Aficionados of classic golf courses will appreciate the work Tamarack CC did on its Charles Banks course this past year. The par-70 track underwent a complete renovation under the masterful eye of architect Brian Schneider of Renaissance Golf Design, bringing back several original features that were lost to previous updates and modifying several aspects of the course to make it more fun for average players and more challenging for advanced golfers. Schneider’s team made extensive use of aerial photographs to restore green surrounds, tee complexes, and bunkers originally designed by Banks. They also reopened sightlines and added several berms, bunkers, and mounding.
Fairway bunkers throughout the course were deepened and reshaped to make them more penal, although many were re-positioned to give the shorter hitter a break. Strategic elements were added, too, including the addition of a “principal’s nose” hazard (a mound with three bunkers) to complicate the approach to the long 13th. An entirely rethought 16th hole, a short par 4, will feature a new green much more elevated than the old one, as well as a new array of hazards along both sides of the fairway.
The renovations are very much in keeping with the Banks design philosophy, with huge strongly contoured greens often protected by cavernous bunkers that earned the Golden Age golf architect the sobriquet, “Steam Shovel Charlie.”
Tamarack is also the new home to Mike Ballo Jr., who moves into the head-pro position this year. He started his club-pro career at Winged Foot and has been an assistant pro at Westchester CC for the last four years. Ballo is well-known as one of the top competitors in the area, having won the New York State Open and the Westchester Open, two Ike titles, and was twice named Westchester’s Amateur Player of the Year. He competed on the Canadian and Web.com Tours before transitioning to a career as a club pro.
“It’s an exciting time to be a member of Tamarack Country Club,” says Tamarack President Chris Thompson. “With Brian Schneider’s master-plan renovations completed, the stature of our award-winning golf course will continue to grow, and our members will enjoy a truly spectacular test of golf. This season, we will also unveil our newest amenity — a poolside bar that is sure to be a popular spot to relax and mingle, further enhancing the club experience for our members.”
Related: Westchester Native Earns Second Place in Golf Tournament
