In golf travel news this week are items from Caledonia, True Blue, Big Cedar Lodge, Ireland, Kohler, The Club at Olde Cypress, Casa De Campo, Finca Cortesin and St. Regis Papagayo Resort
- Caledonia Golf and Fish Club and True Blue Golf Club Honored Among America’s Top 200 Resort Courses by Golfweek
- Plan Your Summer Golf Trip to World-Class Golf Destination in Kohler, Wisconsin!
- Big Cedar Lodge Offering “Birdies and Bourbon” Package This Spring Season
- Explore Paul McGinley’s reimagining of Donegal Golf Club’s great Murvagh links and Irish golf’s undiscovered northwestern frontier
- The Club at Olde Cypress Begins Multimillion-Dollar Clubhouse Renovation
- Casa de Campo Resort and Villas Named Inaugural Host Venue for LAAC Golf Academy
- Finca Cortesin champions sustainability with ground-breaking Golf and Birds study
- Pizá Golf Commissioned to design an Eco-luxury Wellness Golf Course at The Residences at The St. Regis Papagayo Resort
Caledonia Golf and Fish Club and True Blue Golf Club Honored Among America’s Top 200 Resort Courses by Golfweek
Pawleys Island, S.C. — Caledonia Golf & Fish Club and True Blue Golf Club, two of South Carolina’s most decorated courses, have started the New Year with another national honor. The sister layouts were included in Golfweek’s prestigious list of “Top 200 Resort Golf Courses in the U.S. 2025.”
After evaluations from Golfweek’s nationwide panel of golf course raters were tabulated, Caledonia was ranked as America’s 55th best resort course while True Blue checked in at No. 93.
Both courses were designed by the late Mike Strantz, a visionary architect celebrated for his innovative and artistic approach. Strantz’s work on Caledonia marked his debut as a solo designer, transforming a historic rice plantation into one of the Myrtle Beach golf scene’s crown jewels. The course offers an unforgettable combination of natural beauty and Strantz’s architectural vision.
Playing through a stunning piece of Lowcountry property, the layout has been a fixture on the game’s various rankings of America’s top 100 public courses, and the Golfweek ranking helps reaffirm Caledonia’s place among the nation’s premier travel destinations.
Building on the success of Caledonia, Strantz crafted True Blue, which opened in 1998, on adjacent land, creating a course known for its stunning visuals and bold design elements. True Blue features expansive fairways, undulating greens, and the type of dramatic architecture associated with Strantz’s work.
“We are honored to have Caledonia and True Blue ranked among Golfweek’s top 200 resort courses,” said Bart Romano, PGA, Director of Operations for Caledonia and True Blue. “Our goal is to provide a Top 100-caliber experience, and this recognition affirms our commitment to excellence.”
In addition to being ranked among the top 200 resort courses, Caledonia and True Blue are both ranked among golf-rich South Carolina’s top 5 public courses, highlighting the appeal of both layouts.
To experience two of the nation’s most acclaimed designs, visit CaledoniaGolfandFishClub.com or TrueBlueGolf.com to book a tee time or plan your next golf getaway.
Plan Your Summer Golf Trip to World-Class Golf Destination in Kohler, Wisconsin!
Renowned for Whistling Straits, host of the Ryder Cup, PGA Championship and Senior Open, Kohler, Wisconsin may be the perfect summer getaway.
With stunning lake views and a variety of courses to choose from, Kohler provides a refreshing break from summer heat thanks to its proximity to Lake Michigan and Wisconsin’s mild climate.
At Kohler, golfers can choose from a variety of courses, while enjoying the hospitality of a five star resort:
Whistling Straits: Host of the 2021 Ryder Cup, this champion course brings the rugged beauty of Ireland to the U.S., with two unforgettable Pete Dye-designed courses.
· The Straits Course, with its panoramic views along two miles of Lake Michigan’s coastline, is a walking-only course that embraces the timeless traditions of golf.
