The April 2025 issue of Golf Course Architecture features the new par-three fifteenth at Royal Birkdale on the cover. Neil Cruickshank, chair of course at the club, tells us about the changes Mackenzie & Ebert is overseeing ahead of the 2026 Open.
For our feature article, we profile some of the best illustrations of golf courses in the game’s history. Tripp Davis, Thad Layton and others discuss the influence of artists like Harry Rountree, and golf course architects including Tom Simpson and Mike Strantz. The feature also includes a gallery of artwork, including pieces by Charles Lees, Sir John Lavery, Don Placek and Ian Andrew.
Adam Lawrence reports on the reconstruction of the nine-hole Maggie Hathaway course in Los Angeles, which he describes as “the golf industry at its best”. And Toby Ingleton visits the South course at Apogee Club in Florida, the design debut for the partnership of Mike Davis and Tom Fazio II.
This issue of Golf Course Architecture includes two feature interviews.
We speak with Mackenzie & Ebert principal Martin Ebert to learn about his career journey and the firm that he leads with partner Tom Mackenzie, including how the pair have developed an enviable portfolio, which includes eight of the ten Open venues.
Dave Axland has worked alongside many talented architects, but what is his story? Richard Humphreys speaks with the principal of Whitman, Axland & Cutten to find out more.
We hear from Mike Gorman and Trent Jones, who explain how the Robert Trent Jones II approach to resort golf has evolved, driven by a resurgence in remote golf development.
We also have reports on the first 18-hole golf course in Benin; a renovation at the Waldorf Astoria Golf Club, located within Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida; and a regrassing project at Golf de Cannes Mougins in southern France.
As usual, we begin the magazine with a round-up of the latest golf course design news. Highlights include the opening of the Faldo Design course at PGA Silk Path Dong Trieu Golf & Country Club in Vietnam, the Paul McGinley renovation at Donegal Golf Club in Ireland, a look at Nelson & Haworth’s renovation plan for the Island course at Singapore Island Country Club and insight from Jim Craig on The Commons, a new 12-hole course he has designed for the Sand Valley resort in Wisconsin.
We hope you enjoy the read!