Ranking the top 100 golf courses in Texas: Nos. 1-50 (2024)
The Dallas Morning News course rankings are a team effort. The 80 Dallas Morning News panel members were given a ballot of 300 courses and asked to rate them on a 10-point scale. Panel members are golf professionals, golf course architects, superintendents, people involved in the golf course industry and amateurs. Many of the amateurs compete in statewide and national events, and others have GHIN indexes north of 10.
Not even the most avid golfer has played all 300 courses, and the first marching order all panel members are given is to vote only for the courses they have played, preferably within the last five years. We also give each of the panel members a list of criteria to consider when rating. These criteria are similar to what national golf publications use.
The votes are tabulated, and a process known as winsorization is used to account for outliers — high and low — to smooth the data. Because not every course is rated by every panel member, we determined that a course must receive votes from at least 13% of the panel members to be eligible for Top 100 consideration. The standards are slightly lower for the top-50 public courses and the three lists of public courses broken down by price points.
- To see Nos. 51-100, click here.
Sports Roundup
- Whispering Pines takes No. 1 spot on DMN’s Texas Golf course rankings
2024 rank Course Location Type Designer(s) Year open 2023 rank 1 Whispering Pines Golf Club Trinity Private Chet Williams/Nicklaus Design 1999 1 2 Dallas National Golf Club Dallas Private Tom Fazio 2002 2 3 Brook Hollow Golf Club Dallas Private x-A.W. Tillinghast, y-Keith Foster 1920 4 4 Preston Trail Golf Club Dallas Private Byron Nelson, Ralph Plummer 1965 6 5 Boot Ranch Fredericksburg Private Hal Sutton 2006 3 6 The Clubs at Houston Oaks Hockley Private Chet Williams 2017 7 7 Bluejack National Golf Club Montgomery Private Tiger Woods 2016 11 8 The Clubs of Cordillera Ranch Boerne Private Jack Nicklaus 2007 5 9 Escondido Golf and Lake Club Horseshoe Bay Private Tom Fazio 2006 12 10 The Covey at Big Easy Ranch Columbus Private Chet Williams 2023 NR 11 River Oaks Country Club Houston Private x-Donald Ross; y-Rees Jones, Tom Fazio 1923 24 12 Summit Rock Golf Club Horseshoe Bay Private Jack Nicklaus 2012 19 13 Black Jack's Crossing Lajitas Resort Lanny Wadkins 2011 10 14 Champions Golf Club, Cypress Creek Houston Private Ralph Plummer 1959 14 15 Colonial Country Club Fort Worth Private Perry Maxwell, Ralph Plummer, John Bredemus 1936 9 16 Shady Oaks Country Club Fort Worth Private x-Robert Trent Jones Sr.; y-Geoff Ogilvy 1958 15 17 Oak Hills Country Club San Antonio Private x-A.W. Tillinghast; y-Tripp Davis 1922 22 18 Spanish Oaks Golf Club Bee Cave Private Bobby Weed 2006 13 19 Highland Pines Golf Club Porter Public Dave Relford/ Tour 18 Design Group 2023 NR 20 Vaquero Club Westlake Private x-Tom Fazio; y-Andrew Green 2001 26 21 Carlton Woods, Nicklaus Course The Woodlands Private Jack Nicklaus 2001 18 22 Carlton Woods, Fazio Course The Woodlands Private Tom Fazio 2005 21 23 Austin Country Club Austin Private Pete Dye 1984 16 24 Austin Golf Club Spicewood Private Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw 2001 20 25 Northwood Club Dallas Private x-William Diddel; y-Tripp Davis 1946 17 26 Driftwood Golf and Ranch Club Driftwood Private Tom Fazio 2022 8 27 Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco Frisco