Enjoy a Great Golf Vacation

The Upper East Side of Texas Is Home to Many Resorts

By Lisa Tang

The region is home to many golf resorts and courses open to the public. Several offer amenities suitable for a family or couples’ vacation and can rival top resorts nationwide. A trip to one of the many golf resorts in the Upper East Side of Texas is more than just a good economic choice — it can also be an enjoyable experience for everyone.

Some courses include challenging designs by elite players and boast national awards. Examples include the course at Tanglewood Resort in Grayson County designed by Arnold Palmer; another is Pine Dunes in Anderson County, which features a championship fairway and is highly rated by professional golfers. There’s also plenty of evidence for the growing enthusiasm for golf across the region. In 2022 the Professional Golfer’s Association of America (PGA) opened its new headquarters in Frisco, Texas, and Dallas-based Top Golf — an entertainment venue that combines the competitive fun of driving balls with opportuni- ties to enjoy food and drink in a relaxed setting — continued opening franchises across the globe.

PGA established August as National Golf Month in 1993 to commemorate the sport’s popularity among players of all ages, abilities, and skill levels. Three decades later the game is still gaining players and fans. Local resorts and courses sponsor tournaments and sports camps, and Dozens of semi-private country clubs in the region allow the public to play green fees at relatively low rates

The value of golfing in the region is hard to beat. Green fees vary but often include use of a cart; discounts are available for youth and seniors; and many courses allow spectators for no additional fee as long as they ride with a player or two.

The benefits of golfing are many. It’s great exercise and offers physical, mental and social benefits. Chance meetings on the course are common, as golfers with lower skills must yield to others racing through. New acquaintances are often made at the clubhouse, restaurant, or pro shop. Even those who begin playing alone often team up with others they meet on the course to make the game more interesting.

Physical benefits include low impact exercise from walking, increased heart rate, and Vitamin D absorption that comes from spending time outdoors. The game is also mentally challenging because it requires strategizing and keeping a level head to stay in the game. Beginning players and youth who stay the course for nine or more holes can build confidence in their athletic abilities and gain a sense of accomplishment.

Playing golf also allows time for bonding among friends and between parents and children. A parent, grandparent, or other relative who plays with a young continued page 14 golfer can share their knowledge and appreciation for the sport while providing valuable coaching and together time.

Learning the game’s rules allows youth to learn discipline and sportsmanship while they also gain self-confidence. Some resorts offer competitive opportunities for youth through participation on teams and state and nation tournaments.

Almost all resorts in the region provide sweeping views of majestic scenery and wildlife with tall pines, ponds, lakes, and waterways. These are complemented by spacious and family-friendly accommodations with access to activities such as swimming, tennis, hiking, and pickleball. Many resorts offer much more than golf — they provide a relaxing experience and a variety of activities that can be enjoyed by couples, families, and other groups — including those just along for the ride. Guests can enjoy photography, sketching, or bird watching as they encounter wildlife and native plants.

Resorts offering a variety of amenities in addition to public golf and overnight lodging include Crown Colony Country Club in Angelina County, Garden Valley Resort in Smith County, the Links at Land’s End in Wood County, Pine Dunes in Anderson County, Tempest Golf Club in Gregg County, and Rayburn Resort in Jasper County.

Crown Colony Country Club

Crown Colony offers spacious villas outfitted with large sleeping areas, kitchenettes, washers and dryers, separate sitting rooms, and patios with tables and views of the golf course. Guests who stay at the villas — rates begin at $150 per night — can access the club’s facilities and restaurants. Pet-friendly accommodations are also available.

The resort offers both fine and casual dining and hosts special events. The grounds include six lighted tennis courts, an exercise room, and an Olympic-sized pool. Tennis and golf lessons are available.

The club started its Junior Golf Club in 2011 with the goal of providing com- continued page 16 petitive play for teams of young players. The program has grown to a PGA Junior League with four or more teams. Crown Colony also offers summer sports camps for kids that include tennis, swimming, and fishing. For information call (936) 637-8811 or visit www.crown-colony.site.

Garden Valley Resort

Garden Valley near Lindale features the Dogwood Course designed by architect John Sanford of Florida whose courses are found around the U.S. and Middle East. The challenging course features picturesque waterways and receives praise from both local golfers and national organizations.

The venue hosts weekend golf retreats, corporate events, and private events such as weddings. Lodging costs an average of $500 per night in the club’s private cottages that comfortably sleep 10 to 12. Cottages are equipped with kitchens and lunch is served at The Perfect 19th Hole Thursday through Saturday. A small swimming pool overlooking the course is also available. For information call (800) 443-8577 or visit www.gardenvalleytx. com.

