New Courses To Play in 2018

Course designers like Pete Dye, Gil Hanse and Robert Trent Jones Jr. have been busy lately creating some awesome golf courses. Here are some exciting new layouts you should play in 2018:

Hogs Head Golf Club (Waterville, Ireland)

Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr, Hogs Head is the talk of Ireland. More of a headlands course than a links layout, it has amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean, Ballinskelligs Bay and Macgillicuddy’s Reeks, Ireland’s tallest mountains. A spectacular set of holes (8 to 16) follows along 100-foot coastal bluffs. Hogs Head is an ultra-private club. Reportedly, it will have a limited number of tees times open to the public. Its located about four miles from Waterville Golf Links.

Streamsong Black (Bowling Green, Florida)

Opened in September 2017, this Gil Hanse design is garnering lots of buzz for its creativity and playability. Hanse got his pick of land spanning more than 800 acres and selected a 250-acre parcel dominated by a long sand ridge and natural elevation changes. The Black is set on rolling terrain with abundant sand, native grasses and panoramas similar to those of Sand Belt courses in Australia. With its Red and Blue courses, Streamsong is the only resort in the world with courses designed by Hanse, Ben Crenshaw/Bill Coore and Tom Doak.

Sand Valley Resort (Rome, Wisconsin)

Mike Keiser, the creator of highly regarded Bandon Dunes in Oregon and Cabot Links in Canada, is the creator of Sand Valley Golf Resort. Located near the tourist town of Wisconsin Dells, about a two-hour drive north of Madison, the 18-hole Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw design is a visually stunning course with exposed sand dunes, ridges and valleys. The 1,700-acre Sand Valley Resort has a 40-room lodge and cottage accommodations.

The Cradle (Pinehurst, North Carolina)

With holes ranging from 56 to 127 yards, this 9-hole, par-3 course, designed by Gil Hanse, has rolling terrain, rough-hewn bunkers and other features that have been hallmarks of Pinehurst’s championship golf courses. Pinehurst Resort features nine 18-hole golf courses, the Thistle Dhu putting course and historic clubhouse.

La Romana Golf Club (Dominican Republic)

Designed by Maverick Golf, this new gem has a wide range of settings within its 18 holes. Spread out on beautiful Dominican Republic terrain, it’s dotted with mahogany and palm trees and large lakes and holes 7, 8, 16 and 17 are situated next to the ocean. La Romana Golf Club’s motto says it all: “Golf amid sea and lakes.”

Panorama Golf Resort, Czech Republic

Located about a 35-minute drive from Prague, this 27-hole complex features nine holes with extensive meadows, nine-holes that weave through forest and a third nine that lead to the river Sazava and its high rocks.

Shepherd’s Rock at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort (Farmington, Pennsylvania)

Enveloped by the Allegheny Mountains about 70 miles southeast of Pittsburg, this 18-hole, 7,151-yard, Pete Dye designed course has challenging golf and spectacular scenic views from across the mountains.