What we know about the super-exclusive Trout National golf course, where ‘not a speck of dirt gets moved without Tiger’s approval’
“It’s really Mike’s own ‘if you build it, they will come,’ story,” said Tyler Trout. The course is expected to open next year with just 227 total members and some eye-popping amenities.

While Tiger Woods’ TGR Labs works to complete the renovation of the historic Cobbs Creek course in Philadelphia, the golf legend’s design firm is also busy helping to build another course across the Delaware River in Millville, N.J., the hometown of MLB superstar Mike Trout, that’s set to open next spring.
Unlike Cobbs Creek, however, this course will be almost impossible to play for the average golfer — and that’s by design. The private club, called Trout National: The Reserve, is going to be one of the most exclusive golf clubs in the world, and will feature some one-of-a-kind amenities.
We recently spoke to Tyler Trout, brother of Mike, who oversees the project, about what members can expect, Woods’ involvement, and more …
Mike Trout’s Field of Dreams
The course, designed in collaboration with Woods, as well as local businessman John Ruga, is set on a 280-acre property in Millville. Some of the amenities on site include a fitness center, spa, barbershop, game vault, and bowling alley.
“Building something so special in Millville that we’re confident is going to be recognized globally gives me chills,” Tyler Trout said. “It’s really Mike’s own ‘if you build it, they will come’ story.”
Trout is opening the club with the goal of it being one of the premiere golf destinations, not just in the United States but worldwide. To accommodate members around the globe, Trout National will feature several forms of accommodations, including six four-bedroom cottages on the club’s fully lit short course, 10 clubhouse suites, and two 12-bedroom lodges.
An exclusive membership
Upon opening, Trout National will have only 227 members. If that seems like an awfully specific number, it was chosen in part because Trout has worn No. 27 for the entirety of his 15-year career with the Los Angeles Angels.
“It’s a number that pre-Angels wasn’t that significant to Mike, but has turned into his,” Trout said.
As a result, the club is incorporating various forms of the number 27 into its design, including planting precisely 27 trees on the main drive. But while the number 227 was specifically chosen because of Mike’s jersey number with the Angles, the club knew that it wanted a small number of members.
“From a member perspective, everything should be effortless,” Trout said. “So we don’t have tee times, you can play with more than four people, you can bounce around the golf course in multiple different fashions. So you really have the flexibility to enjoy the property as if it’s your own.”
That 227 number seems even smaller when considering the notable geographic diversity of Trout National’s members. Among the domestic members, Trout estimates that 75% of the club’s members will not be local to South Jersey — any people living within 90 miles of the course are counted in that local category. Trout National will also have a significant number of international members.
“We’re vetting people from, you know, Hong Kong, England, Scotland, Australia, Canada, Dubai,” Trout said.
Recently, the course released a video rendering of what those 227 members can expect when they arrive at Trout National.
Playing all day — and all night
In addition to the main course at Trout National, there will be a fully lit-up short course, in which the six four-bedroom cottages are located. The course consists of six holes, ranging from 45 to 110 yards. But unlike the main course, the short course is designed to be played on at all times of the day — and, yes, all times of the night.
“Say you get done, dinner, drinks, you’re back at your cottage, and you want to go out and play the short course. Yeah, you’re hitting shots until the wee hours of the night,” Trout said.
The flexibility to play at night could also be beneficial to international members who are flying in and out at odd times or experiencing jet lag.
In addition to the short course, multiple practice greens, as well as a putting course, are also fully lit.
Partnership with Woods
Before starting construction on the course, Trout National partnered with TGR Designs, Woods’ design company. While this is the ninth full golf course TGR has been a part of, the level of trust the Trout team placed in the company was unique, allowing Tiger and his team to truly take the lead on the project.
“Not a speck of dirt gets moved without Tiger’s approval, and he’s been up here a handful of times reviewing bunker shaping, runoffs into bunkers, approaches around greens,” Trout said. “We really took our time in allowing him the ability to get it right, however long or whatever that meant to take. Ultimately, we let Tiger and his team come up here and do what they thought was best to develop a championship golf course. That is Mike’s number one goal.”
It’s been nearly two years since Woods and Trout unveiled a first look at the par-72 course’s layout and shared some design elements.
It was around that time that the two met for the first time.
“Mike and Tiger had never met prior to the work here,” Trout said. “It’s actually funny, the first time they ever FaceTimed, Tiger was on the range at Medalist, and Mike was in the locker room at Angel Stadium. Even for somebody like Mike, there’s a little bit of nerves [meeting Tiger] the first time.”
Hosting championship golf?
Trout National isn’t closing itself off to hosting professional tournaments in the future.
“We’ve had conversations with almost everybody about that, we’ve had people on site, and it’s been evaluated,” Trout said. “First and foremost we’re looking to opening and delivering for our members. But do I see [hosting tournaments] in our future? Probably, only because the golf course is spectacular.”