12 Best Golf Courses in Dallas

Dallas, home to the best golf courses in Texas, sees frequent play from some of the biggest PGA Tours players on the circuit.

Seeing as how the city offers golfers over 100 golf courses, you may struggle to pick the right one for you.

We put together this list of the best golf courses in Dallas to make your search easier. You will see everything for courses in the city, from budget-friendly courses to high-end resorts.

Read on to get started playing some of the best golf in Dallas!

12 Best Golf Courses in Dallas, Texas

1. Bear Creek Golf Club – Best Value Course

Jack Nicklaus gave this golf club its signature design back in 1982. Resting in the heart of Walton County, this course blends spectacular natural scenery and a mix of challenging design. The club has a Jack Frei Championship design layout. Golf Digest listed this course as belonging to the top 50 resort courses.

Highlights

• Great design and challenging
• Designed by one of the greatest golfers of all time
• One of the top 50 resort courses in America

2. Brook Hollow Golf Club – Oldest Course in Dallas

You can’t mention Dallas’s best golf courses without mentioning the Brook Hollow Golf Club. This is the oldest golf club in Dallas, founded in 1920 and designed by A.W. Tillinghast. The course boasts beautiful oaks in special areas and generous fairways. Known in the region as the most exclusive and historic private golf club in Dallas. This course offers some terrific challenging play for golfers at every level. For example, one of the holes at Brook Hollow is a slightly uphill 449-yard 7th-hole setup with three bunkers.

Highlights

• Oldest course in Dallas
• One of the best courses in Dallas
• Offers a challenge to players of every skill level

3. Heritage Ranch Golf and Country Club – Most Beautiful Golf Course

Arthur Hills designed the Heritage Ranch Golf and Country Club in 2001 in a gated 55+ residential community. The design rolls over pecans and oaks in a peaceful setting on the outskirts of Fairview and 30 minutes drive from Dallas. This scenic 72-par golf course grabs the natural beauty of the local landscape and adds even more to it with its green lawns.

The luxurious fairways and elegant water features on this course deserve mention, and it welcomes golfers of every skill level to tee up.

Highlights

• Most natural beauty
• 30 minutes drive from Dallas
• 72-par golf course

4. Wild Horse Golf Club of Robson Ranch – Best Obstacles on Course

Gary Stephenson, a renowned Texas golf architect, designed the course at Wild Horse Golf Club of Robson Ranch in 2001. The strategically placed bunkers and the hazards on the course present a worthy challenge that novices and expert golfers alike will come to enjoy. You will see the beautiful Texas country vistas on full display. It’s a 27-hole championship course open to the public. Just keep in mind that the course does have a dress code, and they won’t let you in with tube tops, tank tops, athletic shirts or swimwear.

Highlights

• 27-hole championship course
• Started in 2001
• Great for novices and experts alike

5. Dallas National Golf Club – Most Prestigious Golf Course

This is a top course in Texas. All of the big boys are known to play at the Dallas National Golf Club. The course ranks consistently in Golf Digest’s Top 100 Golf Courses in the Nation. Often, you see it listed as the best golf course in Texas. Tim Fazio designed it a golf course architect behind the design of many of Texas’s top golf courses. He says that if Dallas National were the only golf club he ever designed, he would have had a fulfilling career.

Highlights

• Top golf course in Texas
• Belongs to top 100 golf courses in the country
• Tim Fazio designed it

6. Bent Tree Country Club – Most Laid Back Private Country Club

One of the friendliest and most laid-back private country clubs in North Dallas, they first built the Bent Tree Country Club in 1972. The club boasts a rich history steeped in tradition and luxury. The course sits in some of Dallas’s most prestigious neighborhoods. The classic homes in this region hold some of the city’s most defining characteristics and charm.

The Bent Tree Country Club annually hosts membership tournaments and PGA and LPGA championships.