· The Irish Course offers a captivating blend of links and target golf, criss crossing through the Seven Mile Creek and coastal dunes. Both courses have hosted major championships and a memorable Ryder Cup, offering a challenge for players of all skill levels.
Blackwolf Run offers a different type of challenge with its dramatic landscape of valleys, bluffs, and rolling prairies. This glacier-forged masterpiece is home to two championship courses: The River Course and Meadow Valleys Course
· River Course: Carved by glacial runoff and following five miles of valley and bluff, experience nature’s poetry sculpted by Pete Dye’s subtle hand.
· Meadow Valleys Course: Rolling prairies, oak savannahs, heathland, and ravines define this subtly devilish course with signature Pete Dye elements.
· For family fun, The Baths features a 10-hole par-3 course and a 2-acre putting course, perfect for players of all ages.
Kohler also offers four golf packages including, Experience Kohler, To Dye Four, Champions’ Trail, and Breakaway to Blackwolf.
Big Cedar Lodge Offering “Birdies and Bourbon” Package This Spring Season
Missouri’s premier golf resort is offering exclusive discounts on luxury on-course accommodations and golf rounds, plus a premium bourbon flight, available now through May.
Who: Big Cedar Lodge – A world-class golf resort located in Branson, Missouri
What: Guests save 15% on luxury, on-course accommodations and up to 20% on rounds at Payne’s Valley, Ozarks National, and Mountain Top. Each golfer gets a premium bourbon flight at Mountain Top Grill.
When: March 7 – May 31, 2025
Where: Big Cedar Lodge, 190 Top of the Rock Road, Ridgedale, Missouri 65739
Explore Paul McGinley’s reimagining of Donegal Golf Club’s great Murvagh links and Irish golf’s undiscovered northwestern frontier
County Donegal is Irish golf’s great hidden gem and former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley has added to the attraction of Ireland’s wild and beautiful northwest by taking the first steps in his redesign of Donegal Golf Club’s sensational Murvagh links.
With the southwest, the east coast and the Northern Ireland links experiencing high levels of demand, Donegal is the great undiscovered frontier of Irish golf.
Gil Hanse and his design partner Jim Wagner set the ball rolling by reimagining Donegal’s Narin and Portnoo links in 2019. Then Tom Doak, another golf course architect of world renown, added to the Donegal buzz by creating the St Patrick’s Links at a Rosapenna Hotel and Golf Resort in 2021
Donegal Golf Club, moved to Murvagh in 1974, quickly grew in popularity, initially designed by Eddie Hackett before it was remodelled by Pat Ruddy, designer of The European Club, in 1992.
The golf course sits on the Murvagh Peninsula, which juts out into the Atlantic and offers the serious golfer an unforgettable links golf experience with sweeping views of Donegal Bay, the Atlantic Ocean and the Bluestack Mountains and sensational shot values as you plot your way through the high dunes, battling those fresh Atlantic breezes.
Former Open champion Darren Clarke, the ultimate links golfer, describes County Donegal as “one of my favourite golf courses in the world”, and the Northern Irishman’s former Ryder Cup teammate McGinley is excited about the completion of the first phase of his remodelling of the course with McGinley Golf Course Architecture & Design®.
“There are amazing canvases here,” McGinley says of Donegal, the home county of his mother and father and a place where he spent his summers as a child, learning the rudiments of links golf. “And this is the prime canvas in the whole of Donegal.
“That excites and motivates me: to best utilise the terrain while also honouring the history, routing and flow of the course.”
Last year, the Dubliner completed his redesign of the 16th, 17th, and 18th holes, and with all 18 holes to be renovated in phases over the next few years, Murvagh is set to take its place among the world’s great links courses.
“Golf is now more popular in Ireland than in Scotland in terms of turnover and green fees,” says McGinley, who captained Europe to victory in the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles. “Obviously, the southwest of Ireland is becoming very busy and expensive. So we’re seeing a lot of people starting to migrate up the Wild Atlantic Way and the next frontier is Donegal.”