Links at Land’s End

Golf at The Links offers spectacular views of nature and wildlife. The 18hole course fairway begins on land and continues along a peninsula with expansive and picturesque views of Lake Fork. Birds and deer are frequently seen grazing near the fairways.

Cool breezes from the lake and shade from the surrounding trees offer respite on sunny days. An outdoor swimming pool near The Lodge offers welcome relaxation after a game and welcome play time for families with young children. The Lodge is spacious with rates starting at $125 per night during the week. The Links are designed as a challenging course with water hazards, strategically placed sand bunkers, and specialty Bermuda grass. Dining is available at Jacky’s Pub and Restaurant from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For information call (903) 383-3290 or visit www.golflakefork.com.

Pine Dunes Resort

Pine Dunes in Frankston is noted by professional golfers such as David Frost as a challenging course with a unique landscape. It is also rated as the No. 1 public golf resort in Texas by GolfWeek Magazine and America’s No.1 “hidden gem” by the Golf Channel in 2021. Its contoured fairways were designed by Jay and Carter Morrish and combine a landscape of rolling sand bunkers with 100-year pine trees.

Green fees are $89 per person and up. The resort offers a variety of accommodations — from single rooms starting at $89 per night to condominiums next to the fairway to upscale lodging in the Double Eagle Lodge at $395 per night. The clubhouse is open for dining every day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The resort is located about 10 miles north of Palestine, which offers many options for dining and entertainment. For information call (903) 876-4336 or visit www.pinedunes.com.

Rayburn Resort

Rayburn Resort is located in Brookeland in Jasper County on the edge of the state’s second largest lake so activities naturally involve more than just golf. The Sam Rayburn Reservoir has a surface area of 179 square miles and is home to one of the state’s fisheries.

Golfers can play the Front and Back Nine courses — both newly renovated with new greens, tees, bunkers, fairways, and 150 feet of elevation. The so-called Family Nine is still under renovation.

The resort offers several lodging options — from private cottages to rooms in the lodge for $109 per night. The resort boasts a variety of other activities — boat rentals, water sports, a private beach, a swimming pool, and superb fishing on Lake Sam Rayburn.

Hiking, biking, and horseback riding are other activities at the resort. Restaurants and large event rooms for fine dining and private parties are available. Renovations for new activities and facilities are ongoing. For information call (409) 698-1002 or visit www.rayburn.com.

Tanglewood Resort

Tanglewood offers several family-friendly amenities in addition to championship golf on a course designed by legend Arnold Palmer and architect Ralph Plummer.

One of the main attractions is the spacious and enticing swimming pool with a multi-level design and an enclosed slide. Kids enjoy going from one pool to the next and adults enjoy dining or lounging on the comfortable furnishings. There are fire pits, indoor and outdoor dining at the grill with an open view of the swimming area, a Tiki bar, and fine dining with views of Lake Texoma.

A small outdoor playground and an indoor game room are also located in the pool area. Hotel rooms, suites, and luxury villas are available starting at $129 per night. There’s also plenty to explore indoors and out. The luxury villas offer both full-sized kitchens and outdoor gathering spaces. Tennis courts are located near the hotels and the marina is only yards away from the resort.

The 18-hole Tanglewood golf course bears the distinction of becoming the first regulation course in the nation to install Diamond Zoysia hybrid grass. The Zoysia was developed at Texas A&M University and stays green all year despite extreme heat. For information call (609) 798-7148 or visit www.tanglewoodresort.com.

Tempest Golf Club

GolfLink.com rates The Tempest as the longest and best golf course in the Longview area with 18 holes and 7,070 yards. Formerly known as the Southern Hills Golf Club, The Tempest reopened in 2018 after a renovation and redesign by Bill Webb and Architect Jeff Brauer.

The course is also recognized by The Dallas Morning News as the “best outlying course outside Dallas Ft Worth.” Golf Digest has ranked The Tempest as the “18th Best Course in Texas You Can Play.”

The daily rate for 18 holes is $65 Monday through Thursday and $89 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Food service is available at the Neptune Grill & Bar, which offers a happy hour and indoor and outdoor seating.

Short-term and extended lodging are available at The Tempest. Stay and play packages begin at $600 for a one-night stay in a condominium with green fees for four. The course is open to the public and group tournaments. The Tempest also offers lessons for adults and young golfers, who have opportunities to play in competitive tournaments. For information call (903) 984-9335 or visit www. tempestgolfclub.com.