Digital Edition: Issue 85, July 2026

The global journal of golf design and development I SSUE 85 JULY 2026

1 WELCOME Since we started publishing Golf Course Architecture in 2005, we have travelled the world looking at golf course projects. The only continent we haven’t reported from is Antarctica. While we understand that makeshift layouts are occasionally crafted at its research stations, we don’t expect to be visiting there any time soon. Golf participation numbers have spiked in many different countries, and this has been reflected by a significant number of new golf courses, large-scale renovations and restorations. But until recently, these have mostly been in the United States. In the UK, where the GCA team is based, there has always been much less money in golf. A few years ago, we reported on the very large renovation project at Loch Lomond in Scotland, and commented that it was by some distance the most expensive renovation in UK golf. At the time, it seemed like a one-off. But in the last year or two, across the UK and Ireland, a considerable number of significant golf projects – new courses, renovations and even a few genuine restorations – have sprung up. In recent issues we have covered new course openings at both Cabot Highlands and Trump International in Scotland, as well as major redesigns in England and Ireland. But there are still many more on the horizon, as our main feature in this issue shows. British golf is on the up! Britain in boom ADAM LAWRENCE

PREMIUM BRIDGE COLLECTIONS Photo: Great Northern, Denmark BUILDING GLOBALLY | 75+ YEAR DESIGN LIFESPAN ybc.com 813.547.5341 Marketing@YBC.com 2423 Brunello Trace, Tampa, FL 33558 USA PREMIUM BRIDGE COLLECTIONS Photo: Great Northern, Denmark BUILDING GLOBALLY | 75+ YEAR DESIGN LIFESPAN ybc.com 813.547.5341 Marketing@YBC.com 2423 Brunello Trace, Tampa, FL 33558 USA

• Midlothian CC (Midlothian, IL) – 1898, a Hebert Tweedie design with contributions from Donald Ross and AW Tillinghast • The Cardinal GC at the Saint John’s Resort (Plymouth, MI) – 2024, New Championship GC design by Ray Hearn • Lincolnshire Fields CC (Champaign, IL) - 1974, a Larry Packard design • White Lake GC (Whitehall, MI) – 1916, a Tom Bendelow design (original nine) • Metedeconk National GC (Jackson, NJ) – 1987, a RTJ Sr. & Roger Rulewich design • Washtenaw GC (Ypsilanti, MI) – 1899, a Bert Way design • Crestmont CC (West Orange, NJ) – 1922, a Donald Ross design • Donald Ross Memorial GC (Harbor Springs, MI) • Moon Brook CC (Jamestown, NY) – 1919, a Willie Park Jr. design • Sugarloaf GC (Carrabassett Valley, ME) – a new short course design by Ray Hearn • Doon Brae GC (Harbor Springs, MI) - a new short course design by Ray Hearn • Aurora CC (Aurora, IL) - 1914, a Tom Bendelow design with contributions from William Langford and AW Tillinghast • Pottawattomie CC (Michigan City, IN) – 1909, a Tom Bendelow design (original nine) We are craftsmen transforming the golf industry one course at a time. Recent restoration, remodeling and new course projects include: www.rhgd.com - 616-399-7686 - ray@rhgd.com Midlothian CC Golf Course Architects with a Golden Age Touch

PEFC Certi ed This product is from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources www.pefc.org PEFC/16-33-576 Golf Course Architecture is published with the support of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, the European Institute of Golf Course Architects, GEO Foundation, Golf Course Builders Association of America, and Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. Contributing Editor Adam Lawrence News Editor Richard Humphreys Editorial team Rebecca Gibson, Kasturi Datta, Laura Hyde, Alex Smith Contributors John Clarkin, Aaron Gagnon, Stacie Zinn Roberts Design Bruce Graham, Libby Sidebotham, Dhanika Vansia Publisher Toby Ingleton Publication & Sales Manager Benedict Pask Production Manager Stuart Fairbrother Website Development Chris Jackson Circulation Sophia Brinkley Subscribe www.golfcoursearchitecture.net/ subscribe Photography Afrikafun Production, Air Tog, Angus Land Company, Augusta Municipal Golf Course, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Brio Golf, Carlton Marshall Golf Design, Carmel CC, Cookie Jar/AGC, Create Golf, Crestmont CC, Brian Curley, Curracloe Links, DMK Golf Design, EIGCA, European Golf Design, Faldo Design, Fire Pit Productions, French Golf Federation, Galgorm Collection, Harradine Golf, Harris Kalinka, Hunter Industries, Interlachen Country Club, Kevin Diss Photography, Kevin Markham, King Collins Dormer, Machrihanish Dunes, Kevin Murray, NCM Network, Olde Eight Golf Club, Kieran Ryan-Benson, Sanford-Ferris Golf Design, Evan Schiller, Shary Municipal Golf Course, Jacob Sjöman, St Andrews Links Trust, St George’s Hill, Stuart Collins Photography, Turfgrass, Ury Estate Follow Golf Course Architecture: Published by Tudor Rose Tudor House, 6 Friar Lane Leicester LE1 5RA Tel: +44 116 222 9900 www.tudor-rose.co.uk ISSN 1745-3585 (print) ISSN 2754-9828 (online) Printed in Great Britain by Micropress Printers. © 2026 Tudor Rose Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be stored or transmitted or reproduced in any form or by any means, including whether by photocopying, scanning, downloading onto computer or otherwise without the prior written permission from Tudor Rose Holdings Ltd. Views expressed in Golf Course Architecture are not necessarily those of the publishers. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply official endorsement of the products or services concerned. While every care has been taken to ensure accuracy of content, no responsibility can be taken for any errors and/or omissions. Readers should take appropriate professional advice before acting on any issue raised herein. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject advertising material and editorial contributions. The publisher assumes no liability for the return of unsolicited art, photography or manuscripts. It is assumed that any images taken from sources which are widely distributed, such as on the Web, are in the public domain. It is recognised though that since such images tend to be passed freely between sources it is not always possible to track the original source. If copyrighted material has ended up being treated as public domain due to the original source not being identified please contact the publisher, Tudor Rose. Golf Course Architecture (ISSN No: 1745-3585) is published quarterly by Tudor Rose, and distributed in the USA by Asendia USA, 701 Ashland Ave, Folcroft PA. Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is pending at Philadelphia, PA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Golf Course Architecture, 701 Ashland Ave, Folcroft, PA. 19032. 5

