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Clark, your new BMW Championship winner, is convincing as the Tour’s Player of the Year. The contenders for the award sport a potpourri of limited but worthy achievements. They were all about even.

Then the 2026 U.S. Open champ — also Clark, for those with short attention spans — birdied the last three holes of the final round to close out Patrick Cantlay and Rory McIlroy.

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In other words, the FedEx Cup playoffs have been uneven. The tournaments have been successful. The repeatedly-changed concept has been less successful. My favorite moment was when Bill Haas won the Tour Championship and asked then-commissioner Tim Finchem on live TV, “Who won the FedEx Cup?” Uh, you did, Bill. The two trophies were still separate then and the points system was needlessly complicated.

The PGA Tour stepped up and made changes and the current format is the best one yet. (You can decide for yourself if that’s a compliment.) It sounds as if more dramatic changes are in the works when the PGA Tour gives itself a makeover (wrapped in bundles of money) in two years. But for now, here are my key pros and cons of the FedEx Cup (Not-Playoffs) Playoffs:

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The Birkdale Paradox

Explain this one, Sherlock Holmes. Or Smylie Kaufman, whoever is available. How does Royal Birkdale get roasted by three players who posted record-tying 8-under-par 62s and yet the Open’s winning score is only 10 under? Is Birkdale a cupcake or a baffling test of championship golf?

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⛳ Jackson Suber shot a 5-under 65 at Royal Birkdale to take the first-round lead of the British Open. Doesn’t it seem like there’s a Jackson Suber in the first round of most majors?

⛳ Will Americans ever become accustomed to and accept brown fairways, as is the case at Royal Birkdale, as a perfectly acceptable way to play major championship golf? Or any golf, for that matter?

⛳ We know Jim Furyk, while working for NBC/Golf Channel, won’t for one minute criticize players on the air. But has he said anything remotely interesting, insightful or analytical? Should NBC/Golf Channel ask for a refund?

⛳ Tom Kim won the Genesis Scottish Open after three years in professional golf’s wilderness. Did you realize he had been struggling? On the PGA Tour, is it “out of sight, out of mind”?

⛳ Henrik Stenson, former LIV captain who shot 2-under 68 in the first round of the British Open, said “they removed my ankle bracelet,” ending his suspension next month and making him eligible for PGA Tour sanctioned events, including the PGA Tour Champions. Will the seniors be happy to have him?

⛳ Why do the LIV haters, who yowl about its telecasts on Fox’s FS1 and FS2, not make a sound while the bulk of NBC’s British Open coverage airs on USA Network and NBC Sports Network?

⛳ Nelly Korda was nominated for two ESPY awards – Best Athlete: Women’s Sports and Best Golfer. She won neither. Did she even have a chance? Should the ESPYs have a category for women golfers?Wyndham Clark won the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills for his second Open title. Is it now time for everyone to get over Clark’s locker-smashing incident at Oakmont last year?

:: Mike Purkey

FEATURES

Open Championship: The Shlabotnik Theory

From Wyndham Clark to Scottie Scheffler, history says a true heavyweight will lift the Claret Jug on the fast, firm Royal Birkdale links. Here is the “Major 10” to bet on for the 154th British Open.

:: Gary Van Sickle | Read

Scottie Scheffler's biggest threat at the Open may be himself

A majority of The First Call readers believe the world No. 1's main obstacle to a repeat victory is his own mindset, outpolling threats from the field or weather.

:: The First Call Inbox | Read

BOOKMARKED

Good reads that are sometimes about golf, but not always.

📖 How worldy is the World Cup?

With every tournament, the possibility of a genuine surprise is shrinking.

:: Anthony Lane | The New Yorker | 07.17.2026 | Read

📖 Come Sunday, someone is going to do something they’ve never done before

:: Joel Beall | Golf Digest | 07.18.2026 | Read

📖 Too many books?

