Aerial view the new Fields Ranch West golf course at PGA of America in Frisco on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.
Smiley N. Pool/Staff Photographer
The Dallas Morning News course rankings are a team effort. The 77 panel members were given a ballot of 300 courses and asked to rate them on a 10-point scale. Panel members are golf professionals, golf course architects, superintendents, people involved in the golf course industry and amateurs. Many of the amateurs compete in statewide and national events, and others have GHIN indexes north of 10.
Not even the most avid golfer has played all 300 courses, and the first marching order all panel members are given is to vote only for the courses they have played, preferably within the last five years. We also give each of the panel members a list of criteria to consider when rating. These criteria are similar to what national golf publications use.
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The votes are tabulated, and a process known as winsorization is used to account for outliers – high and low – to smooth the data. Because not every course is rated by every panel member, we determined that a course must receive votes from at least 13% of the panel members (10 this year) to be eligible for Top 100 consideration and for the top-50 public course list and the two lists of public courses broken down by price points. Fee is the cost of greens fee and cart for a prime Saturday tee time. Fees are from April 2026. Actual rates may vary. At some resorts, a player must be a guest at the resort to play the course.
Top courses over $100
2026
rank
Course
Location
Designer
Year
open
Fee
2025
rank
1
Black Jack’s Crossing
Lajitas
Lanny Wadkins
2011
427
1
2
Highland Pines Golf Club
Porter
Dave Relford/ Tour 18
Design Group
2023
160
3
3
TPC San Antonio AT&T Oaks
San Antonio
Greg Norman
2010
330
2
4
Fields Ranch West at PGA Frisco
Frisco
Beau Welling
2023
277
5
5
Rawls Course
Lubbock
Tom Doak
2003
149
6
6
Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco
Frisco
Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner
2023
277
4
7
Pine Dunes Resort
Frankston
Jay Morrish
2001
150
8
8
Omni Barton Creek, Fazio Foothills
Austin
Tom Fazio
1981
475
10
9
Memorial Park Golf Course
Houston
x-J. Bredemus; y-D. Marr,
J. Riviere; T. Doak, B. Koepka
1936
110
NR
10
TPC Las Colinas
Irving
x-Jay Morrish, Byron Nelson;
y-Weibring-Wolford
1983
275
11
11
Omni Barton Creek, Canyons Course
Austin
Tom Fazio
2000
475
9
12
The Quarry
San Antonio
Keith Foster
1993
197
12
13
TPC San Antonio AT&T Canyons
San Antonio
Pete Dye
2010
303
7
14
Crown Colony Country Club
Lufkin
Robert Von Hagge,
Bruce Devlin
1979
125
18
15
Horseshoe Bay, Ram Rock Course
Horseshoe Bay
Robert Trent Jones Sr.
1981
235
13
16
Golf Club of Houston, Tournament Course
Humble
Reese Jones, David Toms
2005
194
15
17
Tempest Golf Club
Gladewater
Jeffrey D. Brauer
2018
103
NR
18
Omni Barton Creek, Palmer Lakeside
Spicewood
Arnold Palmer
1986
269
21
19
Lost Pines Golf Club
Lost Pines
Arthur Hills
2006
214
22
20
Horseshoe Bay, Applerock Course
Horseshoe Bay
Robert Trent Jones Sr.
1985
235
20
21
Old American Golf Club
The Colony
Tripp Davis, Justin Leonard
2010
175
14
22
The Tribute Golf Links
The Colony
Tripp Davis
2000
129
16
23
Horseshoe Bay, Slick Rock Course
Horseshoe Bay
Robert Trent Jones Sr.
1972
235
24
24
Texas Rangers Golf Club
Arlington
Colligan Golf Design
2009
140
23
25
Cypresswood Golf Club, Tradition
Spring
Keith Foster
1997
117
NR
x-original design; y-redesign/renovation; NR-Not ranked; No longer ranked: 17. Stonebriar Resort, Fazio Course, Frisco; 19. Hyatt Hill Country Resort, San Antonio; 25. Omni Barton Creek, Crenshaw Cliffside, Austin
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Course rating criteria
Versatility: Does the course create a good mix for the high and low handicappers? Are better players challenged, while the high handicappers are able to enjoy play through the use of shorter teeing areas, alternate routes, location of hazards and accessible pins?
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Shotmaking: Does it test accuracy, finesse, length and putting without putting too much emphasis on any of these skills?
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Design: Is there a good balance? Differing lengths? Doglegs right and left? Placement of hazards? Contours and shapes of greens?
Afterthoughts: How much do you remember about the course? Do one or two holes stand out as great or bad?
