For golfers studying a map of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, images of five-star resorts, endless numbers of high-end municipal courses, and the true golf aficionado’s nirvana of big city resources like fabulous shopping, world-class hotels and restaurants, and professional sports franchises inevitably converge with dreamlike visions of perfectly manicured fairways and greens. And yet the region’s magic stretches beyond Dallas’s historic, high-toned country clubs and the greatness of Fort Worth’s Colonial Country Club out into the sprawling suburbs that fade away into wildflower-splashed farm roads dotted by nifty little rural golf courses, where there is an infinite list of options when planning your next golf vacation spree. With more than 3,500 golf holes and a crazy abundance of both upscale and average-guy golf, the North Central Texas region is one of the nation’s great golf destinations.
Try These
Canton: The Twin Lakes Golf Course in Canton is beautiful, a great value, and rarely crowded. Set against the backdrop of a large tree farm, the course routes through East Texas pines and two large lakes that irrigate this lush course. First Monday Trade Days has made the town a famous weekend hot spot with an endless sea of antiques.
Frankston: This remote, old lumber town is home to the Pine Dunes Resort and Golf Club, considered one of Texas’s finest. The course rests on top of natural sand hills in the middle of the Piney Woods and is truly unique because of its conditioning and terrain combined with amazingly affordable stay-and-play packages.
Lake Whitney: A popular weekend recreational hot spot known for its clear blue waters and outstanding fishing, the White Bluff Resort has it all, with fine dining, spas, and myriad recreational activities to go along with two championship golf courses.
Lewisville-The Colony: Barely north of Dallas lies Lewisville’s The Lakes at Castle Hills, always rated high for its creative, hilly design and perfect greens. And just up the highway are the rolling dunes of scenic Lake Lewisville and an incredible amount of high-end golf. Stewart Peninsula is a top-rated 9-holer that plays along the lake, and The Tribute Golf Club is a Scottish-themed, links-style track that is modeled on the world’s finest golf holes (St. Andrews, Troon, Prestic, etc.). Right next door is the Old American Golf Club honoring esteemed northeastern U.S. courses established during the Golden Age of Golf Architecture and created by greats such as A.W. Tillinghast, Donald Ross, and Perry Maxwell.
Dallas-Fort Worth Area: North Texas is golfer nirvana and the DFW area is its headquarters.
- Stevens & Tenison Park (Dallas) – These two historic old Dallas facilities are as authentic as it gets, built after World War I and infamous as the proving ground of hustlers and greats like Lee Trevino.
- Waterchase (Fort Worth) – Cowtown’s best with perfect conditions and spectacular views, the beauty of the course is stunning given such affordable value.
- The Golf Club at Fossil Creek (Fort Worth) This Arnold Palmer-designed layout is gorgeous and consistently one of the top-ranked public courses in Texas.
- Cowboys Golf Club (Grapevine) Some love the chance to catch a glimpse of Troy Aikman or other famous Dallas Cowboys. Others fall in love with the incredible terrain (drastic elevation changes, gnarly creeks, native trees) and remote feel, a surprise in the middle of the Metroplex.
- Texas Star Golf Course (Euless) – A great value municipal tucked away in a natural setting uncanny for this area, the course is well-conditioned and loaded with unique holes and hazards.
- Sky Creek Ranch (Keller) – A local favorite perched atop the highest point in Tarrant County, this Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design is always in pristine condition and very challenging.
- Iron Horse (North Richland Hills) – One of Texas’s top municipals for its value, excellent condition, and unique, railroad themed layout.
- Players Course at Watters Creek (Plano) – Modified in 2013 to appeal to juniors, women, beginners, and anyone that wants to just “get in a quick 9-holes” of great golf.
- Trails of Frisco Golf Club (Frisco) – A Jeff Brauer-designed course that features dramatic bunkering, scenic wetlands, and large, immaculate greens. One of Texas’s top public courses.
- Timber Lakes (Denton) – A modern, high-end 9-holer that is an easy play, perfectly manicured, and wildly popular since its opening in 2003.
Road Trips
Wandering west and south of Dallas/Fort Worth in a 100-mile radius, restless golfers will find an array of off-the-beaten-path diversions in quaint little towns such as Cleburne (Cleburne Golf Links), Meridian (Bosque Valley Golf Club) and Lipan (Sugartree Golf Club). Glen Rose is also a great weekend destination, offering two notable 18-hole courses, B&B accommodations in historic buildings, and a vibrant downtown area. The highlight of the region might be The Cliffs at Graford, with “18 signature holes” perched alongside scenic Possum Kingdom Lake, or the town of Tolar where the private Starr Hollow Golf Club (Little Augusta) is famous as Texas’s hands-down top 9-hole golf course.
Other options among the golf roads less traveled lie at the fringes of the Prairies and Lakes region in towns like Yoakum (Yoakum Municipal Golf Course) and Campbell (Sand Hills Golf Club), where the communities are passionate about fostering the game of golf and take great pride in maintaining their wonderful little 9-hole courses.
And yet you can never go wrong spoiling yourself with a high-toned splurge at a five-star golf resort, and the Dallas area is blessed with two of Texas’s finest. The Westin Stonebriar Resort is in the suburb of Frisco and offers a celebrated Tom Fazio design, replete with all of the typical Fazio features and intricacies that have made him a world-renowned architect. Another perfect place to hole up for a big city weekend is the Four Seasons Dallas at Las Colinas, Home to the PGA TOUR’s HP Byron Nelson Classic, and the quintessential resort experience, significant others can indulge in the spa and explore the boutiques of Neiman-Marcus’s flagship store while golfers hone their games at the resort’s Golf School and TPC and Cottonwood Valley courses.