Gibson Island at Gibson Island Club

Gibson Island Club occupies a private residential island in the Chesapeake Bay, approximately twenty miles south of Baltimore. The course was designed by C. B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor in the early 1920s, part of their prolific collaboration that brought template holes and strategic design principles to American golf. The club opened in 1924, making it one of the earlier examples of their work during a period when they were also creating courses like Yale and the Creek Club.

The routing takes advantage of the island's modest elevation changes and water views, with several holes playing along or near the Chesapeake shoreline. True to Macdonald and Raynor's philosophy, the course features template holes inspired by classic British designs—versions of the Redan, Biarritz, and other strategic concepts that define their portfolio. The layout emphasizes angles of play, strategic bunkering, and green complexes that reward thoughtful approach shots over pure distance.

Gibson Island itself is a gated residential community with a long-standing tradition of privacy and family-oriented club life. The membership has historically been drawn from Baltimore and the surrounding Mid-Atlantic region. The club maintains both golf and yachting facilities, reflecting the island's maritime setting. The course has undergone periodic restoration work to preserve the original Macdonald-Raynor design intent, though it remains relatively unknown outside architectural circles due to the club's private nature and limited outside play.