Mendel Uminer faced a crisis when his landlord objected to the 10,000 volumes in his New York studio apartment.

:: Alex Vadukul | New York Times | 07.09.2026 | Read

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LIFESTYLE

THE STYLE LINKS

This is what major tournament merchandise tents can do to you! #temptationistoomuch

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19TH HOLE

“Course of Life” podcast co-host Alex Lauzon closes each episode with the guest sharing a favorite 19th hole food and beverage experience.

Nicole Felce, low PGA Professional at the 2026 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship: “I love a sweet tea after a round, and I have recently been trying out the club sandwich at a lot of different courses. That or a reuben are my choices.”

Episode | Listen

:: Alex Lauzon | Co-host of “Course of Life” podcast

BUSINESS

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Led by architect Brian Silva, the accelerated three-month project finished $2 million under budget. It featured 28 greens rebuilt to USGA specifications, rebuilt tees, Better Billy Bunkers, a new irrigation system, and targeted refinements across the Woods, Bluegrass and Overlook nines.

“Our objective was to create a more playable and strategic golf course while preserving the championship quality and character that have long defined Old Westbury,” said Mark Rosen, board president. “Members can now enjoy an experience that reflects both club traditions and modern standards.”

William Mitchell’s original design was known for hilly topography, fast, pushed-up greens with multi-level false fronts, and more than 100 bunkers. However, more than half of the 28 greens lacked internal drainage, relying solely on surface runoff. Also, severe slopes made fair pin positions difficult as modern green speeds evolved.

Silva’s remit was to renovate the course — specifically the greens, tees, and bunkers —while introducing minor changes along the fairways to create more interest and variety. All greens were replanted with 007XL bentgrass — a high-density “super bent” developed by club consultant Dr. Richard Hurley.

Other changes to the course included reducing the number of bunkers from more than 100 to approximately 70, lowering the pushed-up greens to fairway level, rebuilding all tees, and replacing the entire irrigation system with more than 30 miles of irrigation pipe. Several greenside bunkers were removed, and areas that once featured heavy rough were converted into short-cut chipping areas.

“This renovation presented an opportunity to improve fundamental infrastructure and strengthen the strategic character of the golf course without losing the spirit of the original design,” said Silva. “The result is a course that should perform better, play better, and serve the membership exceptionally well for years to come.”

Almost as important as the renovation itself was the club’s desire to complete the work with minimal disruption to member play. The project demanded military-like precision and planning — managing everything from parking and deliveries to housing, hydration, and meals for workers. This efficiency allowed course superintendent Tom McAvoy and NMP Golf Construction to finish the job in just three months.

Silva added that the renovation delivers greater setup flexibility, more creative greenside shot options, and elite, season-long conditioning.

Rosen added, “We had a good golf course on a great piece of property. Now we have a great golf course on a great piece of property.”

THE SOCIAL ASPECT

BOBBY JONES LINKS :: DELRAY BEACH GC / LAKEVIEW GC
:: CARLTON MARSHALL GOLF DESIGN

Bobby Jones Links (BJL) has assumed management responsibility for Delray Beach Golf Club and Lakeview Golf Club, both owned by the City of Delray Beach, Florida. Delray Beach Golf Club recently began a major course renovation under the auspices of architect John Sanford.

Designed by Donald Ross in 1926 (the current back nine) and Dick Wilson in 1950 (the current front nine), Delray Beach Golf Club features an 18-hole championship course and an expansive clubhouse. As one of Florida’s busiest municipal golf courses, Delray Beach hosts 60,000 rounds each year alongside numerous weddings and special events. Opened in 1972, Lakeview Golf Club is a popular par-60 executive course that averages more than 50,000 rounds annually.

In January 2026, Delray Beach Golf Club began a $32 million renovation — led by Sanford—to restore and preserve the course in accordance with the vision of its original designers, Donald Ross and Dick Wilson, while modernizing it to current standards. Paired with upgrades to the clubhouse and a brand-new maintenance facility, Delray Beach Golf Club is positioned to become one of the premier municipal golf destinations in the United States when it reopens in late 2026 or early 2027.

