The Scots invented golf, but they didn’t try to keep it to themselves. They exported it all over the world. Nowhere has it taken deeper root than in the United States, where the game grew into a multibillion-dollar industry and, in many places, a private pastime. Over time, and to a lesser extent, influences flowed in the other direction as American wealth and ideas made their way back across the Atlantic.
In Scotland, fully private clubs, like buggies, are increasingly rare. But the small handful that do exist, including Loch Lomond and Skibo Castle, are owned and operated by Americans. And now another one is taking shape in perhaps the most unlikely place of all: St. Andrews, the longtime home of public golf.
With local approvals in hand, the people behind Hogs Head, an exclusive enclave on Ireland’s southwest coast, are moving forward with a project called Hogs Haven, in the hills overlooking the city. It will be the first new course to be built in the St Andrews area since David McLay Kidd unveiled the Castle Course in 2008. Work is progressing quietly, but here’s what we know so far.
A site with history
For more than two decades, the property at Feddinch Mains – about two miles south of St Andrews and adjacent to the Duke’s Course – has been the subject of recurring golf dreams. Various development plans have come and gone. In 2010, a Scottish owner stepped in and brought Tom Weiskopf on board to lay out a course. With approval already in place for a course and a hotel, the stage seemed set. But after a few years, the property passed into the hands of an American investor who wanted to bring the project across the finish line. Weiskopf’s sudden death derailed that momentum, and the owner ultimately opted to put the site back on the market.
Enter the pigs
The new owners, who purchased the site in 2023, are Tony Alvarez and Bryan Marsal, directors of Alvarez & Marsal Golf – the same duo behind Hogs Head, the private retreat overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in south-west Ireland. Their golf CV is relatively recent but notable: when they acquired the Hogs Head estate in 2015, they inherited a flood-prone golf course and a 100-room Club Med. They demolished the hotel, purchased additional surrounding farmland and hired Robert Trent Jones Jr. to create a new format. Today, Hogs Head features a 46-room lodge and a collection of cottages catering to a selective membership, known among themselves as ‘Hogs’. Alvarez & Marsal also owns Paako Ridge in New Mexico.
What’s coming
GOLF.com has learned that the St. Andrews project includes: an 18-hole course; self-contained par-3 course; Himalayan style putting course; practice facilities; luxury lodge and six guest houses. The construction milestones have already been set. Developers expect 11 of the 18 holes, along with the par-3 course and putting course, to be completed by July 2026. The entire track is expected to be completed in June 2027. The supporting infrastructure – including a 58-room lodge, two suites and a spa and fitness center – is expected to be completed by May 2028. Once all the pieces are in place, the property will have 84 rooms, which is the number of rooms in Pig’s head. Each suite overlooks the city and coastline of St. Andrews.
Meet the architects
The routing of the main 18 will be led by DJ Russell, a former European Tour professional and long-time design partner of Ian Woosnam. Russell will also design the range and short game facilities. Phil Smith – who has worked with Weiskopf for many years – will design the 10-hole par-3 course and Himalayan-style putting ground, combining elements of Weiskopf’s concepts for the venue.
Entrance fee
A club spokesperson declined to discuss the price, but a source familiar with the project told GOLF.com that starting costs are expected to be around $150,000. The finer points of the membership structure are still being finalized.
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