The Cabot Collection will expand yet again in 2025, as Old Petty—the Tom Doak design at Cabot Highlands in Scotland—opens in August for two months of preview play.
While the grand opening of Cabot’s second course in the Scottish Highlands is set for spring 2026, there will be heavy demand (and interest) from itinerant golfers to get an early look at the new 18-hole layout that occupies a prime piece of land surrounding historic Castle Stuart, which will celebrate its 400th year in 2025. The castle can be seen from 13 of the 18 holes at Old Petty, which derives its name from a nearly 200-year-old church adjacent to the property.
The debut of Old Petty follows the opening of other Cabot properties in recent years: Cabot Citrus Farms (Florida) and Cabot Saint Lucia (Caribbean). There’s another Cabot course in the works, Revelstoke in British Columbia, and the brand has acquired or partnered with existing destination properties in France and Norway.
Given its North American roots, Cabot might be the most highly visible developer in the U.S. when it comes to international golf projects, but there are many courses in the global pipeline. Here are six others you might not have heard of yet.
Chunn On Golf Resort (Palms)—Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Fittingly, thousands of palm trees are spread throughout the second course at this 36-hole golf complex situated on a former floodplain in Cambodia. Architect Brian Curley and his team moved a substantial amount of dirt to alleviate flood concerns and in doing so created massive lakes that also add definition to the Palms Course. The resort, situated about an hour’s drive north of Phnom Penh’s downtown, opened its Curley-designed Lakes Course in 2024.
Fox Harb’r Resort (Links)—Fox Harbour, Nova Scotia, Canada
The existing course at this Canadian resort features a design in which half of the holes are “parkland style” while the rest is a links-style layout. Now nine new holes are being added by architects Doug Carrick and Thomas McBroom to give Fox Harb’r an entire 18-hole links-style course that boasts gusty winds, rolling hills, tall grasses, and, yes, the ocean. The new nine is on track to open in May 2025, with plans for another nine holes to be added to the parkland design at a later date.
Golden Sands Golf Resort (North)—Hue, Vietnam
Outside of the U.S., no country has more active golf development than Vietnam. One of the newest to join the nation’s growing supply is the North course at Golden Sands, the fifth golf property in Vietnam developed by the BRG Group. The course, situated on a sandy parcel along the sea, is the first of two Nicklaus Design layouts at the resort and was designed by Jim Wagner, who recently became a partner of Curley-Wagner Golf Design after serving as a senior design associate for Nicklaus Design. The South course at Golden Sands is still in the planning stages.
Jack’s Bay Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus Heritage Course)—Eleuthera, Bahamas
Tiger Woods already built a 10-hole par-3 course for this 1,200-acre private club community along Eleuthera that boasts four miles of pristine pink sand beaches. In 2025, the first course with a Jack Nicklaus Heritage Course classification is expected to open for play, with several holes that hug the ocean on the Bahamas’ Atlantic coastline and inland landscape featuring rolling elevation, lakes, and “blue holes” leading to the ocean. Chad Goetz, who spent the past 25 years with Nicklaus Design, called the Jack’s Bay site the “most spectacular piece of land” he’s been blessed to work with.
Serengeti National Park Golf Course—Tanzania
Tourists visiting Serengeti National Park for big game viewing, including the popular annual wildebeest migration, will soon be able to include golf in their African safari adventure. The Tanzania National Parks management is set to open a new 18-hole golf course to public play in June 2025 in the outskirts of Tanzania’s third-largest national park. Built on a 450-acre parcel, the Serengeti Golf Course will be accessible via the nearby Fort Ikoma airstrip and the project includes two deepwater holes and solar-powered water pumps.
Shura Links—Shura Island, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s first 18-hole island golf course is defined by a pristine Red Sea coastline, with holes that meander through mangroves and sand dunes before winding along the shoreline in typical links fashion. Each of the final five holes has a backdrop of open sea or channel views. The course, designed by Brian Curley, is part of a larger coastal development overseen by Red Sea Global (RSG) and has been built in conjunction with Golf Saudi to position the country as a golf destination.