The Wild Atlantic Way is a spectacular 1,553-mile driving route that passes through nine counties and three provinces, stretching from Kinsale in County Cork as far north as County Donegal’s Inishowen Peninsula in Ulster.
McGinley is a traditional, minimalist designer with a penchant for opening up vistas by raising tees and greens to bring in sea views, and he has already made his presence felt at Donegal Golf Club.
“I don’t believe in funkiness,” he says of his design philosophy. “I don’t believe in huge, big slopes and greens like you have at Augusta. I’m a believer in golf being fun, fair, challenging and aesthetically beautiful.”
When it comes to Donegal Golf Club, he’s modernising the links and making them more playable for members and visitors.
Women were often an afterthought in bygone days but McGinley has paid particular attention to the forward tees and made sure they are raised and well-placed to best show off the challenge ahead.
“Golf courses get a little bit outdated,” says McGinley, who works closely with his design partner, Joe Bedford. “Things move over time. They have to be brought to a new level. So this is an evolution, not a revolution, of all that Eddie Hackett and Pat Ruddy did here.
“It’s not a case of going in and blowing stuff up. But I do want to make a hole really playable and fair for all standards, not just the standard that I play at, but for handicap golfers.”
He’s also excited that designers like Hanse and Doak have come to Donegal and hopes to put Donegal Golf Club on the map with his painstaking redesign.
“I’ve said it before, and I still say it – If Donegal was a stock, I’d be buying it,” he says of his plans for the Murvagh links.
“Our masterplan calls for an evolution, not a revolution. The core principle is that the course needs to be more playable for the membership and all standards of player.
“At the same time, it should be seamlessly prepared for major events by creating optionality on tees and challenges on greens that allow pins to be tucked when needed. Donegal Golf Club is one of the very best canvasses of any club in the country.”
Donegal is a gateway for golf in the northwest and with many other great courses in the county, Donegal Town is an excellent base for visitors looking to play some of Ireland’s best courses.
“We’re all in this together,” McGinley says. “We’re all raising Donegal together. Donegal is the next frontier.”
The Club at Olde Cypress Begins Multimillion-Dollar Clubhouse Renovation
Naples, FL – The Club at Olde Cypress has launched its highly anticipated multimillion-dollar clubhouse renovation, a transformative project set to redefine the member experience, club owner STOCK Development announced. Scheduled for completion by the end of the year, the project will enhance every aspect of the club’s social and recreational spaces, providing an inviting environment for members to relax, dine and connect.
“Our vision is to elevate the clubhouse to new heights, creating an atmosphere where every moment spent at the club is more enjoyable, comfortable, and luxurious,” said Claudine Léger-Wetzel, STOCK Development’s vice president of sales and marketing. “This renovation is about enhancing the lifestyle and camaraderie that make Olde Cypress such a special place.”
A Stunning Transformation of Social and Dining Spaces
Among the most exciting enhancements is the expansion of The Bar, Members’ Grille Room, and Main Dining Room. The redesigned space will feature a dramatic wraparound bar with increased seating, ideal for casual gatherings and festive celebrations. The refined interior design will elevate the ambiance, offering members a sophisticated yet welcoming environment.
Outdoor Bar and Terrace – The Ultimate Alfresco Experience
The renovation will also introduce a new outdoor bar and terrace, complemented by a full-service kitchen featuring a pizza oven for artisan-baked creations. Expanded alfresco and covered dining options will allow members to enjoy breathtaking views of the golf course and surrounding preserves while indulging in delicious food and drinks. Stylish lounge areas, outdoor TVs, and live music will enhance the outdoor experience.
New Spaces to Enhance Member Engagement
● The Cypress Room – An elegant multipurpose space designed for social gatherings, card games, and intimate events. Featuring a grand piano, this culturally rich setting will provide a unique space for members to unwind and connect.
● Cave à Vin – Wine enthusiasts will revel in the new wine-tasting room, featuring handmade wine racks beneath a custom vaulted ceiling. Whether savoring a curated collection of fine wines or enjoying a casual glass, this space will be a haven for connoisseurs and casual wine lovers alike.
