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Anthony_Nysse

  • Karma: +0/-0
Dallas National GC
« on: June 20, 2009, 08:18:45 PM »
I had the chance to play Dallas National today on my last weekend in Texas. What an incredible golf course! I think that this course debunks most of what people on this site think of Fazio's stuff. Firrt of all, the topography is unlike anything in Northern Texas, with views of the old Texas Staduim, downtown Dallas and also Grand Prairie. Most golf courses in the metroplex are dominated by flattish terrain. That alone, makes DN a special place and makes you feel like you're in the mountains of NC.
  The playing surfaces are dominated by zoysia grass-Cavalier zoysia on the fairways, Diamond zoysia on the tees and Palisade Zoysia roughs. The greens are a combination of Crenshaw and L-93 bentgrass and they are pure. Brannon Goodrich, Golf Course Superintendent, and his staff do a tremendous job keeping DN in some of the finest playing conditions I've ever seen. The zoysia played firm and fast, which are 2 characteristics not usually associated with zoysia. The greens were pure and had just the right speed.
  Let me first start with the greens. Several people I've spoken to felt the greens were over the top, full of countours and buried elephants. I think there are 18 very unique, and challenging greens there, a set of greens that require accurate approach shots and roller coasters putts and/or chips for missing the proper part of the green. I think the shortcut around the greens REALLY makes you put a premium an ANY approach shot.
  The par 3's are as good as any set in Texas, the distances and directions are all different. #3 is slightly uphill, usually downwind hole with some rock outcroppings. #5, at 225 yrds is not just a tough hole, but also a hole to pull the camera out on. #15 reminds me a bit of #5 at Pebble Beach, with its reverse redan style green and small bunkers inserted into the right side of the green.
  #10 is as good of a tee shot that can be found in Texas, if not anywhere in the country. 25+ miles views and a tee shot that drops 75 feet or more. #2 is a hard dogleg right that offeres a chance to get home in 2 if you have the guts to carry the bunker. All the par 5s offer a reward for the risk of trying to carry a bunker and getting into the speed slot.
  I think that #15 is the best par 4 on the course, with #9 a close 2nd.The fairway looks incredibly wide, until you get to the landing area. Fazio placed several small bunkers about 100 yds short of the green as it rises up hill about 30 feet. The green is slightly a tabletop green with a huge fall off area on the left side.
  Fazio also does a tremendous job in making the uphill holes not too taxing on the golfer. He could have easily designed several of the holes so uphill that many of the features would be blind to the golfer.
  The scale of DN is hard to describe other than HUGE-165 feet of elevations change, big, bold bunkering, big fairways, big greens with bold contours...DN is a BIG TIME golf course, a complete opposite of Colonial, Shady Oaks, Brook Hollow, etc....DN has earned its rankings and they are VERY well deserved. The vision of the club is all about continuing to improve the course and the future of the club is in good hands. There are a group of managers in place that have NOTHING but the best intrests of DN in their hearts.
  I think DN easily holds its own with the likes of Kinloch, The Honors and The Ocean Course with, IMO, a much better mix of holes than Maidtone, Harbor Town and Garden City. If you get a chance to play here, drop everything as this course will be the highlight to many players golf season.

Tony Nysse
Asst. Supt.
Colonial CC
Ft. Worth, TX
  
 
« Last Edit: June 20, 2009, 08:37:37 PM by Anthony_Nysse »
Anthony J. Nysse
Director of Golf Courses & Grounds
Apogee Club
Hobe Sound, FL

mike_beene

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2009, 09:19:39 PM »
Where are you going?

Anthony_Nysse

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2009, 10:20:18 PM »
Mike,
  I'm moving on to Pine Tree Golf Club, in Boynton Beach, FL. A 1961, Dick Wilson design, featuring tifeagle greens, tees and approaches. It's a personal favorite of mine and an opportunity that I could not pass up. Bobby Weed did the renovation work in 2005.

