Camargo

There are obviously Raynor layouts in Long Island and Chicagoland that many will hold as his very best, but Raynor went out near the top of his game, as Camargo ended up being one his last designs, prior to his death at the age of 44 (construction ended a year following his passing). Camargo’s eventual pro and superintendent, William Jackson, made some tweaks right off the bat, for example not implementing the second fairway at the No. 12 “Channel” hole. The core of Raynor’s design, and the rolling land it was built upon, ensured its acclaim, however.

A Robert von Hagge renovation during the ‘80s attempted to introduce a bunker style more trendy at the time, but the allure quickly lost its sparkle. Tom Doak and Renaissance Golf came in at the onset of the millennium and returned Raynor’s revered geometric aesthetic.

Author Darius Oliver wrote in his book Planet Golf USA: “Classy and quietly understated, Camargo is a special club and a real treat for those with a keen eye for classic golf architecture. A lot of credit for the current state of the course must go to Tom Doak, who has helped preserve Raynor’s design intent by converting bunkers back to his original style and returning shrunken greens to their appropriate proportions. Despite comparing favourably with other Raynor courses, somehow this one continues to slide under most golfing radars. For the unaware, therefore, a game here is a most pleasant surprise.”