For a roughly 15 year period starting in 1915, golf experienced a golden age of architecture when designers like Alister Mackenzie, Donald Ross and A.W. Tillinghast produced some of the world’s best courses. Nearly 100 years later, a new golden age has arrived which is in many ways inspired by the past, yet looks radically different.
Just as all trends involve a rejection of the past, architects today are responding to the penal and unforgiving nature of “target golf” courses that opened in the 60s and 70s, when courses were designed with professionals in mind rather than amateurs. But the emphasis for today’s superstar architects Tom Doak, Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw, Gil Hanse, Tom Fazio and others is bringing the joy back into golf. That means that strategy comes before length, courses are designed to be walked and you’re less likely to part with half the balls in your bag when 18 holes are up.
But this philosophy goes beyond golf course architecture too. It’s even influencing the way new properties are being developed. Post COVID, more people are playing golf than ever before, and the same is the case with travel. All of this has led to a new opportunity in golf and hospitality: the “stay and play” golf resort. This isn’t to call golf resorts a new concept, but their number has certainly increased, as has their versatility. New resorts opening today don’t just have 18-hole golf courses plus a hotel. They have par-3 courses for beginners, technology-first driving ranges, numerous dining options, spas and shopping centers. They’re even being developed as brands in their own right, like Cabot which is preparing to open its third location in the next few months.
Overall, it makes for a lot more competition in the golf and tourism space, and ultimately better experiences for us, the consumers. With that in mind, these are Hypegolf‘s 10 standout golf courses that opened in 2023.
Panther National
Evan Schiller
Evan Schiller
Evan Schiller
Panther National looks like something you might build on the golf course creator in those old Tiger Woods PGA Tour video games. There shouldn’t be 4-story elevation changes in an area of South Florida where the highest natural point is a measly 86 feet, but Panther National doesn’t make any pretense of being natural. Rather, the signature mounds and hills at Panther were created by digging into the ground, then moving the dirt around to build strategic challenges throughout the course.
Although the golf course has been open for play for a month now (to members only), the surrounding community is still far from complete. Once finished, it will be a prime example of what lead architect Max Strang calls environmental modernism, essentially building a stronger connection between design and sustainability. The golf course, meanwhile, was designed by a team of Jack Nicklaus and Justin Thomas, the debut design project for the latter.
Point Hardy Golf Club at Cabot Saint Lucia
Jacob Sjoman
Jacob Sjoman
Jacob Sjoman
Jacob Sjoman
If you’ve followed our coverage previously, you’ll know we visited the original Cabot Cape Breton in Nova Scotia this past fall, which is where it all started for the Cabot brand. And the fact that Cabot is now expanding outside the borders of Canada is a testament to its formula. As Cabot’s most ambitious project yet, Point Hardy Golf Club at Cabot Saint Lucia officially opened for play on December 7. Located on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia, all 18 holes provide views of the Atlantic Ocean.
The golf course was designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, who are perhaps the most highly regarded duo in modern golf design. Onsite developers had to move literal volcanic rock to shape the terrain into what it has become, and golfers will find a variety of dramatic shots played over cliffs, valleys, ocean and beach.
The Lido at Sand Valley Resort
Matt Hahn
Matt Hahn
Matt Hahn
Matt Hahn
Matt Hahn
Constructed by C.B. Macdonald in 1914, the original Lido was once considered among the best courses in the world along with Pine Valley and its Long Island neighbor National Golf Links of America. Although the course was demolished during World War II, the lore of the “lost Lido” only grew stronger over time, and in January 2021, Sand Valley, one of the premier golf destinations in the country, announced it was recreating the iconic layout in rural Wisconsin.
The project was led by Tom Doak, who had assistance from golf historian Peter Flory in matching the original C.B. Macdonald design. Outside of being a member, you can gain access to the course by staying at the Sand Valley Golf Resort. Rates run anywhere from $245 to $900 USD a night for a single room.
The Park West Palm
Trey Wren
Trey Wren
Trey Wren
Trey Wren
A 190-acre plot of land owned by the city of West Palm Beach was abandoned, collecting dust for two years during the peak of COVID. For nearly 75 years before that it was known as West Palm Beach Course, enjoying its best days in the mid-century when the likes of Arnold Palmer and Sam Snead duked it out in a PGA Tour event called the West Palm Beach Open Invitational.
Golf is still played there now thanks to 150 private donors who rescued the property, but The Park is completely different. Designed by Gil Hanse, the new 18 holes retain some characteristics of the old layout like sand-based turf and a lack of water hazards. Aside from that though, everything has changed, and the course has quickly become a favorite among purists and beginners alike.
Additionally, a Toptracer technology integrated driving range and lit-up short course cater to a wide range of golfers, and numerous community outreach programs are designed to get juniors playing the sport for the first time.
