The 2025 season is a promising year for Justin Thomas. At just 31, he achieved his 16th win, making him the 58th player in Tour history to reach this milestone. But the course that ended Thomas’s winless streak will go under major renovation in the coming months.

“Guys who win here really rely on precise ball-striking and strong iron play. It’s not a place where you can get away with just hitting it long—you’ve got to be able to shape the ball both ways to score.” Gary Woodland captures the essence of Harbour Town’s design: a course that rewards control and creativity over brute power. Designed by Pete Dye with consultation from Jack Nicklaus, the venue is considered one of the most strategic and visually distinctive layouts on the Tour. Now, as Thomas bids the Harbour Links farewell, the golf course will revamp, and one former PGA Tour pro has something to say about it.

Recently, former PGA Tour Pro Colt Knost and Drew Stolz sat down for a discussion on the Subpar podcast to discuss both Justin Thomas and Harbour Links. Their first subject of discussion? “The putter has been the biggest issue. Went from 174th last year in the strokes game putting to now, I believe he’s inside the top 30 after this at Harbor Town. Got a little help from Xander Schauffle, who set him straight,” said Knost during the podcast. Knost isn’t wrong, however.

Justin Thomas currently ranks No. 24 in Strokes Gained: Putting this season, a strong comeback from his previous No. 174 ranking in 2024. Last fall, Xander Schauffele spent 2-3 hours with Thomas on a practice putting green, asking questions that prompted him to rethink his attitudes toward putting.

However, Knost couldn’t help but follow that to talk about the ongoing development at Harbour Links. “But that golf course, man, you, you’ve had a chance to play it. Now, I-I rave about it all the time. I love it. I think it’s one of the best golf courses on the PGA Tour. It’s so unique. They’re going to go in and do a little renovation. Do not mess it up. Whoever’s involved. I know Davis Love is your team. Do not mess this gym up. Make a little tweaks, but this place is special.”

So, what’s happening at Harbour Town Golf Links? Two weeks after the RBC Heritage, on May 5, the course will close for an extensive restoration project. Five-time RBC Heritage winner Davis Love III and his company, Love Golf Design, will be the player consultant. The course is scheduled to reopen in November. Despite some concerns, significant changes are planned for Harbour Town. We already have an idea what these changes may look like, thanks to a recent interview with Davis Love III and John Farrell.

What does Davis Love III’s vision for Harbour Town Golf Links look like?

“Not every hole will be easy, but not all of them hard, either,” replied Davis Love III for a question about what the course changes may look like. So, what are his plans? Greens, bunkers, and bulkheads get a precision polish, while its beloved turf stays untouched. Pete Dye’s tricky geometry? Still intact. Davis Love III leads the refresh, adding subtle length and smoother play, all while keeping its soul. It’s a classic, reimagined—smarter, sharper, but unmistakably Harbour Town.

Then, in a recent interview with PGATOUR.COM, Davis Love III outlined his intentions to make changes at Harbour Town Golf Links to accommodate both professional players and average golfers. He aims to add some length to the course to challenge modern Tour pros while ensuring it remains enjoyable and fairly challenging for those playing from the forward tees.

For instance, on hole 14, average golfers usually avoid a pot bunker, but to reach the back pin on tournament days, they have to take the risk. Lastly, Love III also mentioned the need for a longer tee on hole 2 for longer hitters, but emphasized that the green complex will remain unchanged, as it is a brilliant design that should be preserved.

John Farrell joined in the conversation and said, “There aren’t many other courses when you can hit it in the fairway and still have to shape it around a tree to get to the pin.” So, what does that mean? The players must navigate around tees even after hitting the fairway to reach the pin. This means that golfers will need to shape their shots, hitting them high, low, or turning them in different directions.

Will the changes work in the golfers’ favor or against them? We will know soon enough!