The Golf Wire • April 28, 2026

Course grassing underway as Kawonu Golf Club moves toward 2027 opening

Sodding milestone signals final stretch of construction at private Greenville-area club.


Greenville, SC – Kawonu Golf Club, the private golf-only club under construction near Greenville, South Carolina, has begun sodding and grassing operations on the club’s 18-hole championship course, marking a significant milestone in the project’s progress toward a 2027 opening.


Since breaking ground in April 2025, work has progressed across the property, including full earthwork and shaping of the course and installation of the irrigation system. More recently, construction has focused on sodding around greens, tees, and bunkers. Grassing will now move across greens, tees, and fairways in sequence with irrigation, bringing grass to the full playing corridor.


“This is a pivotal moment for the project,” said Scott Ferrell, founding partner of Kawonu Golf Club. “For much of the past year, progress has been focused on the underlying structure of the course—work that is essential, but largely unseen. With grassing now underway, the course is beginning to reveal itself in a more complete and tangible way.”


Course architect Andrew Green designed Kawonu to follow the natural contours of the land, routing holes through rolling terrain, open meadows, and mature hardwood forest. That approach has guided each phase of construction, with an emphasis on preserving the character of the landscape while shaping a course that feels cohesive and enduring.


“Grassing represents a real shift in how the course is experienced,” said Green. “The underlying work has positioned the course exceptionally well, and now, as the turf is established, you begin to see the rhythm of the holes and how everything connects across the property. It’s an important step in bringing the vision to life.”


As grassing moves forward, the focus will shift from construction to course conditions, with Director of Agronomy David Barrett leading the grow-in—the process of establishing healthy, consistent turf across the course ahead of opening. Barrett has been closely involved throughout construction and brings more than two decades of experience at top-ranked clubs, including Congaree Golf Club.


“The groundwork has been done at a very high level,” said Barrett. “With shaping complete and systems in place, we’re well-positioned for a successful grow-in. Our focus now is on developing strong, consistent turf conditions that will set the foundation for how the course plays from the very beginning.”


Kawonu Golf Club remains on track for a 2027 opening. Founded as a private, golf-only club, Kawonu is centered on delivering a thoughtful, strategy-driven golf experience shaped by the natural character of the land. In addition to the 18-hole championship course, the club will include a golf training center, a clubhouse with dining, a small collection of on-site cottages, and a fishing pond and cabin situated along one of the property’s lakes for member fishing and gathering.

This article was originally written + published by The Golf Wire on April 28, 2026 — shared here with full credit to the original source.

Andrew Green’s Next Chapter Arrives With Two Very Different New Golf Courses

By Athlon Sports • June 9, 2026
After years restoring some of American golf’s most important venues, Andrew Green is nearing a new milestone with Firefly in Tennessee and Kawonu Golf Club in South Carolina. Andrew Green’s name has become almost shorthand for one of the most important movements in modern golf architecture. When a historic course needs to remember what it once was without becoming frozen in time, Green has become one of the industry’s most trusted voices. His restoration and renovation work has touched major championship venues, PGA Tour stages and some of the country’s most studied clubs. But the next chapter is not about restoring someone else’s original intent. It is about seeing Green’s own intent come to life. Over the next year, two very different projects will move from construction story to playing experience. Firefly, a new luxury golf community in Spring Hill, Tennessee, is preparing to open an 18-hole championship course and 9-hole short course in fall 2026. Kawonu Golf Club, a private, golf-only club near Greenville, South Carolina, is moving through grassing and grow-in toward a 2027 opening. Together, they create one of the more compelling architecture stories in American golf. Same architect. Same belief in land, strategy and restraint. Two completely different assignments. READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.

Kawonu Golf Club reveals clubhouse designs by Architect Joel Newman

By UpstateBizSC • June 9, 2026
First renderings reveal timeless clubhouse architecture rooted in the land that has inspired Andrew Green’s championship course. Kawonu Golf Club, the private golf-only club under construction near Greenville, South Carolina, has unveiled the first renderings of its clubhouse complex. Designed by architect Joel Newman, the facilities represent another milestone in the development of the club and offer members and prospective members a glimpse into the gathering spaces planned for the property. “From the beginning, our goal has been to create a club that feels authentic to the land and true to the traditions of the game,” said Scott Ferrell, founding partner of Kawonu Golf Club. “While the golf course will always be at the heart of Kawonu, these facilities are an important part of the overall experience. Joel has designed spaces that feel timeless, welcoming and perfectly suited to the character of the property.” Designed around the club’s golf-only philosophy, the clubhouse complex will be anchored by a dedicated Golf House positioned behind the practice area. The approximately 5,000-square-foot facility will include a golf shop, indoor teaching bays, a halfway house, golf fitness space and an outdoor patio overlooking the practice facilities. Connected by a breezeway, the 9,500-square-foot main clubhouse will overlook the 18th green and the surrounding landscape, and will include locker rooms, indoor and outdoor dining spaces, a private dining room, and seven individual overnight rooms on the lower level. Together, the two structures are designed to offer a cohesive, purposeful arrival and fitting finish to a round of golf. Among the additional amenities planned for the property is Tuck’s Cabin, a fishing cabin overlooking a 10-acre lake at the center of the front nine. The cabin is named in honor of Barton Tuck, who brings decades of real estate development experience to his role as Founding Partner at Kawonu Golf Club, and his son, Noel Tuck, who serves as the club’s Development Manager. The cabin will feature a fireplace, casual furnishings, an honor bar, and fishing gear, creating a relaxed retreat for members and guests. To bring the clubhouse complex to life, Kawonu partnered with Newman, whose work is widely recognized for its thoughtful approach to club and hospitality design. Based in Beaufort, South Carolina, Newman is a partner at Thomas & Denzinger Architects and has designed facilities at Chechessee Creek Club, Spring Island Club, and Ohoopee Match Club, as well as projects at Kiawah Island and Palmetto Bluff. At Kawonu, he is leading the design of the clubhouse, lodging accommodations, training center, and golf course comfort stations. “Every building on this property should feel like it belongs here – rooted in the land, not imposed upon it,” said Newman. “What makes Kawonu exceptional is that the land itself tells you what to do. The rolling topography, the varied tree species, and the way light falls across the Reedy River corridor – all of it informs how we approach each structure. Our goal is to create spaces that are purposeful and unhurried, where the architecture draws you deeper into the golf experience rather than pulling you away.” Construction on Tuck’s Cabin is projected to begin this year. Construction on the Golf House is slated to begin in 2027, with the main clubhouse to follow. Situated on more than 290 acres of rolling meadows, hardwood forests, and Reedy River frontage, Kawonu Golf Club is the first private golf-only club developed in the Upstate in more than 30 years. The club’s Andrew Green-designed championship golf course is under construction, with grassing underway, and is expected to open in spring 2027.