Beauty: Do the scenic values add to the pleasure of a round? Trees, shrubs, hills, mounds, flowers, etc.?
Maintenance: How would you rate the course conditions, factoring in all aspects – tees, greens, fairways, bunkers? Spring, summer, fall or winter when viewed?
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Enjoyment: How do you feel about being at the course? What about the amenities? From arrival to departure, was it a good, bad or indifferent golf experience?
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2026 Texas Golf panelists
William Aycock, Conroe amateur
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Mike Bailey, Golf writer, Houston amateur
Robert Banta, Frisco Amateur
Walt Barnes, Addison amateur
Kemberly Barrett, Waco amateur
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Curt Breaux, Montgomery amateur
John Brechin, Allen amateur
Bruce Burger, Superintendent, The Quarry Golf Club
Mark Button, Director of business development, Texas Golf Association.
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Tony Campagna, Golf course sands and materials consultant
Miles Carlson, Former Superintendent at the Woodlands CC
Greg Clark, Frisco amateur
Beth Cleckler, Austin amateur
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John Cochran, Texas Golf Association director of competitions for South Texas
Brent Cooper, Dallas amateur
Robert Couture, Dallas amateur
Thomas Devanna, Head pro at White Bluff Resort, Lake Whitney
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Cameron Doan, Director of golf, Preston Trail Golf Club, Dallas
Conrad Doss, The Woodlands amateur
Camm Dougherty, Corpus Christi amateur
Evan Dunkerson, Director of golf, Midland Country Club
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Lou Duran, Frisco amateur
Bob Elliott, PGA life member, Dallas
Gilbert Freeman, Pro emeritus Lakewood CC, Dallas
Don Gafner, Dallas Golf Co. CEO, Sunnyvale amateur
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Edward Gatlin, PGA life member, Athens; director of AMWA
Bill Hanley, USGA/Texas Golf Association committee member
Mark Harrison, Northern Texas PGA CEO
Malcolm Holland, Past president of Texas Golf Association, Dallas amateur
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Mark Kazlowski, Texas Golf editor emeritus, Cedar Hill amateur
Robbie Kearney, PGA vice president of golf operations, Crescent Hotels and Resorts
Trey Kemp, Dallas-based golf course architect
Randy King, Horseshoe Bay amateur
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Tim King, Head professional, Brook Hollow Golf Club
Keith Kirkendall, Houston amateur
Lawson Klotz, Irving amateur
Nancy Kromar, Austin amateur
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Kellen Kubasak, Chief development officer for Golf San Antonio
Phyllis Kwedar, Fort Worth amateur
Ricky Lyons, General manager, Covey at Big Easy Ranch
Cathy Marino, Jesuit golf coach, LPGA professional
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Timm Matthews, PGA Tour podcast host, Dallas amateur
James McAfee, Golf writer, Plano amateur
Mike McCabe, GM Golf Clubs at the Tribute
Sam Morrow, Houston amateur
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Robert Neal, Mansfield amateur
Terry Olson, Vice president of sales and marketing, Lajitas Golf Resort
Britt Patton, PGA life member from Colleyville
Casey Paulson, President of sales and operations, Driftwood Golf Club
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Kevin Porter, Texas Golf Association director of competitions for North Texas
George Priolo, GM, PGA professional, Comanche Trail Golf Complex, Amarillo
Jim Quinn, Arlington amateur
Jerry Ransom, Greenville amateur
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Paul Richards, Austin amateur
Robert Rodriguez, San Antonio amateur
Casey Russell, director of golf, Big Easy Ranch
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Linda Sackett, Boerne amateur
Lee Sandlin, Former Texas Golf Association president, Dallas amateur
Jonathan Shipley, Former Texas Golf Association president, Katy amateur
Marty Slade Perlman, Dallas amateur
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Jeff Smelser, Superintendent, Galveston Country Club
Shane Smith, The Woodlands amateur
Randy Smith, PGA Professional Emeritus, Royal Oaks CC, Dallas.
Mark Steinbauer, PGA of America education faculty
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Art Stricklin, Golf writer, Plano amateur
Eldon Tarver, Austin amateur
Steve Termeer, GM/chief operating officer, University of Texas Golf Club, Austin
Tammy Trichell, Helotes amateur
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Mark Tylenda, Lewisville amateur
Casey Wade, head professional, Sterling CC at Houston National
Pat Wheeler, golf writer, Dallas amateur
Nanette Wheelis, Waco amateur
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Jim Whitten, Fort Worth amateur
Greg Wille, Belton amateur
Chris Winn, Houston amateur