The Art and Science of Golf Course Architecture Kasugai Country Club, East Course, Japan Photo:Taku Miyamoto USA +1-707-526-7190 • golfplan@golfplan.com • www.golfplan.com Golfplan Host Course 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026

8 CONTENTS INSIGHTS 34 Early agronomic input in a golf course project is vital to protect both the budget and architect’s vision, as John Clarkin from Turfgrass explains. 38 Österåkers Golfklubb in Sweden has worked with Hunter Industries on new irrigation that will help to elevate aesthetics, playability and sustainability. FEATURE 40 British and Irish golf participation has boomed since the Covid pandemic, but this wasn’t initially reflected in new golf course projects. In the last couple of years however, many have emerged. TEE BOX 10 Our round-up of recent news begins at The Cliffs Kangaroo Island, a new golf destination in South Australia, which will open in October 2026. Cover photograph by Jacob Sjöman

9 INTERVIEW 50 David McLay Kidd was in his late twenties and had never built a new golf course when he was asked by Mike Keiser to create Bandon Dunes. Thirty years later, he’s one of the industry’s biggest names. Adam Lawrence hears about his career. ON SITE 66 The new Brian Curley-designed Shura Links course is laid out on an island just off Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast. Richard Humphreys paid a visit. 72 Fazio Design has led a project at the Interlachen club near Orlando that will help its course withstand extreme weather events, while making it more playable for members. Richard Humphreys visited the revitalised layout. PROFILED 78 Ouidah Golf Club is the first 18-hole golf course in the West African nation of Benin, and has been built as part of the country’s desire for economic diversification. REPORTS 84 For more than four decades, Rees Jones has helped Carmel Country Club adapt its South course to changing times and expectations. 88 Stacie Zinn Roberts reports from Augusta Municipal Golf Course, which has reopened its golf facilities following projects by Tom Fazio, Beau Welling and Tiger Woods’ TGR Design. PROMOTED 90 Denmark’s Great Northern club opened a decade ago, and since then, the bridges on its Nicklaus Design course have become a signature feature. HOLING OUT 92 We close the issue at Le Golf National, which has revamped its facilities due to the expansion of the Paris metro network. ON SITE 60 Team Niblick and Tom Watson Design have collaborated on renovation work to fulfil the potential of Robert Trent Jones’ 1982 routing of the Cashen course at Ballybunion.

10 TEE BOX The Cliffs Kangaroo Island to open in October New golf destination complete after a decade of planning and development.

11 The Cliffs Kangaroo Island in Australia will open for public play in October 2026. The new course, developed by Sam Atkins and designed by Darius Oliver, is on the south coast of Kangaroo Island, a popular destination known for its wildlife and rugged landscape. The island can be reached via a short flight from Adelaide or a ferry from Cape Jervis on mainland Australia. The site was identified as a potential location for golf more than a decade ago by Programmed Turnpoint, the construction contractor that would go on to build Oliver’s design. “I totally fell in love with the land, and I spent time with Darius so that I could totally see the potential of the property for golf,” said Atkins, previously the chair of golf at Kooyonga Golf Club in Adelaide. “We needed to build it because you could just see where it was sitting on the ground. It had to be a golf course.” Oliver’s routing was approved in 2017, but bushfires on Kangaroo Island in 2019 and 2020 as well as the impact of Covid-19 restrictions, delayed the start of construction. The project was also waiting for a pipeline to be completed, which would secure water for the island and the project site. Ground was finally broken in December 2022. The course has been laid out above 30-metre high cliffs. Five holes (two, three, eight, fourteen and fifteen) run along the coastline, while three more (one, seven and thirteen) play south towards the cliff edge. “They’ve all got amazing views, but they play quite differently from one another,” Photo: Jacob Sjöman

the origins of the par 2 have finally been traced to a 1974 high school student www.forrestrichardsongolf.com | +1 602 906 1818 In high school Forrest Richardson managed to convince his teachers to let him design golf courses as part of his geometry class. His fantasy “Mill Creek” design featured railroad track obstacles, an island bunker, a par-6 and an innovative par-2 putting hole — the 17th. The dreaming came true. His first putting hole debuted at Mountain Shadows in Arizona. It’s become a favorite betting hole. His second par-2 comes on line in 2026 at Scottsdale Country Club’s Six Shooter Course. In his own words: “Formula golf design may have been the thing – but not any longer.” FORREST RICHARDSON GOLF COURSE ARCHITECTS baylands golf links | dave sansom photo wigwam golf resort | keith alstrin photo c 2025 frgca