Fields Ranch West at Omni PGA Frisco Resort
Pga Frisco
Pga Frisco
Pga Frisco
Pga Frisco
Pga Frisco
Omni PGA Frisco Resort in the outskirts of Dallas, Texas was part of a grand plan by the PGA of America to relocate its headquarters from South Florida. The incentive deal of $160 million USD paid by the city and state to the PGA has placed Frisco high on the list of the country’s golf destinations, and even exceeds what the Cowboys were given to relocate its corporate and training facilities. In addition to a putting course, lit-up par-3 course, coaching center and interactive driving range, the resort now has two 18 courses after Fields Ranch West joined Fields Ranch East in May.
Omni PGA Frisco’s vision is built around providing a resort experience that remains accessible to the masses. That’s why a wide variety of activities extend beyond golf like dining, entertainment, spa and shopping, and the resort itself is open to the public and members. In effect, the $160 million USD is a bet that golf will continue to expand through creating more entry points to the sport. In addition to being a stern test for pros, the new Beau Welling-designed West Course is generous enough to beginners and is exceedingly walking friendly.
The North Course at Te Arai Links
Te Arai Links
Te Arai Links
Te Arai Links
Anyone who’s come across photos of Te Arai Links in New Zealand will have a hard time putting the images out of their mind. The distinctive coastal terrain characterized by pine trees, sand dunes, emerald green water and distant off-shore islands instantly signals this is somewhere far away, and yet it’s located only an hour and a half north of Auckland.
The first course to open on the property was Te Arai South, designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw and known for a variety of long and short holes. The North course, meanwhile, debuted in the fall and was designed by Tom Doak, one of the key designers in golf’s modern renaissance. The 18 holes boast a mixture of tree lined intimacy and coastal grandeur, with the final three holes providing a grandstand finish beside the Pacific Ocean. Te Arai Links is yet another example of a bucket list golf destination providing top tier golf and accommodations.
Black Desert Resort
Black Desert Resort
Black Desert Resort
Black Desert Resort
Black Desert Resort
Black Desort Resort in Utah is joined by a host of others on this list as a luxury resort destination, but unique to itself, it has visions of hosting the world’s best players in addition to the public. Having just opened in the spring, Black Desert has already been awarded the Black Desert Championship on the PGA Tour coming fall 2024, as well as a yet-to-be-named LPGA competition in spring 2025.
The 18-hole, par-72 course was designed by Phil Smith and former pro golfer Tom Weiskopf, and is set against an awe-inspiring backdrop of red rocks and molded from a black lava field. The challenge caters to pro golfers and amateurs alike, exhibited by the more-than-generous fairways and six sets of tee boxes. In addition to the championship course, there’s a 36-hole putting course, hotel, residences, shopping district and even a family village complete with lazy river. Simply put, the resort is massive. For comparison, Black Desert is almost four times the size of the original Disneyland in California.
Dunas Course at Terras da Comporta
Terras Da Comporta
Terras Da Comporta
Terras Da Comporta
Terras Da Comporta
Terras Da Comporta
About two hours south of Lisbon, Portugal is Terras da Comporta, an enormous development which was originally expected to launch back in 2010. Economic hardship had other plans, but new management took over and successfully opened the site’s first 18-hole course in October. The course was designed by Scotsman David McLay-Kidd, who’s most widely known in the golf space for bringing Bandon Dunes to life.
Golfers can expect roomy fescue grass fairways, numerous sandy waste areas, oversized bunkers and coastal winds coming off the nearby Atlantic Ocean. Going forward, the course will be the centerpiece for an all-inclusive resort highlighted by 250 villas and two 5-star hotels, all of which are to be built as modern wooden structures.
The Chain at Streamsong Resort
Streamsong Resort
Streamsong Resort
Streamsong Resort
As a short course, the Chain is a unique entry to this list, but it’s representative of an industry trend around making the game more approachable and lower stakes. The innovative layout allows golfers to essentially choose their own adventure. The 3,000 yard course has 19 holes that range from 109 to 293 yards, but has no relation to par nor specified tee markers.
Instead, teeing areas are designated by dragline chains, nodding to the history of mining on the Central Florida property. Similarly, the layout is routed around a 22,000 pound dragline bucket, a piece of heavy equipment used in mining. The Chain joins three other world-renowned 18-hole courses at Streamsong, building on the resort’s reputation as one of the top golf destinations in Florida.
Old Barnwell
Dundee Golf
Dundee Golf
Dundee Golf
At first glance, Old Barnwell is one of many private golf clubs providing a curated experience for its members. But go a bit deeper, and you’ll find that Old Barnwell is no ordinary country club. Located in South Carolina, the club is the vision of Nick Schreiber, whose goal with Old Barnwell is to bring people together from all walks of life and connect them through golf. Already, visitors have noted the unique culture being cultivated at the club, which is bolstered by its youth caddie program, partnerships with HBCUs and sponsorship of up-and-coming female golfers.
With respect to the golf course itself, expect a test that’s engaging for a wide variety of skill levels. The fairways are roomy, and the green surroundings aren’t too penal. The mixture of par-3s, 4s and 5s plays through sand ridges and cozies up to tall pines on the edge of the property. There are also plans for more courses in the future. A kids course is due to open soon, and a seasonal holiday course is planned for 2027.
