The Club at Starr Pass Celebrates Grand Opening of Restaurant, Plus Renovated Clubhouse, Golf Shop

New Era of Dining, Golf, and Lifestyle Begins in the Tucson Foothills

The Club at Starr Pass is celebrating the grand opening of Creosote – Sonoran Kitchen & Cocktails, a vibrant new restaurant concept that celebrates the bold flavors, colors, and ingredients of the Sonoran region, and the opening of its newly renovated clubhouse, marking a dynamic new chapter in the Club’s legacy of premier dining, golf, elevated hospitality, and Sonoran lifestyle.

Creosote – Sonoran Kitchen & Cocktails is led by an inventive culinary team that brings a fresh, modern approach to local cuisine in a setting that reflects the natural beauty of the Tucson landscape. Open to the public for lunch and dinner Wednesday through Monday (closed on Tuesdays), Creosote features dynamic lunch and dinner menus crafted with heritage ingredients, bold desert flavors, and a deep respect for the land. With a focus on sustainability, seasonality, and scratch cooking methods, dishes blend New Sonoran cuisine with a modern American twist. Reservations are recommended but not required.

At the heart of the club’s revitalized clubhouse is a stunning 3,000-square-foot golf shop, reimagined with a sleek modern design and curated with top-tier golf and lifestyle brands. From the latest in performance equipment to apparel and accessories from today’s top brands, the new golf shop sets a new standard for golf retail in Southern Arizona.

Guests and members are welcomed into the clubhouse through the new Lobby Lounge, a warm and inviting space that blends desert-inspired style with a relaxed, social atmosphere – perfect for meetups and casual gatherings. The clubhouse renovation also includes refreshed locker rooms, designed with comfort and convenience for both ladies and gentlemen of Starr Pass.

In addition to the new and refreshed amenities, the club is revamping its membership offerings with a vibrant golf and social calendar, bringing energy to the Starr Pass and creating more ways for members to connect on and off the course.

Meanwhile, on the golf course, the greens renovation project is progressing on schedule on the Pioneer and Gambler nine-hole courses with the introduction of TifEagle Bermuda grass, a high-performance surface that ensures exceptional putting conditions. The Pioneer and Gambler nines are set to reopen on September 1, just in time for cooler temperatures. The club’s Palmer nine-hole course remains open for guests to enjoy throughout the summer.

This December, The Club at Starr Pass will proudly host Stage 2 of PGA TOUR Q-School, bringing elite competition back to a property with deep PGA TOUR roots. Once a TOUR stop, the club now continues its legacy by playing a role in shaping future stars on the path to the PGA TOUR.

“This renovation is more than just a refresh, it’s a full-circle moment,” said The Club at Starr Pass’ General Manager David Loomis. “We’re honoring our PGA TOUR history while creating a modern, welcoming space for our members, guests, and future champions.”

Miccosukee Golf & Country Club To Break Ground on New Facility

The Miccosukee Golf & Country Club has announced the next phase of its ongoing upgrades with a groundbreaking ceremony for its newest addition – a 7,900 sq. ft. multi-purpose golf facility and lighted artificial putting green. The ceremony will take place on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, at 11 a.m. at the Miccosukee Golf & Country Club.

The new building will feature secure storage for golf carts and members’ golf clubs, office space for staff operations, restroom facilities for convenience, and a golf cart wash area to maintain the fleet in top condition. The lighted artificial putting green will be designed for both day and night use, offering an ideal space for practice and skill development.

“This project is another exciting step in our long-term vision for the Miccosukee Golf & Country Club,” said Assistant Chairman Lucas Osceola. “We are creating a space that not only supports our members’ needs but also enhances their overall golf experience. These upgrades are a testament to our commitment to excellence and to providing the very best for our community.”

Gestido Construction has been selected as the contractor for the project. The upgrades are part of a larger plan to ensure the club remains at the forefront of golf in South Florida.

Vietnam Golf Coast Doubles Down on Course Improvements

Guests and bovine bio mowers among the beneficiaries as clubs conduct bold enhancements

Golfers and iconic water buffalo bio mowers alike are about to reap the benefits as Vietnam Golf Coast clubs unveil a wave of upgrades aimed at keeping Central Vietnam at the top of Asia’s golfing leaderboard.

