California wildfires destroy home of golf course architecture expert, historian

• Tommy Naccarato, a golf architecture enthusiast who has worked with renowned designers, lost his home in the recent Los Angeles wildfires.
• Naccarato, who recently suffered a stroke, is known for his contributions to the golf community and his work on projects like Rustic Canyon.
• A GoFundMe campaign has been established to support Naccarato during this difficult time and help him rebuild his life.

Tommy Naccarato, a longtime online golf architecture buff who in recent years has worked for course designers Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner, is one of many Californians to have lost a home in the Los Angeles-area wildfires. Golf writer and marketer Adam Lawrence has set up a GoFundMe account to help the man nicknamed Emperor get back on his feet. 

Naccarato is listed on Hanse’s company website as “Plans, Graphics and Media Relations,” but he offers much more. Typically offering a well-researched golf opinion, Naccarato was a union electrician who fell in love with golf design and history. Among the many projects on which he has been involved, he always seems the quickest and most eager to speak with this reporter about Rustic Canyon, a Hanse design near Los Angeles on which Naccarato keeps a constant eye. 

Lawrence points out that Naccarato recently suffered a stroke, and the GoFundMe aims to help one of golf’s friendly voices who most definitely can use support after the devastating fires. 

"Emperor Tommy Naccarato has lost his home to the Los Angeles wildfires," Lawrence wrote. "Pretty tough at the best of times; worse still given he's in recovery after suffering a stroke. Tommy is an icon in the golf architecture community, and has been a valued friend to hundreds of us for many years. We owe him a great deal. Now it's time to help him! Please give what you can."