“This is truly a special and personal project for me,” said Whitney Crouse, CEO and co-founder of Bobby Jones Links. “I learned to play golf at Delray Beach Golf Club when visiting my grandparents as a kid. My first swings were on this historic municipal course. Now, to be part of the team overseeing its rebirth means even more to me.”

Sanford stated that the goal is to modernize the course, not only from an infrastructure standpoint but also in terms of design, extending the length to meet modern standards and properly repositioning bunkers. To achieve this, ample drainage will be added to the fairways, greens, and bunkers, alongside the installation of an entirely new irrigation system. The greens will be rebuilt to USGA specifications using TifEagle Bermudagrass to ensure superb putting surfaces for years to come.

He added that the unique signatures of both original architects will remain clearly evident. “You see a distinct contrast in the bunkering style from the Ross Nine to the Wilson Nine,” Sanford said. “Ross is known for flat bottoms, grass faces, and simple sand lines. Wilson’s bunkers flashed sand on the faces and had a lot of movement, with a very irregular sand line. They are completely different bunkering styles.”

Plans call for the course to be a par-72 layout measuring from 4,611 to 7,111 yards, though dimensions may be adjusted before final completion. The Ross Nine is slated to play slightly longer than the Wilson Nine, at 3,603 yards versus 3,508 yards.

“This investment and project are an incredible opportunity for the community. They’ve had this potential gem of a public golf course for many years with an incredible history,” Sanford said. “And it’s not just the architectural history. In the past, legendary figures like Sam Snead, Gene Sarazen, and other icons of the era all spent time playing here. Before the city purchased it, it operated as a private club. For the city to step up and make this investment—not only restoring the golf course but also building a new maintenance facility, an all-new parking lot, and making improvements to the clubhouse and its perimeter with landscaping and art-scaping—it’s an incredible investment in a valuable community asset.”

Over the long term, BJL will implement its culture-based staff training and development through the Bobby Jones Leadership Center, utilize AI-supported business practices and accounting, and offer a comprehensive range of programs for daily customers, beginners, and junior golfers to maximize community engagement.

ROYAL ST. DAVID’S GOLF CLUB :: MACKENZIE & EBERT

Royal St. David’s Golf Club in Harlech, Wales, has debuted its revised 440-yard, par-4 15th hole following a renovation and stabilization project by the celebrated architectural firm Mackenzie & Ebert. The work was necessitated by frequent water damage caused by a high water table. The Mackenzie & Ebert team raised the fairway and green complex to keep the playable areas firmer and drier, adding understated contouring to ensure the hole blends seamlessly with the rest of the historic layout.

“As a links course, we are trying to promote firm, fast surfaces, and this was proving impossible with the hole sitting in the water table,” Rhys Butler, links manager at Royal St. David’s, told golfcoursearchitecture.net. “During extreme weather conditions, the hole could be closed for weeks at a time.”

Ranked among the top three courses in Wales, Royal St. David’s consistently earns the admiration of the game’s elite. “I love links golf, and it doesn’t get much purer than here at Royal St. David’s,” legendary 1963 Open champion Bob Charles noted in 2005.

Known by locals as “Harlech” for the 700-year-old castle that towers over the property, North Wales’ finest layout opens with a relatively flat, par-36 front nine. It is followed by a par-33 back nine that features no par-5s but plenty of exceptional par-4s. Among them is the newly revised 15th, which demands a precise drive over a rumpled dunescape followed by an approach to a green shelved beautifully between two sandhills.

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Shlabotnik? He’s the hapless baseball player who hit .004 one season and was the favorite player of the sensationally hapless “Peanuts” pitcher, Charlie Brown. I wrote before the U.S. Open that Shinnecock would not crown a Joe Shlabotnik-type one-hit-wonder, fluke champion because of its history of producing legendary winners. Wyndham Clark, already a U.S. Open champion, was definitely worthy — if not necessarily popular.