Resort Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner 2023 NR 28 Briggs Ranch Golf Club San Antonio Private Tom Fazio 2002 36 29 Royal Oaks Country Club Dallas Private x-Billy Martindale, Don January; y-Jay Morrish; Weibring-Wolford; Chet Williams 1969 32 30 Lochinvar Golf Club Houston Private Jack Nicklaus 1980 29 31 Fields Ranch West at PGA Frisco Frisco Resort Beau Welling 2023 NR 32 Willow Brook Country Club Tyler Private x-Ralph Plummer; y-Joe Finger; Mark Hayes; Tripp Davis 1922 35 33 TPC San Antonio AT&T Oaks San Antonio Resort Greg Norman 2010 23 34 Maridoe Golf Club Carrollton Private Steve Smyers 2017 31 35 Lakewood Country Club Dallas Private x-Tom Bendelow; y-Coore-Crenshaw; Andrew Green 1912 33 36 Miramont Country Club Bryan Private Robert Trent Jones II 2004 27 37 The Woodlands CC Tournament Course The Woodlands Private Robert von Hagge, Bruce Devlin 1978 37 38 Trinity Forest Golf Club Dallas Private Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw 2017 28 39 Rawls Course Lubbock Public Tom Doak 2003 30 40 Shadow Hawk Golf Club Richmond Private Rees Jones 1999 34 41 University of Texas Golf Club Austin Private Roy Bechtol, Randy Russell 2003 39 42 BraeBurn Country Club Houston Private x-John Bredemus; y-Carlton Gipson 1926 45 43 Gus Wortham Park Golf Course Houston Public Baxter Spann; Derrill Witt 1908 87 44 Omni Barton Creek, Fazio Foothills Austin Resort Tom Fazio 1986 41 45 Grand Pines Golf Club at Bentwater Lake Conroe Private Jeffrey Blume 2005 48 46 Champions Golf Club, Jackrabbit Houston Private x-George Fazio; y-Tom Fazio 1957 43 47 TPC San Antonio AT&T Canyons San Antonio Resort Pete Dye 2010 42 48 The Woodlands CC, The Player Golf Course The Woodlands Private Gary Player 2002 97 49 San Antonio Country Club San Antonio Private x-Alex Findley; y-A.W. Tillinghast, Joe Finger; Jay Morrish; Brian Silva 1907 51 50 Pine Dunes Resort Frankston Resort Jay Morrish 2001 40No longer ranked: 55. The Cliffs Resort on Possum Kingdom Lake; 63. Crown Colony CC, Lufkin; 72. Royal Oaks CC, Houston; 75. Omni Barton Creek, Crenshaw Cliffside; 78. Lakecliff Golf Club, Spicewood; 84. Falconhead Golf Club, Austin; 85. Cypresswood Golf Club, Tradition Course, Spring; 86. Texas Star Golf Club, Euless; 90. Rockwood Park Golf Course, Fort Worth; 94. Cottonwood Valley Golf Course, Irving; 95. Cowboys Golf Club, Grapevine; 99. Pine Forest CC, Houston.
Course rating criteriaVersatility: Does the course create a good mix for the high and low handicappers? Are better players challenged, while the high handicappers are able to enjoy play through the use of shorter teeing areas, alternate routes, location of hazards and accessible pins?
Shotmaking: Does it test accuracy, finesse, length and putting without putting too much emphasis on any of these skills?
Design: Is there a good balance? Differing lengths? Doglegs right and left? Placement of hazards? Contours and shapes of greens?
Afterthoughts: How much do you remember about the course? Do one or two holes stand out as great or bad?
Beauty: Do the scenic values add to the pleasure of a round? Trees, shrubs, hills, mounds, flowers, etc.?
Maintenance: How would you rate the course conditions, factoring in all aspects — tees, greens, fairways, bunkers? Spring, summer, fall or winter when viewed?
Enjoyment: How do you feel about being at the course? What about the amenities? From arrival to departure, was it a good, bad or indifferent golf experience?