13 said Atkins. “On one hole we have an infinity-type green with just blue ocean behind it. It’s a great visual.” Oliver added: “The eighteenth doesn’t reach the coast but offers a lovely final view of the Southern Ocean. There are views from most holes, and a surprising glimpse of Pelican Lagoon from the par-three twelfth. While the aim has been to build 18 really solid, fun and interesting holes, it’s really the flow of the round and the variety of settings, and surprise views, that we hope will provide golfers with a full sensory experience and keep them coming back.” The Cliffs has seen Oliver reunited with several shapers he worked with at Cape Wickham, including Lindsay Richter and Glen Peck, as well as finisher Cameron Semple. “The skill of what Darius has done is the routing, especially the inland holes,” said Atkins. “Most of the people that have been out here already have been just as excited about the golf on the meadow land as the cliff holes. There’s a surprise on every hole, whether it be a view, the way it plays or the animals you see.” The site is home to kangaroos, Tammar wallabies, echidnas, goannas and wedge-tailed eagles, among many others. The course’s vegetation has also been a priority. “We’ve planted more than 2,500 native trees and plants and are on track to plant 10,000 more over the next five years,” said Atkins. “Our goal is to be one of the world’s most sustainable golf properties.” Oliver added: “The native vegetation is a genuine attraction of the site and will be something that golfers are aware of from the very first tee right through to the eighteenth green. Across the course are a variety of vegetation pockets. Some holes are dominated by forests of ancient, bearded heath trees, while in other places the golf weaves through remnant dune tussocks, indigenous South Australian irises and a mix of succulents and other coastal plants. The vegetation is up there with the landforms, the coastal views and the amazing wildlife as a major drawcard.” Kangaroo Island welcomes around 200,000 visitors each year. Atkins hopes to attract 15,000 guests to the golf course each year. TEE BOX “ The skill of what Darius has done is the routing, especially the inland holes” Darius Oliver says the holes at The Cliffs ‘have all got amazing views’ Photo: Jacob Sjöman

14 Sheringham takes first step in 10-year renovation plan “Martin has helped shape golf course architecture across the world” After more than five decades in the golf course design business, Martin Hawtree has officially retired. Martin is a third generation of Hawtree architects, and has worked at clubs such as Royal Birkdale, Lahinch and Trump Aberdeen. He has also been the president of both the British Institute of Golf Course Architects and its successor, the European Institute of Golf Course Architects. “Few people have contributed as much to our profession,” said EIGCA president Gary Johnston. “Through the continuation of one of golf’s most respected architectural practices, his own work, his leadership within the industry, and his support of future generations of architects, Martin has helped shape golf course architecture across the world.” Visit the EIGCA website to read more from former colleagues including Giulia Ferroni, Simon Gidman, Caspar Grauballe, Robin Hiseman, Ken Moodie and Marc Westenborg. Photo: EIGCA Sheringham Golf Club in Norfolk, England, has completed its first phase of a 10-year renovation plan by Mackenzie & Ebert. “There is a lot of work around bunkers and their positioning,” said general manager David Tilbury. “Martin Ebert has also planned for new tees, reshaping some fairways and the potential introduction of a double green.” Spanish golf legends lead revival of 36-hole Sicily golf resort The first of two 18-hole golf courses in Sicily, Italy, that closed in 2020 is to reopen in spring 2027 as part of a relaunched facility called Costa Ragusa Golf. Located near the hilltop city of Ragusa, the former Donnafugata Golf Resort & Spa originally opened in 2009. A short drive away was the Links course, a design by Franco Piras, who also helped Gary Player Design on the Parkland layout. In December 2025, Arrow Global acquired the resort and golf courses. Arrow, in partnership with Mangia’s, is underway with the resort redevelopment with the aim of creating a five-star destination. It had a soft opening in June 2026 and has been renamed Mangia’s Costa Ragusa Borgo. To transform the overgrown golf courses, now part of Costa Ragusa Golf, Arrow and Portuguese golf course operator Details have brought in the design firms of José María Olazábal and Miguel Ángel Jiménez. Image: NCM Network TEE BOX Photo: Air Tog