Highlights

• One of the friendliest and most laid-back private country clubs
• Rich in history, tradition, and luxury
• Located in one of the most interesting neighborhoods in Dallas

7. Colonial Country Club – Best-Kept Golf Courses

Another private golf club in Dallas, Texas steeped in tradition, the Colonial Country Club has a reputation for hosting the annual PGA Tour event and has done so since 1936. See some terrific views and challenges for golfers of every skill level. The well-groomed fairways and greens will make for one of the most memorable golf experiences.

Again, this is one of the country’s highest-ranked golf courses, but it also scores well for golf courses in the world.

Highlights

• Well-groomed fairways and greens for a memorable golf experience
• Great choice for golfers of every skill level
• Ranks as one of the best golf courses in the world

8. Hawk’s Creek Golf Club – Best Layout

Holding the bragging rights as being one of the finest public golf courses in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, Hawk’s Creek Golf Club has a regulation 18-hole golf course located 4 miles from downtown Fort Worth. Started in 2002, you can play a great game of golf here for a reasonable price. The experience comes on a historic property built to challenge even the most experienced golfers. It has great elevations and a beautiful layout.

Highlights

• Built on a historic property
• Beautiful layout and great elevation
• One of the best public golf courses

Golf Courses for Different Skill Levels

Continuing from where we left off with the golf courses in Dallas, we will look at the best courses for different skill levels.

9. Texas Star Golf Course – Best Choice for Different Skill Levels

Texas Star Golf Courses celebrated its 25th anniversary recently, and the golf course offers plenty of challenges for players of various skill levels. Just keep in mind that this course will challenge you no matter what your skill level. This 275-acre course spans over 7,000 yards and offers terrific views and challenging play.

Highlights

• Covers 275 acres of land
• Great challenge for players of every skill level
• Awesome views

10. Tenison Glen Golf Course – Best Budget Golf Course

You can’t beat Tenison Glen Golf Course for the price; they offer some awesome facilities here. Sitting east of downtown Dallas, this golf course first opened in 1924. Players of all skill levels can come to play a round of golf. This familiar classic as a golf course has something to challenge golfers of every skill level.

Highlights

• Great budget course for lower price
• Familiar classic golf course
• Great challenge for golfers of all skill levels

11.  Cedar Crest Golf Course – Best Views of the Dallas Skyline

A legendary golf course in Dallas, the Cedar Crest Golf Course hosted the 1927 PGA Championship. A.W. Tillinghast, one of the most prolific architects in the history of golf, designed the course. Even today, the Cedar Crest Golf Course remains one of the best Dallas golf courses and one of the most popular choices.

It boasts rolling hills, tree-lined fairways, and greenside bunkers. Join the Cedar Crest Rewards Club to take advantage of the elite golfing experience and save massively. We put this one on this list because of its picturesque views of the Dallas skyline.

Highlights

• Great views of the Dallas skyline
• Designed by prolific architect A.W. Tillinghast
• Hosted the 1927 PGA Championship

12. Grapevine Golf Course – Best Public Golf Course

One of the superior public golf courses, you can enjoy a private dining experience inside with a full view of this beautiful course. Designed by Joe Finger and Byron Nelson in 1979, they renovated it again in 1999, which added another nine holes to the course. For the local community, they offer the Annual GrapeFest Golf Classic Tournament.

Highlights

• One of the best public golf courses
• Designed by Joe Finger and Byron Nelson
• Check out the annual GrapeFest Golf Classic Tournament

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Golf Course in Dallas

Before you drive to a golf course, you should weigh a few factors when choosing one, such as:

• Budget
• Layout
• Amenities
• Site conditions
• Environmentally Friendly

Budget

Whatever golf course you choose, budget belongs to some of the first considerations. Public golf courses vary from $15 for 18 holes to $100 for 18 holes. This is the more affordable golf course in Dallas or elsewhere.

On the other hand, a private course charges an annual fee of anywhere from $800 to $100,000.

