New Chicago Golf Club History - The Prairie Raynor

[John Sabino]

I just see that the Chicago Golf Club has just issued a new history published by Grant Books titled The Raynor Prairie, written by Rand Jerris and John Moran. They are making a limited number of copies available to the public. Sounds fantastic.


https://0752f9.myshopify.com/products/the-prairie-raynor-1


During and after World War I, Chicago Golf Club faced an existential crisis created by a declining membership and the ongoing degradation of the club’s golf course. These crises challenged the club’s reputation and threatened its continuing aspirations to be a premier championship site.


In response to an inquiry in 1917, Macdonald instructed his old club to “scrap” its golf course and sent his talented protégé, Seth Raynor, to develop a new golf course in keeping with the latest design philosophies. A small group of members, the Casabiancas, agreed to underwrite much of the construction of Raynor’s course, enabling the club to initiate the project in 1921.


Immediately upon his arrival in Wheaton, Raynor was inspired by the wide, open landscape. He sat in the club’s clock tower staring out at the old course and swelling prairie, ultimately producing “a course that exactly fitted the prairie. A fine generous sweeping course, where a man may open his shoulders and fill his lungs and hit with all his might” (H.J. Whigham).


The Prairie Raynor is the authoritative story of the creation and stewardship of Seth Raynor's creation at Chicago Golf Club, written to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the opening of Raynor's course in 1923. The book includes more than 350 images (and 350+ footnotes), providing an extraordinary visual record of a golf course widely regarded as one of the finest in the world. Written by club historian John Moran and noted golf historian Dr. Rand Jerris, with champion golfer and golf architect Ben Crenshaw contributing a moving Foreword, The Prairie Raynor will inform and engage both long-time members and lovers of Golden Age golf courses. It describes, in both golf and artistic terms, why Raynor’s creation in Wheaton remains architecturally significant one-hundred years later.

[CJames]

Thanks for the heads up John.  I have had the pleasure of golfing and spending some time with John Moran and he is a fantastic human being.  I have no doubt this book will be wonderful. 

[Jeff Schley]

Ordered!

[Tim_Weiman]

John,


Thanks for letting us know. It looks like a fine addition to a golf architecture book collection.


Tim Weiman

[Tommy Williamsen]

I bought the old history book when I was there years ago. Just ordered this one. Thanks for the link.

[Michael Morandi]

Thanks for the heads up John.  I have had the pleasure of golfing and spending some time with John Moran and he is a fantastic human being.  I have no doubt this book will be wonderful.

I played a round with him; in addition to being a fine human being, he’s a pretty darn good player. His connection to CGC go back to when he was the starter/caddie master before going to college (or so I was told by another member).

[Tim_Cronin]

Knowing John and his love for Chicago Golf, and his ability to go down a rabbit hole to get the facts, and Rand’s expertise, this will be a tremendous addition to anyone’s library. Only 300 non-member copies (of 1,000 total) so don’t delay.

[PCCraig]

Thanks for the heads up, I just ordered.


Looks to be a beautiful club history and should make a wonderful addition to the golf library.

[Tim_Weiman]

Thanks for the heads up, I just ordered.


Looks to be a beautiful club history and should make a wonderful addition to the golf library.

I’m hoping it is really about the golf course, not the club itself. I think Geoff Shackelford and Cypress Point set a great example.


As for club histories that are really more about the club than the golf course, Maidstone is an interesting example because the history itself is really as much about the club as a beach club more than it was/is a golf club.

[Ben Sims]

Saw this on social media and was immediately sad I’d never see a copy. But then this thread popped up! Between this, Tom re-printing Uncle George’s work, and John Kirk’s extraordinary music book, my coffee table is pretty choice.

[John Sabino]

Ben - looking at the table of contents it seems like the book is primarily about the course. There is a chapter about Seth Raynor by Anthony Pioppi, another about Raynor and MacDonald's design philosophy, "The Art of the Prairie Raynor," and a huge chunk of the book looks like a hole-by-hole analysis.


John

[Ben Sims]

Ben - looking at the table of contents it seems like the book is primarily about the course. There is a chapter about Seth Raynor by Anthony Pioppi, another about Raynor and MacDonald's design philosophy, "The Art of the Prairie Raynor," and a huge chunk of the book looks like a hole-by-hole analysis.


John

Thanks John. Yes, that’s what I saw on social media. Very excited about it, in particular Don Placek’s artwork. CGC is one of those courses that sits in the short list of courses worth study for dummies like me. Along with places like Talking Stick North, CommonGround, Meadow Club/Cypress Point (for similar reasons), NGLA, The Loop, and Merion.

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

I bought the old history book when I was there years ago. Just ordered this one. Thanks for the link.

Ordered mine. 