15 Photo: Air Tog NCM Network, led by Matthias Nemes and Franco G. Bianchi, is running the projects, with Anton Ortner working alongside Olazábal on the Parkland course (now called the Castle course), while Snorri Vilhjalmsson works with Jiménez on the Queens (formerly Links). Original designer Piras is involved as a consultant. The project is also NCM’s first design-build, with project director Jack Lund overseeing construction. “I like the routing,” Olazábal told GCA. “Our work is to make it more playable and interesting. With this project being on what was an existing course, we have had to adapt our approach a little bit than our usual newbuilds.” Olazábal, Ortner and Vilhjalmsson say that both courses will feel familiar to those that have played the old Parkland and Links courses given the routings remain the same, but they will also feel different as they completely change the presentation of the course’s features and undertake landscape work. Greens will be larger than they were previously, feature new contouring and 007XL bentgrass. For tees, fairways and rough, the project team have selected Tahoma 31 bermuda. Toro’s Lynx Smart Module control system is being installed, along with Flex and Infinity sprinklers. The Queens course is expected to open in April 2027, with the Castle following in 2028. A nine-hole par-three layout, which was originally planned but never built, will also be completed in 2027. A visualisation of the par-three third on the Castle course Clayton, DeVries & Pont (CDP) is developing a renovation plan for Sutton Coldfield Golf Club, near Birmingham, England. Following greens expansion and new irrigation, CDP partner Frank Pont is focusing on heathland regeneration and restoring historical long views. “Longer term, we will be working with the club to assess whether it makes sense to create some of the elements of Alister MacKenzie’s plan that were not executed,” said Pont. “In the meantime, we will also be looking at routing improvements that could further lift the course to the next level.” Course manager Chris Roberts said: “We’re carrying out heather scrapes and are using seed harvested from on-site heather to aid rejuvenation.” CDP to develop plans for Sutton Coldfield

17 Grand Resort Bad Ragaz in eastern Switzerland, not far from the Liechtenstein border, will reopen its golf course in August 2026 after a project to update its push-up greens to a sand-based profile. “Unfortunately, there will not be any more new golf courses built in Switzerland, mainly due to the incredible regulations that are required to obtain building permits,” said architect Peter Harradine, who has led the project at Bad Ragaz. “Many courses were, however, built more than 60 years ago and have push-up greens without drainage. Despite regular topdressing, maintenance is very difficult due to the lack of efficient drainage and very shallow root layer.” Bad Ragaz was designed by Peter’s father, Don, and opened in 1956. “Grass species have greatly improved since those days, allowing increased density and speeds,” said Harradine. “Greenkeepers and superintendents find it difficult to maintain push-up greens to today’s standards. Many of the older courses are therefore deciding to replace the rootzone.” Once the club had decided to proceed with the work, complicated restrictions meant that it took two years to receive building permits. Contractor Golf-Toller began work in September 2025, and was supported by subcontractor Schutz Filisur Gartenbau, superintendent Jonas Friedrich and environmental manager Nina Albertini. “The drainage pipes are now surrounded by gravel and under two other gravel layers,” said Harradine. “The rootzone layer was transported carefully to the newly compacted subsoil and mixed on site. We designed the back-to-back method for greens irrigation to ensure a uniform coverage and new Toro rotors were installed.” Work on all greens, three new tees and the new lake was completed in late April. Greens remain in the same locations and are the same style as originally designed. Harradine has, however, managed to expand some of them. “The programme was very ambitious,” he said. “Especially considering the winter weather conditions in that part of Switzerland.” Photo: Harradine Golf TEE BOX Harradine updates greens profile at Bad Ragaz in Switzerland Peter Harradine (right) and the project team at Bad Ragaz

18 TEE BOX THE BIG PICTURE The par-five fourth at Carne Golf Links, on the northwest coast of Ireland, photographed by Kevin Markham. Eddie Hackett designed the original 18-hole layout in the early 1990s and Ally McIntosh added a new nine in 2013. Those holes are now the back nine of the club’s Wild Atlantic Dunes course, which has Hackett’s original back nine as its front nine. McIntosh is overseeing bunker and tee renovations to all 27 of the club’s holes, beginning with the Hackett holes of the Wild Atlantic Dunes course, which reopened in May 2026. The remaining nines will be completed over the next two winters. “A new bunker scheme and green surrounds on the fourth brings strategy into the second shot on this gorgeous par five, allowing the land over the approach bunker to feed the ball into the green,” said McIntosh. Other work has included a new bunker on the second to marry in with the natural sand scars and the scale of the site, and reworking the fairway bunker on the sixth to have undefined edges that mimic the freeform nature of the links. “The rawness of Carne is part of its appeal, but we can maintain that feel whilst still elevating the strategy, detail and presentation,” said McIntosh. “Our goal is to lift it to the next level where people fully realise its world-class status.”

Soluptatis ea ilignie nducid modi odi dolum vendem esciant harumenetUptatia vidit etur, optatem porion et queitius erundae rsperum quostrum que audigenisci si recus Photo: Kevin Markham 19

21 Photos: Shary Municipal Golf Course Shary Municipal Golf Course in Mission, Texas, has reopened following a redesign by Jerry Lemons, and the introduction of new lighting for night play. The City of Mission, close to the border with Mexico, wanted to address ageing infrastructure at the course and decided to invest in a new vision that would reimagine the nine-hole municipal facility and transform it into a more versatile and sustainable destination for the community. “When I arrived, we started evaluating how we could maximise the property and create something unique for the community,” said Michael Fernuik, director of golf. “That process led us to reconfigure the layout into a hybrid short course concept.” Lemons worked with contractor VM Golf Services to redesign the layout, rebuild greens and add lighting from Musco Sports Lighting for evening play. Two par fives were converted into par-three and par-four holes. Two greens and two tee complexes were entirely rebuilt, while the remaining greens were reshaped and expanded. The total putting surface has increased from 20,000 to 52,000 square feet. Greens now feature Lazer Zoysia from Bladerunner Farms, making Shary the first municipal facility in the Rio Grande Valley to use the variety. “The colour stood out immediately, and the putting surface quality was exceptional,” said Fernuik. “The opportunity to introduce something new to the region was exciting. We believe Lazer can help differentiate the facility, while providing the type of playing conditions we wanted to deliver.” Superintendent Efrain Gutierrez oversaw the grow-in. “As it matured, the density really stood out – the surface became extremely tight and uniform,” he said. “You could hit balls onto the greens and barely find a ball mark.” The club has branded its evening golf experience as ‘Starlight at Shary’. “The additional play and revenue generated by night golf creates opportunities for us to continue investing in and improving the facility,” said Fernuik. Shary renovation paves way for evening play The total area of putting surface at Shary Municipal has more than doubled TEE BOX

