[Image: Halbert National via Forbes]<\/p>\n
They say money can\u2019t buy happiness, but whoever \u201cthey\u201d is probably hasn\u2019t meant David Dean Halbert.<\/p>\n
RELATED:\u00a0Andrew \u201cBeef\u201d Johnston set to kick off DP World Tour return from Australia<\/a><\/p>\n The 69-year-old American from Texas joined the Forbes 400 list for the first time earlier this year after the biotech he founded, Caris Life Sciences, went public. He\u2019s estimated to be worth $US4.9 billion and golfers will agree that he\u2019s spending his money wisely.<\/p>\n A couple years back, Halbert decided he wanted to build a private golf course on his property alongside Lake Granbury, about 60 kilometres southwest of Fort Worth. Initially, Halbert and his wife, Kathy, were thinking of constructing a small, par-3 course. \u201cI just wanted this little thing where if I didn\u2019t have anybody behind me and I could swing like an idiot,\u201d Kathy told Forbes.<\/p>\n Instead, David befriended Tom Fazio, arguably the world\u2019s best\u2014and most prolific (Fazio has a staggering 14 of Golf Digest\u2019s list of America\u2019s 100 Greatest Golf Courses) and hired him to build a \u201cno budget\u201d 7,500-yard (6,858m), par-72 championship layout by moving a million tons of dirt and planting thousands of trees on what used to be flat hayfields. After a couple years and $US50 million, Halbert National is open, although the owner expects to spend another $US20 million building a clubhouse and making other alterations.<\/p>\n Forget the fancy Ferraris and precious Picassos. Instead, new Forbes 400 member David D. Halbert chose the ultimate flex: convincing Tom Fazio to build him a \u201cno-budget\u201d 18-hole golf course in Texas. https:\/\/t.co\/5IgbxzfkCc<\/a> (Photo: Trevor Paulhus for Forbes) pic.twitter.com\/21X1I1qdmW<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Forbes (@Forbes) October 4, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n That\u2019s great news if you\u2019re a member of Halbert\u2019s family or one of his friends because the tee sheet is wide open otherwise. He\u2019s also tossed out invites to all Dallas-related tour stars including Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth and Bryson DeChambeau. Here\u2019s Forbes\u2019 full interview with Halbert about the course, working with Fazio and his business background.<\/p>\n Halbert describes golf as \u201csort of my only hobby\u201d and he plays to a 12.5 handicap index. But he\u2019s become a scratch when it comes to learning about golf course design and construction from one of the masters.<\/p>\n \u201cThe most fun thing I think I\u2019ve ever done was to build that course,\u201d Halbert tells Forbes.<\/p>\n Yep, he sounds pretty happy to us.<\/p>\n MORE NEWS:\u00a0Daniel Gale back home after international adventure<\/a><\/p>\n