Winston-Salem is a great place to play. Summers are warm, about 74°, and winters average 45° with a few days of snow. Any of the city parks make a beautiful and practical setting for reunion-size picnics or casual gatherings after work.

Sports enthusiasts have many fine facilities from which to choose. Winston Lake Golf Course opened in 1956 to golfers of all handicaps and races. Jerry Jones is credited with developing the course's popularity and challenging design. Jones, the first black member of the state chapter of the PGA and a coach of Lee Elder and Jim Dent, founded the first pro-am tournament there. Ernest Morris served as its golf pro from 1984 until his death in 2002.


Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) games are open to the public, too. The memory of Clarence "Bighouse" Gaines still charges the arena. Gaines, athletic director and head basketball coach at WSSU for 47 years before retiring in 1993, won more games than any African American coach and was inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame.




Belview Neighborhood Recreation Center, 2800 Burgandy Street, 336.650.7690
Bowen Boulevard Fitness Trail, 2350 Bowen Boulevard
Brown & Douglas Neighborhood Recreation Center, 4725 Indiana Avenue, 336.767.9496
Carl H. Russel, Sr. Recreation Center, 3521 Carver School Road, 336.727.2580
Fourteenth Street Community Recreation Center, 2020 14th Street N.E., 336.727.2891
Hanes Hosiery Community Recreation Center, 501 Reynolds Boulevard, 336.727.2428
Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center, 2001 Pittsburg Avenue, 336.727.2740
Kimberly Park Pool and Water Playground, 620 Burton Street, (pool) 336.748.1429
North Hills Neighborhood Recreation Center, 390 Parkwood Avenue, 336.661.0916
Northhampton Neighborhood Recreation Center, 4230 Oak Ridge Drive, 336.661.0914
Reynolds Park Golf Course, 2391 Reynolds Park Road, 336.650.7660
-18-hole golf course, driving range and club house
Reynolds Park Community Recreation Center and Pool, 2450 Reynolds Park Road, 336.650.7684, (pool) 336.650.7645
Rupert Bell Neighborhood Recreation Center, 1501 Mt. Zion Place, 336.727.2051
Sprague Street Community Center, 1350 E. Sprague Street, 336.650.7680
Wm. C. Sims, Sr. Neighborhood Recreation Center, 1201 Alder Street, 336.727.2837
-Happy Hill Pool, 1230 Alder Street, 336.723.6011
Winston Lake Golf Course, 3535 Winston Lake Road, 336.727.2703
-18-hole golf course, driving range and club house
Winston Lake Park, Winston-Salem Recreation & Parks Dept., 336.727.2063
-Twin City Little League site, four baseball fields, picnic and playground facilities, and fishing lake
Winston Lake Family YMCA, 901 Waterworks Road, 336.724.9205


*All addresses Winston-Salem, unless noted otherwise.

Photos courtesy of Forsyth County Public Library Photography Collection