Bahamas
Jack’s Bay in Eleuthera just reopened its 10-hole Tiger Woods-designed “Playground” course that’s built for barefoot fun. Think challenge, playability and beverage cooler stations along four oceanfront miles that border jagged cliffs and pink-sand beaches. Set to debut next fall at the property: the 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Heritage Course.… The Abaco Club, a private members club near Winding Bay, debuted a new 18-hole putting course designed by 2011 Open Championship winner Darren Clarke.
Barbados
Apes Hill Barbados is seeing growing demand from U.S. and Canadian residents looking for homes at the luxury resort and club. New four-bedroom Hilltop Villas that overlook the property’s Little Apes par-3 course offer sunset views of the Caribbean Sea.
Belize
Caye Chapel, a private island and home to an upcoming Four Seasons Resort, will debut a Greg Norman-designed 10-hole course and a range that transforms into par-3 nighttime course in 2026.
Dominican Republic
In La Romana, Teeth of the Dog at Casa de Campo Resort reopens in December after an ambitious restoration project. A total of 127 bunkers and 70 teeing areas have been renovated, coastal retaining walls have been fortified and golf car paths have been rebuilt around the iconic course.… Rosewood Hotels & Resorts is building Rosewood Punta Cana within the Puntacana Resort. The property will offer 78 suites and eight dining venues when it opens in 2029.
France
Cabot Bordeaux has renovated both of its courses, and a renovation is set to finish in 2026 at the resort’s 79-room hotel. The former Golf du Medoc Resort has a pair of acclaimed courses and is a perfect pairing with southwest France’s wine scene.
Ireland
After the Open Championship at Royal Portrush, demand from American golfers to play this and other Irish courses surpassed expectations, say travel operators. However, most of the marquee courses still have solid availability for 2026.
Italy
The renowned Orient Express train now stops at some of Italy’s top golf courses. A four-day rail trip being billed as “the ultimate Italian golf getaway” takes golfers in luxury to Royal Park I Roveri, Antognolla Golf Club, Franciacorta Golf Club and Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (home to the 2023 Ryder Cup). It starts and ends in Rome.
Jamaica
Half Moon Resort has started opening its renovated Villas at Half Moon, featuring modern open-concept living spaces, enhanced private pool areas with cabanas and TVs, and many other updates to the six- and seven-bedroom layouts at the iconic Jamaican resort.
Mexico
Costa Palmas in Cabo San Lucas has a Robert Trent Jones II-designed 18-hole course, and is highlighting its 30,000-square-foot putting course and six-hole short course.… The golf course at Cabo Real Surf Club in Los Cabos is undergoing a multi-million dollar redesign by Robert Trent Jones II that includes four new holes.… There’s a new clubhouse at TPC Danzante Bay in Loreto, part of a project that includes a new golf shop and bar and a full remodel of the outdoor kitchen and dining areas.… Omni will soon break ground on a new course at its Pontoque Resort at Punta de Mita.… Etereo, Auberge Resorts Collection, offers proximity to 15 courses in the Riveria Maya area, including the nearby El Camaleón, and is a popular destination for women’s golf groups.
New Zealand
Several high-profile courses are drawing Americans for world-class golf. Currently, New Zealand has the second-highest number of courses per capita in the world, with around 400 courses dotted over the country. Te Arai Links in Tomarata and Miramar Golf Club are redeveloping their golf facilities. A U.S. private equity investor is behind Te Arai, and is spearheading a multi-million dollar redevelopment of The Hills golf course that’s slated to begin in 2026 and open in 2028. New courses are reportedly being prepped for openings in Muriwai and Queenstown.
Portugal
Watch out for this country to be a new, in-demand overseas golf destination, according to travel experts with which we spoke. The Algarve has long offered excellent golf, especially when paired with Lisbon, Sintra and the surrounding sights. Haversham & Baker Expeditions is now sending multiple groups there each season who want to play courses like the David McLay-Kidd-designed Dunas Golf Course in Comporta that debuted in 2023, as well as the Jack Nicklaus Signature layout Monte Rei Golf and Country Club in the Serra do Caldeirão mountains. A second Nicklaus Signature course – coined the South Course – is coming soon.
Scotland
Old Petty at Cabot Highlands in Inverness opened in August for preview play. Initial reports indicate that the Tom Doak design is outstanding. One seasoned travel specialist says the scale of it is incredible, and it’s hard to believe that it was once just open farmland. There’s been a lot of buzz about the criss-crossing first and 18th fairways, as well as the downhill par-3 third hole, with Castle Stuart itself standing guard to the left and the rest of the course unfurling to the right. Old Petty’s opening furthers The Highlands as a standalone destination. Between Cabot Highlands, Royal Dornoch, Nain, Brora and a few under-the-radar courses nearby, traveling golfers can easily lose themselves in The Highlands for a week or better.… Royal Dornoch continues to raise its already high bar. In addition to a new clubhouse, which will be in use for next season, the club recently announced expansion plans onto 50 acres of adjacent land. Those plans include a new 18-hole course, a reimagined Struie course, a par-3 course, plus a new driving range and short game facility.