Tony Nysse
Asst. Supt.
Colonial CC
Ft. Worth, TX
Anthony J. Nysse
Director of Golf Courses & Grounds
Apogee Club
Hobe Sound, FL

mike_beene

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #3 on: June 20, 2009, 10:48:33 PM »
Tony,sounds like a grat deal.Also,getting out of here before the dog days is good as well.A relief not to have to keep bent alive in August.You sure had the course looking good for the tournament.Congrats.Mike

Ben Sims

  • Karma: +1/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #4 on: June 20, 2009, 11:36:06 PM »
Anthony,

Have you been down here to San Antonio and gotten on Briggs Ranch?  I hear that between it and Dallas Nash; they're the two best Fazio's around.  I've also heard them called "un-Fazio".

Carl Nichols

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2010, 05:53:05 PM »
Anyone have any pictures of DN? 

PThomas

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2010, 05:55:31 PM »
i might have some pictures but posting them is something i am not good at..if i can email to someone to post pls IM me
199 played, only Augusta National left to play!

Trey Kemp

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #7 on: March 17, 2010, 06:48:01 PM »
I have a bunch of pictures, I can upload them tomorrow.
twitter.com/TreyKempGCA

Michael Dugger

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #8 on: March 17, 2010, 08:05:48 PM »
It's only a matter of time before Matt Ward shows up glossing about the totality of the DN course.

T Kemp.  The treehouse would love those images you speak of, I've long wanted to see more of this course...
What does it matter if the poor player can putt all the way from tee to green, provided that he has to zigzag so frequently that he takes six or seven putts to reach it?     --Alistair Mackenzie--

Trey Kemp

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #9 on: March 18, 2010, 11:52:53 AM »
Okay, here are some pictures of Dallas National, I apologize in advance that there is not a picture of hole 1, I should have one at home and can upload it later.  All of these pictures were taken at different times of the year so it should give you a decent idea of what the course looks like year round.

Hole 2 from middle tee


Hole 2 from fairway


Hole 3


Hole 4


Hole 5


Hole 5 from behind


Hole 6


Hole 7


Hole 7 from behind


Hole 8


Hole 9


Hole 9 from behind


Hole 10


Hole 10 fairway bunkers


Hole 11


Hole 11 from fairway


Hole 12


Hole 13


Hole 13 lower tee


Hole 13 side view


Hole 14


Hole 15 back tee


Hole 15 forward tee


Hole 15 from behind


Hole 16


Hole 16 fairway


Hole 16 greenside bunker


Hole 17


Hole 17 zoom


Hole 18 back tee


Hole 18 middle tee


Hole 18 approach


Short Game Area


Clubhouse front view


Clubhouse from 18


Halfway House






twitter.com/TreyKempGCA

Andy Troeger

Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #10 on: April 19, 2010, 09:22:24 PM »
For some reason this thread didn't generate a lot of discussion the first time around. I had a chance to play Dallas National this morning--as Tony says its a heck of a golf course and one of Fazio's better designs. I'm not sure I'd give it credit for being mountainous, but it certainly has much more significant terrain than the rest of the area. That said, we did walk it which made for a nice experience as well. I think Tony did a good job of pointing out the most notable holes--I probably would give the nod to #9 as my favorite hole but could certainly see reasonable arguments for a half-dozen others.

Anyone else out there played it?

Sean Leary

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #11 on: April 19, 2010, 09:50:19 PM »
Hi Andy,

I have not but its at the top of my Fazio courses I would like to play. Have you played any others in Dallas and how does in compare?


Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #12 on: April 19, 2010, 10:07:03 PM »
There's a lot in common with the two Fazio courses at Barton Creek, the terrain is somewhat similar and the holes have basic similarities.

mike_beene

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #13 on: April 19, 2010, 10:24:58 PM »
The White Rock Escarpment(sp?) that it sits on runs pretty much down Interstate 35 and was the historical division between the west and the south.To the east of the rise was the farming and plantation land and everything west,where the rainfall is less,was the ranch land.Thus the feel of Dallas being more southern and Ft Worth being western is pretty accurate.That being said the course is too hilly for everyday play.