22 New short game facilities opening at Olde Eight TEE BOX Drew Rogers has created a bunkerless short course at Olde Eight Golf Club in Greenwood, South Carolina. Along with a teaching academy that is under construction, the nine-hole layout is the latest addition to the club, following last year’s opening of the reimagined 18-hole course and Piedmont putting green. The new nine-hole layout has been built on a 10-acre parcel that has approximately 45 feet of elevation change. It has holes ranging from 90 to 160 yards. “This course reminds me of the backyard golf we used to play as kids,” said Rogers. “We have designed the layout to be completely interpretive, especially when you have the place to yourself. “The brand of golf is simple: it’s all about what the ball does on the ground and how players choose to create shots using contour. The wall-to-wall tight turf will present a course that complements that notion.” A ridge running through the centre of the practice putting green inspired its name. “The ridge is reminiscent of the foothills range Image: Sanford-Ferris Golf Design Olde Hickory Golf & Country Club in Fort Myers, Florida, has approved a masterplan by Sanford-Ferris Golf Design. “We will improve the character of the course with a fresh bunker style, interesting green contours, ribbon tees and removal of nuisance vegetation to open up sightlines,” said John Sanford. “The bunker style will consist of grass faces with sand on the flatter bottoms.” Tee locations will be more memberfriendly, with forced carries reduced. Sanford and David Ferris will also reduce the amount of irrigated turf, improve drainage and create landforms to reduce maintenance. “We also want to remove vegetation that blocks shots/views and has created safety and playability concerns,” said Ferris. Sanford added: “The biggest change will be the green complexes. The upgraded course will also promote opportunities to play running approach shots.” The designers are also putting together plans for DuPont in Delaware, Canandaigua in New York and Colony West in Florida. They are also collaborating with Tripp Davis at Turtle Creek, Rees Jones at Orangebrook, Chris Cochran at Emerald Hills and Jim Lipe at Ferry Point. Olde Hickory approves Sanford-Ferris masterplan

23 The Cape Royale golf course in Coldspring, Texas, is to be renovated by golf architect Ty Butler, Landscapes Unlimited’s project development group and contractor Heritage Links. The team are targeting a reopening in autumn 2028. The course closed in 2016, with Trinity River Authority (TRA) taking over the lease in 2024. “The previous operator essentially ran the course into the ground,” said Clay Fetherbay, program manager at Landscapes Unlimited. “The TRA is required to provide recreation as a part of its programme, so they needed to restore it from that standpoint; there are also folks within the TRA that wanted to restore this gem as it’s located in a beautiful spot.” Butler has developed a plan for the course that includes some routing adjustments but preserves most of the original playing corridors. “The course will be more challenging from the tips while maintaining playability for the average golfer,” said Fetherbay. “It will be visually striking compared to the previous layout because of enhanced lake views.” Project team selected for Cape Royale revival Image: Brio Golf Photo: Olde Eight Golf Club that geographically identifies South Carolina’s Piedmont region, where Olde Eight is located,” said Rogers. The teaching academy, ‘The Repair Shop’, will include new practice greens and a short game area. New accommodation is also in construction. In our last issue, Sandy took a trip to North Carolina and visited the acclaimed Old Town Club, a Perry Maxwell design that has been restored by Coore & Crenshaw since 2012. The first name out of the hat was Billy Kurtz, a student from Auburn University and an aspiring golf course architect, too. Congratulations Billy, and all of us at GCA wish you luck in your future career. This month, Sandy stayed in England and visited a course designed by an American golf course architect. There is a plaque commemorating the golfing performance of another American, who now also has his own design business, on the closing hole. That’s enough of a clue! To be in with a chance of winning a GCA shirt, send your answer to gopher@golfcoursearchitecture.net. GOPHER WATCH

24 Tobacco Road in Sanford, North Carolina, is to open a 12-hole short course, The Matchbox, in August 2026. The par-three layout is by Lee Marshall and Justin Carlton of Carlton Marshall Golf Design. “Our inspiration came from Mike Strantz and his masterpiece, and we’ve incorporated similar design features and philosophies for Matchbox,” said Marshall. “Strantz was a master of scale and well ahead of his time. Our routing focused on preserving the major contours flowing from Tobacco Road and one particular unique carved feature that Strantz created himself, which now forms part of hole eleven.” Marshall and Carlton let the terrain dictate the layout. “We did not route the course to a specific number of holes; we simply found the best available green locations on the property that offered the most variety from hole to hole, ultimately landing on 12,” said Marshall. Holes move between enclosed and open areas, with elevation change and water features influencing shot selection. “We intend to keep the golfer intrigued as they navigate the course: a few secluded holes are nestled in the forest, then the landscape suddenly opens up with multiple holes and green settings around a bright blue lake,” said Marshall. “Holes four and eight play uphill, while the finishing hole is severely downhill. Some holes TEE BOX COURSE BLUEPRINT The Matchbox at Tobacco Road Inspired by Tobacco Road’s opening hole, the ninth plays between two large mounds The final hole plays significantly downhill to a long, rectangular green The eleventh has two separate teeing areas and a double green, which can be played by golfers on the main course as a bonus hole