Layout

Layout matters for the skill level of the golfer. Some layouts work better for beginner golfers than others because of fewer hazards. The layout on a course will range and may include things like:

• Water hazards
• Bunkers
• Narrow fairways
• Lush greens

Most golfers appreciate some challenges on the course, but you may wish to keep from too many hazards. You might experiment with some courses to determine what you like the most.

Amenities

Especially if you head to the course with your son or wife, you may wish to enjoy some amenities on the property. Depending on the golf course, they may include amenities, such as:

• Spa
• Pro golf shop
• Restaurant
• Bar
• Pool
• Gym
• Locker room

Before you settle on a golf course, check to see if the course offers the amenities that you love. Nowadays, golf courses might offer multiple restaurants on the property because the modern golfer sees amenities as an attractive bonus.

Site Conditions

Check to see how well they maintain the golf course. While you often see the golf courses maintain well, not all will be well maintained. The Dallas region offers plenty of good course choices, but you still need to choose wisely. Check the reviews to see that they maintain it well.

Environmentally Friendly

In our increasingly environmentally conscious world, this factor has grown in importance. When done right, golf courses don’t need to stress the environment; they can become a different place for birds to inhabit. Electric golf carts, mowers, and landscaping equipment can all make a positive difference. Check to see if your chosen club has these things. Your choice of a course is a vote for the environment because it can encourage better habits.

Tips for Playing Golf in Dallas

Tip #1 Participate in the Local Golf Leagues: Dallas offers golf clubs all over the city, and you can participate in leagues designed for every skill level. Furthermore, they offer leagues for every age group to play on the Dallas golf courses. Playing in a league can help you to meet new friends and enjoy your time more.

Tip #2 Bring a Towel and Golf with Rain Gloves: Dallas has a humid subtropical climate with hot summers. You should bring a towel and rain gloves to deal with the sweat as you golf.

Tip #3 Book Well in Advance: Even when you go to play at the “okay” golf courses in Dallas, the early morning times especially get scooped up fast the day they open on the courses. This is because the golf courses in DFW can be hot during the middle part of the day, and not everyone wants to go out during that time.

Super early or late afternoons are the best times to golf here, but they also book fast, especially in the summer. Apply this rule to any of the golf courses in Texas.

Tip #4 Learn How to Read the Grain for Putting on Bermuda Grass Greens: In Dallas, especially, unless you’re playing on some of the fanciest and most expensive private golf courses, you will need to learn how to read the grain here. It will make a big difference in your golf game.

FAQs

What is the Hardest Golf Course in Dallas?

The Stonebridge Ranch Country Club is one of the Dallas region’s most challenging and interesting golf courses. It’s a Pete Dye course that is supposed to be tougher than the Stadium Course at PGA West.

Is Dallas a Good Place for Golf?

Dallas ranks as one of the best cities in Texas for golf. It has an active golf scene with plenty of sports you can participate in. The city has over 100 golf courses, which makes it second in golf only to Houston.

How Much Does It Cost to Join Dallas Country Club?

The initiation cost will be anywhere from $100,000 to $150,000. This private member-only club holds to a tradition in that you must receive an invitation to join, which makes it even harder.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this highlights some of the best golf courses in Dallas. Next to Houston, golf in Dallas is lively, with plenty of choices, making it one of the best places in the state.

Dallas has the most golf courses out of any city in Texas, second only to Houston, with over 100 golf courses.

It would be a mistake not to check out as many as possible to see what you like to golf on. However, put some of the above courses on your list because they stand out even among the other great ones.

Read more: Which States Have The Most Golf Courses?

Matt Gallus

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Matt travels the world as a professional writer and blogger trying out different golf courses in exotic spots like the Philippines. He loves the challenge and tranquility in the sport of golf. Golf, for him, is a way of relaxing and enjoying life. You can connect with him on LinkedIn.

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