The Atlanta Athletic Club (AAC) has unveiled details of the upcoming transformation of its Highlands Course.
Noted architect Andrew Green of AH Green Design, Green Golf & Turf, has prepared a significant redesign of the 55-year-old course — host of the 1976 U.S. Open, plus the 1981, 2001 and 2011 PGA Championships, 1990 U.S. Women’s Open Championship, 2014 U.S. Amateur Championship, and the 2021 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship — as part of a comprehensive golf course master plan approved by members last year.
Countless moments in golf history were recorded at AAC, which was founded in 1898. But the club’s most enduring legacy is its association with Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones, the consummate amateur who won the four major championships of his day — the Grand Slam — in 1930.
Jones, who died in 1971, was a lifelong member and former president of AAC. A significant collection of trophies and other memorabilia from his golf career is on display in its expansive clubhouse. Located 25 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta, AAC is a private 36-hole club and has been at its current location since 1969.
Jones’ accomplishments as a player and architect — notably the design of Augusta National, which he created with Alister MacKenzie — influenced Green’s thoughts as he was planning the Highlands transformation. Asked by the membership to come up with the best possible golf experience, Green turned to Jones and MacKenzie for inspiration.
"I wanted to make the future of Highlands timeless, meeting the level of such an important club in the history of the game," Green said. "I honed in on the idea of what did Bobby Jones think of the game of golf, because this club fostered him the entire way."
Green did a deep dive into the Jones-MacKenzie relationship. They had met before but had lots of time to talk architecture in the late summer of 1929 after Jones surprisingly lost in the first round of the U.S. Amateur, played at Pebble Beach Golf Links on California’s Monterey Peninsula.
Jones had to stick around, having committed to playing an inaugural round at MacKenzie’s new course up the coast, Pasatiempo. That time together convinced Jones to choose MacKenzie to work with him on Augusta National a few years later.
"Articles that were written about Jones, MacKenzie and Augusta National started to speak to me," Green explained. "Combining MacKenzie’s 13 principles of golf architecture with the thoughtfulness of Jones and what he said about what they were going to try to achieve, and did achieve, at Augusta. I thought if that’s what Jones thought was most important, that should be an inspiration for us on Highlands."
In the proposed course transformation — particularly on the back nine, which sits in a floodplain and currently requires lengthy walks between greens and tees — Green’s plan reflects a careful balance between the natural constraints of the property and what he believes Jones would value in the game today.
One of MacKenzie’s principles was "Every hole should have a different character." Green looks to achieve this on the new Highlands by designing uniquely shaped greens with a large variety of hole locations; a deft mix of long and short holes; building what he called "half-par" holes; and working in some shots that Jones reminisced about playing in Scotland and other parts of the British Isles.
"Golfers will be able to hit every club in their bag," Green said. "They’ll be able to have shots that move right to left and left to right, that play uphill and downhill, with a greater rhythm to the round. Also, the par-threes were a huge concentration point for me, which are something both MacKenzie and Jones believed in deeply. I tried to give each its own personality."
Green also reported finding an article in the Augusta Chronicle in which Jones described the then-new Augusta National. "He said he didn’t want to embarrass his friends but also create a true test of golf. Those are things that still make sense today."
Work on the Highlands Course will begin in July 2027 and is expected to be completed by fall 2028. In 2030, AAC will host its second U.S. Amateur, utilizing both its Highlands and Riverside Courses, and celebrates the 100th anniversary of Jones’ completion of the Grand Slam. The U.S. Women’s Amateur will be contested on the Highlands Course in 2035.
TYLER RAE | CRAG BURN GOLF CLUB
Crag Burn Golf Club in suburban Buffalo, New York, will reopen this spring following a resto-vation by architect Tyler Rae.
Built on old farmland in the early 1970s by Robert Trent Jones, Crag Burn embraces classic parkland on the outgoing nine, while the incoming nine is more open. It was a lower profile layout than what was typical of Jones’ style at the time, but featured intricately carved, lacy-edged bunkers.
Aided by Crag Burn’s director of grounds, Terrance DiLoreto, Rae and his team expanded the greens back to their original sizes, enlarging them by nearly 20% on average. They also restored the bunkers to their original shapes, sizes and placements and lined them with Better Billy Bunker liners. Additionally, new irrigation was installed in the fairways and on and around the greens.
The dogleg par-5 second hole, much admired by five-time PGA Tour winner Scott Verplank, saw a new fairway bunker placed in the drive zone and another two bunkers added to the second-shot landing area.