I’m doubling down on the Shlabotnik Theory for this week’s 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Its honor roll of past champions is every bit as impressive as Shinnecock’s: Peter Thomson, twice; Arnold Palmer; Lee Trevino; Johnny Miller; Tom Watson; Ian Baker-Finch; Mark O’Meara; Padraig Harrington; and Jordan Spieth.

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⛳ Charley Hull, who has five runner-up finishes in LPGA major championships, is on another major leaderboard at this weekend’s Amundi Evian Championship. Is it finally her turn?

⛳ However, is it bigger news that Nelly Korda, winner of the first two majors of the year, started the Evian with a 3-over 74?

⛳ Rory McIlroy was in a five-way tie for the lead at the Genesis Scottish Open. Is this a good sign for next week’s British Open or just another McIlroy tease?

⛳ Because the Genesis Scottish Open is co-sanctioned between the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour, the event has a number of LIV Golf members in the field. Isn’t this what golf could have looked like had LIV and the PGA Tour made a deal?

⛳ On the other hand, the ISCO Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, which is the “opposite field event” to the Scottish Open, is full of second-tier DP World Tour players. Does this help or hurt the ISCO?

⛳ The ISCO exception is Max Homa, who was solo second at the John Deere Classic, which got him into the British Open. Instead of prepping at the Scottish Open, Homa kept his commitment to play in the ISCO. Classy move or big mistake?

⛳ Much-hyped Tour rookie Jackson Koivun is actually the betting favorite at the ISCO, despite it only being Koivun’s second event as a professional. Would you bet more than a couple of bucks on Koivun?

⛳ After this week’s Kaulig Companies Championship, which is a major on the PGA Tour Champions, the Tour announced that it will no longer hold events at the venerable Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. Does this mean the Tour believes the game has passed Firestone by?

⛳ The annual American Century Championship celebrity tournament is this weekend at Lake Tahoe. Will it get more television viewers than the ISCO?

:: Mike Purkey

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FEATURES

Rodeo Dunes is raring to go

An early look at a Colorado stunner from Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw and Michael Keiser Jr. reveals a lay-of-the-land thrill ride that’s ready for its closeup.

:: Joe Passov | Read

Saying goodbye to ‘The Monster’

As the PGA Tour Champions prepares to exit Firestone Country Club for California, Paul Stankowski plays through the heartache of losing his brother and celebrates the blessings of family.

:: Gary Van Sickle | Read [$]

Inside golf operations' latest tech merger

Jake Gordon and Ross Liggett join host Jon Last to discuss Noteefy's acquisition of Metolius on Monday, and what it means for facility operators going forward.

:: Driver$: Inside the Golf Industry | Read

Pine Valley, Bandon Dunes, Butler National lead wish list

Readers of The First Call share their top picks for iconic courses that have never hosted a major championship — but should.

:: TFC Inbox | Read

BOOKMARKED

Good reads that are sometimes about golf, but not always.

📖 The oldest golf clubhouse in the world?

Golfers with a 12th-century monastery in Italy are calling out contemporaries.

:: Andrew Vercelli | Golf Digest | 06.07.2026 | Read

📖 America’s last bookie goes down

Tim Pughsley built a sports-betting website that moved billions, then the I.R.S. got involved. In the age of FanDuel and DraftKings, where is the line between legal and illegal gambling?

:: Keith O’Brien | The New Yorker | 06.25.2026 | Read

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LIFESTYLE

THE STYLE LINKS

Courtside, Green-side, Pitch-side, Track-side, Infield-side. Get your remote fingers ready for a jam-packed weekend of sporting events to watch.

:: Janice Ferguson | IG: @janiceferguson_thestylelinks

19TH HOLE

“Course of Life” podcast co-host Alex Lauzon closes each episode with the guest sharing a favorite 19th hole food and beverage experience.

