Emerging golf markets

From its origins in Scotland, and early twentieth century expansion in Western Europe and the United States, golf continues to reach new markets throughout the world. Newer markets, including China, elsewhere in Asia, plus North Africa and the Middle East, have their own unique considerations for golf course development.

LATEST NEWS

Construction under way on North course at Legend Valley in Vietnam
Nicklaus Design
News | Fri 22 Aug, 2025

Construction under way on North course at Legend Valley in Vietnam

Nicklaus Design creates second layout on former quarries framed by limestone mountains

New Faldo Design course to open in Qiddiya in 2026
Qiddiya Investment Company
News | Mon 21 Jul, 2025

New Faldo Design course to open in Qiddiya in 2026

Eighteen-hole layout has been laid out near the Tuwaiq Mountains in Saudi Arabia

New golf course takes shape as part of US$280m project in Zimbabwe’s capital
Harris Kalinka
News | Wed 02 Jul, 2025

New golf course takes shape as part of US$280m project in Zimbabwe’s capital

The Hills Luxury Golf Estate is a development by WestProp and includes a Peter Matkovich 18-hole layout

Savan Resorts in Laos nears opening of Nicklaus Design short course
Nicklaus Design
News | Mon 30 Jun, 2025

Savan Resorts in Laos nears opening of Nicklaus Design short course

New nine-hole par-three layout includes an island green and can be lit for night golf

Nine holes take shape at Timehri Sands in Guyana
Miller Golf Design Group
News | Wed 18 Jun, 2025

Nine holes take shape at Timehri Sands in Guyana

Construction of first nine, designed by Jason Miller of Miller Golf Design Group, is expected to be complete by early 2026

New Faldo Design course opens at Silk Path club in Vietnam
PGA Silk Path Dong Trieu Golf & Country Club
News | Fri 04 Apr, 2025

New Faldo Design course opens at Silk Path club in Vietnam

Eighteen-hole public layout has been created as part of a US$60m development east of Hanoi

Mackenzie & Ebert designs new course for Puerto Rico resort
The Boundary
News | Tue 04 Mar, 2025

Mackenzie & Ebert designs new course for Puerto Rico resort

Shaping is in progress at Moncayo, a luxury development that covers 1,100 acres

Golden Sands resort on Vietnam’s east coast ready to open
Nicklaus Design
News | Mon 19 Aug, 2024

Golden Sands resort on Vietnam’s east coast ready to open

The first of two 18-hole courses has been completed on a sandy site along Vinh Xuan beach

Poland’s Karolinka Golf Park reopens with an 18-hole layout
All Golf Services
News | Wed 24 Jul, 2024

Poland’s Karolinka Golf Park reopens with an 18-hole layout

Grzegorz Marcinków and All Golf Services revamp existing nine and add nine new holes

Trump International Golf Club Lido opens in Indonesia
Jacob Sjöman
News | Wed 24 Jul, 2024

Trump International Golf Club Lido opens in Indonesia

Ernie Els course is located at MNC Lido City, a new destination two hours south of Jakarta

Construction begins on Benin’s first ever golf course
Jeremy Pern
News | Fri 17 May, 2024

Construction begins on Benin’s first ever golf course

Jeremy Pern routes West Africa design around sacred grove and voodoo shrines

Brian Curley’s Shura Links announced on Red Sea island
Curley-Wagner Golf Design
News | Tue 07 May, 2024

Brian Curley’s Shura Links announced on Red Sea island

New course in Saudi Arabia being developed in line with GEO Foundation OnCourse methodology

New Gary Player course takes shape in Montenegro
Gary Player Design
News | Mon 29 Apr, 2024

New Gary Player course takes shape in Montenegro

Construction of opening nine is progressing on rocky site overlooking the Adriatic Sea

New Brian Curley course opens at Stone Highland in Vietnam
Schmidt-Curley Design
News | Tue 12 Dec, 2023

New Brian Curley course opens at Stone Highland in Vietnam

Architect has designed two 18-hole layouts on mountain terrain for the Hanoi project

LATEST MAGAZINE

Richard Humphreys
/ Categories: Magazine, News

The July 2025 issue of Golf Course Architecture is out now!llllll

The July 2025 issue of Golf Course Architecture is out now!

Our latest issue features the New course at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen, Scotland, on the cover. Toby Ingleton toured the course and spoke with the project team about the dramatic site, which centres on a system of high dunes that are just as impressive as those on the club’s first course.

The par-three eighth at the recent US Open at Oakmont got a lot of press for being virtually 300 yards in length, with many players critical of the hole, and long par threes in general. For our  ‘Not for a long shot?’ article, Adam Lawrence spoke with several golf course architects, including Steve Smyers, Brian Curley and Christine Fraser, to get their thoughts on long one-shotters.

