Overview
From Golf Digest Architecture Editor emeritus Ron Whitten:
I don’t normally think of Rees Jones when the subject of course restoration comes up, even though Rees insists he popularized the notion of restoration back when he prepared The Country Club for the 1988 U.S. Open. Rees usually redesigns courses in his own style (think of Lakewood in Maryland, Baton Rouge C.C. or the South Course at Carmel C.C. in Charlotte), which is understandable, because clubs hiring the legendary “Open Doctor” expect a stronger test of golf as a result of his labors.
But as he showed in 2017 at Medinah No. 2 and Golden Horseshoe Gold, he can pay tribute to an original architect when desired. But that wasn’t his objective in revamping Echo Lake Country Club in New Jersey, where he’s served as consulting architect since 2010.
Some critics were outraged when Rees and his design associate Steve Weisser changed the second hole from a short, drivable par 4 that played to a tabletop green into a par 5 by moving the green 300 yards to the west into the former third fairway. (To accommodate that, he turned the third into a par 3.) At least one critic considered the second to be one of Donald Ross’ great holes and a tribute to the lookalike second hole at Pine Valley.
It may or may not be a Donald Ross hole, but Echo Lake’s second predates Pine Valley by six years and that hillside of bunkers below the old second green, the ones that gave it a Pine Valley look, weren’t added until the 1990s by golf architect Ron Forse. Rees’ new par-5 second actually improves Echo Lake (it needed an uphill par 5), particularly with the downhill fourth now switched from a 490-yard par 5 to a 480-yard par 4.
Not much Donald Ross actually remained at Echo Lake even before Rees got involved. Robert White added six holes just after World War I (including the dogleg 16th, probably the best hole on the course), and Willard Wilkinson added three more (including the mammoth par-3 14th) in 1928. Rees has unified the design by creating what I consider Ross-like bunkers with molded grass faces throughout the 18.
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Review
“If you can get onto this course, I suggest you take the opportunity. The conditions are fantastic and the accommodations are fantastic. The new clubhouse and restaurant are well worth a stop in, as well. For my money, also one of the best logos in the game! Check it out!"
Read More2022
Review
“Echo Lake continues to do work to its course (and other club facilities)—upholding its reputation as one of the best clubs in the area. Thirteen original Ross holes remain, and recent work by Rees Jones’ team has done a great job restoring greens, clearing out trees and opening up vistas. The 16th hole is one of the most unique, fun holes in NJ — with some tremendous history: The Leni Lenape tribe, one of NJ’s biggest Native American tribes, used the natural amphitheater of the 16th green as a ceremonial ground back in the 1600s."
Read More2021