Old American Golf Club
Soda Bar - NYLO

Golf Destination: Dallas

Big D Comes Up Big as a Golf Destination on the Rise

By Brian Weis

Dallas is known for many things: cattle, cowboys (football and the real thing), and BBQ. But "The Big D" isn't all belt buckles and brisket. The city is growing its reputation as a golf getaway replete with high-end, resort quality courses and daily fee gems.

And as any business traveler knows, hundreds of direct flights, daily make getting to Dallas as easy as a flat three foot putt. The winter months bring wide temperature swings, but "have clubs will travel" types who can break away on short notice can enjoy highs in the 60s and even 70s on occasion.

Where to Play

Old American Golf Club

Old American is the work of acclaimed designer Tripp Davis and PGA TOUR star and hometown hero Justin Leonard. Inspired by the 'Golden Age' of golf course architecture (1911 - 1937), Old American's natural contours, hazard styles, native grasses and green shapes were influenced by such masterpieces as Shinnecock Hills, National Golf Links, Prairie Dunes and Crystal Downs.

The course is quickly becoming known as "the place the pros play." Thanks to a 7,000-yard-plus layout with the chops to host a TOUR event, Old American is a regular stop for many DFW-based pros. Nathan Green, winner of the 2009 RBC Canadian Open, holds the course record. Green fired a 4-under-par 67 in February, breaking the previous record of 68 held by Leonard and K.J. Choi. Other pros playing Old American include Y.E. Yang, Rod Pampling, John Senden, Steven Bowditch, and Paul Stankowski.

More Information: (972) 370-4653, www.oldamericangolfclub.com

The Tribute

Situated next to Old American in The Tribute Resort Community, The Tribute is a true links golf experience simulating some of the most famous and challenging holes from renowned Scottish courses such as St. Andrews, Troon and Prestwick. In addition to offering an experience unlike any other in the Metroplex. The Tribute also has a quaint guest house with seven suites for traveling golfers.

More information: (972) 370-5465, www.thetribute.com

Where to Stay

NYLO

This chic boutique hotel developed by South Side steward Matthews Southwest opened in 2012 amid palpable buzz. The 102 year-old building in the trendy neighborhood is an architectural all-star in Dallas' lodging lineup. Walls are adorned with works from local artists, and the rooftop "Soda Bar" with its infinity pool and casual grill and has become one of the most popular "hangs" in the city. The hotel's 76 guest rooms feature original concrete floors and exposed ceilings.

For more information and reservations: www.nylohotels.com

Omni Dallas Hotel

The new Omni Dallas Hotel is smack-dab in the middle of downtown and provides easy access to restaurants, shops and entertainment. Featuring more than 1,000 guest rooms and dozens of luxury suites, the hotel is Dallas through-and-through (Larry Hagman and Linda Gray from the television show "Dallas" were even on-hand for the opening).

The hotel also provides on-site dining and entertainment. Golfers will want to be sure to check out Bob's Steak & Chop House, where Texas-sized steaks, shrimp and deserts are plentiful. The Owner's Box is an interactive sports bar with a 16-foot television that's sure to be showing the Cowboys, Mavs, Rangers, and any other Texas team.

More information: www.omnihotels.com/findahotel/dallashotel

Revised: 03/18/2013 - Article Viewed 33,816 Times

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.