● Digital Links Golf Simulator Room – Golfers can perfect their swings year-round with the club’s state-of-the-art simulator room, offering cutting-edge technology for practice, virtual rounds, and competitions.
● The Club Room – Designed for comfort and entertainment, this cozy lounge will feature billiards, a fireplace, and plush seating, making it the perfect retreat for members to unwind with family and friends.
● Bocce Ball Courts – Three bocce ball courts, each featuring its own shade structure and lighting for evening play, are under construction. Led by Director of Wellness Bryan Gezella, the turf courts will introduce a robust new program.
“The clubhouse is the social heartbeat of our community, and this renovation will ensure that it remains a premier gathering place for our members for years to come,” said Ken Lanigan, general manager of Olde Cypress. “Whether members are enjoying a drink on the terrace or a fine dining experience, the enhancements reflect our commitment to providing a world-class club experience.”
With these upgrades, The Club at Olde Cypress is reinforcing its commitment to providing an unparalleled lifestyle for its members. The renovation will not only enhance the club’s aesthetics but also introduce new opportunities for socialization, entertainment, and relaxation.
For more information about the clubhouse renovation or membership opportunities at The Club at Olde Cypress, please visit OldeCypress.com.
About the Club at Olde Cypress
The Club at Olde Cypress is owned by STOCK Development, Southwest Florida’s preeminent residential developer and builder since 2001, and operated by STOCK Hospitality, which provides innovative solutions uniquely tailored to club communities. Creating exceptional member experiences is the cornerstone of all Stock Hospitality services, which include club operations, golf course maintenance, membership marketing, and programming. New members can choose from three categories of membership carefully crafted to offer something for everyone.
Widely considered one of the most vibrant, active and welcoming clubs in Southwest Florida, Olde Cypress is home to the first P.B. Dye golf course in Collier County. Other amenities include tennis and pickleball courts, fitness center, and pool and a 34,000-square-foot clubhouse featuring both casual and fine dining. The club and surrounding 540-acre gated community are located just minutes from Naples’ famous beaches, world-class shopping on 5th Avenue, and the Southwest Florida International Airport.
Casa de Campo Resort and Villas Named Inaugural Host Venue for LAAC Golf Academy
(LA ROMANA, Dominican Republic) – Casa de Campo Resort & Villas – home to the Caribbean’s premier, luxury golf experiences, including its iconic Teeth of the Dog ranked No. 20 in Golf Digest’s “Top 100 Courses in the World” – has been named as the inaugural host venue of the Latin America Amateur Championship’s (LAAC) new golf academy to promote the education and growth of the game in Latin America.
Founded by the Masters Tournament, The R&A and the USGA, the LAAC was established to further develop amateur golf in South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. The championship moves annually to top courses throughout Latin America and showcases the game’s rising talent in the region.
Casa de Campo and its Teeth of the Dog layout has a strong connection with the LAAC having hosted the event on three occasions: 2016, 2019, and 2022. The celebrated Pete Dye masterpiece will host the LAAC once again in 2028.
The LAAC Academy, set to take place from July 26 – Aug. 2 at Casa de Campo’s world-class Golf Learning Center, is designed as a week-long training program where players will receive top-notch instruction in key areas of elite competition including nutrition, short-game skills, sports psychology, strength and conditioning, swing analysis, and technical swing improvement. The LAAC Founding Partners cover all expenses to allow a full range of players to participate.
“We are very grateful that such a wonderful place as Casa de Campo allows us to establish our first academy for the Latin America Amateur Championship there, and we are truly excited about the future and what this will mean for the championship,” says Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National.
“We are honored that Casa de Campo has been selected as the inaugural site for the Latin America Amateur Championship Academy as this exciting collaboration reflects our ongoing commitment to the development of golf in the region as well as our dedication to offering world-class facilities for emerging players in Latin America,” says Jason Kycek, Casa de Campo’s Chief Marketing Officer. “We are thrilled to be part of this innovative program that will make a significant difference in the future of golf and to continue our ongoing partnership with the founding partners.”