Andy Troeger

Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #14 on: April 19, 2010, 10:30:13 PM »
Hi Andy,

I have not but its at the top of my Fazio courses I would like to play. Have you played any others in Dallas and how does in compare?


I played Colonial and Vaquero too. Colonial and Dallas National are totally different--they both are very good examples from their respective eras. Dallas National is a much "bigger" course and would be my preference of the two. I think it has a little better variety of holes and greens. Those that prefer classic courses would probably stick with Colonial.

Vaquero has great facilities and a good golf course. The course is not nearly as dramatic as Dallas National, but its worth playing if you get the opportunity.

Joel_Stewart

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #15 on: April 05, 2012, 11:45:47 PM »
I played here yesterday.  It's a really nice club, great membership and fantastic staff and practice facility.

I've always wanted to play here since a number of years ago Dallas National beat Friars Head as the best new course from Golf Digest.  I can't remember what year that was but I was shocked anything could beat Friars Head.  I can see why some panelists thought that, but personally I still prefer FH.

As for Fazio courses, I would rate it in his top 15.  As others said, it's a difficult property.  I'm told he did 11 different formal routings.  They had several issues with various agencies so this was the final routing.


mike_beene

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #16 on: April 06, 2012, 12:26:52 AM »
You had a great day for it after tornado alley the day before.Was there any damage?The tornado that went northeast got really close and at one point had downtown in its path.

Joel_Stewart

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #17 on: April 06, 2012, 02:52:08 PM »
You had a great day for it after tornado alley the day before.Was there any damage?The tornado that went northeast got really close and at one point had downtown in its path.

There was quite a bit of damage south of the property on Hwy 20 but the club had no damage and I'm told very little wind.  There was no debris on the course at all.  The greens are slightly slower than they expect this time of year because of the rain, but the course is in excellent shape.  They have a crew of 17 and I'm sure it's in tip top condition all the time.  The club has zoysia fairways and bent greens.

mike_beene

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #18 on: April 06, 2012, 06:26:09 PM »
The course is a tough walk with the canyons.It plays a lot easier than it walks.

Sam Morrow

Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #19 on: April 06, 2012, 08:37:43 PM »
The course is a tough walk with the canyons.It plays a lot easier than it walks.

I wouldn't walk it, the forecaddies earn their pay.

mike_beene

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #20 on: April 07, 2012, 08:20:04 PM »
Barry,you are about to have Oak Cliff CC as it to my understanding will become daily fee. For a course to play everyday,I think the property at DN is too severe. There are some that walk it all the time, but it doesn't seem like a walk in the park at all.I am hearing great things about Stevens Park also.

Mark Saltzman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #21 on: April 07, 2012, 08:33:59 PM »
Mike, Oak Cliff as in GC of Dallas?

mike_beene

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #22 on: April 07, 2012, 11:26:57 PM »
Yes,but I forgot they changed the name and have never heard it referred to casually as anything but Oak Cliff.Last and maybe only tour stop where the head pro won the PGA event.Reevs Mcbee in late 60s I believe.

Joel_Stewart

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #23 on: April 08, 2012, 11:37:20 AM »
That being said the course is too hilly for everyday play.

We walked while the caddie took a cart.  There are maybe 2 spots where we all got on the cart and rode up a hill.  One of the members I played with who was 68 said he walks it and carries his clubs.  In the summer I suspect everyone rides.  Last summer they had something like 70 straight days in the 100's.

I wouldn't call it "slick" yet the staff and facilities are very well polished.  Add in the people (staff and members) are so damn nice you can't help but have a good time.


Sam Morrow

Re: Dallas National GC
« Reply #24 on: April 08, 2012, 08:49:26 PM »
Yes,but I forgot they changed the name and have never heard it referred to casually as anything but Oak Cliff.Last and maybe only tour stop where the head pro won the PGA event.Reevs Mcbee in late 60s I believe.

Mike I'm curious to hear your thoughts on that course, I didn't know it was going public.

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