The January 2025 issue of Golf Course Architecture features Golf Club Föhr, photographed by Stefan von Stengel, on the cover. Adam Lawrence reports on a visit to the far north of Germany where architect Christian Althaus has completely rebuilt the 27-hole course over the last 15 years.

For our main feature in this issue, we ask: is the aesthetic appeal of bunker design overshadowing functionality? Golf architects Bill Coore, Kyle Franz, Robin Hiseman, Jay Blasi, Mike Cocking, Ron Forse and Jeff Mingay share their insights on bunker design.

Adam Lawrence travels to Iceland’s Brautarholt Golf Club, long regarded as one of the world’s best 12-hole courses, to see the work being done by architect Tony Ristola to extend it to 18. “Ristola’s holes are built to a significantly higher standard than the existing ones,” he writes. “His greens are more interesting, and his bunkers, which he was just starting to edge at the time of my visit, are much more shapely than the ones in place on the original holes.”

In one of two feature interviews we hear from Bob Harrison, who has had a long career as one of Australia’s top golf designers and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. He talks about his start in the industry, his time as lead designer at Greg Norman Golf Course Design, working in Asia, his Ardfin design on the Scottish island of Jura and courses he has worked on in Australia. Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more.

The issue also includes articles from Justin Olmstead of Profile Products, who talks about the relationships behind the renovation of Crooked Stick in Indiana, and Caspar Grauballe, who considers how Norway’s clubs can maximise the playing season.

We have reports on a 27-hole renovation at Florida’s Addison Reserve, the new Fazio Design course at Nauka Nayarit on Mexico’s Pacific coast, two new 18-hole courses by Golfplan at Vinpearl Golf Léman in Vietnam, the $21m redesign of the North course at The Club at Quail Ridge, the renovation of Black Diamond’s Ranch course by Tripp Davis, and the Phil Smith Design renovation of Seven Canyons in Sedona, Arizona.

Elsewhere, our Tee Box section includes Cabot Citrus Farms opening its four courses, the Curley-Wagner course growing-in at Chunn On Golf Resort in Cambodia, the Renaissance Golf Design renovation at Melbourne’s Commonwealth club and insight from Tim Lobb on the new course being built at Somabay on the east coast of Egypt.

As the golf course industry prepares for the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in San Diego, California, GCA highlights some of the businesses that attendees should check out.

There is plenty more too. We hope you enjoy the read!

• View the digital edition of the January 2025 issue of Golf Course Architecture
• Subscribe to the printed edition of Golf Course Architecture