Dfw Canyon Creek vs Prestonwood

[sevo]

I’m new to the board and have done searches looking for info on both courses, but haven’t found much. I’m looking to join one of these clubs under the YEX category. I’m hoping to get some feedback from those who are members or have played there. What do people like or hate about these courses. I also have a young family so any info on amenities would also be helpful.

[dfwgolf123]

Go play them as a prospect and see which one you like better. The membership director will set you up with a member that will host the round. All at no cost to you.

I have played both a couple times. I would go Prestonwood over Canyon Creek but that's just personal opinion. These are both among the lower price point Club Corp courses in DFW. You could always join one and if you didn't like it write off the small investment or switch. Club Corp will work with you to switch clubs.

Speaking of Club Corp, I'm a member at one of their clubs and can't tell you how much I hate Club Corp. That's another story.

If you can handle the drive and don't need family amenities, Old American is by far the best deal in DFW.

[sevo]

Thanks for the advice. I plan on reaching out to both clubs but wanted some different view points. I love old American as well! The commute might make it hard to really take advantage though.

Would you mind sharing your thoughts on why you hate Clubcorp?

[Jungleland]

I share a similar dislike of CC. When I lived in the Dallas area we had a ClubCorp course that ran through our neighborhood, it was one of their Tier 1 clubs. The club was over subscribed by 150 members + you have the ClubCorp model of allowing away play so the combination of an over subscribed course with non-local member play led to a course that was always crowded. Oh and add in outings, high school play, old guy day, woman’s day, etc. etc and I gladly forked out money to an equity club so I could just show up and play whenever I wanted to.

[sevo]

Thanks for the insight. I was hoping to avoid some of the crowds at public courses, but it doesn’t sound like that is going to be possible.

[dfwgolf123]

They care more about $ than members and it shows. Very greedy organization and hard to leave. Where to start? Way too many members and they are always trying to recruit more. They also love to sell out to private events and tournament outings crowding the parking lot and limiting play. They are always planning events for you to spend more $$$. The events are way overpriced for the value. Food is awful. Service is mediocre at best. The course is good and the shop staff are good, but that's it. I did the math yesterday, will cost me more than $1100 month just to play golf, ride in a cart and hit minimum F&B spend this year and I get all this other BS. If I want to leave I can put my name on the list, continue to pay dues, and wait 2-3 years to get my low-mid 5 figure initiation back.

[sevo]

Thank you for the reply and info. I didn’t realize how difficult they make it to leave the club.

[RichardsonTX]

I actually live right by Canyon Creek.

To inconsistent of a course for year round play at the price there asking. Most of the money dumped in the 2010 decade went towards renovating the pool and re-doing the clubhouse. The golf course needs a decent renovation to compete with high tier public courses

Currently only 5 out of the 18 tee boxes have winter grass/over-seeding and none of the fairways have any. Prestonwood and Brookhaven which are two nearby tier 2 courses have all tee-boxes green and a good chunk of the fairways green as well

Canyon creek is pretty (since it was built in an area that was naturally forest/green) but it's really only worth playing from like April to August. The practice area is actually worst than Prestonwoods which isn't good as well ( Brookhaven has by far the nicest practice area of the 3).

Alot of pure golfers (meaning they don't care about clubhouse or pool they just want to golf) have actually left Canyon in the last 3-4 years. Course 1 at Sherrill park and Pecan Hollow are both 2 nearby public options that are just as good during peak season (April-August) but are better in the winter. Practice facilities at both are better and there both alot cheaper than paying $400 a month for an inconsistent dated country club with a medicore practice facility.

Sherrill Park for example the putting area and chipping area (both of which are 10x better) are free if you bring your own balls and I can play weekdays (which is what I prefer, less busy) for anywhere from $15-35 depending on if I want cart or not. As you can see way more cost effective then paying $400 a month for Canyon Creek

[sevo]

Sounds like It’d be smarter to just stick with Sherril park and Pecan Hollow. Thank you for the info.

[tlehmann]

Pecan Hollow is a far superior course and practice facility IMO to Canyon Creek and Prestonwood. The greens are Pecan Hollow are as good as it gets before stepping into very high dollar courses. I've been down this road too. Old American is where I would join if I didn't live in Uptown Dallas. You're better off not spending money to join club corp. Pecan Hollow has a couple of frequent player options that help if you play there a ton. Pecan Hollow is one of my go-to's and definitely a partial sleeper in DFW.

[sevo]

Thanks to all that responded, you guys just saved me from wasting a day at each club.

[RichardsonTX]

It's a shame because Canyon Creek is an amazing neighbhorhood, award winning elementary school, mature older houses/trees, and wide roads. Each house looks different, very pretty neighbhorhood (basically a more affordable version of preston hollow with better schools).

Entry level country clubs aren't great values compared to good city courses like thelmann noted above. There's a reason why they heavily push social events/meetings, outdoor pool, and kids programming (those things are really the only major benefit compared to a nice city course).

You will wanted at least an upper-mid tier country club which are too expensive for most (something semi-close location wise like Gleneagles or Bent Tree your looking at like a $20-40k initiation fee and then anywhere from like $650-800 a month in dues).

 

[Jungleland]

Bent Tree is a good option and it’s not ClubCorp like Gleneagles so you at least maintain more of a club feel.

[RichardsonTX]

I love Bent Tree. Centrally located in the metroplex and has more of a traditional club feel.

You also don't have to deal with the snootiness or politics that comes with places like Northwood, Dallas Country Club, Brook Hollow

[sevo]

Anyone know what initiation/dues are for Bent Tree?

[Jungleland]

Not sure what they are today but a few years back they were roughly $50K/$800 per month

[DFW Snowman]

It's sad to hear so many bad things about ClubCorp. I enjoyed my 2 years as a member at Hackberry Creek from 2010 to 2012. It was very affordable, had no F&B minimums, and I don't recall the course ever being too packed. But I guess that's a long time ago now.