It is unbelievable that in the first three months of the year, the traffic at Los Cabos Airport increased by almost 23% (22.8%). And that's just international traffic. It seems like the destination has quickly recovered post covid…
Last year I was asked to show examples of unique golf course designs. This is how I mentioned among the others the Tom Doak-designed The Loop (Forest Dunes), and the 6-6-6 golf course design of the Nikanti Golf…
The Cape Kidnappers Resort (New Zealand) was launched in 2004. The American developer Julian Robertson (Kauri Cliffs' owner too) asked Tom Doak to design a golf course for the resort. This is how the 18-hole, par-71, 7,147 yards (6,569 meters) long…
Sand replacement can be taxing on golf clubs. You get sands that are contaminated, and they have to replace them. Because of this, many golf clubs are considering reducing the number of bunkers on their golf courses. Are…
How many of you know that the golf course at Aloha Golf Club was designed by Javier Arana? Aloha Golf Club - Par 72, 6,293m (6,882 yards) - has hosted the PGA Tour 3 times between 2007 and…
Mike Keiser's book - The Nature of the Game - was very instructive for me. Perhaps it was this book that convinced me how exciting and beautiful the links courses are and why minimalist golf course architecture is…
Probably one of the first golf architecture books I read was Tom Doak's The Anatomy of a Golf Course. I've followed his work since (e.g., The Loop at Forest Dunes, Barnbougle Dunes (Tasmania), Cape Kidnappers, Streamsong, Tara Iti…
I got very excited by the news that Terras da Comporta (Portugal), the first David McLay-Kidd-designed golf course in mainland Europe, will open next spring. Therefore, I quickly contacted Rodrigo Ulrich - Golf Director, Terras da Comporta, Vanguard…
Those of you who are not familiar with Ron Kirby's life work. Here is a quick overview. In the early 60s, he was a design associate of Robert Trent Jones Sr. From 1970-1986 he worked with Gary Player…
ASGCA published the 2022 ASGCA-SLRG Golf Facility Market Trend study early this year. It found that the 3rd most frequent project type in the last 2 years was green complex renovation or redesign. The very same study found…
I am very impressed and fascinated by Vietnam's efforts to grow golf tourism in the country. Another example is Silk Path Golf's 18-hole course designed by Sir Nick Faldo. In principle, the new golf course will be ready…
I see that C.B. MacDonald designed The Lido (the long-lost Long Island course) not only impressed Mike Keiser's two sons, Michael and Chris, but also the developers of Ballyshear Golf Links (Ban Rakat Club, Thailand). The 18-hole Ballyshear…
We do not hear often criticisms or complaints about The Manor House golf course. I only heard of such remarks as the distance between some of the greens and tees or the size of the bunkers or the…
I am still under the spell of Mike Keiser's book The Nature of the Game: Links Golf at Bandon Dunes and Far Beyond. I believe links courses are far more exciting and closer to the authentic form of…
I am unfortunate to start the week with this news. Tom Weiskopf passed away on August 20th at the age of 79. Winner of 16 PGA TOUR titles, Tom Weiskopf was a prolific golf course designer/co-designer, responsible for 70-plus…
I like to think about a new investment idea in the way how it can improve the overall customer experience at the golf club. I thought I'd mention this because Chart Hills Golf Club is now building an…
In recent years, the efforts of Sentosa Golf Club have impressed me the most as they try to make their operations environmentally friendly and sustainable. The 2022 EIGCA Annual Meeting was held from Monday 27th to Wednesday 29th…
Last year Gamble Sands (located in Brewster, Wash.) launched the David McLay Kidd-designed QuickSands Course a 14-hole short course. The 18-hole Sands Course opened for play in 2014 to widespread acclaim, with the 100,000 square foot Cascades putting course following shortly thereafter. Now Gamble…
The Hanse Golf Design and Heritage Links won the renovation project of the Lake Merced Golf Club golf course renovation. Starting in October 2021, Hanse Golf Design (HGD) has collaborated with course builder Heritage Links on a comprehensive,…
Last October, Jason Straka was elected president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) at the organization’s 75th Annual Meeting in Cleveland. Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design won this renovation project for the Belleair Golf Club’s 2…