Golf participation continues to rise, as reported by the R&A and National Golf Federation, and with that comes new golf courses and renovation projects.

To kick off the year, we are highlighting ten projects that we think are going to catch the eye of the golfing public in 2025.

Five new courses that will officially open in 2025

The MacLeod course at Trump Aberdeen, Scotland

A design team of Martin Hawtree, Christian Lundin and Christine Fraser are creating a new course that spans hundreds of acres of rugged coastal terrain with views across the North Sea. It has been laid out over three distinct areas: sandy dunesland, heather-clad heathlands and expansive wetlands. The MacLeod course is expected to open in summer 2025.

The Keep at McLemore in Georgia, USA

Designed by Bill Bergin and Rees Jones, McLemore’s second course occupies a spectacular setting on a mountaintop plateau. With five holes that play along a cliff edge, the course is punctuated by rocky outcrops and there are 70-mile views from almost every hole on the course. The Keep opened for preview play in September 2024 and will have its grand opening in summer 2025.

Shura Links, Saudia Arabia

A Curley-Wagner Design course, Shura Links is being developed by Red Sea Global on an island off the west coast of Saudi Arabia that is connected to the mainland by a 3.5-kilometre causeway and is about half an hour from the newly opened Red Sea International Airport. The course is on track to open this year.

The Torre course at Terras da Comporta, Portugal

For the second course at Terras da Comporta, Sergio Garcia’s design team and contractor CJW Golf are working on a 365-hectare parcel of sandy land with pine forest and rice paddies, overlooking the sea. The Torre course is expected to open in June 2025.

7 Mile Beach in Hobart, Australia

Seeding of the new Clayton, DeVries & Pont course was completed in March 2024 and the layout is now growing in. Preview play is expected to be available in summer 2025 with a full opening by the end of the year. Read more about the project from our 2022 interview with Mike Clayton.

Five major renovations that will be completed in 2025:

The Upper course at Baltusrol Golf Club in New Jersey, USA

Hanse Golf Design completed work on the Lower course at Baltusrol in 2021, and subsequently moved on to a renovation of the Upper course, again seeking to restore much of the original design intent from AW Tillinghast. The course will reopen in spring 2025.

La Grande Mare, Guernsey

European Golf Design (EGD) is making use of new land to renovate, reroute and extend the Channel Islands course. “The prime site characteristic is the widespread use of water hazards, which offset the short length with some thrilling shots,” says Robin Hiseman, architect at EGD. A soft opening is scheduled for summer 2025.

Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina

Love Golf Design will lead a restoration that aims to preserve classic shot values and design as well as ensure the course has championship-level playing conditions. Work includes rebuilding greens, bunkers and bulkheads. The course will close for construction in May 2025 and is expected to reopen in November.

Donegal Golf Club, Ireland

Paul McGinley Golf Course Design has completed two phases of renovation work at Donegal Golf Club, located on the Murvagh Peninsula on Ireland’s Atlantic coast. The third and final phase focuses on seven holes and will take place in 2025.

The Island course at The Singapore Island Country Club, Singapore

Brett Mogg is leading a redesign of the Island course, which is expected to cost more than $20 million. The project, which includes all course features and the installation of a SubAir system for greens, is progressing and the Island is expected to reopen this year.