Adam also reports on a visit to the new Torre course at Terras da Comporta, designed by Sergio Garcia’s firm. “It might not be able to dethrone its sister Dunas for the title of Portugal’s best course, but it is a very good partner,” he writes.

We also visited the Baltusrol Golf Club in New Jersey, where the reopening of the Upper course marks Gil Hanse’s completion of the restoration of AW Tillinghast’s famous ‘dual courses’. Hanse spoke with us about the distinguishing characteristics of the Lower and the Upper courses, and provides an insight into the process of restoring dual greens on the fourteenth hole.

Our feature interview for the new issue is with Rees Jones. He speaks about following in the footsteps of his father, his work at Bethpage Black as the 2025 Ryder Cup approaches, projects in Asia and much more. “I want the entry level golfer to have a place to play and have a sports activity that they enjoy for a lifetime,” he says.

Ron Whitten writes about Swope Memorial, where he is consulting on a project led by CE Golf Design that is aiming to recapture AW Tillinghast’s original vision for the Kansas City course. He writes: “There wasn’t much Tillinghast to preserve, but a good amount to ‘restore’. We call our process a sympathetic restoration, trying to address 21st century demands to an early 20th century design.”

Also, we have reports on Eschuri Vung Bau Golf Resort, a new IMG course located on an island off the coast of southern Vietnam; the US$3 billion Hann Reserve development in New Clark City, Philippines, which will have courses by Nicklaus Design, KJ Choi and Faldo Design; a new golf course by Greg Norman’s firm for the Moon Palace Punta Cana resort in the Dominican Republic; the Mackenzie & Ebert renovation of La Moye Golf Club on the island of Jersey; the new Peter Harradine-designed Capital Hills course, which is part of a huge development in Islamabad, Pakistan; and Wichita CC, where Tripp Davis has completed an infrastructure-focused renovation for the Kansas club.

Elsewhere, our news section includes the proposals by King Collins Dormer for Royal Dornoch in Scotland, the Gil Hanse renovation of Royal Sydney in Australia, the new Scarecrow course that DMK Golf Design has created for Gamble Sands and insight from Canadian architect Jason Miller on the new Timehri Sands golf course that is being built in Guyana.

View the digital edition of the July 2025 issue of Golf Course Architecture

Subscribe to the printed edition of Golf Course Architecture

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Slideshow HTML
  • Golf Course Architecture Out now
  • Golf Course Architecture Trump New Aberdeen
    Jacob Sjoman

    The New course at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen

  • Comporta Torre New Course Sergio Garcia
    James Hogg

    The Torre course at Terras da Comporta, designed by Sergio Garcia’s firm

  • Baltusrol Upper renovation Gil Hanse
    Evan Schiller

    Gil Hanse has renovated the AW Tillinghast-designed Upper course at Baltusrol

  • Oakmont US Open 2025 hole 8
    USGA/Fred Vuich

    We speak with golf course architects about long par threes (pictured, Oakmont’s eighth hole)

  • Rees Jones Bethpage Black Ryder Cup
    Rees Jones Inc

    We spoke with Rees Jones about following in his father’s footsteps, his work at Bethpage Black, projects in Asia and much more

  • Swope Memorial Golf Course restoration
    Kansas City Parks & Recreation

    Ron Whitten writes about Swope Memorial, where he is consulting on a project that aims to recapture AW Tillinghast’s original vision for the course

  • Eschuri Vung Bau Golf Resort IMG Vietnam
    Steven Halliwell

    Eschuri Vung Bau in Vietnam is a new golf course by IMG Golf Design

  • Royal Dornoch new golf course King Collins
    King Collins Dormer

    The King Collins Dormer masterplan for Royal Dornoch

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Gopher Watch Competition – July 2025
Gopher Watch, News | Adam Lawrence

Gopher Watch Competition – July 2025

Which course has Sandy the gopher visited this month?

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Stonehill: A new level for Thai golf
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On site | Richard Humphreys

Stonehill: A new level for Thai golf

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New frontiers: an interview with Cynthia Dye McGarey
Dye Designs
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New frontiers: an interview with Cynthia Dye McGarey

Richard Humphreys speaks with the American architect about her experience of designing the only golf course in Iraq, and more

From Wausa to the world
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Opinion | Addison DeHaven

From Wausa to the world

Addison DeHaven discusses the career of Dan Blankenship, designer of 18 golf courses in Brazil.

Grand sand designs
Istockphoto.com
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Grand sand designs

Toby Ingleton finds out about the origins of the game in Saudi Arabia, and what the future holds.

Ayla Oasis: Dealing with extremes
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Ayla Oasis: Dealing with extremes

Joe Betulius discusses how Profile Products helped to establish the Greg Norman layout in Jordan.

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