Another course bearing the inimitable bunkering of Charles “Steamshovel” Banks, is the Forsgate country club’s Banks course. It stands beside the more recent, Arnold Palmer course, and also stands as a contrast between classic and modern schools of design. Banks’ use of template holes, wide mowing lines, and options from tee to green, are a delightful alternative to the forced-carry, one-option, thick-rough often found in much of the architecture offered from 1950 to 1990.
For golfers with little understanding or experience of Forsgate, it behooves them to familiarize themselves with the layouts that dot the eastern portion of our country. Many are private, while others are public, but opportunity exists to make a few calls, write a few emails, and plan a golfing itinerary away from the standard resort options, to see what golf course architects like Banks created. Forsgate is a beautiful, preserved example, from the 1st tee to the 18th green, of early american golf course architecture.