25 feature ‘shoots’ through trees or earth while others require forced carries over water or railroad tie bulkheads.” Matchbox will also include an extra hole, connected to the eleventh via a shared double green. “Tobacco Road golfers typically have a long wait because of a shorter par five, which is right next to hole eleven,” said Carlton. “The owner, Mark Stewart, wanted a diversion for players waiting on the main course and asked for them to experience the Matchbox by adding an alternate hole to play in the interim. We thought it was a brilliant idea.” The third is just 60 yards, but the tee shot is blind and plays to a narrow green Holes two, seven and ten all require a tee shot over a bright blue lake Images: Carlton Marshall Golf Design The new short course is being built on a parcel of land between the twelfth and thirteenth holes of the Mike Strantz layout at Tobacco Road

PROMOTED

27 TEE BOX Lincoln passes halfway point on eight-year project Lincoln Golf Club in the small English village of Torksey has passed the halfway point of an eight-year course renovation programme by Ken Moodie of Creative Golf Design. The project began in 2021, and ten holes have been renovated to date with the most significant phase – the reconstruction of the ninth and tenth greens – carried out in autumn 2025. Before construction began, the club worked with Arden Lea and KAR on installing a new fairway irrigation system from Hunter. Moodie’s plan was designed to complement the irrigation system, with all new bunkers positioned to fall within the irrigated zones. Construction started with holes seven and fourteen in autumn 2021. The opening three holes were renovated in 2022; holes four and five in 2023; and nine, ten and eighteen in 2024. At each stage, Moodie has overseen selective tree removal. He said: “Trees have been removed to offer more options from the tee and to reinstate the heathland character of the course.” The schedule for the remaining holes will include holes eleven, twelve and thirteen in 2027; holes fifteen, sixteen and seventeen in 2028; and holes six and eight in 2029 to complete the project. Photo: Stuart Collins Photography Photo: Create Golf Jonathan Davison of Create Golf is underway with a project at Royal Ostend Golf Club, near the seaside town of De Haan, Belgium. The course, originally designed in 1903 by Scottish architect Seymour Dunn, is the only links in Belgium. It was destroyed in both World Wars but was rebuilt and restored both times. The course was redesigned in the 1990s by Martin Hawtree when the club lost some of its land. Davison developed a renovation plan in early 2026, which he says “aims to bring greater consistency to a course spread across four parcels of land, while restoring links-style features and improving traffic throughout the golf course.” The first phase is focused on expanding green complexes to better connect with hazards, restoring lost pin positions and converting several bunkers into shortgrass run-off areas. The club will continue to use EcoBunker edging. Jonathan Davison begins restoring Belgium’s only links course

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TEE BOX Q&A with Raymond Hearn “ Variety fuels me” Raymond Hearn has been in the golf course design business for over 30 years. GCA spoke with the architect about his career. Over the past 30 years, Raymond Hearn has developed a diverse portfolio, covering pre-1930s restorations, Golden Age projects, renovations at storied clubs and new golf course designs. Hearn is currently a very busy man and can be found working on restoration, remodelling and new course design in Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New York and Texas. GCA spoke with the architect about how he got into golf course design and his current workload. What was your journey into golf course architecture? After getting a degree in turfgrass science from Michigan State University (MSU), I worked at the Country Club of Detroit – a Colt and Alison gem – as an assistant superintendent. I then went back to MSU to study landscape architecture, and I helped create the ‘Golf Course Architecture’ emphasis area with assistance from Professors Tony Bauer and Warren Rauhe. Pete Dye was one of my ASGCA sponsors and his advice is something I carry with me, even today: “You are only as good as your most recent work, get to the British Isles as much as possible and don’t be afraid to take chances.” I founded my company in 1996 and one year later, began co-teaching a golf course design seminar with Rauhe. Over six years, I visited many Photo: Crestmont CC Hearn’s 2025 sympathetic restoration of the eleventh green at the Donald Rossdesigned Crestmont CC in New Jersey 29