Lauren Miller, The Golf Performance Academy: “I’m hoping they have a great pizza, something about a post-round pizza hits hard. That and a water with lime.”

Episode | Listen

:: Alex Lauzon | Co-host of “Course of Life” podcast

BUSINESS

THE FIRST CALL

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Golf Industry Job / Internship Board

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Listing: 9519 Wawona Court
Stats: 9,000 square feet | 5 bedrooms | 7.5 bathrooms
Price: $22,000,000 (golf membership available)

About: Designed by architect Greg Faulkner, the residence is integrated into a hillside homesite on the backside of Northstar California Resort, capturing views of the ski slopes and the Martis Valley. Composed of concrete, steel, and glass softened by wood, basalt, and marble finishes, the home delivers a level of craftsmanship and architectural precision that is difficult to replicate.

Built for mountain living, the property features:
▪️A heated driveway and heated roof
▪️Nine fireplaces
▪️Outdoor terraces and water features
▪️Direct proximity to Northstar California ski trails

At the heart of the Martis Camp lifestyle is its private golf course. Designed by Tom Fazio, the course routes through pines, meadows, granite outcroppings, and Martis Creek, blending into the High Sierra landscape. Fazio has described it as “as good as any course I’ve ever designed,” while two-time U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen called it “the best Fazio course I’ve ever played.”

Recognized among America’s top private golf clubs, the course offers generous fairways, elevation changes, strategic bunkering, and tournament-level conditioning tailored for all skill levels.

Club Amenities | History:
▪️Facilities: Practice facilities, a short-game area, an 18-hole putting park, and PGA instruction.
▪️Community: A year-round tournament calendar.
▪️Championship History: Host of USGA championships, including the U.S. Junior Amateur won by Scottie Scheffler.

A quick check of the current World’s Hardest Word Rankings shows No. 1 is still “goodbye.” (Don’t Google that. I made it up.)

Goodbyes are hard (except maybe in divorce court).

This week’s Kaulig Companies Championship, a designated major on the PGA Tour Champions, is noteworthy because it is the farewell to Tour golf for the legendary Firestone Country Club and its South Course. Pro golf has been played at Firestone every year since 1954.

This tournament gets a new sponsor and a new name next year, the Hoag Senior Players Championship, and moves to Newport Beach Country Club in California. The decades of Firestone history will not move with it.

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Not after Bobby Jones in the 1926 U.S. Open. Not after Jack Nicklaus used this place as his launchpad, literally and figuratively. Not after Bruce Fleischer won a U.S. Amateur here and Dale Douglass won the first U.S. Senior Open hosted by the club. Not to mention the other U.S. Senior Opens and many U.S. Open qualifiers that rewarded a few and dashed the hopes of many.

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King famously had a very important dream. Block also had a dream. It was about his winning the U.S. Senior Open. Block, that is. Not the late civil rights activist.

“I woke up one day, I just had a vivid dream that I won the U.S. Senior Open and I told my wife about it,” Block said. “This was when I turned 49. I would be turning 50 the next year, so I would no longer be the shortest guy in every group, which I’ve been for the last ten years, which is very frustrating.”

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Wyndham Clark? No, he won the 2023 U.S. Open; he’s no rookie. Neither are Sam Burns nor Tom Kim, who finished second and third.

Read more

:: Stuart Hall, Senior Editor

THE STARTER

⛳ Wyndham Clark won the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills for his second Open title. Is it now time for everyone to get over Clark’s locker-smashing incident at Oakmont last year?

⛳ Clark was booed while paired with crowd favorite Scottie Scheffler in the final round of the Open. “They definitely didn’t want me to win,” Clark said. Some of the more boisterous were escorted from the property. Is it now time to seriously look at alcohol sales at major championships?

