At 100 years of age, she sure doesn’t look her age. Heck, she looks great. Maybe even better than ever.
That is what some say about the Wilmington Municipal Golf Course, which turns 100 this year.
To commemorate the major milestone, the Muni, as it is affectionately called by some, will host a centennial celebration on Sept. 19. (The exact date of the golf course’s anniversary is not known, clubhouse manager Al Waniolek said.)
The centennial event will include opening remarks from Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo and David Donovan, the club pro. Saffo is expected to strike the opening tee off for a tournament that will include 128 players, followed that evening with a dinner and a live band.
A birthday cake isn’t in the plans.
“It’s a historic day,” Donovan
said. “I’m proud of where (the golf course has) come from, what it used to be to what it is now.”
A Donald Ross course
The late, famed architect Donald Ross designed the 18-hole golf course at 311 Donald Ross Drive.
The Muni has come a long way in Donovan’s 19 years at the course. He said when he arrived in 2007 the course was “pretty ragged,” but has since evolved.
“I’ve seen it go from rags to riches,” Donovan said. “It is exceptional, exceptionally maintained, affordable.”
The golf course has seen extensive improvements over the years, perhaps the biggest renovations coming in 2014 when the greens were rebuilt, with bunkers and tees added.
The clubhouse/pro shop was renovated in 2020. A $2.1 million irrigation system upgrade was completed in January 2025 with technology that enables the course to conserve water; it recycles from a spill irrigation pond that has an artesian well in it.
The course is aging well
It seems as if the golf course is getting better with age.
“She’s like a fine wine,” Waniolek said. He continued, “We get comments all the time from people that have played here for 50 years that it’s in the greatest shape it’s ever been.”
Donovan said it has become one of the top municipal golf courses in the country. “We have more rounds than any other course in North Carolina,” he said. “I’m fairly comfortable in saying about 65,000 rounds a year.”
Matt Smith, the golf course superintendent for 10 years, said: “I think it’s as good as ever, but I think what’s really cool is for how much play we have and how little staff we have to maintain the golf course, I think we have done an excellent job, I would say. I mean, you are not going to find too many munis that are in better shape than this.”
Not only is the Muni 100, but it is thriving.
Donovan said, “We just keep rocking.”
Bob Liepa is the city of Wilmington and public safety reporter for the StarNews. You can reach him at RLiepa@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: From 'ragged' to riches: Donald Ross golf course turning 100 — and getting more play than ever