Since Tommy was nice enough to let me read his original copy, but was pretty adamant that I return it.  Figured I might as well get my own copy of the new one...

[Tommy Williamsen]

I bought the old history book when I was there years ago. Just ordered this one. Thanks for the link.

Ordered mine. 


Since Tommy was nice enough to let me read his original copy, but was pretty adamant that I return it.  Figured I might as well get my own copy of the new one...

I was impressed that you handled it with white gloves and kept it in a plastic bag.

[Tim_Weiman]

My copy of the book arrived today and though I have only spent a short time with it thus far, I think The Prairie Raynor just might be the best book I own among a collection of about 400 golf architecture related books.


As I hoped, the book is focused on Seth Raynor and the golf course. It is not a club history.


I strongly recommend the book for Raynor and golf architecture fans. Lots of good discussion/information and a nice blend of color and black and white photography.


Tim

[Cal Carlisle]

Tim,
Totally agree. Absolutely gobsmacked. If there are any still for sale I would suggest picking one up. It's everything a GCA fan would look for in a club history (and then some). A superbly executed  instant classic.

[Tim_Weiman]

Tim,
Totally agree. Absolutely gobsmacked. If there are any still for sale I would suggest picking one up. It's everything a GCA fan would look for in a club history (and then some). A superbly executed  instant classic.

Cal,


Your words were better than mine….”everything a GCA fan would look for”.


Tim

[Shane Wright]

Thanks John, just ordered the book. 

[BCrosby]

Just got my copy. Lots of good news.


1. The book is almost exclusively about the golf course. 2. The evolution of Chicago G.C. is, essentially, the evolution of golf architecture from the Victorian to the Strategic era in America. 3. John Moran and Rand Jerris tell that story beautifully. 4. The photos and graphics are magnificent. 5. A large format book that gives the graphics and pictures plenty of space 6. High production values.


Best golf history book I have ever seen.


Bob 

[Tim_Weiman]

Just got my copy. Lots of good news.


1. The book is almost exclusively about the golf course. 2. The evolution of Chicago G.C. is, essentially, the evolution of golf architecture from the Victorian to the Strategic era in America. 3. John Moran and Rand Jerris tell that story beautifully. 4. The photos and graphics are magnificent. 5. A large format book that gives the graphics and pictures plenty of space 6. High production values.


Best golf history book I have ever seen.


Bob

By a long shot!

[Cal Carlisle]

When was the last time you saw an agronomic section in a club history? "Caring for Raynor's Creation" comes complete with a table showing how the organic matter was reduced over time (The Journey to Firm and Fast). It's interesting to me that one of the most close-to-the-vest clubs in the country has completely pulled back the curtain on pretty much everything related to the evolution of the architecture and agronomics.

[Tim_Weiman]

When was the last time you saw an agronomic section in a club history? "Caring for Raynor's Creation" comes complete with a table showing how the organic matter was reduced over time (The Journey to Firm and Fast). It's interesting to me that one of the most close-to-the-vest clubs in the country has completely pulled back the curtain on pretty much everything related to the evolution of the architecture and agronomics.

Cal,


That’s why I mentioned Geoff Shackelford’s deal with Cypress Point. As a golf architecture junkie, I care about the golf course. The club and its members are none of my business.


I love Geoff’s book, but the Chicago sets a whole new standard. Wish a place like Royal Melbourne would do something as good.


Tim

[Bill Gayne]

Just got my copy. Lots of good news.


1. The book is almost exclusively about the golf course. 2. The evolution of Chicago G.C. is, essentially, the evolution of golf architecture from the Victorian to the Strategic era in America. 3. John Moran and Rand Jerris tell that story beautifully. 4. The photos and graphics are magnificent. 5. A large format book that gives the graphics and pictures plenty of space 6. High production values.


Best golf history book I have ever seen.


Bob

I also received my copy today and the it's impressive. Initial impressions consistent with Bob's, Tim's, and Cal's  comments. Heavy focus on the architecture and minimal on the non-architecture history of the Club. The 1992 Chicago Golf Club book covered much of the non-architecture history very well.


Highly recommend the Prairie Raynor and kudos to those involved.


Bill

[PCCraig]

Bravo to everyone involved! Received my copy last week and I devoured it over the weekend. It is incredibly well done, beautiful, and informative.


Thank you to the authors & club for releasing 300 copies to non-members.

[Tim_Cronin]

My copy arrived on Monday. Had I binged, I probably would have finished it by now. But one has to work, and selfishly, I want the first perusal to last forever. It's an 11 on a 1-to-10 scale. As I noted to John, I can't remember seeing an elevation heat map of a golf course before. Or similar maps of each green as in a green-reading book. This book as it all. All should grab one while they can.