THE GOLF COURSES OF SETH RAYNOR: the book

[Tommy Williamsen]

I received my copy of the book a week ago. It is absolutely stunning in the photographs and descriptions of the courses and holes studied. It belongs in any golf book collector's library.


https://back9press.com/pages/raynor

[Paul Rudovsky]

Tommy--


You just cost me about $100 .  Thanks.  Greatest architect ever IMHO

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Seth Jagger Raynor (May 7, 1874 – January 23, 1926) was an American golf course architect and engineer. He designed approximately 85 golf courses in about 13 years, his first in 1914, at age 40. His mentor was Charles Blair Macdonald, the creator of the National Golf Links of America, and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame
Raynor was also the mentor of Charles Banks who completed many of Raynor's unfinished works after he died. Banks went on to a solo design career, creating approximately 15 courses.

Tamarack Country Club is a Charles Banks in 1929 ,the course includes many template holes that were the trademark of Banks’ mentors, Seth Raynor and C.B Macdonald, and a few great original holes on the back nine. The course is memorable for its massive scale throughout the property, often allowing players to recover from wayward misses. Though Tamarack delivers options in where you can hit it, the brawny course makes it difficult to score if you’re not in the correct spots.

I'd like to buy the book but the link needs to be expanded so the book can be ordered.

[Paul Rudovsky]

google "The Golf Courses of Seth Raynor"

[David Wuthrich]

I received my copy of the book a week ago. It is absolutely stunning in the photographs and descriptions of the courses and holes studied. It belongs in any golf book collector's library.


https://back9press.com/pages/raynor

I agree with Tommy!  I got mine and read it cover to cover.  A must for any golf nut!

[David_Tepper]

Better link here:

https://back9press.com/pages/raynor

[Tommy Williamsen]

I'd like to buy the book but the link needs to be expanded so the book can be ordered.

The link I provided should take you to the website for Back Nine Press and the book.

[Tim_Weiman]

Tommy--


You just cost me about $100 .  Thanks.  Greatest architect ever IMHO

Paul,


I probably don’t have all the dates clear, but I kind of wonder why Raynor didn’t do what became Springdale.


Did he piss off Woodrow Wilson?

[Colin Sheehan]

He couldn't redesign the course in 1926 because he died in January of that year.
While he's always associated with Princeton, someone told me he never did complete his degree.

[Tom_Doak]

He couldn't redesign the course in 1926 because he died in January of that year.
While he's always associated with Princeton, someone told me he never did complete his degree.

Huh.  I never noticed that Raynor had gone to Princeton.


The same is true of Robert Trent Jones . . . he attended Cornell for two years, but audited a lot of individual classes, and didn't get a degree.  Of course, that was during the Depression, but that wasn't exactly how Red Hoffman wrote it up.

[Tim_Weiman]

He couldn't redesign the course in 1926 because he died in January of that year.
While he's always associated with Princeton, someone told me he never did complete his degree.

Huh.  I never noticed that Raynor had gone to Princeton.


The same is true of Robert Trent Jones . . . he attended Cornell for two years, but audited a lot of individual classes, and didn't get a degree.  Of course, that was during the Depression, but that wasn't exactly how Red Hoffman wrote it up.

Tom,


I’m waiting for Paul Rudovsky to tell us the best golf architect who attended MIT.


Paul will have to determine whether two schools can claim credit for the same guy.

[Paul Rudovsky]

I’m waiting for Paul Rudovsky to tell us the best golf architect who attended MIT.

Paul will have to determine whether two schools can claim credit for the same guy.

Regarding your first line above...it was another one of those freshmen interlopers 


And do not try to denigrate MIT's involvement in golf as I would cite the following:


--The founder of Titleist his close fiend who came up with the idea to X-ray all golf balls at the end of the production line as part of quality control were both MIT alums
--USGA President's who were MIT alums:  William Fownes 1926-27, Will Nicholson Jr 1980-81
--USGA National Champions who were MIT alums: William Fownes, US Amateur 1910; Kim Dinh, Women's Mid-Amateur, 2023

[Mike Worth]

I see that North Palm Municipal, formerly known as the Palm Beach Winter Club, is not written about in the book.


So I’ll ask what’s on my mind. Which is —how much of Raynor’s original work exists in the present course?


North Palm is about 3 miles from my house and I played it a few times a month while I’m at my FL home.


I think this was Raynor’s final course as he died in West Palm in Jan 1926
 

[Robin_Hiseman]

Still waiting for my copy to arrive here in the UK.


Zero email order confirmations received from Back Nine Press, but the money is gone from my account, so taking delivery on good faith.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Still waiting for my copy to arrive here in the UK.


Zero email order confirmations received from Back Nine Press, but the money is gone from my account, so taking delivery on good faith.

Robin, I received numerous emails along the way. I'd check with them.


backninepress@gmail.com

[Robin_Hiseman]

Thanks for the advice Tommy. I will email them now.

[Jeff Schley]

I received an email confirmation right after the order. I did the signed copies of a couple, if offered I always prefer that. Books are much more intimate than eversions so a signature to me is a nice bow on the present.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I received an email confirmation right after the order. I did the signed copies of a couple, if offered I always prefer that. Books are much more intimate than eversions so a signature to me is a nice bow on the present.

I bought a few of the signed copies as well. One for me and a couple for good friends of mine.

[Robin_Hiseman]

And naturally...the books arrived today!


First impressions are of stunning photography and lovely packaging. Will enjoy getting deep into it this weekend.

[Mike Hendren]

His middle name is Jagger?  Well, sha- doobee, I’ve been shattered.

[Steve Lapper]

A wonderful book by all accounts. Great job by Jon Cavalier, Michael Wolf & James Sitar.


Just in time for an evening with a fine scotch whiskey, a good cuban cigar and a roaring fireplace.

[Niall C]

For those in the know or have read the book, out of the 80 odd courses he was involved in, how many did he do with CBM and how many were finished off by Banks after his death ?


Niall

[Sean_A]

His middle name is Jagger?  Well, sha- doobee, I’ve been shattered.

Go ahead…bite the big apple…


Ciao

[Michael Whitaker]

My wife bought me a signed copy for Christmas. Looking forward to Santa!

[Steve_ Shaffer]

@Niall C

Raynor was also the mentor of Charles Banks who completed many of Raynor's unfinished works after he died. Banks went on to a solo design career, creating approximately 15 courses.