With the currently COVID environment, my company, like many others, has taken a hard look at sticking with a WFH policy for the forseeable future to help reduce our insanely high facility costs. My fiancee and I always saw ourselves moving back to Texas at some point (She’s from Sugar Land and we met in Houston) and are thinking about using this as the opportunity to get back and plant some roots before our wedding in College Station next year. We’re eyeing Dallas, Austin, and Houston (in that order) as possible candidates.
I’ve already planted the seed that wherever we end up, one of the first things I want to do is sign up for a membership somewhere and she said she’s in. So I guess my question is… any recommendations for good clubs in those cities?
Thinking more Strapped budget than C-Suite at this point so cost will be a big factor. Quality of course, pace of play, and practice facilities are top priorities, with a decent social setting and others around our age (young 30s) also being an ideal scenario. I know of a few in Houston area (Pine Forest, BraeBurn, Riverbend) from when I lived there but otherwise I’m a bit out of my element. With flexibility in where I choose to live, finding the right membership could be a key factor in picking which city we go with. Any help is greatly appreciated!
Feel free to send me a DM if you feel more comfortable discussing your clubs that way.
If you come to Dallas, the best value is ClubCorp properties. A junior membership at Las Colinas CC should be fairly reasonable. Brookhaven and Hackberry are also in the same price range but the courses and amenities aren’t on the same level.
If you’re going to live up north, then the membership at Stonebridge Ranch is worth a look.
If you’re in east Dallas, Dallas Athletic Club has been a great value for junior memberships in the past but I haven’t looked there in 5+ years.
Appreciate the feedback. Ideally we end up in Dallas. I like the value the ClubCorp properties bring but my worry is based on my experience with their property in The Woodlands where it was nearly impossible to get weekend morning tee times and just didn’t seem very well ran. Maybe that one was just a one off basis tho.
If we go into July, would there be interest in a Friday PM round at Cedar Crest followed by dinner at Terry Black’s or Pecan Lodge? Then we would play Golf Club of Dallas on Saturday AM.
@mctrees02 is spot on here with the exception of Gleneagles in Plano and Stonebriar in Frisco…and hell TPC Craig Ranch now too in McKinney. Very dependent on where you end up living but as a former club corp guy (grew up working at Gleneagles and saw the unfortunate sale and changes to the club corp revenue monster…and then was a Jr. member at Las Colinas from 2008-2015 before moving on to my current club). It is great for what you get…as long as you know what you are getting. And I would expect in the next 24 months deals will be a plenty…so prime time to take advantage.
I joined LCCC back in 2008 during the height of the financial crises and it was $1500 for a jr. membership and I got 6 months free dues and cart fees free for a year…so if you do the math they essentially paid me to join…might be some deals like that by the time you get to Dallas.
If you end up in Dallas proper (east side) DAC is the Best option by far for the $. 2 courses, great facilities and some great players. (non Club Corp)
But at the end of the day…It really all depends on where you are living (and going to live long term)…age (if you are a jr.) and what budget you have…
In Houston it will really depend where you work/live. My sister is out at Pine Forest and the membership has really gotten alot younger and affordable. If you live in town or Katy, this is probably your best bet. Tons of stuff in Sugar Land, Woodlands, Kingwood, and League City(Grew Up at South Shore Harbour). I havent been too impressed with the courses Club Corp has taken over, other than Kingwood. It will probably come down to where you live and being able to easily play a few holes after work and not have to drive another hour.
I grew up in Houston but have been in Dallas for a few years now. I’m a junior member at DAC and would be happy to answer any questions you may have in the DM’s. Probably can help out with Houston specific questions to some extent as well. Congrats in advance on coming back to the land of zero state income tax!
I’d take a long look before considering ClubCorp in the Houston area. Just raised monthly dues while also bumping up a few of the courses (Club at Falcon Point, Kingwood CC) into the next tier. Leaves you with maybe four course options for the first tier now. Cancelled my membership a few weeks ago - can definitely get a better deal at a local place (like the ones @anotherballromes mentioned above).
If you are somewhat near Carrolton, Indian Creek has an amazing deal for anyone under 30 years old. $75/month for unlimited green fees mon-fri & sat/sun after 1:00. No range balls or anything, and you have to pay a cart fee if you want to, but they also have finn scooters out there that you can pick too.
Trying to spread the word so that more will join and maybe we can get a weekday money game going.
Is 5pm the latest tee time they have? I live about 30 minutes away so I don’t think I’d be able to get there in time on a weekday. Also haven’t played the course before. Is it nice?
Due to corona virus they require everyone to be off the course at 7:30 PM. They told me that they would work with me on getting out there after work, I don’t think they really care when you go off as long as you’re off by that time.
We had carts, but it seemed pretty walkable. Holes toward the clubhouse had some elevation changes, but other parts of the course seemed pretty flat. You do go back by the clubhouse after 9 so that’s nice if you’re not feeling a full 18
For the Dallas meetup, most people prefer July. New poll. @mctrees02 threw out the idea of a Friday afternoon --> BBQ --> Saturday morning idea. The other option is 36 holes on a Saturday with either lunch or dinner same day somewhere. We are in contact with both courses about getting a block of tee times.
Of course I threw out the Friday/Saturday idea…but now it looks like I’ll be coming back from Houston on Friday, July 17th so I’m throwing my support behind all day Saturday, July 18.
I have a week long buddies trip that ends on July 12th. I’ve already laid the foundation for the 18th event as well. If my wife divorces me I hope one of you newly found gentlemen takes me in. I guess this is why it’s called the refuge.
Just announced Friday that Cedar Crest is again hosting Dallas Am qualifying rounds, that will be July 10, 12, and 18. I asked the pro when they thought they’d finish. If we can go off in the late afternoon, it might still work, we will have lots of daylight, but TBD. We may need to push to the following weekend unless folks want to do a Sunday.
Also, I played 36 Friday at Pine Dunes. Course was in great shape. My game not so much. Can’t wait until we can get a big RADGC Texas event out there. They also just opened a bunch of new, much more modern cabins right by the turn
Booked a tee time for this past Saturday afternoon at Irving Golf Club. Showed up and the front gate was closed. Called and the messaged said the golf course was closed. To your (or anyone’s) knowledge, does the course flood really bad? I didn’t think it rained very much on Friday night.
Would have been cool if they would have emailed to let me know.
That’s weird. There’s a creek running through the course and everything now around the clubhouse is not elevated, so I bet it was at least too wet to play if not flooded. They definitely could’ve emailed you though.