The resort’s Golf Learning Center is a “must visit” when on property. Highlighted by Trackman and BODITRAK technology, it features two indoor hitting bays for rapid game improvement, year-round training, individual and group golf lessons and schools, and expert club-fitting and repair. Residing on 21 acres of “pure grass,” the PGA Tour-quality facility also showcases practice greens for honing putting, chipping and pitching skills as well as unlimited use of the pristine outdoor range for full shots. On-course instruction is also available.
About Casa de Campo Resort & Villas
The 7,000-acre Casa de Campo attracts affluent travelers with 63 holes of exceptional golf. Teeth of the Dog, Dye Fore, and The Links courses – Conde Nast Traveler, Golf Digest, GOLF Magazine, and Golfweek award winners – are designed by the legendary architect Pete Dye. Spacious hotel rooms, suites, and luxury villas complement them. Expertly prepared cuisine from around the world, a 370-slip Marina & Yacht Club, Polo & Equestrian Club, the La Terraza Tennis Center, 245-acre Shooting Club, and Altos de Chavon – an artisan’s village modeled after a 16th-century Mediterranean city – are other on-property highlights.
Getting There: La Romana International Airport (LRM) is five minutes from Casa de Campo and caters to private jet service from around the globe. A short drive from the resort, Santo Domingo (SDQ) and Punta Cana (PUJ) operate daily direct flights from all major North American airports.
Finca Cortesin champions sustainability with ground-breaking Golf and Birds study
Casares, Spain, 03 March 2025 – Finca Cortesin, host venue of the 2023 Solheim Cup, has conducted a ground-breaking new environmental study that showcases the ability for golf courses to be sanctuaries for biodiversity.
The Golf & Birds study, which spanned from October 2022 to October 2023, underscores the resort’s mission to connect sport with nature, positioning it as a leader in sustainable golf tourism. Located near the Strait of Gibraltar, a vital migratory corridor between Europe and Africa, Finca Cortesin has embraced its responsibility to protect avian species that rely on the area during seasonal journeys.
Over the 12-month study, ornithologists and environmental experts conducted monthly bird censuses at 11 designated observation points across the course’s playing and non-playing areas. The comprehensive methodology included over 73 hours of daylight observation with periods varying in duration, averaging 30 minutes per day.
Results included the identification of 65 bird species with 3,807 individual sightings. Among these were 14 species with conservation status and 11 raptor species, including black kites, booted eagles, and peregrine falcons.
Black kites were the most frequently recorded species (544 individuals), followed by Sardinian warblers (442) and rock doves (356). The study also confirmed significant nocturnal activity, with sightings of Eurasian eagle owls and little owls.
Seasonal migration patterns were clearly mapped with the month of February recording the highest abundance of birds (759 individuals), followed by July as a secondary peak. The resort’s two lakes, which total 11,500 m², also played a crucial role as both irrigation reservoirs and vital habitats for various species, offering food and shelter during the birds’ arduous journeys.
“Finca Cortesin has always strived to be more than just a premier golf destination,” said Vicente Rubio, President of Finca Cortesin. “The Golf & Birds study demonstrates our deep-rooted commitment to conservation and biodiversity. It is our hope that these findings inspire the broader golf community to recognise the ecological potential of responsibly managed courses.”
Ignacio Soto, Head Greenkeeper at Finca Cortesin and the driving force behind the study, emphasised the importance of continuous environmental stewardship: “This study is just the beginning. By continually monitoring biodiversity, we can adapt our management practices to better support local and migratory species. The golf course is not just a playing field – it’s a living ecosystem.”
The study reflects Finca Cortesin’s broader environmental ethos with key practices adopted across the resort including advanced irrigation systems to conserve water, chemical-free groundskeeping practices to protect soil and water health, and maintenance of native Mediterranean flora to provide essential habitats for local and migratory species.
