Designing for destination resorts is about capturing the unique spirit and character of a location.

These places aim to offer memorable, one-of-a-kind experiences that draw travellers specifically for golf. The chance to ‘wow’ golfers allows us to break the mould more than usual, something we love to do whenever possible.

But that doesn’t mean all destination golf demands the same type of course. It can be a must-play championship golf course like a Chambers Bay or Erin Hills, or it can be a golf-exclusive property such as those Mike Keiser has built at Bandon Dunes and Sand Valley. But what you can almost always count on at these resorts is an incredibly fun and flexible golf component in a beautiful location that you may visit only once in your life. That’s why it has to be a truly memorable location, and that’s a lot of what we’re seeing being built today.

How do we compare destination design to a traditional club or public facility? Traditional clubs are usually designed for a golfer who will play that same course many times during the season, while destination courses must be flexible enough to satisfy many different purposes, from everyday play for a variety of skill levels to tournament play. These courses also come with different expectations and limitations on maintenance. It’s the architect’s job to provide the most flexibility to satisfy these different concerns and constituencies.

Over the decades, there has been a clear shift in what resorts are asking from golf course designers – we’re now seeing more experiential design elements, emphasising pure golf enjoyment. And they run the gamut: music on the course, caddie programmes, Himalayas-style greens, night golf and flexible designs that prioritise playability and fun over difficulty. In some ways, course architects must think like social directors on a cruise ship, with many ways of engaging and entertaining the guests. And, frankly, we love that.

Golf’s purpose at resorts has changed, too. Back in the 1950s, Juan Trippe hired Robert Trent Jones, Sr. to build golf courses that he could fly his Pan-American planes to; golf was an activity that drew people somewhere. Golf remained a resort necessity for a long time. But that changed, not only at resorts but at golf communities: the clientele shifted their focus to other sports, particularly adventure sports like surfing and mountain biking. Now golf is experiencing a resurgence of interest, but it’s a more casual golf experience, more fun, more family friendly and unique. It makes designing for resorts more fun, too.

At Costa Palmas in Baja California Sur, Mexico, the design emphasises a relaxed, social atmosphere, taking full advantage of the location’s exceptional natural beauty, including pristine beaches and wildlife. The course serves as a catalyst, enhancing the overall resort experience with flexible playing options and social gathering areas strategically placed throughout the course.

The biggest challenges when designing golf for destination resorts? Simply speaking, remote site locations and limited access to resources. For example, at Grenada National in the Caribbean we discovered a valuable deposit of high-quality sand on site, crucial because importing sand to such a remote location would not have been possible. Being resourceful and adaptive during construction is essential. At Grenada National, finding this sand will be a gamechanger in drainage, playability and the overall player experience.

Another challenge is creating something appropriate and truly special while being aware of the business plan of the resort. For instance, if a developer is building a resort on the ocean, there’s often the desire to save the beachfront property for hotel rooms or home sites. But if you can convince the ownership that golf should touch the beach – creating additional viewsheds for more of the property, which enhances the overall value of the aesthetics – it makes for a very special experience. We did something like that at Hoiana Shores in Vietnam. It’s a links golf course in the classic sense… but it’s in Vietnam. The developers wanted to put housing along the beach, which would quickly start generating revenue. However, we were able to convince them that by setting the homes back would lead to more expansive views for the homeowners and a core golf experience next to the sea. This has elevated both the value of the homes and the value of the golf.

We expect destination golf to expand into more remote and emerging markets worldwide. Selecting the right sites is critical, particularly locations that offer native sand, interesting terrain and sustainable water sources. Our approach emphasises educating clients about these key ingredients to ensure successful, environmentally responsible golf developments.

Our team is working around the world on both new courses and renovations. As well as Grenada National, and also in the Caribbean, we are about to begin construction at Cotton Bay on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas.

Cotton Bay is especially exciting because it’s a complete rethinking of a Robert Trent Jones, Sr. course from the late 1950s that helped launch the Bahamas as a destination. The new course – and it is all-new – is set on a natural sand base and will feature a flexible routing that makes it ideal for matchplay as well as ‘choose your own adventure’ golf.

We’re also progressing with new ‘golf-first’ projects in Iceland, Italy, Vietnam, Ecuador, Panama and Egypt. They’re all at different stages of development, and we’ll be sharing more in the coming months.

Trent Jones is chief operating officer and Mike Gorman is senior project architect at RTJ II.

This article first appeared in the April 2025 issue of Golf Course Architecture. For a printed subscription or free digital edition, please visit our subscriptions page.