The towel holder of the present system provides a wide bar section that separates the two halves of a towel placed on the holder. This allows greater air flow and space between the two sides of the towel, promoting faster drying, fresher smell, and shorter drying times between uses. The bar section in one embodiment is perforated or mesh so that the air flow to the portion of the towel contacting the rack center bar is increased, improving the drying time and increasing the likelihood that the entire towel will dry at approximately the same rate.