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31 Photo: Evan Schiller Hearn restored and increased shot value on the Robert Trent Jones Sr layout at Metedeconk National in 2022 top courses in England, Ireland and Scotland, and I learned as much as I taught. These trips were the best thing that could have ever happened to me as a young designer. You’re known for sympathetic restorations of early 20th-century golf courses. How do you approach such projects? There needs to be a balance between honouring an architect’s original intent and accommodating the modern game. You cannot simply recreate golf from when that course was built – green speeds, mowing lines, tree growth and hitting distances have changed. Then, to bring the design forward without losing its soul, you must undertake a lot of research into discovering the course’s past to chart its future. I have been blessed on my recent projects to have a wealth of historic materials at my disposal. At Crestmont in New Jersey, I worked with original Donald Ross sketches, historic photos and material from the Tufts University archives, while at Midlothian (Illinois), Pottawatomie (Indiana) and Aurora (Illinois), I had century-old plans, aerials and photos to guide me. What is the latest on your new design work? The Cardinal at Saint John’s Resort in Michigan is my latest 18-hole design to open. It has received strong reviews from resort golfers, as well as those competing in the LIV Golf event in August 2025. It was a great rush watching Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and others navigating my design. I am also working with Boyne Golf on numerous projects at resorts they operate in Maine, Michigan and Montana. This work includes a new par-three layout at Harbor Springs in Michigan. Doon Brae at The Highlands opened last year – it is a nine-hole walking course that pays homage to some of the greatest green designs around the world through the use of creative contours, strong variety in varied green sites and memorable shortgame challenges. For Sugarloaf Resort Carrabassett Valley, Maine, I created construction plans for a nine-hole parthree course with incredible views of the majestic Bigelow Mountain Range. As my portfolio shows, variety fuels me. I love working on historic gems, public revivals, resort builds and short courses. Here’s to the next milestone! TEE BOX

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33 TEE BOX New course in Laos nears completion Photo: Faldo Design The par-four third hole at Thatluang Lake Golf Resort Construction is nearing completion on a Faldo Design golf course for the new Thatluang Lake Golf Resort in Vientiane, Laos. The resort is part of the Thatluang Lake Park, a new urban area that is designed as an economic development zone. The 50-hectare area has a larger northern portion and smaller southern ‘island’ separated by an existing urban canal, over which golf will be played. “Given its location so close to the city centre, our vision was to create a course with an urban botanical park character that helps to soften its surrounding environment,” said Gareth Williams, lead golf course architect at Faldo Design. “This includes a balance of formal and more natural areas, multiple water features, striking modern bunkers and changes in elevation that provide interesting green and tee locations. “The site is located on the edge of a natural basin to the east of Vientiane and much of it sits at the natural water table. The golf course has been raised above high flood levels to ensure it is protected from damage during heavy rain and flooding. Doing so presented an opportunity to create some significant changes in elevation and undulation for the playing areas while also taking advantage of the low-lying nature of the site by creating attractive and dramatic water features throughout the course.” “Given the compact nature of the site, the course is extremely economically routed and, at 6,007 yards, not particularly long,” said Williams. “However, with treelined, contoured fairways and strategically positioned bunkering, a focus on accuracy over distance will be essential. Greens are well protected by the contouring and drop-offs, bunkers and water features, so finding the optimum angle for approach shots will be at a premium.” The course is being built by Flagstick GCCM and will feature Zeon Zoysia tees, fairways and rough, while the greens will be grassed with TifEagle dwarf bermudagrass. All grass and grow-in supervision is being provided by Sports Turf Solutions (STS). “Zeon Zoysia was selected for its superior aesthetics and low maintenance requirements,” said Brad Burgess of STS. “The client conducted extensive due diligence, including visits to properties and turf farms in Thailand, and determined that Zeon was the most suitable variety for the region. Laos has a climate very similar to Thailand, making it an ideal choice.”

34 Early agronomic input in a golf course project is vital to protect both the budget and architect’s vision, as John Clarkin from Turfgrass explains. The most expensive mistakes are rarely the ones you can see INSIGHT JOHN CLARKIN In golf course development, people naturally focus on what they can see. They look at the bunker shaping, the green surrounds, the sightlines, the scale of the landforms and the way a hole sits in the landscape. That is understandable. Golf course architecture is visual, strategic and emotional. The finished product has to look and play in a way that reflects the architect’s intent. But in my experience, the long-term success of a golf course is rarely decided by the visible five per cent; 95 per cent of what makes a golf course great comes from underground. Drainage, rootzones, irrigation, bunker construction, material selection, soil movement, compaction and water movement all sit beneath the surface. The grass is what everyone sees, but the grass is only the final expression of what has been built below it. If the underground work is wrong, the finished surface will eventually show it. That is why agronomy and construction specifications need to be part of the conversation from the beginning. By then, choices may already have been made that are expensive, disruptive or sometimes impossible to correct properly. A golf course is a living organism. Golf courses have a lifespan. They change every day with weather, traffic, irrigation, disease pressure, shade, tournaments, wear and maintenance practices. A green may look excellent on opening day, but the real test is how it performs in year five, 10 and 20. The architect’s vision is most important. But that vision depends on the course being able to perform. If a green does not drain, if a bunker fails, if turf quality declines or if the maintenance team is constantly fighting the infrastructure, golfers do not separate those issues from the design. They simply say the course is not good enough. Members, owners and guests notice conditioning more than almost anything else. They may not understand why a surface is poor, but they know when it is inconsistent, wet, weak, soft or difficult to play from. Human nature being what it is, the

