Design Notebook: Machrihanish Dunes 2 Is on the Way

Hello and welcome back to Design Notebook, where we must officially commend the year 2024 for its offering of coffee golf. The Open at Troon, the Women’s Open at the Old Course, and the Irish Open at Royal County Down—does it get any better?

In this week’s DN, we discuss the upcoming second golf course at Machrihanish Dunes with one of its developers, getting the inside scoop on the new site, the approval process, and the ongoing search for a lead architect. We also have tidbits on Cabot’s investment in Lofoten Links and the National Links Trust’s progress at Rock Creek Park, as well as photos of the recently renovated Wakonda Club. Let’s dive in.

Southworth Gets Go-Ahead for Second Course at Machrihanish Dunes

By Garrett Morrison

Last week, the owners of Machrihanish Dunes in Argyll County, Scotland, received government approval to build a second golf course. The first Machrihanish Dunes course, owned by U.S.-based company Southworth and designed by David McLay Kidd, sits adjacent to Machrihanish Golf Club, the famed links laid out by Old Tom Morris in 1879. The property for the new course is just north of Machrihanish Dunes and includes a swath of protected coastal land, known in Great Britain as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Because of strict environmental regulations, the construction of a new seaside golf course is a relative rarity in Scotland. The would-be developers of Coul Links, for instance, have battled for nearly a decade to make headway on an SSSI-based project in the Scottish Highlands. So the fact that Southworth has obtained permits for two courses on protected sites in the past 16 years is both surprising and impressive.

To get some insight into Southworth’s development strategy and the company’s plans for the second Machrihanish Dunes course, I called up Troy Miller. In addition to serving as Southworth’s Chief Development Officer, Miller is a golf architect who trained with Pete Dye and led the transformation of Charleston Municipal Golf Course into a Seth Raynor-inspired template gallery. Here’s my conversation with him, lightly edited for clarity:

Garrett: First of all, could you just give me the general outline of the project?

Troy: Right, so what we’ve been able to gain is approval and entitlement to do an additional golf course adjacent to Machrihanish Dunes, the golf course that was built back in 2008 with David McLay Kidd. That is part of our ownership there. We’ve got the existing Machrihanish Dunes Golf Club, as well as the Ugadale Hotel and the Royal Hotel. This next stage of development includes some additional hospitality, as well as an additional 18 holes, some of which exist in the same dunes that DMK built Machrihanish Dunes in.

And really the story here, Garrett, is that, for as long as that golf course has existed, it has been known as one of, if not the most eco-friendly environmental golf course in the world. When it was built, not more than spoonfuls of dirt were moved. And it was really more discovered because it is in this SSSI land area of significant environmental sensitivity. And so [Scottish environmental agency] NatureScot has always worked hand-in-hand with us to make sure that the golf course stays an environmental steward and has been maintained in such a way that it’s really been shown to be very environmentally friendly. It’s like stepping back in time in a lot of ways.

The second golf course won’t be a lot different—the way the golf course is maintained, the environmental steps that are taken. It certainly is not the very high-impact maintenance practices that we have grown accustomed to in many of our top golf courses. We do have some flowers in the fairways and some contours in the greens and fairways that really allow for the golf course to be maintained in a more natural way. And so this new development and new project allow for some expansion of golf into the same dunes that Machrihanish Dunes takes up now, just to the north of that property. Just as stunning. Just as incredible.

We had heard rumblings about other potential courses being built, links courses being built [on the site], and given the relationship that we had with NatureScot, going back for over a decade, we basically went back and said, “Hey, we feel like we’ve had a good relationship here. We’ve proven out how golf and a very sensitive environment can coexist in a mutually beneficial way. What’s the chance of getting another permit?” And we worked with them, had lots of conversations. Our project director, Greg Sherwood over there, has done a great job of making sure it has continued on through a very long process. And sure enough, we were able to secure the permit.

Garrett: Tell me a bit more about the land. First of all, is it an SSSI? And second of all, what are the characteristics of the land—sand content, undulation, all that kind of stuff?