⛳ Nelly Korda is attempting to win three straight majors at this week’s KPMG LPGA Championship. Only two LPGA players have won three majors in a row — Babe Didrikson Zaharias in 1950 and Inbee Park in 2013. If Korda wins this weekend, where would it place her among the game’s greats?

⛳ PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp announced the anticipated major revamp to golf’s schedule with the introduction of the Championship Series and the Challenger Series. Is this a clear delineation between golf’s haves and have-nots?

⛳ What happens to tournaments like this week’s Travelers Championship, by all accounts one of the most successful events on Tour? Will it end up being a mistake for the PGA Tour to attempt to make inroads in the nation’s largest markets?

⛳ Rory McIlroy likened the proposed Challenger Series to the Korn Ferry Tour. Is the PGA Tour trying to tell golf fans which tournaments are most important? Shouldn’t that be up to the fans?

⛳ Will someone please tell Rolapp that despite its current popularity, golf is still a niche sport?

⛳ Major championship season concludes in just three weeks at the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Doesn’t it feel like the season is just now getting started?

⛳ Oh, and by the way, Tiger Woods made his first public appearance since leaving rehab. He was at the Travelers Championship in his role as chairman of the PGA Tour Championship Committee. Are you surprised he remains in that position?

:: Mike Purkey

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FEATURES

Shinnecock’s identity crisis: A mix of fan animus and softened conditions

The 2026 U.S. Open will be remembered not for iconic shots, but for a hostile Hamptons crowd, an overly cautious course setup, and the logistical nightmares of a luxury venue.

:: Bradley S. Klein | Read

Wiffle ball and private jets: How the Travelers won over the PGA Tour

Tournament directors transformed a “quaint” stop into a player favorite through endless upgrades, proving that taking care of the entire ecosystem beats a tough calendar slot.

:: Shaun Tolson | Read

PGA Tour’s 2-tier schedule proposal faces backlash

The First Call readers criticize the tour’s proposed schedule structure, suggesting it creates another minor league and prioritizes corporate cash over historic events.

:: TFC Inbox | Read

BOOKMARKED

Good reads that are sometimes about golf, but not always.

📖 Welcome to the post-journalism era of professional sports

Teams, leagues and athletes have more ways than ever to tell their own stories. But what do fans lose when journalists are left out?

:: Oren Weisfeld | Poynter | 06.12.2026 | Read

📖 Phil Mickelson’s long history of misconduct

Interviews with 19 sources reveal two incidents of lewd language and unwanted advances, and the behavior that led to his departure from two additional golf clubs.

:: Alan Shipnuck | Skratch | 06.28.2026 | Read

📖 Why does the PGA Tour still need Tiger Woods?

:: Barry Svrluga | The Athletic | 06.23.2026 | Read

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LIFESTYLE

THE STYLE LINKS

Sold out in 6 hours. Demand + sales = there will be more.

:: Janice Ferguson | IG: @janiceferguson_thestylelinks

19TH HOLE

“Course of Life” podcast co-host Alex Lauzon closes each episode with the guest sharing a favorite 19th hole food and beverage experience.

Alex Loskoski, founder of Chippopotamus Golf: “I’ll do a beer like a Stella [Artois] or Corona. That and a burger and fries get the job done.”

:: Alex Lauzon | Co-host of “Course of Life” podcast

BUSINESS

THE FIRST CALL

This week’s editions: Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday
Industry press releases | Industry press release videos | TFC / PR Newswire feed

Golf Industry Job / Internship Board

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Listing: Golf Villas, Building B, Unit 401
Stats: 5,919 total square feet (4,004 interior; 1,915 exterior) | 4 bedrooms | 5.5 bathroom
Price: $3,125,000

About: This penthouse offering within Litibú Bay Club’s Golf Villas collection features a residential floor plan. Priced at $3,125,000, this four-bedroom, five-and-a-half-bath residence encompasses 5,920 square feet, including 4,004 square feet of interior space and 1,915 square feet of outdoor terraces. Designed to deliver the scale and privacy of a single-family home with the ease of villa living, the penthouse features an open-concept great room connecting the kitchen, dining and living areas. Outdoor living areas are completed with an infinity-edge pool and grill area, framed by views of Litibú Bay, the tropical landscape and the 18th fairway of the Greg Norman-designed Higuera Golf Club.

