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https://linksmagazine.com/new-florida-golf-resort-old-shores-announces-plans-for-multiple-courses/

Just now hearing about this new development from Keiser and Co. First course is underway, being built by Tom Doak, and it was just announced that Brian Schnieder will be handling the second 18. Excited to see this as I often vacation down in the panhandle, and golf in that area is mediocre at best.

The interesting bit is "Keiser says [Schnieder's] layout is inspired by Augusta National as it existed in the 1930s when Perry Maxwell extensively renovated seven greens with bold internal contouring." We will see about that.

Also curious to see how walkable Tom's course is. Keiser has put an emphasis on walkability at his previous resorts, but Tom's routing does look a bit like a hike in the Florida heat.

Also interested to see how they handle drainage. Lots of sand soil in those next of the woods, but there's also plenty of rain and a shallow water table. Some of the images Linksoul shared made the property look pretty wet.

I'm sure the courses we'll be very exciting, and I am sure the online golf world will have many opinions. Hope to check them out alongside a few eggheads at a future FEG Event.

On the Golfer's Journal podcast yesterday announcing their 2026 events, Gil Hanse made the statement that he believes that the renovation at Spanish Bay will be the last large project completed on the California coastline due to the nature of the coastal commission. Do we think he is saying this because he believes it or is he trying to create a sense of urgency at Pebble Beach?

After spending hours searching for the hidden One-and-Done link, I’ve got my first pick of the year in. Who do you like? Who do you hate? And, most importantly, what tournament are we saving Jordan Spieth for?

Hoping for recommendations on other golf to play in the Wichita/Hutchison Kansas area. Will be in town to play Prairie Dunes and have time for some other golf. Hesston and Sand Creek Station seem to keep popping up on searches but would welcome tips!

Eggsters,

I am traveling to Fort Worth next month and am looking for course recommendations. My brother in law is more of a casual golfer, PGA Frisco will be a tough sell but looking for that next tier of courses.

Texas Rangers Golf Club, Steven’s Park, and Rockwood Park are all courses I’ve looked at but trying to call in the experts here! Look forward to any recommendations.

-Taylor

Hi Eggsters....

Planning on playing Soule and maybe thought we could set up a little pre tourney the day before at Rustic Canyon. Let me know your thoughts,

Burke

I'm copy/pasting some information from Sunday's email here but wanted to provide a place for questions/concerns as we head into event registration season! Pumped to launch Soule Park today and can't wait to get through the rest of our schedule soon.

Member Passcode: FEGC2026

We begin registration season with a string of events this week. Our events at Soule Park and Lookout Mountain open on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively and FEGC lottery entries for our Southwest Michigan trip also open on Wednesday. We'll also open registrations for our Philadelphia Country Club and Moraine Country Club events this month. Add-on opportunities are also being added to trips where applicable so please check those out on each individual event page. You will also receive a reminder email from me on registration days should you misplace the early-access code. open at Noon ET

January FEGC Early-Access Registration Dates (Noon ET)

January 13 - Soule Park (CA)

January 14 - Lookout Mountain (GA) & SW Michigan Lottery (MI)

January 20 - Philadelphia Country Club (PA)

January 27 - Moraine Country Club (OH)

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me directly or review an article I named What FEGC Members Need to Know About Fried Egg Golf Events.

cam smith getting invited back along with rahm brooks and Bryson. What do people think?

A group of investors is transforming 619 acres of duneland outside of Hutchinson, Kansas (home to the great Prairie Dunes Country Club), into a 45-hole golf facility. Named Salt Lick Golf and Hunting Resort, the new complex will feature two 18-hole courses, a nine-hole short course, 36 cabins for overnight stays, and... presumably hunting? Todd Clark and Ron Whitten have been engaged as golf architects, and the resort is targeting a 2028 opening. This unlisted YouTube video describing the project recently came across our desks.

The site once housed Cottonwood Hills Golf Club, a Nick Faldo-designed 18-hole course that closed down several years ago. Andy Johnson and I took a quick look at Cottonwood Hills on our way to Prairie Dunes in 2019. The land is terrific — sandy, undulating, and occasionally dramatic — but the golf course struck us as oddly divorced from its setting. I can see why the Salt Lick developers are just building something new.

