By Richard Humphreys |
The January 2026 issue of Golf Course Architecture is now available!
The farms of Rancho Santa Fe, California, photographed by Dave Evenson, grace the cover of our newest issue of Golf course architecture. Tim Liddy led a renovation to reinstate Pete Dye’s original character, while introducing new layers of strategy and drama. Read the full story at the top of our Tee Box section.
Australian architect Lyne Morrison first discovered the Royal Canberra course at the age of six, when she attended a golf tournament with her mother, and later became a member. After starting her design business, she was hired by the club to design training facilities. “I had a perception of the course from my young eyes, but as an architect, I had to see the course more broadly,” she says.
The experience of working on a course you know very well, whether as a member or frequent player, is quite different from the norm for golf course architects, with a lifetime perspective and added pressures. For our main element of this issue, “Home game”we talk to architects who have done just that. In addition to Lyne Morrison, we hear from Kevin Atkinson, David Hoekstra, Jay Blasi, Bill Bergin and Adrian Stiff, all of whom share their experiences working in a class close to home and their hearts.
Our collection of on-site reports for the January 2026 issue of GCA has allowed us to accumulate over 20,000 travel miles. Richard Humphreys traveled to Tbilisi, the capital of the Eastern European country of Georgia, for the opening of Golfplan’s nine-hole course in Paragraph Golf & Spa Tabori. He also visited Egypt’s Red Sea coast, where nine holes of the Lobb + Partners course, Hidden coves in Somabayopened to play. And Toby Ingleton came back to Apogee Club in Florida, for the opening of its third 18-hole course, designed by Kyle Phillips.
The new Hidden Coves course, designed by Lobb + Partners, at Somabay Golf on Egypt’s Red Sea coast (Photo: Kevin Murray)
Our main interview is with the former EIGCA president and German amateur golf star. Christoph Städler. Adam Lawrence chats to the architect about the major role he played in making Germany a major golfing nation, running one of Europe’s largest golf design companies and, even at seventy, his aspirations for the future. “My experience as a banker helped me a lot because I was very comfortable with numbers, which helped me control project costs,” explains the German architect.
Elsewhere in the magazine, Greg Normand talks about Vietnam’s evolution as a booming golf destination; Bill Kubly from Landscapes Unlimited looks back on his life in golf as his construction company approaches 50 years in business; And Justin Olmstead of Profile Products considers how the correct root zone can protect an architect’s vision and provide first-class playing surfaces.
We also have reports on Shura LinksBrian Curley’s course for new island development on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia; Limassol greensthe new Cabell Robinson route in Cyprus; Olazabal Design’s two-course project, Montanawhich is underway in Vietnam; that of Arizona Quinterowhere Rees Jones returned to oversee infrastructure updates and design improvements; Saadiyat Beach in Abu Dhabi, reconfigured and refined; and the blow of the hurricane Elk River Clubwhere collaborative and community efforts have revitalized the course.
Shura Links, designed by Brian Curley, has opened as part of a new island development in Saudi Arabia (Photo: Brian Curley)
Our Tee Box section includes news of the official opening of Seven Mile Beach in Hobart, Australia, a new construction by Clayton, DeVries & Pont; an interview with Art Schaupeter about Bella Ridgeits new public course in Colorado; and details of the renovation of Harradine Golf Country Golf in the south of France.
As the golf course industry prepares for GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in Orlando, Florida, GCA also looks back at this year’s edition and highlights some of the companies attendees should check out.
The January 2026 issue of Golf course architecture comes with our Green Pages GCA 2026 vendor directory, which includes profiles of potential partners for your next golf design project, as well as stories of projects completed by EGM Golf, GeoGolf, Musco sports lighting, MJ Abbott, Rainbird, TCS Agronomic Services & Renovation And Toro.
View the digital edition of the January 2026 issue of Golf course architecture
Consult the digital edition of the 2026 issue of GCA Green Pages
