Brian Curley, one half of the Curley-Wagner design firm, has broken ground on a reconstruction of the former Wildcreek Golf Course in Sparks, Nevada, just outside of Reno, for new course owner First Tee – Northern Nevada.
Wildcreek was formerly owned by Washoe County, but it was transferred to First Tee in 2021, as part of a larger deal that saw the construction of the new Hug High School on part of the golf course site.
The sale of the land to the school district has helped to fund the golf course project, while First Tee has raised the remainder of the cost. The rest of the land occupied by the former 18-hole course, which also had a nine-hole course and practice range. The area will now be transformed into a full-sized nine-hole course, a nine-hole par-3 course and a three-hole practice facility, which will, innovatively, be built from repurposed storage containers.
"The main nine-hole course will be entirely new, meandering over previous golf terrain recaptured and designed for this overall project theme," Curley said. "On the nine-hole par-3 course, we are not changing a great deal in order to keep costs down — most notably saving all the greens — while the new driving range will be built on top of two of the former golf holes.
“There will be an emphasis on playability for all levels from young beginners to seniors, and we will be laser focused on sustainable maintenance to keep green fees low. From an overall design point of view, our intent is to provide ample turf within an environment that ultimately transitions to native areas of slope and grasses. Incorporating a natural look and theme while still catering to all levels of play is front and center to your efforts. My hope is for a stunningly crafted course that incorporates a natural character and walkability in an environment of massive views of the valley."
The two nine-hole golf courses represent the first phase of the project, which should be completed and grassed by the end of the summer.
"It could possibly open before the end of the year," Curley said. "The three-tier range, the first such facility in the Reno area, will be built in phase two, which also includes a new learning center for year-round use, and a total refurbishment of the existing clubhouse to deliver restaurant, bar and changing facilities, as well as offices and meeting space, for the First Tee chapter."
The project will make First Tee – Northern Nevada one of only a few such organizations across the U.S. to own and operate its own public golf course.
FANCOURT RESORT'S NINE-HOLER OPENS
A new nine-hole golf course at South Africa’s fabled Fancourt Resort designed by Gary Player made its debut recently after three years in the works.
The Links Experience, a new layout, began as a 2022 collaboration between Fancourt owner Hasso Plattner and architect Johann Jacobs, who sought to determine how to utilize a parcel that had once housed the resort’s Bramble Hill course. The project was shuttered in 2008. Gary Player Design, the firm that had delivered Fancourt’s three existing layouts, including the championship Links course that played host to the 2003 Presidents Cup, was summoned to craft the new par-34 course.
“The memories I have at Fancourt will stay with me the rest of my life,” Player told GolfCourseArchitecture.net. “When I first came out here this was a cattle farm and over the years has transformed into one of the greatest golf destinations on the planet. I was incredibly excited and privileged to design and open The Links Experience, which will be instrumental in fostering the growth of golf in South Africa.”
The Links Experience features three par 3s, five par 4s and a single par 5. Four different teeing grounds will provide tremendous flexibility, with total yardages that range from 1,884 yards from the front to 2,661 yards. Each hole can also be played as a par 3, with total nine-hole yardages that range from 834 yards to 1,082 yards.
Each of the nine holes on the Links Experience features a name that illuminates its character. For instance, the tiny 105-yard third hole is called “Skoosh,” a Scottish word for "a small amount."
"This is a beautiful layout, with lots of soft grasses and colored bunkers," Players said. "I designed this to give people pleasure and it’s very versatile with the fact that you can choose par 3, par 4 or par 5, or play it strictly as a par-3 course. It’s thing of beauty that gives everyone a challenge, young and old."
THE SOCIAL ASPECT
Spent this past week @streamsong working on the next 18 holes. First hole is roughed in, it’s dramatic! So much fun to be playing in these sand piles! pic.twitter.com/GN8MoTmpXw
— David McLay-Kidd (@DavidMcLayKidd) March 15, 2025
TIDEWATER GC BUNKERS DOWN
Tidewater Golf Club, located in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, has completed an extensive renovation project that focused on fairway and greenside bunkers.
The bunker renovation project began in fall 2024 and featured reshaped greenside bunkers for increased playability and aesthetic benefits, enhanced drainage and renovated fairway bunkers that resulted in improved sight lines and a reduction in hidden hazards.
"We are very excited about the work and the positive impact the new bunkers will have on the long-term health of the course,” general manager Chris Cooper said. "The entire project has gone smoothly with very little impact to daily play."
Situated along the Carolina coastline, between the Intracoastal Waterway and Cherry Grove Inlet, Tidewater was designed by Ken Tomlinson and opened in 1990. It has frequently been ranked among the five best courses on the Grand Strand and among the top 100 public courses in America.
Nine of Tidewater’s 18 holes play along the water in the course’s 7,000-yard journey.