I don't know much about Clark as an architect, but his work at Buffalo Dunes Golf Course in Kansas (executed by shaper Zach Varty and superintendent Clay Payne) looks great. Whitten, formerly the architecture editor at Golf Digest, is a deeply knowledgeable golf course scholar and critic, but I've never been sure what his genuine architectural convictions are. He has typically been more eager to play the contrarian than to state his affirmative beliefs. So we'll see.

There's an excellent business case for Salt Lick. Prairie Dunes is already viable destination with a healthy national membership. It makes sense to create a companion resort with more robust lodging and golf options. But the devil, as always, is in the execution.

GCA has a thread about the hardest golf course people have played, and I found it to be an interesting discussion.

One day per year at Hazeltine, we have a member event from the Tournament Tees, which play to about 7,950 yards. We also pick hole locations from a previous championship that we've hosted (this past year we used the hole locations from the 2024 U.S. Amateur Championship Match). It's a serious test, but one that our members embrace. We usually get 80 - 100 guys to play, the majority of them single digit handicaps, and almost invariably less than 5 people break 80.

For a "normal" course (one that isn't set up like a major championship), I think The Ocean Course at Kiawah is really difficult. I have only played it once and caught it on a calm day by Kiawah's standards. However, if the wind picks up out there, I could see that place becoming an absolute nightmare.

I have a question: why doesn't Kohler's golf complex (Whistling/Blackwolf) get mentioned with the same passion/frequency as resorts like Sand Valley? As I was listening to Garett talk about The Commons/afternoon courses becoming more common and (hopefully) popular, I thought it was strange that no one had mentioned King-Collin's Purebred Farm. (The name is...questionable.) Maybe it's because it'll likely be a 2027 opening, I suppose.

Anyway, afternoon courses aside, Kohler just generally isn't discussed nearly as often as Dream properties, for example. Maybe it's that they're not all "officially" under one resort banner/name? Is Pete Dye out again?! (I'm kidding I hope.) Just curious on the communities thoughts.

While not TV golf, the stories by these legends are well worth the view.

https://youtu.be/8vZGCrySVAM?si=rXXziFnHM6eUPXU3

Faldo, Woosy, Sandy, Langer hosted by Iona. Highly recommended!

Fellow fried eggs - I am planning a golf trip with a buddy for next month and am looking for tips. First choice is Streamsong, but interested if folks have thoughts on something more creative (e.g., get Air BnB and play a few different courses). I'm city agnostic and am really just interested in the best / most convenient golf. Thanks!

I really enjoyed the podcast with Garrett and Matt about the new openings that they are most looking forward to in 2026. As someone based in Scotland with regular travel to Melbourne, I was excited to hear them mention both National Long Island and the innovative plans OCM have for it, as well as Old Petty.

In addition to those, I wanted to mention two others that I'm excited to see in 2026 when I'm back in Australia for work (and golf). First is the opening of the Cliffs on Kangaroo Island in South Australia, a few hours south of Adelaide. It's a Darius Oliver primary design that is set for preview play soon with a full open later in the year. Darius was involved in Cape Wickham, but this looks like a less dramatic piece of land but one that still has loads of potential playing above the cliffs with views out south to ocean. Unlike 7 Mile Beach, they've been pretty minimal in their social media so it's hard to know exactly how the course will play.

Speaking of 7 Mile Beach, while it technically opened in late 2025, it's also worth a mention. I was lucky to play it with Mike Clayton a few days before opening, and it promises to be a must see for anyone travelling to Australia. The routing is exceptional, the land dramatic, and the course plays a bit more like an old world links than those at Barnbougle. I particularly enjoyed some of the less dramatic holes, including 6, 11, and 16 down near the water. They also have some interesting ideas like the two greens on 8, or the various tees that radically change the holes like on 2, 9, and 17.

Finally, a word for the renovated or restored Huntingdale by OCM. I was able to get a tour from the GM in December. The land is a bit more undulating than its neighbour Metro, although not as much as Vic, RM, or PK. The wallaby grass gives the course a really unique look in the Sandbelt, and it should return to some of its earlier glory. yYou an see more on my instagram @golfing_scotland about both Huntingdale and 7 Mile.

First, Vijay already used his two career money exemptions in 2022 and 2023. He should not have this one available.

Second, Andy was asking if somebody has compiled a list of who has career money exemptions they can still use. Ask and ye shall receive.

Jim Furyk, Matt Kuchar, David Toms, Stewart Cink, Davis Love III.

Finally, fields are flexing up to include all fully exempt people this year, so it is true he may not be taking a spot if and only if the field is flexing up. (Except Phoenix)