Litibú Bay Club offers homeowners direct access to nature and amenities focused on fitness, wellness, adventure and relaxation. At the heart of the community is the Beach Club overlooking Litibú Beach’s surf break, featuring an infinity-edge pool and spa, an indoor-outdoor members’ lounge, water sports facilities and an ocean-view practice green. Owners will enjoy a signature restaurant and pool bar serving local ingredients, seafood and club-inspired cocktails and mocktails. The Sports and Adventure Club provides fitness facilities for pickleball, padel and tennis, while Camp Litibú offers activities like arts and crafts and nature hikes to children and families. The Preserve features trails near the Tecoxquine archaeological site protected by Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). Homeowners also enjoy a Surf Shack with access to 754 feet of swimmable shores for surfing, kayaking and snorkeling, alongside conservation programs, including sea turtle releases from the club’s turtle hatchery.

The Litibú Bay Club is a private club community in Punta de Mita, Mexico, located on a beachfront site with views of Cerro del Mono Mountain, the Sierra Madre Mountains and Litibú Bay. Set to redefine coastal living in the region, the community has marked the start of construction for the 21-acre site, which will feature 171 residences, a Beach Club, the Sports and Adventure Club and an array of other amenities overlooking the 18th hole of the Higuera Golf Club’s Greg Norman-designed Signature Golf Course. The project’s Phase 1 is slated for completion by the end of 2026.

Centered on an 18-hole championship golf course alongside a broad suite of lifestyle amenities, the development is currently under construction, with the golf course serving as a primary anchor. Conceived as a semi-private club with public access through an on-site hotel, it blends the refinement of a country club course with the playability and appeal of a destination resort course. Delivery is anticipated in 2027.

“Valle de los Encinos was always envisioned as something enduring — a place where land, architecture, and community converge at the highest level,” said Eugenio Baeza, owner of Valle de los Encinos. “Bringing together Nicklaus Design and Piza Golf reflects our commitment to creating not just a championship course. This collaboration ensures that Valle de los Encinos will feel both globally relevant and deeply rooted in its place in Mexico.”

The 18-hole layout is being co-designed by Agustin Pizá and Chad Goetz of Nicklaus Design and blends classic strategic principles with a modern design approach, with both teams collaborating closely on routing, strategy and architectural expression. The result is a championship course crafted for tournament-caliber play, repeated enjoyment by all and long-term relevance.

“This is a project where collaboration truly elevates the result,” said Agustin Pizá, founder of Pizá Golf. “Working alongside Nicklaus Design and Chad Goetz allows us to bring together deep, award-winning international experience and progressive design thinking. From routing and strategy to land planning and execution, every decision is intentional — designed to challenge elite players, reward thoughtful shot-making and remain deeply enjoyable for everyday golfers.”

The collaboration was sparked through professional alignment and creative momentum developed during recent work connected to TGL, the technology-driven league blending simulator golf with live competition, where Piza and Goetz discovered an immediate design synergy. That shared design language — centered on bold lines, purposeful options and experiential storytelling — now carries through Valle de los Encinos and informs everything from tee-shot decisions to green complexes and transitional spaces.

“I am excited to work alongside Agustin on this spectacular piece of property,” said Chad Goetz, senior designer at Nicklaus Design. “Our friendship has been formed over many years, and I’m excited that this collaboration gives us the opportunity to bring our two design voices together to create a singular and truly distinctive vision. While Nicklaus Design has worked on many iconic projects across Mexico, this marks our first in central Mexico, making the opportunity especially exciting.”

