Camargo Club: The Best Collection of Template Par 3s in the World?

After a 4 day boondoggle, that well, didn’t quite work out the way we’d anticipated, we reached the final day of our Ohio golf trip.

And fortunately we had what might have been the most exciting round in a trip, FULL of amazing golf

Camargo is another club that there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of – which is a shame, because it’s a truly special place.

Ranked 57th in the world by Golf Magazine, and 44th by Golf Digest for 19/20, Camargo was designed by legendary architect Seth Raynor. It has one of the best examples of template holes anywhere in the world – and possibly the best collection of par 3 templates on Earth.

Camargo felt dramatically different than any of the other courses we played, as it’s the only Golden Age course in the bunch having opened in 1925.

There was more elevation change than expected, and the grass walled and angular bunkers provided a unique look that I’ve rarely seen on the courses I’ve played.

The Biarritz 8th hole is one of the very best I’ve seen, second to the all world 9th at Yale.

The 8th hole, Biarritz par 3 at Camargo Club.

The course is a beautiful walk, and the type of course you can play day in and day out and never get sick of.

Similar to The Golf Club, it’s not a course that will overwhelm you and try and beat you down, but it can still be punishing if you’re not on your A game.

Point and case, the EXCELLENT par 3, 11th: “Short”.

The “Short” hole at Camargo

The 18th handicap hole on the course, and by far the shortest par 3 at right around 125 yards. No one in our group made better than bogey, and I had an unfortunate double.

The “Eden” template.

Final Thoughts on Camargo Club

Having since played a few other Macdonald and Raynor Courses since this round (NGLA, Mid Ocean Club, Yale), it helps put into perspective to just how good it is.

It’s one of the most unassuming clubs I’ve been to. It feels like a total neighborhood course, and while the members know they have a special place, no one there seems to make much of a fuss about it.

This is one of those courses that I think only gets better as you play it more, and I hope to make it back and experience it again one of these days.

But if I never do? I feel fortunate to have had the perfect day to end what turned out to be a not-so-perfect golf adventure.

More from Our Ohio Golf Trip

• Scioto Country Club
• Muirfield Village Golf Club
• The Golf Club
• Valhalla Golf Club
• Ohio Golf Favorites and Recap