[Kenny Baer]

I am heading to Dallas with my Dad this Sunday and Monday to visit my brother who is an apprentice at the Hank Haney Golf School.

He is taking his PAT at the Golf Club of Dallas on Tuesday;.  We were originally supposed to fly out on Sunday night and play GC of Dallas on Monday with my brother but we booked the tickets for the wrong days; we leave Sat night and get back Monday night.

What suggestions do you guys have; my brother likes Texas Star quite a bit.

Also I am a member of a club in Atlanta; are their places that I could have my pro call that would be reciprocal and reasonable for unaccompanined guest.

[Mike Demetriou]

Kenny,
I played 36 at Cowboys Country Club in June... it was the day after some tornados and massive thunderstorms that severely damaged the joint, so I couldn't tell you much about the conditions the course is normally in, but I loved the layout. It is a bit on the expensive side, but I thought that it was an excellent course.

[K. Krahenbuhl]

I've played both Texas Star and Tribute on the public side and enjoyed them both.

[jonathan_becker]

I've played both Texas Star and Tribute on the public side and enjoyed them both.

Kenny,

An old roommate of mine lived in Dallas for a while and he loved Texas Star.  I've never seen it, but I hear good things.

[Greg Clark]

I like Cowboys the best on the public side, but Texas Star is close in vicinity and quality at less than half the cost.  I'm sure you will like it.  The Tribute is made up of replica holes from Scottish courses.  It is very fun to play and always kept in fine condition.  I would recommend all three.  Tierra Verde is a good one also, but if you are staying in Dallas or a Dallas suburb, it is a bit of a hike.  I would stay with the other 3.  If you have more time, Pine Dunes in Frankston is about 2 hours away, and superior to the above mentioned courses.

Dallas area private courses are not the most difficult in the country to gain access to (of course some would require an invite by a member).  I am not sure on all their policies (and fees) for unaccompanied play.  PM me if you want some suggestions.

[John_Conley]

Support Jeff's work and go play Cowboys, Indian Creek or Tangle Ridge.  Cowboys is a pure CCFAD experience while the others are very good municipal courses.  I've been looking forward to getting back to Indian Creek, site of a Charles Barkley outing on his TGC show.

[Jay Flemma]

cowboys is great and right near the airport.  go and have a blast!

[Jason McNamara]

There's a resort out by Mineral Wells that's been mentioned to me, a Devlin/von Hagge course called the Cliffs.  Looks OK, except for a goofy bunker or two maybe, but I'd think in your average north Texas "breeze" it would be tough to the point of not fun.  (Fine, of course, if a tough day at the office is what you want.)  Anyone been?

[mike_beene]

Is the Golf Club of Dallas an option?It is a pretty good old course that has been redone. The people there are very nice.I am out of town so cant invite you to play my course.Cowboys was haveing some green issues last month.For a reasonable option try Bear Creek at the airport.You might have luck with pro calling one of the clubs.There is not a lot of play this time a year...but Sept is coming.

[Kenny Baer]

I think we are going to play Golf Club of Dallas as that is where my brother is taking his PAT on Tuesday; it makes sense for us to play there as it is cheap and it will do him good to play a practice round. 

I want to thank everyone for all the tips.  This really isn't a "golf trip" just more a trip to visit my brother and see where he works, he moved out there a couple of months ago.

I will be going back in September or October for a long weekend and try to play a few more courses.  My brother has played most of the above mentioned courses and has liked them all; he said his favorite thus far is Texas Star or Tribute.  (He hasn't played Cowboys or any of the high end privates).

Thanks again.  If anyone of you ever come to Atlanta do not hesitate to shoot me a PM; I will be more than happy to take you to my course.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Kenny,

If I was in town Sunday I would go out and play with you somewhere.  But, I am gone.  If you are staying south side as it seems, then I do recommend Tangleridge as being the best public on that side of town, even if designed by you know who.....

