One of the most anticipated golf course openings in years is finally approaching. Trout National, the New Jersey project founded by baseball legend Mike Trout and designed by Tiger Woods’ TGR Design firm, is expected to welcome its first golfers this spring. The course represents a fascinating collision of two sporting worlds and marks another high-profile addition to TGR Design’s growing portfolio.
The project has generated enormous interest since it was first announced, driven by the star power of its founders and the reputation of Tiger Woods’ design team for creating courses that are both challenging and visually stunning.
A Collaboration Between Sporting Icons
The partnership between Trout and Woods brings together two of the most recognizable athletes in American sports history. Trout, a lifelong New Jersey native and avid golfer, has been deeply involved in the project from its inception—not merely lending his name, but actively participating in design decisions and course development.
TGR Design, Woods’ course architecture firm, has brought its signature philosophy to the project: creating layouts that reward strategic thinking, offer multiple playing lines for golfers of varying abilities, and integrate seamlessly with the natural landscape. The firm’s previous projects have earned strong reviews from both critics and players.
What to Expect From the Course
While specific routing details have been closely guarded, TGR Design courses typically feature bold bunkering, generous fairways with strategic narrowing points, and putting surfaces that reward precision approach shots. The New Jersey terrain offers interesting topography—rolling hills and mature tree lines—that should give the course a distinctive character.
Course architecture enthusiasts have noted that TGR Design has been refining its approach with each new project, and Trout National is expected to reflect the firm’s latest thinking on playability, aesthetics, and environmental sustainability.
A Banner Year for New Golf Courses
Trout National is part of a broader surge in new golf course development that’s making 2026 one of the most exciting years for course openings in recent memory. Sand Valley in Wisconsin is adding to its acclaimed collection, the Rodeo Dunes project in Colorado is generating significant buzz, and Wild Spring Dunes in Texas offers another high-profile destination opening.
Mexico is also emerging as a hotbed of new golf development, with four new courses expected to open in 2026. The international growth reflects the continued global appetite for quality golf experiences, even as the industry enters what analysts describe as a more measured growth phase after five consecutive years of record demand.
The Golf Industry’s Development Boom
The wave of new course openings comes at an interesting moment for the golf industry. After years of course closures outpacing openings, the pendulum has swung back toward development—driven by the post-pandemic golf boom and sustained interest from both new and returning players. Short courses, wellness-focused amenities, and social gathering spaces have become key design priorities as operators seek to attract a broader, more diverse audience.
Trout National, with its celebrity backing and TGR Design pedigree, is positioned to be one of the most talked-about course openings of the year. For golf architecture fans and players alike, spring 2026 can’t arrive quickly enough.
