Golf Courses 2025
The new courses, memorable rounds, and hidden gems that rose to the top in 2025.
Pines Course at the International
Bolton, Massachusetts
Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw’s transformational work here is nothing short of extraordinary. When Coore first walked the site in search of a new routing, he envisioned the old course’s existing fairways as natural pastures. The completely redesigned course, with the majority of its holes flowing in new directions, feels historically grounded in the land. It’s as if the architecture duo uprooted a classic, turn-of-the-century British heathland course and planted it in New England.
Photo: Ryan Montgomery
The Commons, Sand Valley
Nekoosa, Wisconsin
What began as an idea to build a beginner-friendly course in the spirit of Scotland’s golf parks slowly evolved into the Commons at Sand Valley—a 3,475-yard, 12-hole golf adventure that traverses wild and rumpled terrain. Jim Craig, who designed the course (his first solo project), embraced his infatuation with classic links, crafting undulating fairways that pay homage to North Berwick. At Prestwick Golf Club, birthplace of the Open Championship, the original routing was also 12 holes. That hardly seems a coincidence.
Photo: Brandon Carter
A Toast from Dewar’s
Here’s to the fairways that remind us perfection lies in simplicity, precision, and enduring style. In that spirit, Dewar’s salutes the honorees with a crisp, effortlessly classic Dewar’s Highball—reflecting the timeless appeal of the world’s great courses.
Doon Brae at Boyne Highlands
Harbor Springs, Michigan
While the Donald Ross Memorial course at Boyne Highlands gets most of the attention, it’s the resort’s new short course that hits a home run with its attempt to replicate some of golf’s most famous holes. Built on the side of a ski hill, with holes measuring as short as 57 yards and as long as 134, the course features a handful of stacked wall bunkers and putting surfaces inspired by the world’s most recognizable green complexes—from North Berwick’s Redan and Royal Dornoch’s Whinny Brae to Royal Troon’s Postage Stamp.
Old Petty, Cabot Highlands
Scotland
Old Petty is the long-awaited second course at Cabot Highlands, near Inverness, which opened for walking-only preview play in August. Designed by Tom Doak, the 18-hole links looks every bit a modern classic to befit its well-established sister course, Castle Stuart Links. Remote and hugging the Moray Firth, this is special golf land indeed.
Photo: Cookie Jar Golf
The Keep at McLemore
Rising Fawn, Georgia
With generously wide fairways, sweeping corridors, expansive greens, and equally vast bunkers—all designed to complement the scale of the site’s vistas—the second course at McLemore resort presents a somewhat forgiving test of mountain golf. At least until the wind picks up.
Photo: Jeff Marsh
Cliffhangers at Big Cedar Lodge
Branson, Missouri
Over the years, as Big Cedar owner Johnny Morris worked with notable golf architects such as Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio, and Gary Player to develop a world-class collection of courses, he injected his own elements of design where he could. The latest layout to open at Big Cedar Lodge, however, is solely the work of Morris and his son, J.P. Cliffhangers is an 18-hole, par-3 course that oozes drama with bold forced carries, notable drop shots, and even tee shots hit from the mouth of a cave.
Scarecrow Course at Gamble Sands
Brewster, Washington
Set upon a parcel of land with more pitch and roll than the resort’s original, eponymous layout, Gamble Sands’ new Scarecrow Course is characterized by a more prevalent sense of risk and reward. Largely the handiwork of Nick Schaan—David McLay Kidd’s business partner and longtime collaborator—the course shares some design elements with its older sibling (wide fairways, firm and fast playing conditions), but its smaller greens, tighter lines, and multiple blind shots demand precision.
Photo: Patrick Koenig
Upper Course at Baltusrol
Springfield, New Jersey
Gil Hanse recently returned to Baltusrol to restore the club’s second A.W. Tillinghast–designed track, and the Upper Course that emerged now boasts more compelling vistas and sightlines. Expansive green complexes come with deceptively challenging contours, and the course better reflects Tillinghast’s creative genius to maximize topography.
Photo: Evan Schiller
Solina Golf Club
Columbia, South Carolina
“Solina Golf Club, formerly known as Indian River, boasts a fresh renovation in partnership with the Bryan Brothers—George and Wesley—who have made this a must-play course. It’s a fun layout, and the greens are just perfect.” — Geno Bonnalie
The Panelists
PGA Tour caddie Geno Bonnalie
Travel and lifestyle editor and luxury hotel expert Samantha Brooks
Golf writer and globetrotter David DeSmith
Chef with two Michelin stars, at last counting Gabriel Kreuther
In-demand golf course architect and amateur pilot David McLay Kidd
Dewar’s award-winning master distiller
Stephanie Mcleod
Golf journalist, broadcaster, Kingdom contributing editor
Alexandra O’Laughlin
Ten-time major champ, Hall of Famer, all-star mom Annika Sörenstam
Content creator, bomber off the tee, social media icon
Roger Steele
