New course development has picked up in recent months, with announcements across the U.S. and abroad. The number of new courses that have opened during the last five years has ranged from 15 to 23 a year.
But the boom in golf play appears to be leading to an increase in development activity.
Kelly Ranch Golf Club
Kelly Ranch Golf Club, owned and operated by Escalante Golf, will be located near Fort Worth, Texas. Designed by Tripp Davis, Kelly Ranch Golf Club will feature a 7,600-yard 18-hole championship course staggered throughout rugged rolling hills with 200-foot elevation changes. The course will preserve the land’s existing wildlife, water and environment.
Also included in the project scope is a 26-acre golf practice facility, a 400-yard driving range, a short game area with practice bunkers and chipping and putting greens and a short course. The clubhouse will include a golf shop, restaurant, bar and outdoor terrace with elevated views of the course and surrounding rolling terrain.
“Our vision for Kelly Ranch Golf Club is to redefine the golf market in North Texas and create a course that exudes excellence, thoughtful design and unparalleled scenery,” said David McDonald, partner and president of Escalante Golf.
Completion is scheduled for spring of 2025.
The Mapleton Golf Club in South Dakota
19 Flags, LLC recently announced that it broke ground on The Mapleton Golf Club, a new golf-only club located in the Mapleton Township of South Dakota. It is the second collaboration between the Amundson family and Landscapes Unlimited. Mark Amundson and Bill Kubly, chairman of Landscapes, developed Sutton Bay in Agar, South Dakota.
Landscapes’ Project Development Group is overseeing all aspects of site planning, design and engineering, permitting, contractor selection, project administration and budget planning and golf course construction. The club is located five miles north of downtown Sioux Falls.
The exclusive club will include an 18-hole championship golf course from architect Scott Hoffman.
“No two holes will be remotely the same and shot values will differ from day to day,” Hoffman said.
In addition to a driving range and practice facility there will be a roughly 13,000-square-foot clubhouse with a full-service dining room, bar and lounge, boardroom, locker rooms and pro shop. Overnight accommodations are also in ownership’s development plans.
The Third in Panama City Beach
The Third, a new golf club owned and operated by the St. Joe Company, is set to open in Panama City Beach, Florida, from designers Davis Love III, Mark Love and Scot Sherman, founders of Love Golf Design.
The Third is the latest of several Watersound Club amenity expansion projects launched in response to membership growth as well as strong demand for golf among members. The course is designed to span approximately 300 acres just north of another Watersound Club golf course, Shark’s Tooth.
Love Golf Design and Watersound Club teams selected a unique par-72 18-hole design with six sets of tees, allowing golfers to adjust the course distance to play from 4,900 yards to over 7,600 yards on a firm, fast-playing course.
“After exploring the property on our first few visits, we found so many options it was hard to narrow the new course down to just 18 holes,” said Davis Love III. “Lead architect Scot Sherman, Mark Love and I believe the variety of the site lends itself to building a course with a timeless character.”
Completion is slated for 2025.