THE SOCIAL ASPECT
A closer look at the changes to our iconic 15th hole. pic.twitter.com/jDJLNlBG9C
— Royal St.David's GC (@royalstdavidsgc) March 6, 2026
CLAYTON, DEVRIES & PONT | SEVEN MILE BEACH
Seven Mile Beach in Hobart, Australia, recently opened its new championship layout, designed by Clayton, DeVries & Pont.
It was the first new build for the firm, which has previously experienced strong success on multiple continents with restorations and renovations. Steering the project was Hobart native and longtime professional Matthew Goggin, who captured the 1998 ANZ Tour Championship and who was runner-up at the 2008 Australian Open.
Routed among sizable dunes on a peninsula east of the Hobart airport, the long-planned project changed multiple times from conception to completion.
"The original routing had nine holes on the west side of the clubhouse and nine to the east," Mike Clayton told GolfCourseArchitecture.net. “When Mike [DeVries] first visited in 2020, he switched all 18 to the east. This routing is obviously more compact — without ever being cramped — and more intimate, allowing us to create short green to tee transitions between every hole. It’s much more like a traditional British links than a modern, wide and sprawling links."
Several holes offer strategic choices, such as the fourth, fifth, 11th and 15th, where one side of the fairway rewards with a clear look at the target, while the other side of the fairway encounters a dune that obscures the target. The fifth hole heads toward the beach and the sixth plays alongside the sea. Bunkering is minimal and there’s strong emphasis on ground game options, using the contours to direct shots.
"Aside from the setting and the drama of the dunes, it’s special because there are a number of world-class holes," Clayton said. "Ultimately, that’s what stamps Royal Melbourne as the greatest course in Australia and anything even coming close to it is bound to be a fun place to play golf.
"Tasmania is the only state in Australia where you can grow fescue without a companion warm-season grass, and it plays beautifully. The ground, club, ball impact is unmatched."
Although Seven Mile Beach took a seemingly eternity to come to fruition, the end result has justified the effort and patience.
"Mike [DeVries] has done an incredible job shaping the contours into fairways," Clayton said. "Many will think the land was made for golf and it was simply a matter of sowing the grass — not so. This was a wildly crumpled piece of ground in need of skilled shaping to make great yet playable golf. Creating Seven Mile Beach with Mike has been incredibly enjoyable and immensely rewarding."
HARRADINE GOLF | AL HAMRA GOLF CLUB
Al Hamra Golf Club, one of the Middle East’s premier championship golf courses and multiple DP World Tour host venue, fully reopened all 18 holes in November. This came following a comprehensive renovation project designed to elevate the playing experience while preserving the course’s distinct character.
The course, located in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, is renowned for its handsome views of the Arabian Gulf and the Hajar Mountains.
The 90-day project, initiated by Al Hamra, which oversaw the design changes with the original course architect Peter Harradine and his team at Harradine Golf, included the complete redesign of holes 15, 16 and 17, as well as modifications to the sixth and eighth holes. Opened in 2007, the course played host to the DP World Tour's Ras Al Khaimah Championship from 2022 through 2025, with winners that included Nicolai Hojgaard and Thorbjorn Olesen, Danish stars who competed for winning European Ryder Cup teams.
"The renovation of Al Hamra Golf Club marks another important milestone in our vision to position Ras Al Khaimah as one of the region’s leading lifestyle and leisure destinations," said Benoy Kurien, group chief executive officer of Al Hamra. "This project reflects our ongoing investment in creating world-class experiences that enhance the Al Hamra community, where exceptional golf, hospitality and residential living come together."
The renovations start on the sixth, where the fairway landing area has moved slightly to the right with a reconfigured bunker that refines shot strategy while maintaining the hole’s original feel. The eighth hole features a new tee complex to the left of the current tees, offering a refreshed playing angle from the tee and alignment with the redesigned 16th hole.
The changes on the back nine start on the 15th hole with a larger green and surrounding area, creating a more forgiving approach for the long iron or hybrid shot while retaining the hole’s signature bunkering on either side of the green.
The challenging 16th hole sees the addition of a new tournament tee, extending the hole to 492 yards, complemented by a brand-new, multi-tiered green complex stretching over 40 yards wide, accommodating a variety of pin positions.
Finally, the 17th hole has a slight increase in length for tournament play but the strategy of this hole will shift with new bunkering along the left side of the fairway leading up to the green. The enlarged green now features a slope from right to left, adding both challenge and opportunity, especially for Sunday pin positions.
"Our primary goal has been to preserve the character and charm of Al Hamra Golf Club while introducing new design features that improve strategy, aesthetics and playability," said Paul Booth, Al Hamra Golf Club general manager. "Working once again with Peter Harradine and his team allows us to both honor the original design philosophy and introduce fresh elements that will excite golfers of all levels."
