Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club

The architect Max Behr's Scottish grandfather and father were the founders of the St Andrews Golf Club in Yonkers, New York, and Max was the first Yale graduate to work as an architect of golf courses following five years in the role of editor for Golf Illustrated magazine during World War I.

At 34, he emigrated to California following the tragic passing of his beloved wife. He then turned his attention to the design of golf courses with some success, designing around 12 course in California's Golden State during the 1920s.

Alister MacKenzie is believed to have referred him to Rancho Santa Fe. Rancho Santa Fe job as Behr was too busy working on the design of Cypress Point, completing the work initiated in the name of Seth Raynor who died unexpectedly after completing a routing plan. Incredibly, Behr is believed to have been paid a sum of $9,000, which is a one thousand dollar more than MacKenzie was paid in exchange for Cypress Point.

Behr described his work at Rancho Santa Fe: "A new principle of golf course design has been put in operation on the course at Rancho Santa Fe which permits every golfer, from the beginner to those who are beginners, to enjoy the game without being constantly in trouble, but simultaneously gives the professional a rigorous and thrilling game of golf. The hazards have not been designed with the intent of penalizing mistakes of skill. Instead the hazards are placed in the only purpose of protecting holes."

This course in Rancho Santa Fe was the venue for the very first Bing Crosby "Clambake" Pro-Am tournament that ran from 1937 until 1942. This event increased in importance to be the The PGA Tour's AT& T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. In 1954, the San Diego Open was also hosted there and so were the tournaments of 2005 USGA Junior Amateur championship.

DMK Golf Design is currently employed by Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club to provide advice on renovations as well as other changes in the architectural design that the club wants to implement.