Francis Byrne Golf Course
(Formerly Essex County West)
West Orange, New Jersey, USA
Architect: Seth Raynor and Charles Banks (1928)
Updated: Stephen Kay with associate Garrett Wasson (2025)
Hole 2, 250 Yards / Par-3
Like human beings, golf holes age and it is crucial to update them when needed. Francis Byrne Golf Course is a taxpayer-owned 18-hole layout in Essex County, NJ.
The genesis of Essex County Country Club dates back to 1887 and is New Jersey’s oldest club. 36-holes were redesigned in 1925/1926 by the tandem of Seth Raynor and Charles “steam-shovel” Banks.
Raynor had mentored under Charles Blair Macdonald — the “Father of American golf” whose landmark designs at The National Golf Links of America in Southampton, NY and Chicago Golf Club, set the foundation for the advancement of golf architecture in the United States.
Raynor’s work included such stellar designs as Fisher’s Island in New York, Camargo in Ohio and Shoreacres in Illinois, among others.
Unfortunately, Raynor died in 1926 halfway through the construction of the East Course. Banks convinced ECCC to keep him on the job and he eventually finished the remainder of the East and the entire West Course.
In the years to follow, ECCC would operate the West Course as a semi-private course with outside public play permitted. In 1978, ECCC sold the property to Essex County for the sum of $3.1 million and a new name was given — Francis Byrne.
Over the ensuring years the general upkeep of Francis Byrnedeteriorated. Bare minimum of maintenance care only caused more and more disintegration to the original Banks design.
However, a turning point came with a newly elected executive leadership placing a priority in enhancing the extensive parks system for Essex County — including the golf courses.
An infusion of $8.5 million was allocated for the updating of Francis Byrne. Architect Stephen Kay was hired and his expertise was critical given the success demonstrated in bringing back to life another Banks course in central NJ — Forsgate.
On the architectural side Raynor and Banks followed the philosophy of Macdonald in replicating renowned template holes that originated in the home of golf — Scotland. Among the more noted is a Biarritz golf hole which is generally a long par-3 (in excess of 200 yards) featuring a massive green bisected by a deep central swale (depression), creating two distinct plateaus, often with steep drop-offs and flanking bunkering.
This type of hole was originally designed by Willie Dunn, Jr. in France at the original Biarritz Le Phare Golf Club, where Dunn designed the “chasm” hole around 1888. Macdonald brought the template to the US, most notably with his designs at Yale in Connecticut and The Creek on Long Island, New York. Such a hole challenges players to hit a precise long shot able to land on the correct plateau for the pin location used.
Both Raynor and Banks would include a Biarritz hole in their various designs.
The 2nd at Francis Byrne is a Biarritz hole and it commences play from an elevated tee.
The hole is protected on both flanks by deep bunkers. The putting surface was extended — 65 yards along and 24 yards wide. A center depression is offset by a front and rear elevated landing area.
The prior putting surface was approximately 6,000 square feet. The “new” green is now just under 14,000 square feet. The front section of the green has approximately 5,000 square feet, the middle roughly 1,000 and the rear area is nearly 4,000. The remaining square footage is located in the slopes and not available for pin usage.
In order to bolster turf conditions, a removal of about 300 trees tee-to-green was carried out — assisting with enhanced sunlight and better overall air movement for grass growing conditions. There was a complete rebuild of the tee complex to both center the starting point and an additional 30 yards in length. The 2nd can play a max of 270 yards from when stretched to the maximum.
The green surface shapes were kept — but re-built to reflect modified USGA specifications — all green now 007XL bentgrass. Irrigation loops were renovated and drainage enhanced for the entire hole.
The flanking greenside bunkers are flat bottom and pose a demanding recovery for those whose golf ball is snared. An opening space is provided giving higher handicap players the wherewithal to run the ball onto the green up the front.
Kay brilliantly resurrected another Biarritz hole at The Bank Course at Forsgate – also in New Jersey. The penultimate hole there features an even deeper green — roughly 83 yards and can play upwards of 280 yards when stretched to the maximum.
Credit Kay and Timothy Christ, head of Essex County Parks, in rejuvenating Francis Byrne. The long par-3 hole played a leading role during the heyday of American golf course architecture in the 1920s. Over the course of time such holes faded into the background.
The re-emergence of such classic holes means a rightful return in requiring players to successfully marry sufficient length and unerring accuracy.
In sum – the 2nd at Francis Bryne states the proposition simply — stand and deliver.
***
Rendering courtesy: Stephen Kay Golf Course Architect, LLC.
Images courtesy: Essex County Parks
Related: Forsgate’s Fantastic Four
