The world leader in golf course design, Nicklaus Design has created over 440 courses worldwide, open for play in 46 countries; Upcoming projects in Serbia and Laos will bring development total to 48.
Palm Beach Gardens, FL — Nicklaus Design—the world’s acknowledged leader in golf course design — recently wrapped up one of the most successful quarters in company history. With more than 60 design projects currently taking place in 19 countries, Nicklaus Design now has more active projects than at almost any other point in the company’s 50 year history.
In the first quarter of 2025, Nicklaus Design is pleased to announce the signing of the following projects:
- Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam — A 27-hole Nicklaus Design golf course located about one hour northeast of Hanoi. Master Designer, Sean Quinn will be leading this project, adding to his portfolio of exceptional courses in this burgeoning golf market.
- Donghae, Korea — This is the fourth Jack Nicklaus Heritage ä design, and the first in South Korea. On an elevated site near the eastern seaboard of South Korea, this golf course will have stunning views of the sea and the valleys below.
- IBIS Tradition Golf Course, West Palm Beach, Florida — 18 hole renovation at one of South Florida’s premier golf communities, led by Master Designer Chris Cochran.
Signing for Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam. President of Nicklaus Design Paul Stringer is center.
“With nearly 500 courses designed or in the works around the globe, our collective experience in the industry is unmatched, and we’re thrilled to be growing the game in every new market we enter,” said Paul Stringer, President, Nicklaus Design. “Most of our designers and staff have been with the company for decades and have helped create the brands, licenses and golf courses that have made Nicklaus Design so well-known and successful throughout the world.”
In addition to the new signings, Nicklaus Design is excited about many of the new courses coming to market over the coming years—including new builds, renovations and restorations of sometimes classic courses originally designed by some of the world’s greatest designers, such as Whippoorwill Club in Armonk, NY, an original Charles H. Banks design regularly ranked as one of the top courses in the U.S.
Another measure of the outstanding work being done by Nicklaus Design is the recognition that many of their courses are receiving, including those being chosen to host prestigious tournaments around the world. The LPGA’s first Major of this season, the Chevron Championship, will be held at The Club at Carlton Woods in Woodlands, Texas from April 24-27. Master Designer Chris Cochran led the renovation at the course in 2023. Feedback from the professional players and members alike has been very positive.
In addition, the LIV Tour’s highly anticipated first-ever tournament in South Korea will be held at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea from May 2-4. Ranked by GOLF Magazine in their Top 100 courses in Asia, the course in New Songdo City, Seoul, is located on the Incheon Bay in the middle of one of Korea’s busiest urban centers. In its brief history, the course has come to be regarded as one of the most prestigious in the region. In 2015 , it was selected to host the first Presidents Cup in Asia. It was also chosen as the site of the DP World Tour’s Genesis Championship, and hosts events on the PGA TOUR’s Champions Tour, the Korean PGA, The Korean LPGA, the LPGA’s UL International Crown and the 2016 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.
Nicklaus Design is restoring Whippoorwill Club in Armonk, New York
The Future Is Now
Complementing its vast traditional design experience, Nicklaus Design also is at the forefront of technology, with their unique in-house digital production team of talented associates, led by Bobby Root, which allows the company to deliver projects on time and on budget, as well as pursue opportunities in the digital world.
In 2024, the company’s digital design capabilities led to Nicklaus Design being selected as one of the three design firms creating holes that were used for the inaugural season of TGL, the tech-infused team golf league founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. Master Designer Chad Goetz spearheaded the Nicklaus Design effort, blending traditional hand-drawn design with technical skills from the company’s in-house team of computer graphic artists—all of whom worked to create some of the season’s most memorable holes. With technology freeing up the designers from the usual limitations of the physical world, the Nicklaus Design team was able to take their innovative brand of creativity to new heights.
“Nicklaus Design continues to show off its vast capabilities, being able to deliver elevated experiences at every area of the game,” said Philip Cotton, Chief Executive Officer of Nicklaus Companies. “It is amazing to consider the positive impact and influence Nicklaus Design has on growing the game globally, and we look forward to continuing to do this through traditional design projects, as well as more of the high profile ‘off-course’ projects that we’ve we been able to deliver. It really reinforces our standing as industry leaders.”
Nicklaus Design’s adaptability and willingness to evolve has also allowed them to recognize and pursue growing trends in the game of golf. The company has a phenomenal portfolio of short courses and is currently creating the layout for the latest undertaking by 3’s — an innovative new Par-3 golf entertainment concept featuring premier hospitality that makes the game more accessible for the masses. 3’s Charlotte is scheduled to open in the latter half of 2025.
Stringer added, “Our goal at Nicklaus Design is to bring golf to new places and new audiences. Given all the projects and locations we are working on at the moment and the new ones that are in the pipeline, we couldn’t be more excited about the future.”
For more information: https://nicklausdesign.com
About Nicklaus Companies
For decades, the mission of Nicklaus Companies has been to enhance the golf experience and to deliver quality branded products and services on a global basis that reflect the high standards of the company.
The Nicklaus Companies businesses include golf-course design, the development of golf and real estate communities, and the marketing and licensing of lifestyle products and service offerings worldwide under the iconic Jack Nicklaus™, Golden Bear™ and Nicklaus™ brands. Golden Bear™ and Jack Nicklaus™ shops span the world from the U.S. to Europe and throughout Asia. Nicklaus Companies’ branded products range from apparel, headwear, equipment and leather goods to restaurants, beverages and electric vehicles. On the golf course design side, Nicklaus Design, and their team of talented Master Designers, are recognized as the world leader in golf course design and have created over 440 courses worldwide, open for play in 46 countries and 40 U.S states.
Since 1968, Nicklaus-branded courses have hosted over 300 PGA TOUR sanctioned events. In 2007, Jack Nicklaus joined with Howard Milstein to further the growth of the company and expand the branded businesses. In addition to institutionalizing the Nicklaus™ brands for the future, Milstein has instilled a personal philosophy of “A Brand That Gives Back” with products and partners committing to donations to help the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation and other charities (Mr. Nicklaus left the company in 2022). A leading entrepreneur in the golf industry, Milstein also created 8AM Golf, a family of companies that also includes GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com, Miura Golf, Club Conex, True Spec Golf, GolfLogix, Fairway Jockey, 3’s, T-Squared Social (in partnership with Tiger Woods and Justin Timberlake), and Chirp.
All of these companies share a common mission to help players at all levels enjoy the game more. They leverage their winning heritage to achieve excellence, foster growth, and champion social good.
CONTACT: Nicklaus Companies, (561) 227-0300, design@nicklaus.com
