THE COLONY — Now that all the snow is out of the way and temperatures are on the rise, it's time for local golfers to hit the links. And with that as a backdrop, Matthews Southwest CEO Jack Matthews is taking a calculated golfing gamble.
The Old American Golf Club is located in The Colony along the shores of Lake Lewisville. It's the only golf course in North Texas coming on line this year, the sister course to The Tribute, a popular set of links for local golfers patterned after great Scottish golf holes.
Old American is taking a different route; it is designed as an homage to the great American golf courses of the 1920s and 30s.
"You have to give people an experience," Matthews said. "You have to give them something different. It's not like going anywhere else in the Metroplex, really."
Unique or not, you'd think golf would be a tough sell in a still uncertain economy where discretionary income is more precious -- but not as tough as you might think.
Darrell Crall is the director of the Northern Texas section of the PGA. "Certainly everyone is watching their pocketbook," he said, "but with such great passion for the sport, it's hard to keep golfers away from the golf courses."
The numbers back him up. According to Golf Business magazine, the number of rounds played in Texas last year was up one percent from 2008. It is significant that the number is its up at all; even more so coming off 2008, when Texas was among national leaders with a six percent growth-rate in rounds.
Those numbers are advantageous for local golfers, as well. A sagging economy means relatively reasonable rates.
"Golf's accessibility makes it attractive," Crall said. "There is a price point and opportunity for everyone's budget."
So, while some private, more expensive clubs may struggle, public golf in North Texas is hanging tough.
That's good news for the local golfing set, especially with the Old American getting up and running in a couple of months.
E-mail jtrahan@wfaa.com
