Biography
Tom Fazio, a prolific member in the golf course design industry, stands unique with his personal involvement in the creation of each one of his designs. Fazio integrates or significantly transforms each landscape he handles. Known for a certain grandeur, his designs are visually captivating and often relatively straightforward to play. His venture into the design business started with his uncle, George Fazio, during the early '60s. Over four decades later, Fazio can boast of designing over 200 courses across the world.
His notorious reputation for disregarding expense during the construction phase, combined with his commitment to maintaining elevated design standards, attracts clients interested in creating standout golf courses. As a result, Fazio's designs are featured in some of the most exclusive private clubs globally. Shadow Creek Golf Club in Las Vegas, opened in 1989, saw an impressive rearrangement of more than 3,000,000 cubic yards of desert landscape to create a fully isolated golfing experience.
Another exceptional Fazio design is Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, Florida. This golf course is the focal point of a luxurious 600-acre residential development. The residents include several PGA and LPGA Tour celebrities. Alongside this, Fazio's designs are consistently integrated into larger golf resorts globally, fitting impeccably in style, ambiance, and playability with courses designed by other architects. Exemplary designs such as Fazio Premier Course at Treetops Resort in Gaylord, Michigan, and Atunyote Golf Course at Turning Stone Resort in Verona, New York offer more budget-friendly experiences.
Fazio's modern design features are incorporated with remarkable variation and sophistication. The unique combination of large, wide, and deep tee boxes and vast greens with gentle undulations establishes numerous angles from tee to green. Hence, his courses can offer an entirely different feel with each round, revealing his talent and nuance in golf course design.