Troy: Yes, it is in the SSSI land, certainly a portion of the golf will be. And these dunes are as big as what you see in the initial Machrihanish Dunes golf course. They are stunning, right up against the Irish Sea and against the long strand of beach there at Machrihanish, and an incredibly sandy site. Some natural blowout bunkers already exist on the site. And again, given the sensitivity of the land, it is really more about discovering and routing a golf course than it is about building one. So we’ll be using all of those natural contours. It really is as natural and as dynamic as anything that you will see in Scotland and Ireland.

Garrett: Do you have a sense of who will be designing the new course?

Troy: We have not selected an architect for the project as of yet. I’ve had lots of phone calls this week. Every architect has called me this week, has been quick to congratulate me on the permit, ask me if I’m going to do it. And when I’ve told them that I will certainly be involved but will be looking to hire a lead architect, they’ve all quickly moved to, “Can I put my hat in the ring?”

So we have had conversations with a few architects. Martin Ebert has expressed interest. We have had some early conversations with Coore & Crenshaw. And obviously David McLay Kidd we’ve got a great relationship with, doing the first golf course, [and he] has certainly been involved in conversations over the past few years. So no decisions as of yet.

And in reality, I think it’s not necessarily something that we’ll have a quick decision on. I think we’re going to take our time on this, make sure we do it right. I’m more excited about just adding another destination, another place in what is one of the wildest, greatest places in Scotland, which largely goes undiscovered in this southwestern coast, down the actual “long and winding road” from the Beatles song. Paul McCartney’s farm is just down the street from Machrihanish Dunes and the “Mull of Kintyre” and the home to what was more than 120 whiskey distilleries before prohibition. It is one of the most special places in the world. Hopefully we’re going to get to a level of critical mass in this location to make it the next great Scottish destination for golf.

Garrett: Did you do a routing as part of the approval process? Was anybody helping you with that?

Troy: Yes, there has been an approved routing as part of the project. It was part of the entitlement process and the permitting process.

The initial approved routing for Machrihanish Dunes 2, as required for various permit approvals

And obviously that [routing is] something that will get—as is the case in any design [project]—will get massaged and tweaked and figured out as we bring on the final lead architect position.

But I will say that [Scotland-based architecture firm] Kimber & Glen, who were understudies of David McLay Kidd back when Mach Dunes was built—and they did the Castle Course [with Kidd in St. Andrews] as well—they have been instrumental in working through the permitting process for us. So you’ll notice, if you happen to get any of the permit drawings, you’ll see their names within the drawings. But they have been great to work with in terms of getting us through the process in Scotland—which is never easy but made even more so by the SSSI nature of the land—and dealing with NatureScot.

Garrett: Do you have a basic timeline for construction or is it far off enough that you haven’t really nailed it down yet?

Troy: Yeah, I think probably it’s far off.

And part of that, too, Garrett, is we want to make sure we pick the right team. First and foremost, we’re going to be flexible in timing based upon getting the absolute best team on board for this. That includes our golf course architect, that includes the hospitality piece and making sure that we’ve got really good alignment, architecture planning, project vision. We want to choose the best of the best. And if that means waiting a year or 18 months, then that’s perfectly fine by us, just based upon availabilities. But we want to make sure that that vision is fully aligned.

It’s a special place to myself and certainly to [Southworth president] Tommy Southworth, who spent time there tending bar and keeping rabbits off of the greens early on in his life. And so it is something that we have deep passion for and want to make sure it’s done right.

Garrett: How long have you been working on the approval and permitting with NatureScot for this project?

Troy: A little over three years. I believe the early conversations took place in 2019, the official permitting process. I believe the first applications were just over three years [ago].

Garrett: I probably don’t need to tell you that other developers have had difficulty getting through the approval process in Scotland. And while I know you can’t comment on those projects specifically, can you give me a sense of how you were able to work so well with the Scottish system in this case?

Troy: I think the best way to put it is “proof of concept.” Having the reputation and the relationship that we’ve had at Machrihanish Dunes over the course of the last 15 years led to the ability to continue to work with NatureScot. And because we showed them what is possible in this very sensitive area, to be able to go build something that is environmentally responsible and also incredibly architecturally significant and fun to play—and they can coexist, which to me is one of the most important things for everyone to understand in golf and outside of golf.