35 Photo: Turfgrass Turfgrass managed the recent rejuvenation of the course at San Roque club in Spain conversation in the bar is rarely about the 17 greens that performed well. It is about the one that did not. This is not about agronomy competing with architecture. It is the opposite. Good agronomy protects architecture. The best projects are the ones where the architect, agronomist, contractor, irrigation designer, superintendent and ownership group are aligned early. Everyone needs to understand the design intent, the expected standard of conditioning, the maintenance reality and especially the budget required to sustain it. Specifications are part of that protection. An agronomy specification document is not just for the bill of quantities. It is a practical tool that sets the standard for materials, construction quality and performance. Without that clarity, projects are vulnerable to small compromises that can create major problems down the road. A slightly cheaper sand. A rootzone mix that is ‘close enough’. A bunker detail changed on site. A drainage decision made to save time. None of these may look catastrophic in the moment. But golf courses have a habit of exposing shortcuts, and when they do, the cost is rarely minimal. The simplest way I explain it is this: if you are digging up a road to install the gas, don’t dig it up again for the water and electricity. You coordinate the work properly while the road is open to include all three. Golf courses are no different. If a club is renovating bunkers, that is the moment to look at drainage, irrigation, grassing lines, cart paths and future maintenance. If greens are being rebuilt, that is the moment to think about greenside bunkers or surrounds and how the green will be maintained for the next 20 years. We should never come back later if it could have been dealt with properly the first time. This is especially important in renovation work, where clubs often tackle one visible problem without understanding or considering the wider cause. A bunker renovation should not just be a bunker renovation if the surrounding irrigation is poor or the

37 grassing lines no longer make sense. A greens project should not be treated as a surface replacement if the problem is actually rootzone, drainage, shade, traffic or poor construction beneath it. That is how repeat spending happens. There is another point that deserves more attention during design: maintenance efficiency. Every architect wants their course to open looking its best. And most do. New golf courses often open like polished diamonds. The shaping is sharp, the bunkers are clean, the turf is fresh and the presentation is immaculate. But once the architect and construction team move on, the golf course remains. It has to be maintained every day within the set budget. Intentions are always high but invariably the purse strings can tighten having a detrimental effect on staffing levels, machinery and materials available. If that maintenance reality has not been considered during design, the diamond begins to lose its shine. This is where collaboration between the designer and the agronomist is so valuable from the onset of the project. It is not about diluting design ambition. It is about making sure the design can be maintained to the standard intended by the architect for decades to come. Bunker style and maintenance, grassing lines, mowing patterns, irrigation coverage, traffic routes and maintenance intensity all influence whether a course can be presented consistently once the opening spotlight has gone. A design that requires a championship-level maintenance budget will not hold up if the club only has the resources for a modest operation. That is not a criticism of the design or the club. It is simply a mismatch between ambition and reality. And that mismatch can damage the architect’s legacy! The designer’s name stays attached to the golf course long after the project team has left. If the course becomes difficult to maintain, loses definition, suffers from poor turf quality or drifts away from the original concept, this reflects on the design. For architects, early agronomic input is not just a technical safeguard. It is brand protection. It helps ensure that what is drawn can be built, what is built can be maintained, and what is maintained still reflects the original vision years later. Golf course development will always involve compromise. Budgets are real. Timelines matter. Sites throw up surprises. Weather interferes. But there is a big difference between informed compromise and uninformed compromise. The informed ones are manageable. The uninformed ones usually come back to haunt. In golf development, the most expensive mistakes are rarely the ones you can see. They are the ones buried below the surface, or built quietly into the future maintenance burden of the course. And by the time they appear, it is too late, and never cheaper to fix. Early agronomic input was the foundation of the San Roque project AGRONOMY Photo: Turfgrass “ For architects, early agronomic input is not just a technical safeguard. It is brand protection”

38 INSIGHT AARON GAGNON Built to perform Österåkers Golfklubb has worked with Hunter Industries to elevate aesthetics, playability and sustainability across its facilities. In eastern Sweden, the golf season brings both opportunity and operational complexity. At Österåkers Golfklubb – home to two 18-hole courses in the rolling woodlands north of Stockholm – consistent playing surfaces rely on dependable irrigation throughout the short but demanding season. As part of a broader renovation initiative, Österåkers has been implementing a masterplan developed by Henrik Stenson Golf Design to enhance course playability and presentation. The project’s vision is to create one of the finest golfing facilities in Scandinavia and upgrades cover both 18-hole courses, the nine-hole par-three layout and the practice facility. Modernising the irrigation system became a key component of this effort. Over time, a mix of ageing irrigation components had made servicing difficult and introduced inventory management challenges. The club wanted a more unified, performance-driven irrigation solution that would improve reliability, strengthen distribution uniformity, simplify maintenance and support its long-term strategy for the property. To meet these goals, Österåkers decided to upgrade key areas of its system to Hunter GT-885-D golf rotors, reinforcing irrigation reliability while supporting the club’s commitment to high-quality playing conditions. The rotors are engineered for durability in demanding environments. Its patented gear drive delivers the highest torque output of any golf rotor on the market, providing the strength needed to maintain consistent operation under the tough conditions of northern Europe. For Österåkers, this means fewer service interruptions, more consistent watering windows, and improved reliability across the expansive property. This approach supports the club’s goals to simplify maintenance and strengthen proactive course conditioning. A rotor’s performance is ultimately defined by its ability to distribute water precisely and consistently, especially across diverse grades and turf conditions. The GT-885-D features PressurePort nozzle technology, which optimises incoming pressure at each nozzle to increase consistency and maximise distribution uniformity. This helps ensure that water is delivered where it’s needed most, reducing variability in coverage and supporting healthy turf across fairways and greens.

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