Long recognized for exceptional design and stunning scenery, Ba Na Hills Golf Club and Laguna Golf Lang Co are embracing a philosophy of continual improvement to elevate course conditioning, aesthetics, and the overall player experience. From revamping turf and native landscaping to enhancing visual appeal and drainage, both clubs are investing in upgrades that reflect a deep commitment to excellence.

At Laguna Golf Lang Co, where a Sir Nick Faldo Signature layout weaves between jungle-clad mountains and the East Sea, work is underway on several key improvements to help the course thrive through the year, particularly during Vietnam’s more stressful winter months.

A second shelter for the club’s beloved water buffalo, who act as "bio-mowers" tending to the rice paddies integrated into the course, is currently being constructed, providing protection from storms and reinforcing Laguna’s reputation for sustainability and innovation.

“Alongside the new shelter, we’re re-establishing putting surfaces and expanding our turf nurseries as we transition back to Zoysia matrella,” said Jason Blacka, newly appointed Chief Superintendent at Laguna Golf Lang Co. “We’re also adopting enhanced staff training and implementing customized agronomic practices to maintain optimal turf health and playability year-round.”

Other initiatives include revamping native landscape zones to expose more sand and promote resilient indigenous plants. These changes not only support the ecosystem but also add to the visual drama of the layout.

Meanwhile, over in the hills above Da Nang, Ba Na Hills Golf Club is refining both the course and the brand that defines it. In 2025, the club unveiled a sharpened brand philosophy — Crafted by Nature, Perfected by Passion — that reflects a deeper focus on both authenticity and precision.

“This is more than just a slogan, it’s a guiding ethos that informs how we present and care for our course,” said Simon Mees, General Manager at Ba Na Hills Golf Club. “We’ve implemented a more rigorous maintenance regime focused on turf quality and year-round playability, while enhancing facilities to ensure comfort without compromising the tranquillity we’re known for.”

Recent improvements include raising the water level between holes 9 and 18 for better aesthetics and reducing the height of the fairway on hole 11 to reveal water views and boost drainage. At the same time, annual renovation work is being carried out across all playing surfaces to encourage root health and promote long-term grass density.

While technological innovations like SmartScore are helping modernize operations, the emphasis remains firmly on elevating the pure golf experience and letting the landscape take centre stage.

“We’re proud of what we’ve achieved so far, but the real key is never standing still,” said Simon Mees. “At Ba Na Hills and across the Vietnam Golf Coast, we’re committed to refining every detail so that every visit feels better than the last.”

Aurora CC Selects Architect to Create Master Plan

Award-winning golf course architect Raymond Hearn, ASGCA, has been selected by historic Aurora (Ill.) Country Club for a renovation and restoration of its classic 1914 golf course.

“What an honor and privilege it is to work with this historic club,” Hearn, founder of Raymond Hearn Golf Course Designs, said. “Our goal is to create a comprehensive Master Plan that involves sympathetic restoration.”

Sympathetic restoration refers to a process where a course is renovated to restore its original design and character, focusing on the course’s history and respecting the architect’s original design intent, while also synchronizing with the modern-day game and maintenance practices to improve strategy, shot value, playability and sustainability.

“It’s a careful balance between honoring the past and adapting to the present,” Hearn said.

The original 9-hole course design was by legendary architect Tom Bendelow in 1914. Bendelow expanded the design to 18 holes in 1915 with a possible collaboration from William Langford according to several published sources. In 1935, the club consulted with legendary golf course architect A.W. Tillinghast for some select course improvements.

“We could not be happier to be awarded this prestigious assignment as I know the club had significant interest from a wide array of golf course architects,” Hearn said. “We are walking in the footsteps of golf course architectural legends.”

Hearn said Aurora Country Club has a vibrant membership with outstanding board and committee members.

“I will be working closely with the club’s Master Planning Committee, which includes PGA head professional Curtis Malm and veteran golf course superintendent John Gurke, CGCS,” he said. “We will be communicating with them in each phase. After the master planning is approved, my next assignment will be assisting the club in project construction phasing implementation that the club feels comfortable with.”