Paul Stringer, president of Nicklaus Design, added, “We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Agustin Piza on a course that will serve as the focal point of this exceptional master-planned community. This marks our 26th championship course in Mexico, spanning from Cabo San Lucas to the Yucatan Peninsula, and reflects our ongoing commitment to creating golf experiences that are shaped by the land and inspired by the cultural heritage of each region.”

In addition to leading the architectural vision, Piza Golf is providing comprehensive project management services for Valle de los Encinos. The integrated role ensures continuity between design intent and execution, with oversight spanning construction coordination, consultant alignment and on-site decision-making. Construction of the course is already underway, with major infrastructure and course shaping in progress.

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TOBACCO ROAD GOLF COURSE :: CARLTON MARSHALL GOLF DESIGN

Set for an August 2026 debut is The Matchbox, a 12-hole short course at Sanford, North Carolina’s Tobacco Road. Located 29 miles northeast of Pinehurst, The Matchbox will showcase the Sandhills via a unique collaboration.

Architects Justin Carlton and Lee Marshall, principals in Carlton Marshall Golf Design, will team with Mark White, a shaper on the original crew that crafted Tobacco Road’s acclaimed championship course, conjured up by Mike Strantz.

The Matchbox will be situated in the vicinity of the 12th and 13th holes of the Strantz layout. Due to the shade rendered by the dense tree cover, ownership chose to carpet tees and greens in synthetic turf to ensure consistently excellent playing conditions.

“This is a special piece of property as it contains spoils shaped during construction nearly 30 years ago,” said Mark Stewart, whose family opened Tobacco Road in 1998. “The more I’ve walked around this corner of the property through the decades, the more obvious it became that a unique golf experience could be revealed — and we’re excited to share it with Sandhills travelers.”

Lee Marshall lauded White’s participation in The Matchbox. “Mike Strantz was a master of scale,” he said. “Having Mark White on the project provides an experienced knowledge of Strantz’s vision that we’re incorporating into our design.”

A previously hidden pond will reveal itself in the layout of The Matchbox, with a fistful of holes that play along the water. “In the design process for Tobacco Road, we talked about Mike building a par 3 over that pond, but it didn’t make the final routing,” said Stewart. “Now we have the opportunity to bring that bit of drama back into play in a different way.”

On a property that was once a sand and gravel mine, with an existing course that has been hailed for its imaginative expressions, the new short course will deliver some quirk as well. The third hole will call for a blind, 60-yard tee shot; the seventh will feature a 40-yard shot over a cove, and the ninth calls for a shot between two prodigious mounds, reminiscent of the opening hole of the championship course.

“The overall concept is to keep it fun with bold features and heroic shot values but also provide a short-game challenge for those who really want to test their wedge game,” Marshall told GolfCourseArchitecture.net. “While the longest yardage was dictated for some to play with only one club and a putter, we are creating an amenity unrestricted by that thought process alone. The contours on the greens will focus more on shot selection depending on the type of shot the player decides to execute — high shot with spin at the pin or low shot to feed the ball toward the hole. This will provide a different experience each time the course is played, even without moving the pins to alternate locations.”

CURRACLOE LINKS :: FRY/STRAKA GLOBAL GOLF COURSE DESIGN

Curracloe Links at Ravenport Resort, a new Fry/Straka design in County Wexford on Ireland’s southeast coast, will begin accepting play April 1, 2027.

Located adjacent to the iconic Curracloe Beach, a 90-minute drive from Dublin Airport, the 18-hole links course is in the final stages of construction and grassing. The layout blends a rolling landscape with stunning natural coastal terrain.

“The ancient linksland of Curracloe Links, with its rolling hills, long sea views and rugged natural bunkers, will offer a quintessential Irish links experience and lure people from all over the world to its fairways,” said architect Jason Straka.

The golf course is adjacent to the recently opened Ravenport Resort, which features 49 guest rooms, dining, a spa and health club and a pool. A number of golf lodges will also be available upon the golf course’s opening.

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