Rockaway Hunting Club located in Lawrence, NY was founded in 1878. Not originally built for golf when fox hunting and steeplechase were popular, and along with the Meadowbrook Polo Club, Rockaway was one of the twin powers of early American polo. Golf arrived a few years later. First with a 9-holer in place by 1895 and a full 18 by 1900. The history of the course is that of an architectural hybrid, with Tom Bendelow, Devereux Emmet, A.W. Tillinghast, Perry Maxwell, and others contributing to a design that—while settled into its current routing by the mid-20th century—has continued to evolve. The most recent phase is now completed in the form of a comprehensive update by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner, one that sees the course poised to move from the category of “hidden gem” to that of “must see.”

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