Hearn said he equates the club’s course to a classic work of art that is ready to reclaim its place among the region’s best.

“I want the sympathetic restoration work to increase shot value, strategy, playability and beauty for all levels of golfing ability at the club not just the single digit handicap golfer,” he said. “I will obviously pay tribute and homage to the legendary architects involved with this design in my sympathetic restoration.”

Tom Cross, Master Plan Committee chairman, said Aurora Country Club has always been committed to providing its members with an exceptional golf experience and that this master planning initiative reflects the ongoing dedication to that tradition of excellence.

“We’re taking a thoughtful, long-term approach to ensure our course continues to be among the finest in the region for generations to come,” he said. “Our partnership with Ray Hearn, whose award-winning, restoration work speaks for itself, demonstrates our commitment to investing in world class expertise as we plan for Aurora’s future. This process will be entirely member driven, ensuring that any enhancements align with our club’s values and our membership’s vision.”

Gurke said Raymond Hearn Golf Course Designs was a tremendous choice by the club for the master plan and project.

 “I’m thrilled to be working with Ray on this Master Plan for Aurora Country Club,” he said. “Over my 35 years here I’ve immersed myself in the history and significance of this golf course with architects the likes of Bendelow, Langford and Tillinghast behind its Golden Age design. Ray is a renowned veteran designer who brings great passion, knowledge, and respect for our club’s past, and will tap into those qualities to lead Aurora Country Club and its members into the future.”

Raymond Hearn ( www.rhgd.com ) has developed a national reputation for creating long range master plans for historic and modern day courses such as the Crestmont CC (Donald Ross 1921) in West Orange, NJ; Moon Brook CC (Willie Park Jr. 1919) in Jamestown, NY; Washtenaw GC (Bert Way 1899) in Ypsilanti, MI;  Midlothian CC (Hebert Tweedie 1898) in Midlothian, IL; Metedeconk National GC (RTJ Sr. and Roger Rulewich 1987) in Jackson, NJ; Lincolnshire Fields CC (Larry Packard 1976) in Champaign, IL; White Lake GC (Tom Bendelow 1916) in Whitehall, MI; Flossmoor CC (Hebert Tweedie 1899) in Flossmoor, IL; Inverness CC (Doug Fraser 1925) in Chelsea, MI; Club de Golf de Panama (Jay Riviera 1922) Panama City, Panama;  Savannah CC formerly Wilmington Island Golf (Donald Ross in 1927) Savannah, GA and various Master Planning for several Boyne Resort golf courses in Michigan, Montana and Maine.

Gurke said the master plan committee members did their due diligence and have experienced the work Hearn has completed on other Golden Age golf courses.

“He has great passion for what he does, but also for what those before him created at these great courses,” he said. “I love his sympathetic restoration ideas.”

Minneapolis Unveils Plans to Shrink Historic Hiawatha Golf Course Amid Flooding Concerns

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board has unveiled new design options for the historic Hiawatha Golf Course, announcing plans to scale it back from 18 to nine holes in an effort to address chronic flooding and groundwater issues.

At a Thursday news conference, park board superintendent Al Bangoura outlined three redesign concepts intended to make the century-old course more resilient.

“We’re going to try to work with Mother Nature and really improve this course,” Bangoura said. “The course will be more resilient to floods, the park will be more welcoming to more people, and the area’s ecology will drastically improve.”

Hiawatha Golf Course, which has deep ties to the Twin Cities Black community, was originally built on marshland more than a century ago. Over the years, the park board has fought persistent flooding with berms, fill, and pumps that remove more than 200 million gallons of water annually. Bangoura admitted those efforts were no match for nature: “We fought back Mother Nature, and Mother Nature had won.”

The three new proposals would all expand wetlands and marshes, turning the area’s natural flooding into an asset rather than a liability.

Debate over the course’s future has stretched on for years. In 2018, the park board first recommended reducing the number of holes, a move supported by environmental groups but opposed by many in the golfing community. In 2022, the board voted in favor of a nine-hole plan, though community pushback continued.

Last year, the National Park Service added Hiawatha to the National Register of Historic Places after a campaign led by the Bronze Foundation, a Minneapolis nonprofit headed by Darwin Dean. Dean remains opposed to downsizing, arguing that it would diminish the course’s legacy and make competitive tournaments impossible. His organization has put forward its own proposal that would preserve all 18 holes while still addressing flooding.