More DMN golf rankings- Ranking the top 100 golf courses in Texas: Nos. 1-50
- Ranking the top 100 golf courses in Texas: Nos. 51-100
- Whispering Pines takes No. 1 spot on DMN’s Texas Golf course rankings
- The top 50 Texas golf courses open to the public, ranked
- The top 25 nine-hole golf courses in Texas, ranked
PanelistsDavid Altemus, GM/COO Royal Oaks CC, Houston
William Aycock, The Woodlands amateur
Mike Bailey, Houston-based golf writer
Robert Banta, Frisco amateur
Walt Barnes, Addison amateur
Kemberly Barrett, Waco amateur
Brent Blackburn, head professional Corpus Christi CC
Curt Breaux, Montgomery amateur
John Brechin, Dallas amateur
Bruce Burger, director of agronomy the Quarry Golf Club
Ben Burns, head professional Crown Colony CC, Lufkin
Mark Button, Texas Golf Association director of business development
Tony Campagna, golf course sand and aggregate consulting, Rockwall amateur
Miles Carlson, superintendent The Woodlands Country Club
Greg Clark, Frisco amateur
Beth Cleckler, Austin amateur
John Cochran IV, Texas Golf Association director of competitions for South Texas, Kingwood amateur
Kyle Coody, Plano amateur
Brent Cooper, Dallas amateur
Jacque Cooper, Rowlett amateur
Daniel Coughlan, director of golf Bent Tree CC, Dallas
Rob Couture, Dallas amateur
Thomas Devanna, PGA professional Tangle Ridge Golf Club, Grand Prairie
Cameron Doan, director of golf Preston Trail Golf Club, Dallas
Conrad Doss, The Woodlands amateur
Camm Dougherty, Corpus Christi amateur
Evan Dunkerson, director of golf Midland CC
Lou Duran, Frisco amateur
Bob Elliott, PGA life member, Dallas
Gilbert Freeman, Pro emeritus Lakewood CC, Dallas
Don Gafner, CEO Dallas Golf, Sunnyvale amateur
Ed Gatlin, Executive director AMWA
Bill Hanley, USGA/TGA committee member/volunteer, Fort Worth amateur
Todd Harbour, COO/GM, Royal Oaks CC, Dallas
Mark Harrison, CEO Northern Texas PGA
Malcolm Holland, Dallas amateur
Mark Kazlowski, Cedar Hill amateur
Robbie Kearney, vice president of golf operations Crescent Hotels and Resorts
Trey Kemp, Golf course architect, Dallas amateur
Randy King, Horseshoe Bay amateur
Tim King, head golf professional
Keith Kirkendall, The Woodlands amateur
Lawson Klotz, Irving amateur
Nancy Kromar, Austin amateur
Kellen Kubasak, COO Golf San Antonio, San Antonio amateur
Phyllis Kwedar, Kathy Whitworth Foundation board of directors, Fort Worth amateur
Ricky Lyons, general manager Westwood Golf Club, Houston
James McAfee, former executive director Northern Texas PGA, freelance golf writer
Mike McCabe, general manager Golf Clubs at The Tribute, The Colony
Cathy Marino, Jesuit golf coach, LPGA professional
Sam Morrow, Houston amateur
Terry Olson, Director of sales and marketing Lajitas Golf Resort
Casey Paulson, project president Driftwood Golf Club
Mike Peterson, PGA Tour rules official, Garland amateur
Kevin Porter, Texas Golf Association director of competitions for North Texas
George Priolo, GM of golf operations Ross Rogers and Comanche Trail Golf Complexes, Amarillo
Jerry Ransom, Greenville amateur
Jan Rapp, Dallas amateur
Paul Richards, Austin amateur
Corey Roberson, director of golf the Clubs at Cordillera Ranch, Boerne
Robert Rodriguez, San Antonio amateur
Chris Rowe, director of golf Whispering Pines GC, Trinity
Linda Sackett, San Antonio amateur
Lee Sandlin, Texas Golf Association president, Dallas amateur
Zach Sewill, Conroe amateur
Jonathan Shipley, Texas Golf Association past president, Katy amateur
Randy Smith, PGA pro emeritus/director of instruction, Royal Oaks CC, Dallas
Shane Smith, Conroe amateur
Mark Steinbauer, PGA of America education faculty
Tom Strueber, pro emeritus Maridoe Golf Club
Eldon Tarver, Austin amateur
Steve Termeer, COO University of Texas Golf Club, Austin
Tammy Trichell, Helotes amateur
Mark Tylenda, Lewisville amateur
Casey Wade, Head professional High Meadow Ranch Golf Club, Magnolia
Pat Wheeler, freelance golf writer, Dallas amateur
Nannette Wheelis, Waco amateur
Jim Whitten, Arlington amateur
Greg Wille, Belton amateur
Chris Winn, Houston amateur
Find more golf coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
Source: Ranking the top 100 golf courses in Texas: Nos. 1-50 (2024)