Best Golf Courses You Can Play in Dallas

The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is 385 square miles of history and seemingly endless reasons to visit. If you’re a golfer, this area provides some of the best public courses in the southern U.S. Let’s take a look at some of the best Dallas golf courses for you to cross off your list before enjoying a sizable Texas barbeque feast.

Tierra Verde Golf Club (Arlington)

We start with a no-brainer choice, Tierra Verde Golf Club. One of Texas’ most decorated and awarded golf courses is truly one that you can’t skip when visiting the Dallas area. Located 35 miles southwest of downtown Dallas, Tierra Verde is a partnership between the City of Arlington, Graham & Panks International, and Audubon International. The land is not only a championship golf course but also the first municipal course in the world to be certified as an Audubon Signature Sanctuary. Be prepared to take some amazing pictures from the first tee to your final putt.

From the tips, Tierra Verde is 6,975 yards with a 73.3 rating and 129 slopes (par-72). On a weekend the course is a reasonable rate of $75, but if you can play during the week you can find rates around $55 with twilight discounts available as well. Tierra Verde provides a challenging layout, beautiful scenery, and a greens fee that you’ll be happy to pay again and again.
 

Waterchase Golf Club (Fort Worth)

If you’re a fan of risk vs reward-type courses, Waterchase Golf Club is one of the best you’ll find. The course has a great mix of tree-lined holes, split fairways, and decisions to make on carrying water. Over your 18-hole round, you’ll have five par threes and five par fives, so there are plenty of scoring opportunities to be had. You’ll also get two looks at a scenic waterfall that sits between holes 9 and 18.

Waterchase Golf Club is a 23-mile drive straight west of downtown Dallas on I-30. It’s easily accessible no matter where in Dallas you’re staying. The Steve Plummer design has six sets of tees with the tips playing 7,159 yards with a 74.7 rating and 135 slope (par-72). $76 is what you’ll pay to play on a weekend with weekday rates falling to around $60. Another great value in the Lone Star State.
 

Heritage Ranch Golf & Country Club (McKinney)

Heritage Ranch Golf & Country Club is a course that you’ll be surprised takes daily fees because everything about it feels like members only. The course does have a membership, however, if you’re local and interested. Designed by Arthur Hills, Heritage Ranch is playable for all levels, but the longer hitter faces some daunting tee shots from the back tees. There’s plenty of water to navigate in addition to some challenging elevation changes. The rolling terrain will leave you with some fun second shots to navigate.

The course is located 30 miles northeast of downtown Dallas in McKinney, just a quick drive on Route 75 through Plano. The back tees play 6,988 yards with a 73.6 rating and 133 slope (par-72). Prime weekend rates will run about $90 per player with weekday times available around $60.
 

Cowboys Golf Club (Grapevine)

How bout them…par saves? Cowboys Golf Club is a truly unique experience as the only NFL-themed golf course in the world. Aside from being a world-class facility, it’s a football and golf fan’s dream, unless you root for the Giants, Eagles, or Commanders. Everywhere you turn you’re reminded that you’re in Jerry Jones’ world of the Dallas Cowboys from the restaurant to the Lombardi trophies that are on display. The course is no gimmick, however. This Jeff Brauer design boasts significant elevation changes, heavily forested areas, and natural waterways that come into play often.

Located in Grapevine, which is a 21-mile drive northwest of downtown Dallas on Route 114, Cowboys Golf Club is truly an experience in golf and football. Prime weekend tee times will run around $240 per player, but a weekday rate can go as low as $140 depending on the time you can play. The back tees stretch out to 7,017 yards with a 74.7 rating and 140 slope (par-72). Cowboys Golf Club is certainly a test of golf and fandom.
 

Tour 18 (Flower Mound)

Everyone has a golf course bucket list but few are able to cross every single track from that list in their lifetime. Tour 18 is the next best thing because you get to play 18 holes that mimic some of the most iconic landscapes in all of golf. Tour 18 isn’t your average “tribute course” because you can actually see the details in the designs. For the first 15 holes, you’ll run into replicas from Baltusrol, Winged Foot, and even an island green to the specs of the 17th at TPC Sawgrass. Holes 16, 17, and 18, however, put Tour 18 over the top as they are modeled after Amen Corner at Augusta National.

All-in-all, the championship tees measure 6,782 yards with a 72.7 rating and 129 slope (par-72). The course is located in Flower Mound, which is a 40-mile drive northwest of downtown Dallas. $125 is what you’ll pay for a weekend prime time and weekday rates run around $83 per player.
 

Golf Clubs at The Tribute (The Colony)

If you’re heading to Dallas and only have two courses to play, Golf Clubs at The Tribute provides 36 holes of golf you won’t soon forget. A 32-mile drive northwest of downtown Dallas wraps around a beautiful lake landscape and ends on Stewart Peninsula, where this remote experience goes above and beyond just golf.

The Tribute Golf Links is a Scottish links-style course designed by Tripp Davis and is a tribute to some of the most iconic holes in Scotland. With dunes and challenging hazards, this is a unique experience that might make you forget you’re in Texas. Challenging and beautifully manicured, The Tribute course is 6,970 yards with a 73.9 rating and 130 slope (par-72). Greens fees will be around $150 for weekend play and $110 for weekdays.

The Old American Golf Club is the other course on the property and is another Davis design that will remind you of Shinnecock with its naturally-shaped bunkers and dunes. David partnered with Texas-native Justin Leonard on this design. The course hosts the LPGA VOA Classic each September. From the tips it measures 7,076 yards with a 75.2 rating and 145 slope (par-71). The Old American rate is $175 every day of the week.
 

Texas Rangers Golf Club (Arlington)

Earlier, we featured a golf course for the NFL fan, and now we find a course devoted to America’s pastime with Texas Rangers Golf Club. Located in Arlington’s Entertainment District, this golf course marries golf and baseball perfectly. The only MLB-themed golf course in the world, Texas Rangers Golf Club opened in 2021 as a complete renovation, including a modern clubhouse. The course is playable, with large open fairways with plenty of safe space to land. Bunkers are aplenty and will be one of the main hazards you’ll have to deal with. John Colligan is the course architect and you’ll love how each hole has its own baseball-themed name such as Upper Deck and Walk Off.

From the tips, Texas Rangers Golf Club measures 7,010 yards 73.7 rating and 132 slope (par-72). Weekend rates run $125 per player with weekday discounts around $90. For the golf and baseball enthusiast, it’s a must-play.
 

The Dallas Golf Scene

The Dallas- Ft. Worth area has a rich golf history that is surrounded by professional events as well as tour pros who call the area home.

The first golf course in Dallas was Cedar Crest Park Golf Course which was built in 1919 and can still be played today. The course hosted the 1927 PGA Championship which was won by Walter Hagen in what would be his fifth and final time winning the event.

TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney is one of the best courses in all of Texas and is the tournament host of the PGA Tour’s AT&T Byron Nelson. The event is held each May and bears Nelson’s name as the hall-of-famer was a lifelong Texan.

Dallas is well-represented among today’s stars of the PGA Tour with Jordan Spieth, Will Zalatoris, and Scottie Scheffler all from the Dallas area. The legendary Ben Hogan was born in Dublin, Texas but moved to Fort Worth as a young man and called the city home. Lee Trevino was born and raised in the city of Garland, which is just northeast of Dallas.