Kawonu Golf Club Is Becoming One of America's Most Intriguing New Golf Destinations
Every now and then, a new golf course comes along that quietly captures the attention of architecture enthusiasts long before a single scorecard is signed.
Kawonu Golf Club is becoming one of those places.
Nestled on more than 290 acres outside Greenville, South Carolina, the private, golf-only club has steadily built momentum over the past year without relying on flashy announcements or celebrity fanfare. Instead, it has allowed the land, the design team and a clearly defined vision to tell its story. Two recent construction milestones-the beginning of course grassing and the unveiling of the clubhouse complex-suggest that story is entering an exciting new chapter.
For golfers who appreciate great architecture as much as great golf, these aren't simply construction updates. They're the first tangible signs that one of the country's most anticipated private clubs is beginning to emerge from the landscape.
The Course is Finally Beginning to Reveal Itself
Anyone who has ever watched a golf course being built knows the most important work often happens out of sight. Before fairways turn green, countless hours are spent moving earth, shaping contours, installing drainage and laying irrigation. It's essential work, but it requires a bit of imagination to see what the finished product will eventually become.
That changes once grass begins to take hold.
Since breaking ground in April 2025, Kawonu has completed much of the heavy construction across the property. With shaping and irrigation now largely complete, crews have begun sodding and grassing the championship layout, moving methodically from greens and tees to fairways. The transformation may seem cosmetic to the casual observer, but in reality it marks one of the most significant milestones in the life of any new golf course.
Andrew Green, whose reputation has skyrocketed through acclaimed restoration work at some of America's most revered clubs, has said grassing is the stage where golfers finally begin to understand the rhythm of the routing. Instead of isolated construction zones, the individual holes begin connecting into a cohesive journey across the property.
That's particularly exciting at Kawonu, where Green has routed the course through rolling meadows, mature hardwood forests and the Reedy River corridor rather than forcing the landscape to conform to a preconceived design. Everything we've learned about the project suggests the land remains the star of the show.
Project Watch
Kawonu Golf Club at a Glance
Location
Near Greenville, South Carolina
Opening Target
Spring 2027
Course Architect
Andrew Green
Clubhouse Architect
Joel Newman
The private, golf-only club is moving from concept to reality as grassing begins across the championship course and clubhouse renderings reveal the full vision.
The Clubhouse Reflects the Same Philosophy
Just as revealing as the golf course itself are the newly released renderings of Kawonu's clubhouse complex.
Too often, modern clubhouses attempt to become the centerpiece of a property. They dominate the skyline, overwhelm the golf course and feel disconnected from the surrounding landscape. Based on the first renderings, Kawonu appears to be taking a far different approach.
Designed by acclaimed architect Joel Newman, the facilities embrace understated elegance instead of excess. The development centers around a dedicated Golf House overlooking the practice grounds, complete with indoor teaching bays, a golf shop, fitness space and outdoor gathering areas. Nearby, the main clubhouse will overlook the 18th green while providing dining, locker rooms and a limited number of overnight accommodations for members and guests.
The result is a campus that appears designed to support the golf experience rather than distract from it.
One of my favorite details is Tuck's Cabin, a lakeside retreat complete with a fireplace, honor bar and fishing gear. It feels like exactly the kind of place where memorable conversations will continue long after the final putt drops. Sometimes it's those quieter spaces-not grand ballrooms-that become the heart and soul of a club.
A Refreshing Commitment to Golf
What continues to intrigue me most about Kawonu isn't any single architectural feature.
It's the philosophy.
The developers have consistently described Kawonu as a golf-only club, and every update reinforces that identity. The practice facilities, Golf House, intimate lodging, strategic architecture and restrained clubhouse all point toward an experience built around playing golf rather than simply belonging to a country club.
That's becoming increasingly rare.
In an era when many private clubs are expanding into full-scale lifestyle communities, Kawonu appears comfortable focusing almost exclusively on the game itself. For serious golfers, that commitment may prove to be one of its greatest strengths.
Why This Project Deserves Your Attention
There is no shortage of ambitious golf developments announced every year. Many generate excitement during groundbreaking before quietly fading from the conversation.
Kawonu has done the opposite.
Each update has added meaningful substance to the vision, whether through Andrew Green's thoughtful routing, the progress of construction or now the architectural character of the clubhouse complex. Rather than overpromising, the project has consistently demonstrated deliberate progress while remaining faithful to its original concept.
Spring 2027 is still on the horizon, and there is plenty of work left to complete before the first tee shot is struck. Even so, Kawonu is beginning to feel less like a construction project and more like a future home for memorable golf.
If these latest milestones are any indication, the wait may prove well worth it.
Architecture Angle
Why Kawonu Has Golf Architecture Fans Watching
A golf-only identity:
Kawonu is being built around the game itself, not a sprawling lifestyle-club model.
Andrew Green's routing:
The course is designed to move through rolling meadows, hardwood forest and Reedy River frontage.
A restrained clubhouse vision:
Joel Newman's design appears intended to complement the landscape rather than overpower it.
A real construction milestone:
With grassing underway, the course is beginning to show its rhythm, contours and finished character.
PGA of America Golf Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer who serves as Athlon Sports Senior Golf Writer. Read his recent "The Starter" on R.org, where he is their Lead Golf Writer. To stay updated on all of his latest work, sign up for his newsletter or visit his MuckRack Profile.
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This story was originally published July 1, 2026 at 3:49 PM.