Cowboys Golf Club has been a centerpiece for premium golf in the Metroplex for almost a quarter century. First opened in June 2001, this is the first and only NFL-branded golf club on the planet, and that brand recognition has brought golfers and visitors from around the globe. AVIDGOLFER has ranked Cowboys as the best daily fee course on the west side of the Metroplex for over 20 years straight based on its total package mentality, which includes a dynamic course layout, great course conditions, and top-of-the-food-chain dining and drink experiences, both on and off the course. The commitment to customer service is second to none, which makes this the go-to property for hundreds of corporate and charity tournaments annually.
“It’s amazing how many people come visit us from all around the world. You would be shocked how far some people come just to experience Cowboys and play the golf course,” said General Manager Mike Goff. “We have had guys from not only different parts of Texas, but other states and even places like the UK, Germany and Ireland come in and play the course while they’re here. We also get a lot of players during football season who come in town for a Cowboys game and want to play the course to complete their experience. This renovation will only make that experience better for those groups and, of course, our members and local daily fee guests.”
A few months back, as the turf began to wake up from winter, the agronomy team at Cowboys began noticing issues with several greens. The problem began to get worse in the following weeks, sounding alarms with players, course employees and Arcis executives. The initial thought was to give it some time to see if the greens responded to treatments and the warming weather. Unfortunately, the issues continued, and given Arcis’ commitment to providing a world-class experience for visitors to Cowboys GC, the decision was made to close during high-season to undergo a complete green renovation.
“I am excited about the transformation and what Cowboys will be. My feeling was we needed to make a significant investment in the golf course. We would love to be open and generating business, but we needed to evolve and needed to grow, so it’s exciting,” said Blake Walker, CEO of Arcis Golf.
However, with the decision to close for a four-month green update, Arcis execs and Cowboys Golf Club management saw a golden opportunity to not only renovate the putting surfaces, but also make other course improvements. Arcis had already commissioned course architect Beau Welling, known for renovation work on Atlanta Country Club, Ocean Forest Golf Club and Stanford Golf Course, as well as original designs like Fields Ranch West right up the road at the PGA development in Frisco, to spearhead its new 18-hole artificial turf putting course. So when the opportunity to pick Welling’s brain on a few course changes, presented itself, Arcis execs jumped at the chance. Welling and his team are re-contouring many of the 18 greens on the course, as well as changing some bunkering along the way. In addition to the recontouring of greens, many will also be restored to their original square footage after a quarter century of encroachment.
Speaking of that 18-hole putting course, this all-artificial turf layout will be built on about an acre of land just behind the existing clubhouse. Arcis is also planning to add an Airstream trailer as the centerpiece of the putting course, which will serve as a food truck. They are also kicking around the idea of a beer garden, which will have a similar vibe to the outdoor beer garden featured at Bear Creek Golf Course, which is another Arcis property near DFW Airport.
“As we began to think about each year and raising the bar, we wanted to do some things that are dynamic and different,” Walker said. “So in addition to the course work, we bought the Cowboys field and we’re bringing in the goal posts, we’re doing some gamification with the Toptracer technology, and with all that we brought in Beau Welling to work on the Cowboys-themed synthetic putting course. With all those projects about to begin, we decided that we have greens that need work due to their age and the soil composition, and we’ve lost a lot of pin placements due to loss of square footage on the greens, so let’s just do the greens, the bunkers, the tees and the cart paths and let’s work on trees. While this is a business interruption, which we hate to see, it’s part of our commitment to giving golfers the best experience possible, so we decided on a total transformation.”
In addition to the course changes and new 18-hole putting course, there will also be a driving range renovation. The new driving range will feature a 50-yard, game-used turf football field that Arcis purchased from the Dallas Cowboys. Once that portion is used, the remaining turf will be placed near the clubhouse as a spot for those on property for tournaments or other gatherings to enjoy. A goal post will also be placed about 100 yards from the tee area as a target for players to hit through. Also, the updated range will feature 16 hitting stations that use Toptracer technology, which will provide users with feedback on their game and also offers interactive games like long drive challenges, closest to the pin, or even full virtual rounds.
Arcis is not only reinvesting in Cowboys Golf Club to enhance the overall experience, but as the second-largest owner and operator of private, resort and daily fee clubs in the nation, Arcis has more than 70 properties and almost 7,500 employees. Recently, Arcis also acquired four of Invited Clubs assets, including a private club located in The Woodlands and three in Atlanta, Georgia. These acquisitions again signify Arcis’ commitment to growing not only their brand and footprint on the game of golf, but planned renovations at several of their other properties, including the one at Cowboys, offering insight into their dedication to making their acquisitions and current properties on the cutting edge of hospitality and overall customer enjoyment.
“In totality, it’s rare that you get a chance to do tees, green, bunkers and cart paths all at once,” Walker said. “Certainly, there are national clubs that shut down during the summer for renovations, but that’s not something Cowboys has ever done. It gave us an opportunity to double down in terms of what the experience could be, and we are able to do it now rather than over the course of the next five years.”
The renovation at Cowboys is scheduled to be complete in October of this year.