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

The October 2024 issue of Golf Course Architecture is out now!
Richard Humphreys
/ Categories: Magazine, News

The October 2024 issue of Golf Course Architecture is out now!llllll

The October 2024 issue of Golf Course Architecture magazine is out now.

Our latest issue features The Keep at McLemore, photographed by Evan Schiller, on the cover. With a spectacular setting on a mountaintop plateau in northwest Georgia, USA, the Bill Bergin-Rees Jones design is destined to make a big impact when it opens in 2025, as Richard Humphreys reports.

For our main feature, we ask why architects who trained with Pete Dye are so dominant in today’s golf design business. With input from Bill Coore, Bobby Weed, Chris Lutzke, Brian Curley, Tim Liddy and Marco Martin, we learn about the impact Dye had on those who designed courses with him.

Cedar Rapids in Iowa was devastated by a storm that tore through the course just a few years after a restoration by Ron Prichard. With thousands of trees felled and the landscape fundamentally altered, Prichard returned to oversee another transformation. Adam Lawrence reports: “The work at Cedar Rapids is nothing short of wonderful. From disaster has come triumph.”

In one of two feature interviews we hear from Bill Amick, who worked as a golf course architect for more than 60 years. Now retired, but still passionate about the profession, he continues to actively promote shorter courses and alternative forms of the game. “For a long time during my career, I have believed that many, many ‘kinder’, easier and less costly courses are justified and will continue to grow in popularity,” says Amick.

Irish golf consultancy Turfgrass has launched a US arm with a string of high-profile appointments. Adam Moeller from the USGA, Toro veteran John Lawrence and Augusta National’s Brad Owen speak with Richard Humphreys about how they will bring their experiences and knowledge to their new roles. Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney also talk about the company’s success and future plans.

New York’s Inwood Country Club and Renaissance Golf Design have spent the last 20 years recapturing the character of its Herbert Strong course. Greens chairman Daniel Friedman tells us more: “There have been benefits from taking our time in that we have been able to tease out subtleties that might have been missed if we had proceeded at a faster pace.”

We also have reports on a new practice facility at Golf at Goodwood in West Sussex, designed by James Edwards and built by MJ Abbott; and California’s North Ranch Country Club, which has been re-envisioned by Jackson-Kahn Design and rebuilt by Landscapes Unlimited.

Elsewhere, our Tee Box section includes details of the new McLeod course at Trump Aberdeen; Todd Quitno’s plan for the Country Club of Lincoln in Nebraska; an update on Red Sea Global’s Shura Links course, which has been designed by Brian Curley; and the changes coming to the Ailsa course at Trump Turnberry.

There is plenty more too. We hope you enjoy the read!

View the digital edition of the October 2024 issue of Golf Course Architecture

Subscribe to the printed edition of Golf Course Architecture

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

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

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