Tanglewood, the fabled municipal course in Forsyth County, featured down-to-the-wire drama with two of pro golf’s most legendary figures at the 1974 PGA Championship.
by Michael J. Solender
After Lee Trevino carded an opening-round 73 (3 over par) at the 1974 PGA Championship at Tanglewood Park’s Championship Course, nearly one-third of the field — 43 players — were ahead of him on the leaderboard. It was an inauspicious start for the 34-year-old, a four-time major champion who had already won the U.S. Open and British Open twice.
That week, heavy rain had prevented the rough from being mowed, leaving the dense Bermuda grass tougher than ever at Tanglewood, a municipal course in Clemmons, just outside Winston-Salem.
A storied course
Tanglewood is only 85 miles from Charlotte’s Quail Hollow Club, host of this year’s 107th PGA Championship. The 1974 PGA Championship marked only the second time the prestigious event had been held in North Carolina. The first was in 1936 at Pinehurst No. 2, when the tournament used a match play format.
Owned and operated by Forsyth County Parks & Recreation, Tanglewood had earned the respect of professional golfers who had played there. Over the years, the course hosted the 1986 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship (won by Billy Mayfair) and the Senior Tour’s Vantage Championship from 1988-2002.
Spanning 1,110 acres, Tanglewood is the largest park in Forsyth County, with fishing, tennis, gardens, horse stables and an aquatic center. Originally part of land claimed by Sir Walter Raleigh for Queen Elizabeth in 1584, the property was acquired in 1921 by William Neal Reynolds, the brother of tobacco magnate R.J. Reynolds. In 1951, Reynolds willed the land to the citizens of Forsyth County.
Golf arrived at Tanglewood in 1958 when renowned architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed the Championship and Reynolds courses, along with a celebrated Par 3 course (which opened in 1960). In a 2018 renovation of the Championship course, greens were converted from bent grass to Bermuda and the bunkers were redesigned and restored. All three courses are open to the public.
“A fantastic set of greens”
“Several characteristics make Tanglewood a great venue for championship golf,” says Mike Wilcox, the park’s head golf professional. “There are multiple lake holes that require almost every club in the bag. It’s well-bunkered, and the greens are exceptional, with tough pin placements. It’s just a fantastic set of greens for 18 holes of golf.”
While most Americans likely remember August 9, 1974, as the day Richard Nixon resigned the presidency, Trevino was focused on climbing the PGA Championship leaderboard. After a slow start on Thursday, he caught fire on Friday, shooting a 4-under 66, climbing to a tie for sixth place.
Tanglewood’s Championship Course
Using a borrowed putter that he found in the attic of his Bermuda Run rental home, Trevino found magic with the flatstick, recording just one 3-putt during the tournament. His third-round 68 put him at the top of the leaderboard.
Entering the final round, Trevino held a one-stroke lead over golf legend Jack Nicklaus and South African Bobby Cole. As Cole faded, Nicklaus made a charge, but Trevino held his ground, maintaining his one-shot lead heading into the 18th hole.
Trevino holds his nerve
In a recent interview, Trevino recalled his nerves before putting out on the 18th. “I remember putting out for par before Jack putted because I looked at him and said, ‘Listen, if you don’t let me putt, I’m going to pass out.’ I was so nervous,” Trevino said. Nicklaus graciously allowed the small break in etiquette, and Trevino holed his final putt to claim the Wanamaker Trophy.
Tanglewood holds a special place in Trevino’s heart. He returned there in 1993 to win the Senior Tour’s Vantage Championship. “Tanglewood is one of the best hidden gems around,” Trevino has said. “For people who haven’t played it, they need to go and play there. It’s magnificent. I just absolutely love it.” SP
Want to play Tanglewood’s Championship Course? The course is located at 100 Clubhouse Circle, Clemmons. Rates are $38-66.
Photographs courtesy Tanglewood Park and Forsyth County Parks & Rec
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