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Charles H. Banks

(1883 - 1931)

Born: Amenia, New York

Died: New York, New York, at age 48

Banks was a Yale graduate.

Following college, for 15 years he taught English at his prep school, Hotchkiss in Connecticut. It was there that he met Seth Raynor, who was rebuilding the school's golf course. After working on the project, Banks quit his job to join Raynor's firm.

He worked with Raynor and C.B. Macdonald for five years, supervising construction of Yale Golf Club and Mid-Ocean, among others. When Raynor died in 1926, Banks completed 10 unfinished projects. He then designed or remodeled several dozen other courses in the next five years, before he prematurely died of a heart attack at age 48.

His nickname was "Steam Shovel" Banks, because he often used steam shovels to move massive amounts of earth in creating huge elevated greens and deep bunkers. That style is most evident at his designs of Whippoorwill in New York , Forsgate and The Knoll in New Jersey and Castle Harbour in Bermuda.

In his work, Banks continued the Macdonald/Raynor tradition of adapting famous holes in each project. One of his favorites was the Redan, the legendary par-3 15 th of Scotland's North Berwick Golf Links.

COURSES DESIGNED
Hawaii
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Waialae Country Club
4997 Kahala Avenue
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Hawaii
96816
808/732-1457
Year Built: 1927
Maryland
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Annapolis Golf Club, Closed 2013
2638 Carrollton Rd
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Maryland
21403
(410) 263-6771
Year Built: - 1928
Massachusetts
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Wyantenuck Country Club | Wyantenuck Golf Course
West Sheffield Rd
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Massachusetts
01230
(413) 528-3229
Year Built: 1914
New Jersey
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Forsgate Country Club -The Banks
Forsgate Dr
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New Jersey
08831
732/521-0070
Year Built: 1931
1 Rankings / Reviews
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Francis Byrne Golf Course
1100 Pleasant Valley Way
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New Jersey
07052
(973) 736-2306
Year Built: 1926
2 Rankings / Reviews
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Hackensack Golf Club
Soldier Hill Rd
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New Jersey
07649
201/261-5505
Year Built: 1899
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Knoll West Country Club, West Course
Knoll & Greenbank Rd
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New Jersey
07054
(973) 263-7110
Year Built: 1929
1 Rankings / Reviews
New York
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Knollwood Country Club
Knollwood Rd
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New York
10523
914/592-6182
Year Built: 1894
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Whippoorwill Club
150 Whippoorwill Rd
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New York
10504
914/273-3059
Year Built: 1924
Virginia
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Cavalier Golf & Yacht Club
1052 Cardinal Rd
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Virginia
23451
757/428-6161
Year Built: - 1928