The Odyssey of the first Jack Nicklaus Signature Course in Greece

On December 7th, 2006, Jack Nicklaus sat in the bed of a Mitsubishi pickup truck in Kilada, surveying the landscape that mirrored the fluorescent blueprints spread out on the truck’s hood: his first Signature Course in Greece. In the summer of 2026, he might as well be cutting the ribbon in the course inauguration. What took 20 years?

Announcements of grand plans are often greeted with a touch of skepticism. You need a supportive central administration to begin with, then laser dance through bureaucratic traps and have a backup from rocksteady investors. Dial each of those factors right and, if you are in Greece, you’re then standing on a land that’s half soil, half ancient treasures. Every other shovel dug, surfaces a different era in history. In the case of Kilada, a full buffet of Paleolithic, Neolithic, Mycenaean, Archaic and Hellenistic ruins, which brings things under the jurisdiction of the archaeological authorities. Garnish this cake with a global economic crisis that had the country in its bullseye for nearly 10 years and add COVID as a final touch.

There you go, 20 years. Ulysses’ full trip. People in the photos who stand next to Golden Bear were at an early career stage back in 2006 and are nowadays senior executives. Our interview with the head shaper of Nicklaus Design had implied 2023 as the magic number of completion. However, managerial rough waters put the plan on hold while only the front 9 had been completed. Fast forward to now, when all 18 holes have been developed and stand clear of archaeological findings (hole # 1 had to change its initial delineation due to the discovery of Mycenaean tombs).

Management issues now appear to be a thing of the past and funding towards completion is reportedly secured. The updated roadmap aims towards the inauguration of the course by mid 2026, without the clubhouse that will be constructed on a later stage. But who cares if post-round spirits need to wait? Frangthi Cave that is overlooking Kilada Bay was first inhabited around 30,000 BC and lay dormant until its rediscovery in the late 1960s. In a country with just nine 18-hole courses and a 9-hole pitch-and-putt, the golf community’s anticipation for Course # 10 matches the cave’s own ancient patience.-