Upstate Biz SC • January 28, 2026

Kawonu Golf Club architect Andrew Green receives Golf Digest award

Green earns Best Renovation of the Year honors as Kawonu prepares for 2027 opening.


Kawonu Golf Club, the private golf-only club under construction near Greenville, South Carolina, announced that course architect Andrew Green has been named Golf Digest’s Best Renovation of the Year for his acclaimed work at Chevy Chase Club in Maryland.


The national recognition reflects Green’s growing reputation as a leading architect in traditional golf course design and comes as work continues on Kawonu’s 18-hole championship course, currently scheduled to open in 2027.


Golf Digest’s annual awards recognize the most exceptional golf architecture projects across the country. Green’s renovation of the historic Chevy Chase Club was praised for its restoration of classic design principles, strategic interest, and thoughtful playability for today’s game.


“Andrew has a rare ability to honor the history and character of a property while creating something that feels completely relevant for today’s game,” said Scott Ferrell, founding partner of Kawonu Golf Club. “That approach is guiding every decision at Kawonu. This award is a reflection of the talent and perspective our members can expect when the course opens.”


Green is widely known for his sensitive restoration work at some of the most respected clubs in the country, including Inverness Club, Congressional Country Club, Oak Hill Country Club, and now Chevy Chase Club — projects that have earned national acclaim for their authenticity, strategy, and timeless design.


At Kawonu, Green is leading the design of an 18-hole championship course routed across rolling terrain, open meadows, and mature hardwood forest. The course follows the site’s natural topography, creating a highly strategic and immersive golf experience that feels deeply connected to the land.



“Working at Kawonu has been incredibly special because the land has such a strong natural character,” said Green. “Our goal is to let the property lead the design — creating holes that feel inevitable, timeless, and fun to play every day. It’s exciting to see that same design philosophy being recognized at Chevy Chase, and I can’t wait for golfers to experience what we’re building at Kawonu.”


In addition to the Chevy Chase honor, Green received further recognition from Golf Digest in the Best Transformation category, including a Third-Place finish for his redesign of Vaquero Club in Westlake, Texas, and an honorable mention for his renovation of Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Oklahoma.


Kawonu Golf Club is a private, golf-only club currently under construction near Greenville, South Carolina. In addition to the championship course, the club will feature a clubhouse and on-site cottages designed by architect Joel Newman, offering dining, gathering spaces, and overnight accommodations for an immersive member experience.


Construction is currently underway, with the club targeting a 2027 opening. To learn more about Kawonu Golf Club, visit www.kawonugolfclub.com.


This article was originally written + published by Upstate Biz SC on January 28, 2026 — shared here with full credit to the original source.

The Story of South Carolina's Next Great Golf Club

By The Hole Story Podcast • July 6, 2026
Scott Ferrell joins us to share the journey of developing Kawonu Golf Club in Greenville, South Carolina, from land selection to design with architect Andrew Green, and the vision for a golf-only, community-focused experience. LISTEN HERE.

Kawonu Golf Club Is Becoming One of America’s Most Intriguing New Golf Destinations

By Athlon Sports • July 1, 2026
The latest construction milestones at South Carolina’s Kawonu Golf Club reveal more than progress; they offer the clearest glimpse yet of a private golf experience rooted in timeless architecture, thoughtful design and an unwavering commitment to the game. 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. 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. READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.