[Greg Clark]

Jason,

I've been out to The Cliffs at Possum Kingdom a few times, although it has been at least 5 years since I have been there.  Stay and play packages are very cheap out there.  I've often wondered what people on this site would think of the course.  Most would probably not like it, because it is the definition of target golf, and many holes don't offer much in terms of options.  It is a highly penal course.  Several years ago I played 36 holes with 2 friends that are both poor golfers.  I would estimate they lost 50 to 70 balls between them.  Several holes of the course play along the cliffs that sit above Possum Kingdom Lake.  The terrain is hill country like, and combined with the lake below offers a very scenic spot for golf.

There are a lot of forced carries over ravines and chances for you to hit your ball off a cliff.  There is alot of quirk as well, including a nearly horseshoe shaped par 5, and a par 3 with about a 150 foot drop.  There are quite a few hero shot chances which get the heart racing, but can beat up the less accomplished golfer.  The all carry par 3 3rd hole is a great example.  The times I've played it, the course has been in playable condition - not great, not bad.  I wouldn't want to play it every day, but I've always enjoyed getting out there.  It has great views, has some very interesting holes (some silly ones too) and is unlike anything else in the area.  From the right tees a good score can be had.  I would be interested in what others who have played it think.

This will get you to a page that has a few pics of the course and facilities.
http://www.thecliffsresort.com/getdoc/79ac388f-9099-4353-9529-2c88199ee9cd/Photo-Gallery.aspx

[Kenny Baer]

Kenny,

If I was in town Sunday I would go out and play with you somewhere.  But, I am gone.  If you are staying south side as it seems, then I do recommend Tangleridge as being the best public on that side of town, even if designed by you know who.....

Thank you; I will talk to my brother; I am sure I will be back in the D many times over the coming years as my brother is living there; I hope to play some golf with you.

[Lou_Duran]

Re: Possum Kingdom- Cliffs

I was cajoled some years ago with a free set of Callaway irons to look at some real estate the owner was selling.  It had been several years since I had played the course, and the bad taste it previously left in my mouth had worn off.  I love the area- the lake is one of the more attractive in the state- and found a very large corner lot off the course that was a bargain ($10,000).  I signed the paperwork to purchase contingent on playing the course.  It only took a few holes before I remembered why I disliked the course so much, and much to the disappointment of the marketing agent, I tore up my contract and the credit card deposit.

Cliffs is as close to stunning aesthetically as it is unplayable for 99% of golfers.  von Hagge would tell you that they didn't get to finish the course, and that the clearing and maintenance is inadequate for the design.  The forced carries are but one of the problems, which could at least be alleviated somewhat by alternative routes if they existed.  The course suffered financial setbacks from day 1, though I am not sure that the design could be overcomed with more money.  I consider this course to be a truly missed opportunity.  If Weiskopf and Morrish, or C & C, Doak, Young, Brauer, Colligan, Hanse, et. al. were given this site, I think a superior course would have resulted.   

[Jeff_Brauer]

I was out to Cliffs late last year and was surprised at how much I liked it, after recalling how little I liked it the first time I played about 20 years ago.  Its one of those deals where we accept Von Hagge shaping as overdone, but as I looked at it again, it was kind of cool, because no one does it that way anymore.  No one ever really did it exactly like RVH anyway.

But, it is a hard course for average golfers.  Many, many RVH courses were built specifically to create shadow patterns to sell real estate with little regard for the effects on play of the average golfer.  For that matter, most good golfers don't like the overshaping just because they can find so many funky lies so close to a fw.

[Jason McNamara]

Thanks for all the feedback, guys.  Confirms what I suspected.  Play once if in the immediate area, play it in the morning before the wind comes up, and do not invite Lou.  :-)

[K. Krahenbuhl]

The simple solution may be if traveling away from the metroplex for golf head directly to Pine Dunes in Frankston and ask questions later.

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