There are a whole lot of fantastic public golf courses in the state of Texas, but membership at a private club puts you at the top of the food chain for a quality golf experience. Limited play at private clubs pretty much guarantees that course conditions will be great, and you can also say goodbye to the 5-hour round.
Texas boasts 35 private clubs receiving a GolfDay rating of 90 or higher, among the most of any state in the country, and just under 100 clubs were rated at 80 or better—which means you shouldn’t have to look far to find a top echelon course to call home.
We’ve included our Top 30 below, or you can spin through all of the private courses in Texas listed by GolfDay Rating. Clubs are listed on the basis of GolfDay Rating, and listings include a link to the club website, the year founded, course architect(s), current USGA course and slope ratings, a link to course description (where available) as well as a link to Google Maps for each location.
The Texas Top 30 include three original Jack Nicklaus designs, beginning with Whispering Pines (#1) and include the Traditions Club at Texas A&M (co-designed with Jack II), and the Nicklaus course at Carlton Woods.
Tom Fazio, perhaps the most celebrated architect of the past half century, designed five of our Top 30, including the Fazio course at Carlton Woods (#2), Dallas National (#8) and Escondido Golf & Lake Club (#22). Tom also renovated the Jackrabbit course at The Champions Golf Club in Houston (#2), originally laid out by George Fazio (Tom’s uncle and early mentor).
Bluejack National by TGR Design, Tiger’s first course which opened to rave reviews back in 2016, is also among our Top 30 at #12.
Pete Dye (#9 Stonebridge Ranch) and Rees Jones (#27 Shadow Hawk) are also included, as well as the fantastic remodel of Tom Fazio’s original Vaquero Club design by Andrew Green. To view courses by location, use the GolfDay Search Engine and select “where you are” or where you plan to be (by entering the city or zip code). You can also refine your search and save time by adding a description and the features you are looking for.
- Whispering Pines Golf Club/Trinity
- Founded: 2000
- Holes: 27 (Eighteen-Hole Course and Nine Hole Par 3)
- Course Architects: Jack Nicklaus/Chet Williams
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 77.0 rating/150 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 97.8
- Location
- The Club at Carlton Woods/The Woodlands
- Founded: 2001
- Holes: 36 (2-Eighteen Hole Courses)
- Course Architects: Jack Nicklaus/Tom Fazio
- USGA Course/Slope Rating:
Nicklaus: 78.1 Rating/148 Slope
Fazio: 75.7 Rating/143 Slope - Description
- GolfDay Rating: 95.3
- Location
- Champions Golf Club/Houston
- Founded: 1957
- Holes: 36 (2-Eighteen Hole Courses
- Course Architects: Ralph Plummer/George Fazio/Tom Fazio
- USGA Course/Slope Rating:
Cypress Creek: 75.8 Rating/134 Slope
Jackrabbit: 74.4 Rating/138 Slope - Description
- GolfDay Rating: 95.3
- Location
- Brook Hollow Golf Club/Dallas
- Founded: 1920
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: A. W. Tillinghast/Perry Maxwell/Ralph Plummer/Jay Morrish/Keith Foster/Kevin Hargrave
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.2 rating/139 Slope
- GolfDay Rating: 95.2
- Location
- Dallas Athletic Club/Dallas
- Founded: 1954
- Holes: 36 (2-Eighteen Hole Courses)
- Course Architects: Ralph Plummer/Jack Nicklaus
- USGA Course/Slope Rating:
Blue: 73.8 Rating/140 Slope
Gold: 75.0 Rating/143 Slope - Description
- GolfDay Rating: 94.7
- Location
- Colonial Country Club/Fort Worth
- Founded: 1936
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Perry Maxwell/Keith Foster/Kevin Hargrave/Gil Hanse/Jim Wagner
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 76.5 Rating/137 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 94.6
- Location
- Shady Oaks Country Club/Fort Worth
- Founded: 1958
- Holes: 27 (Eighteen-Hole Course and Nine Hole Par 3)
- Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Sr./Lawrence Hughes/Ralph Plummer/Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw/Geoff Ogilvy/Mike Cocking/Ashley Mead
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.0 Rating/138 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 94.0
- Location
- Dallas National Golf Club/Dallas
- Founded: 2002
- Holes: 18
- Course Architect: Tom Fazio
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 76.2 Rating/147 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 95.3
- Location
- Stonebridge Ranch Country Club/McKinney
- Founded: 1988
- Holes: 45 (3 Nine-Hole Courses and Eighteen Hole Course)
- Course Architects: Arthur Hills/John Colligan/Lanny Watkins/Kurt Bowman/Pete Dye
- USGA Course/Slope Rating:
Chisolm/Hills: 37.3 Rating/131 Slope
Cimmeron/Hills: 37.0 Rating/131 Slope
Saddleback/Hills: 36.7 Rating/129 Slope
Dye: 77.5 Rating/151 Slope - Description
- GolfDay Rating: 95.3
- Location
- Vaquero Club/Westlake
- Founded: 2001
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Tom Fazio/Andrew Green
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 77.3 Rating/152 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 93.2
- Location
- Founded: 2003
- Holes: 24 (Eighteen-Hole Course and Six Hole Spieth Lower 40)