Additionally, the resort is committed to ongoing biodiversity monitoring and aims to collaborate closely with conservation experts to refine and enhance its sustainability strategies.
The findings of the study serve as a model for the golf industry, illustrating that courses can actively support conservation by acting as safe havens for wildlife, enhance biodiversity through native habitat protection, and reduce their environmental impact with sustainable water use and pesticide-free maintenance.
For more information on Finca Cortesin and its ongoing environmental sustainability strategy, please visit www.fincacortesin.com
Pizá Golf Commissioned to design an Eco-luxury Wellness Golf Course at The Residences at The St. Regis Papagayo Resort
-This Wellness Golf Course will capture the luxury property’s commitment to wellness, and the Pura Vida spirit-
SAN DIEGO, CA. – January 28, 2025 – Pizá Golf, a globally renowned architecture and golf course design firm, announces its commission to design a unique nine-hole golf course based on their award-winning Wellness Golf concept at the luxurious five-star rated The Residences at The St. Regis Papagayo Resort in Costa Rica.
Pizá Golf is the pioneering entity in conceptualizing a wellness-centric golf course, enabling guests to commune with nature while partaking in a game at one of the world’s most elite golf facilities.
“Wellness Golf invites both golf enthusiasts and beginners to engage in this activity with a relaxed and appreciative mindset,” said Agustin Pizá, Founder and Director of Pizá Golf. “The Residences at The St. Regis Papagayo Resort ethos is dedicated to Costa Rica’s ‘Pura Vida’ which aligns perfectly with our Wellness Golf concept.”
Wellness Golf enhances well-being with its serene design. Visitors use the course for meditation, while families and corporate groups enjoy its inclusive and sociable environment. Wellness Golf at The Residences at The St. Regis Papagayo Resort offers a personalized experience. Participants can play barefoot to connect with nature or stick to traditional play, aligning with their wellness level.
“At The Residences at The St. Regis Papagayo, our goal is to provide spaces that inspire connection—with nature, with each other, and with oneself,”said Alberto Halabe, Partner at Solana, the developer of the property. “Pizá Golf’s Wellness Golf concept reflects the essence of Costa Rica’s Pura Vida lifestyle and offers a welcoming environment for residents of all skill levels to enjoy.”
Pizá Golf’s Wellness Golf concept, combining well-being with a versatile golf course, won the Global Future Award and was featured at the USGA Innovative Symposium in Japan and MIPIM in France. This concept promotes a relaxed, inclusive approach to golf for all skill levels and is gaining global popularity.
The Residences at The St. Regis Papagayo Resort in Costa Rica’s Guanacaste province is a stunning retreat with blue waters, white sand beaches, and lush rainforests. This sought-after destination combines beautiful landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and easy access from around the globe.
About Pizá Golf Founder – Arch. Agustin Pizá, MSc:
Award-winning architect Agustin Pizá has earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from ITESM and a Master’s Degree in Golf Course Architecture from the Edinburgh University in Scotland. He is a proud member of both the European Institute of Golf Course Architects (EIGCA) and the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA).
Pizá, honored with several international awards, is known for his distinctive design concepts such as Wellness Golf®, Multi-purpose Golf, and Butterfly Golf. He recently contributed to TGL, a golf league created by TMRW Sports, by designing several of its innovative holes.
He was recognized by Forbes Magazine twice as one of the top one hundred inventive minds from Mexico. Golf Inc. Magazine featured him in 2022 as one of the TOP nine innovators in the golf industry and recently, was included as one of the Top Five 2023 Visionaries of the Year. Sports Illustrated included Pizá in their top four golf course architects to watch. One of three privileged design firms to innovate with TGL Golf league. He is the Director of the First Tee in Mexico.
For 26 years, Pizá has worked on world class golf developments. His designs are known for delivering quality, aesthetic, and strategic golf courses. He and his design team have worked and have been involved in more than seventy projects on three continents.
Pizá Golf has design studios in San Diego, CA. and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
For more information on Pizá Golf, please visit the company website: www.pizagolf.com
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