course Authority Board – concurred, saying CourseCo "has a good one in Todd," and took note of the fact that "people all over the world can play the Old Works" now that Trackman has added the course to its network of golf simulators. 

"The simulators have really added to the winter use," Beausoleil said. 

And Commissioner Ed Beaudette, who is also on the board, said "we've had quite a streak of good fortune, particularly with the work Todd has done."

"We have the best quality for the money you have to pay for what the greens fees pay for," Beaudette said. "We should commend Todd and his folks for the work they've done." 

That's what Lupkes emphasized as well: The excellent work of his staff. 

"The addition of Paul in our golf shop has made a huge difference in our golf operations," Lupkes said. "Even though this summer was his first summer as head golf professional, he is extraordinarily capable beyond his years and it is an absolute pleasure to work with him." 

He also credited Denise Mills, food and beverage manager at Jack's Grille, where the operations were at an all-time high, he said.

"She has done an outstanding job leading our food and beverage operations," Lupkes said.

Another difference maker Lupkes point to has been all the work that's been done on golf course improvements, which he said will continue to be ongoing, including cart path repairs, building repairs and upkeep and "bringing things up to good golf course standards." 

"Now we're set up for a great 2025," he said. "We're looking forward to more great improvements and additions."

The Old Works Golf Course is located at 1205 Pizzini Way in Anaconda. For more information, visit www.playoldworks.com.