The course is also strategically positioned opposite the upcoming Wynn Al Marjan Island, the UAE’s first integrated resort development that is set to open in 2027.
C.W. GOLF ARCHITECTURE | ESPLANADE AT RIVERGRASS
Work has begun work on the new Esplanade at Rivergrass 18-hole championship course in Naples, Florida. Developer Taylor Morrison intends the golf course to be the centerpiece of a new residential community.
Wilczynski, founder of C.W. Golf Architecture, was originally retained in 2021 and submitted a masterplan that was approved in 2022. However, due to permitting issues, construction didn’t commence until autumn 2025. The project is the fifth collaboration between Wilczynski and Taylor Morrison under the Esplanade brand since the partnership began in 2012.
Wilczynski aims to transform the former farm property via mass grading of more than three million cubic yards of soil. Ryan Golf will direct construction with Aqua Turf International providing irrigation design services.
"The vision was to create a unique and natural 'rivergrass feel' with an abundance of beautiful water features and a variety of landscape materials that together support and tie seamlessly into the design theme and overall course aesthetic," Wilczynski said. "From a design perspective, the goal was to carefully balance the relationship between golf and water with some holes that sit on the water and others designed adjacent to it."
Wilcyznski is striving to emphasize strategy and playability for all levels. Entry-level golfers will enjoy a friendly forward set of tees from approximately 3,500 yards, while scratch players can trek back to the 6,700-yard tees.
"Each hole is designed at strategic angles to create options and risk-reward decisions," he said. "Golfers will be able to choose how aggressive they want to play from tee to green, which keeps the course fun, interesting, and engaging for all skill levels."
The builder/developer has continued to prioritize golf and resort amenities as central to the lifestyle within Esplanade communities.
Rivergrass at Esplanade is expected to open for public play in 2027.
SILVA & JOHNSON, LTD.
Brian Silva, one of New England’s most prominent and most prolific architects, has created a new design firm with longtime associate and colleague Brian Johnson.
The firm will be known as Silva & Johnson, Ltd. The roots of the new firm stretch back to the Golden Age of Architecture, pre-World War II.
"More than 40 years ago, Geoffrey Cornish — who got his start as an agronomist working for Stanley Thompson in the 1930s — extended to me the same sort of partnership opportunity," Silva said. "I’ve worked alongside Brian Johnson for 25 years now. He’s as good a strategist as there is working today, but I might not have recommended this move 10 or 15 years ago. There wasn’t enough work out there. Today there is.
"The move means Brian, who brings so much to the table, can really spread his wings — and we can accept commissions that previously did not make sense, not for a lone ranger with grandkids. I’m excited to pass the torch while there’s still time to work together in earnest."
Three significant renovations — the two Brians call them "transformations" — are expected to dominate the 2026 calendar. First up is San Antonio Country Club in Texas, originally a 1914 Alex Findlay design. A.W. Tillinghast revamped the layout in the 1930s and Silva has directed updates since 2005.
They will also continue working at Old Westbury Golf & Country Club on Long Island, which is home to 18 holes by William Mitchell and nine by Gil Hanse. In spring, Silva and Johnson will begin transforming Boca Raton Golf & Country Club, where both Donald Ross and William Flynn have toiled.
Johnson has been a colleague of Silva’s since 2009, providing hole strategies, AutoCad plan production, grading and drainage development, turf specifications and detailed hole renderings used in the masterplan process.
"Brian has been such a generous mentor to me through the years," Johnson said. "He and his partners gave me my first job in the design business, but the last 15 years have been different. It’s been a privilege and education to see how he has planned and executed the renovation work at places like Seth Raynor’s Country Club of Charleston, the Ross courses at Interlachen and Brookside, in Canton, Ohio and original designs like The Renaissance Club and Great Horse in Massachusetts. To be out front a bit more, as a lead designer and partner, is pretty much a dream come true."
Silva has enjoyed more than 40 years as a successful architect, with both original designs and renovations winning awards from Golf Digest and GOLF magazine. At 72, he’s raring to go with the new arrangement.
"I’ve got to be honest," Silva said. "Brian Johnson’s skills made many of these projects what they came to be — in a back-office respect, but also strategically. Back when The Renaissance Club was being planned, I shared my routing and hole strategies with my colleagues at CSM [Cornish, Silva & Mungeam], partners and associates. That’s just something we did; always good to get another set of eyes ... well, that was 20 years ago. Brian was just a kid, but he got back to me with some stuff that knocked my socks off. Superb. A half-dozen of those holes are his work.
"He’s far more resourceful and experienced today, naturally. He’s more than ready, and I’ve got a few good years left in me. We can’t wait to get started."