- Course Architects: Roy Bechtol/Randy Russell
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 76.6 Rating/145 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 93.2
- Location
- Bluejack National/Montgomery
- Founded: 2016
- Holes: 28 (18 Championship Course and 10 Hole Par 3 “The Playgrounds”)
- Course Architect: Tiger Woods
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.8 Rating/135 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 93.1
- Location
- Founded: 2004
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Jack Nicklaus/Jack Nicklaus II
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.6 Rating/152 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 92.9
- Location
- River Oaks Country Club/Houston
- Founded: 1924
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Donald Ross/Ralph Plummer/Joe Finger/Rees Jones/Tom Fazio/Logan Fazio
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.9 Rating/137 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 92.6
- Location
- Northwood Club/Dallas
- Founded: 1950
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: William Diddel/Ralph Plummer/Marvin Ferguson/Jay Morrish/Tripp Davis
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.6 Rating/138 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 92.6
- Location
- Royal Oaks Country Club, Dallas
- Founded: 1969
- Holes:18
- Course Architects: Don January/Billy Martindale/Arthur Davis/Jay Morrish/D.A. Weibring/Steve Wolfard
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 76.0 Rating/138 Slope
- GolfDay Rating: 92.4
- Location
- Founded: 2016
- Holes: 27
- Course Architect: Chet Williams
- USGA Course/Slope Rating:
The Covey: 76.1 Rating/147 Slope
The Antler: 29.6 Rating/107 Slope - Description
- GolfDay Rating: 92.2
- Location
- Founded: 2015
- Holes: 18
- Course Architect: Pete Dye
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.7 Rating/150 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 92.2
- Location
- Founded: 1912
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Tom Bendelow/Ralph Plummer/Leon Howard/Ben Crenshaw/Bill Coore
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.3 Rating/137 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 92.0
- Location
- Founded: 2004
- Holes: 18
- Course Architect: Tom Weiskopf
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 76.7 Rating/147 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 91.7
- Location
- Founded: 1922
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: A.W. Tillinghast/Joe Finer/Ron Kirby/Jay Morrish/Tripp Davis
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.3 Rating/142 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 91.2
- Location
- Founded: 2006
- Holes: 18
- Course Architect: Tom Fazio
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.9 Rating/143 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 91.0
- Location
- Founded: 1911
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Tom Bendelow/A.W. Tillinghast/John Colligan
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 72.1 Rating/137 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 90.7
- Location
- Founded: 2002
- Holes: 18
- Course Architect: Bobby Weed
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.5 Rating/150 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 90.7
- Location
- Founded: 1927
- Holes: 27
- Course Architects: Ralph Plummer/Edmund Ault/Tom Clark/Steve Wolfard/D.A. Weibring
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 76.1 Rating/131 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 90.6
- Location
- Founded: 1999
- Holes: 18
- Course Architect: Rees Jones
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.6 Rating/139 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 90.6
- Location
- Founded: 2020
- Holes: 18
- Course Architect: Tom Fazio
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 78.3 Rating/143 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 90.6
- Location
- Founded: 1963
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Joe Finger/Jim Lipe
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.4 Rating/138 Slope
- Description
- GolfDay Rating: 90.5
- Location
- Founded: 1986
- Holes: 36
- Course Architects: Robert Von Hagge/Bruce Devlin/Damien Pascuzzo/Steve Pate
- USGA Course/Slope Rating:
Kings: 74.7 Rating/143 Slope
Queens: 74.6 Rating/141 Slope - Description
- GolfDay Rating: 90.4
- Location
- Founded: 1974
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Joe Finger/Ken Dye/Baxter Spann/Bruce Litell/Byron Nelson
- USGA Course/Slope Rating:
Kingswood-Island: 75.1 Rating/143 Slope
Kingswood-Forest: 74.9 Rating/142 Slope
Kingswood-Lake: 73.6 Rating/134 Slope
Kingswood-Marsh: 73.1 Rating/134 Slope
Deerwood: 75.1 Rating/132 Slope - Description
- GolfDay Rating: 90.3
- Location
The GolfDay private club rating is based on a variety of criteria, including the stature of the architect(s) who did the original design(s), updates that have been done on the course(s), the variety of courses located at the property, USGA Course and Slope Ratings, current local and national rankings by Golf Digest, as well as club longevity and prestige.