Bangoura acknowledged the course’s historic significance but stood firm on the need for change. “I understand very clearly the history of this golf course and what it means to Black golfers, and for me as a person of color, too. But I also know that change is hard, and I believe this is the way forward.”

Project manager Tyler Pederson said the redesign concepts would honor the course’s cultural history while also prioritizing youth golfers and broadening recreational opportunities. Plans include a nine-hole course that could be played as an “18-hole experience,” along with new winter amenities such as cross-country skiing trails.

The renovation is expected to cost more than $40 million, with work beginning as early as 2030. Until then, Hiawatha will remain an 18-hole course.

New Atlas Ranch Golf Course Underway

Unique nine-hole track routed on edge of quarry will be centerpiece of exclusive community

Dirt moving and the routing of the playing corridors are now underway at Atlas Ranch, the unique Roy Bechtol-conceived and -designed nine-hole par 3 course that will act as the centerpiece of a master planned community set about 45 minutes north of Austin.

Bechtol’s golf course will be a set of par 3s that measure from 80 to 120 yards and be a key amenity for the neighborhood that could grow to as many as 4,000 homes over the next decade.

“Atlas Ranch’s golf course will offer holes that can be played in real competition and will be a refined but intricately designed practice ground for short game work,” Bechtol said. “It will surely be a gathering place for the community’s families and their friends and guests.”

The course at Atlas Ranch is routed on the edges of a former quarry that defines the expansive property. Bechtol has left many of the grass-covered dirt and rock piles intact on the course’s edges, making the track a unique experience among others that are mostly flat and built in undefined pasture and prairieland.

Bechtol’s design will limit the grassing of the course to the corridors themselves and use the native grasses and trees and nooks and crannies and rock piles to make it special.

“Atlas Ranch is unique in the fact that the property has real character, allowing us to build a course that takes advantage of its attributes without forcing anything,” Bechtol said. “Golfers will be able to use a few wedges and a putter and really test their game while having fun. We will make sure the greens complexes are challenging while not being too difficult.”

One of the most important aspects of the golf course at Atlas Ranch will be the total use of effluent water to irrigate the nine holes and its adjacent greenbelt. Construction crews are “repurposing” the site’s dirt away from what was originally planned as an effluent field.

“Atlas Ranch will be one of the most unique effluent discharge projects seen in golf,” Bechtol explained. “Effluent that would normally be wasted will now be cleansed by the photosynthesis of plants and grasses. We all know how important water is as a resource in Texas and the course at Atlas Ranch will use only the gray water from the neighborhood and what Mother Nature provides as far as rain.” 

Bechtol’s design at Atlas Ranch comes as one of his other noted short course designs — the Spieth Lower Forty at the University of Texas Golf Club in Austin — continues to draw acclaim for its playability and challenge. The six-hole Spieth Lower Forty was designed by Bechtol and PGA TOUR professional Jordan Spieth and has become a valuable amenity for the peerless UT Golf Club.

Home sales in Atlas Ranch should begin late fall of 2025 and the course at should be ready for play after the growing season in the Spring of 2026. Civil construction and infrastructure work is being done by JL Gray Construction of Round Rock, Texas while the shaping and golf course envelope is under the direction of Verde Sports Construction of McKinney, Texas.

Ryder Cup Heroes Return to The Belfry

Four legendary Ryder Cup heroes will return to The Belfry’s iconic Brabazon Course on Tuesday, August 19, for a special 40th anniversary honor of the 1985 Cup. 

Sir Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam, Sandy Lyle, and Sam Torrance will face off in a five-hole, fourball match (holes 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18). 

Faldo and Woosnam will team up against Lyle and Torrance in what we might call Europe's old-man version of TNT's "The Match."

BetOnline.ag has set odds for the showdown, and Faldo-Woosnam combo is a slight favorite.

Match at Belfry Odds

Team Faldo/Woosnam  -120

Team Lyle/Torrance      -110

Belfry odds can be seen here: https://www.betonline.ag/sportsbook/golf/exhibition-matches/40th-anniversary-match-at-belfry