NatureScot has continued to come back year after year and monitor how we have done in terms of maintaining the very sensitive environments that were laid out around Machrihanish Dunes. And they’ve continued to be impressed that not only have these environments survived, but they’ve flourished in a lot of cases. They’re protected within the borders of the golf development because they are maintained, looked after, and not disturbed by outside forces. And so being a good steward to the environment doesn’t always mean standing away. Sometimes it means looking out for. And I think in this case that’s proven out well over the last 15 years of how well that environment has thrived through the presence of golf adjacent to it.

Garrett: Do you have a name yet for the new course?

Troy: We do not have a name yet, and we’ll probably be writing it in Sharpie the day we open, the way we work with names. Certainly it’ll be part of the larger brand of the Machrihanish Dunes resort and club.

I will say that one of the things that’s really special that we do over there is, because we literally back up to Machrihanish Golf Club, the Old Tom Morris course, every year—and in fact it’s happening today as we speak—we play the Shepherd’s Cross event, where we play out the front nine of Machrihanish Golf Club from the Ugadale Hotel and the best opening hole in the world. And then you literally jump the fence onto Machrihanish Dunes and play the inward nine at Mach Dunes to finish by our clubhouse there. And so it’s a really fun event. We call it the Shepherd’s Cross. And whether that name becomes part of the club or just part of the collection of names that we have for everything that we’re doing there, it is a really special event.

There are only a handful of privately owned links courses in Scotland. [Southworth has] one of them in Machrihanish, and we’ll have a second one with the second golf course. Machrihanish Golf Club is member-owned. We have a great relationship with Machrihanish Golf, and when people come and stay in the Ugadale [Hotel], we actually have the original clubhouse, where Old Tom Morris sat when he was there sketching and they were building the golf course initially. It is a cool space, but it is part of our ownership. [Machrihanish Golf Club] has their own new clubhouse, but everybody comes and plays both, as well as Dunaverty [Golf Club], usually, which is a really special place on the the southern edge of the entire peninsula, about 20 minutes from Machrihanish.

So again, we’re trying to build into some critical mass there to be able to really make it a destination. What St. Patrick’s Links [at Rosapenna Hotel and Golf Resort in Ireland] has done for Donegal, I hope this new course will do for Machrihanish.

Chocolate Drops

By Garrett Morrison

Cabot partners with Lofoten Links: The company now known as “the Cabot Collection” announced last week that it had agreed to invest in Lofoten Links, a remote, striking modern golf course in the northern reaches of Norway. This partnership adds to Cabot’s fast-growing empire of high-end golf destinations across North America, the Caribbean, and Europe. Joseph LaMagna and I reacted to the deal in Friday’s Fried Egg Golf newsletter.

Rock Creek Park project moves forward: On September 5, the National Links Trust, which operates three municipal golf facilities in Washington, D.C., gained final approval to conduct a rehabilitation of Rock Creek Park Golf Course. The NLT’s plan includes an overhaul of the property’s buildings and a course redesign by Gil Hanse.

Hanse heads for Middle Earth: Two weeks ago, the Otago Daily Times reported that Hanse Golf Course Design has been tabbed to build a golf course in New Zealand. Near the emerging golf hotspot of Arrowtown, the course will occupy what Gil Hanse calls “one of the most unique and interesting inland sites for golf that we have ever seen.”

Green takes on new build in South Carolina: Best known for his historical renovations of Golden Age championship golf courses, Andrew Green has earned a major new-build commission at Kawonu Golf Club in Greenville, South Carolina. The 18-hole, 7,000-yard-plus course will feature two “whiskey loop” alternative routings and is expected to open in 2027.

A Course We Photographed Recently

Wakonda Club (Des Moines, IA)—designed by William Langford in 1922, renovated by Tyler Rae in 2023

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Quotable

“As with any other feature of a course, when given the option we prefer to build tees that blend with nature. My design partner, Jim Wagner, often explains to our young shapers that he does not want them to build a tee but rather a flat landform where we will find a place to set the tee. This removes the temptation to build something that matches the traditional tee outline, the worst of which is the rectangular tee with squared-off corners matching the perimeter of the tee box. A.W. Tillinghast described it this way: ‘Teeing grounds are taking the contours of the surroundings to a great extent, instead of the pawky little terraced, box-like pulpits which seem to shriek of wheel barrows and spades.’” –Gil Hanse