How Rees Jones Sculpted the Modern Championship Stage

In the pantheon of golf course architecture, few names carry the weight of Jones. While Robert Trent Jones Sr. defined the mid-century aesthetic and Robert Trent Jones Jr. carved out a global reputation for artistic layouts, it is the younger son, Rees Jones, who became the most trusted steward of the game’s greatest stages.

Known throughout the industry as "The Open Doctor," Rees Jones has spent more than five decades balancing the creation of original masterpieces with the surgical refinement of historic venues.

Born into the Game

Born in 1941 in Montclair, New Jersey, Rees Jones did not just enter the golf business; he was immersed in it. By the age of thirteen, he was already working for his father, measuring the distance of drives at Baltusrol Golf Club to help the senior Jones plan a redesign for the 1954 U.S. Open. After graduating from Yale and studying landscape architecture at Harvard, Rees joined the family firm, Robert Trent Jones, Inc., in 1964.

However, the desire to establish his own identity led him to form Rees Jones, Inc. in 1974. His early solo work, such as Arcadian Shores in Myrtle Beach, immediately signaled a departure from the "penal" style often associated with his father. Rees favored a philosophy of "strategic" design, courses that were challenging for the professional but playable and enjoyable for the average club member.

The Rise of "The Open Doctor"

The turning point in Rees's career came in the late 1980s. When The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, needed to prepare for the 1988 U.S. Open, they turned to Jones. His work was revolutionary for the time; rather than simply making the course longer or harder, he focused on restoration.

He used old photographs to return bunkers to their original locations and refined the greens to accommodate modern speeds while maintaining their historic character.

The success of Brookline birthed his famous moniker, "The Open Doctor." The United States Golf Association (USGA) and the PGA of America began to see him as the go-to specialist for "toughening up" classic courses to withstand the power of modern professional golfers.

Jones has since applied his "medical" expertise to a staggering list of championship venues:

• Bethpage Black (New York): Perhaps his most famous renovation, Jones transformed this rugged public course into a world-class beast for the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Open.

• Torrey Pines South (California): He redesigned this municipal gem to host the 2008 and 2021 U.S. Open, famously providing the backdrop for Tiger Woods’ heroic one-legged victory.

• East Lake Golf Club (Georgia): Jones restored Bobby Jones’s home course, which has since become the permanent home of the PGA Tour’s Tour Championship.

• Baltusrol, Medinah, and Oakland Hills: He has refined all of these "monsters" of the game to ensure they remain relevant in the era of high-tech equipment.

A Portfolio of Original Masterpieces

While his reputation as a "doctor" is unparalleled, Rees Jones is an equally prolific creator of original layouts. His original designs often feature wide fairways that provide multiple angles of attack, framed by large, artistically sculpted bunkers.

Among his most acclaimed original works are:

• Nantucket Golf Club (Massachusetts): A private, links-style masterpiece that feels like it has existed for a century.

• Atlantic Golf Club (New York): Located in the Hamptons, this course is widely considered one of the best modern designs in the United States.

• Cascata (Nevada): A dramatic, high-budget marvel built into the mountains near Las Vegas, featuring a river that flows through the clubhouse.

• TPC Danzante Bay (Mexico): One of his most recent triumphs, utilizing the dramatic cliffs and bays of the Baja Peninsula.

Environmental Stewardship and Legacy

Beyond the scorecards and championship trophies, Jones has been a vocal advocate for environmental sustainability. He was one of the first major architects to champion "eco-friendly" golf, emphasizing the use of native grasses, reduced water consumption, and the preservation of natural wetlands.

This approach has helped change the public perception of golf courses from water-hungry landscapes to vital green spaces that support local ecosystems.

Rees Jones’s legacy is defined by a rare versatility. He is the architect who can satisfy the demands of the world's best players on a Sunday afternoon at a Major, yet still design a course that a weekend golfer wants to play again and again.

With over 250 projects to his name and honors including the Old Tom Morris Award (the highest honor in golf course management), his impact on the terrain of the sport is permanent.

Whether through a brand-new fairway in Mexico or a restored bunker in New England, the "Open Doctor" has ensured that the game of golf remains both a beautiful art form and a rigorous test of skill.