Todd Eckenrode, ASGCA (Origins Golf Design), has begun re-design and renovation work at La Rinconada Country Club, Los Gataos, California, a project expected to redefine the club’s identity while honoring its storied past. The club says the project represents a bold reimagining of the course through strategic re-routing, architectural refinement and a renewed commitment to environmental stewardship.
At the heart of the renovation is a thoughtful re-routing of numerous holes from both their original and current configurations. This approach is designed to better utilize the property’s natural landforms, unlocking long-overlooked qualities of the site while increasing overall yardage through improved routing efficiencies. The new layout will also enhance the rhythm of play, with direct and contiguous green-to-tee connections that create a more seamless, walkable, and elegant golf experience.
“This project is about revealing the full potential of a very special piece of land,” said Eckenrode. “The strongest holes were retained in the new layout, and the weakest holes were rerouted in entirely different locations, or orientation. Together, the new routing has wonderful variety, flow, connectivity and a rhythm to it that will really appeal to the golfers.”
The renovation is comprehensive in scope, including the complete reconstruction of tees, bunkers, fairways, roughs, cart paths, and greens. Playing surfaces will be modernized with drought-tolerant hybrid Bermudagrass on tees and fairways, complemented by a contemporary bentgrass variety on the greens—delivering improved playability, conditioning, and long-term sustainability.
Environmental sensitivity is a central component of the project. The design reduces overall turf acreage, replacing out-of-play areas with drought-tolerant landscaping and naturalized meadow grasses. In addition, following a significant initial phase of tree removal, the course will be reforested with carefully selected California native species, including oaks and sycamores, restoring both ecological balance and visual character.
A guiding principle of the renovation is to establish a clear and enduring architectural identity—one that reflects an “old California” aesthetic inspired by the Golden Age of Golf Design, which coincided with the club’s founding in 1927. Over time, incremental changes had diluted the course’s character; this project seeks to unify and elevate the design into a cohesive, historically grounded expression. “This is a 100 year-old golf course, we are committed to the re-design evoking qualities of the great Golf Architecture of this era”, says Eckenrode.
