Design Notes

Dream Golf will make Texas’ Wild Spring Dunes a reality

Mackenzie & Ebert masterplan Canada’s Victoria Golf Club; Faldo Design debuts its Loop course at England’s Chart Hills

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This wooded land will be transformed by Dream Golf into Wild Spring Dunes, a 2,400-acre resort and community in historic East Texas. Tom Doak and Coore & Crenshaw are designing the two courses, set to open in 2026.

Dream Golf, owned and operated by the Keiser family produced Bandon Dunes and Sand Valley, announced plans recently to establish a world-class destination golf resort in East Texas. 

Wild Spring Dunes will be a public golf resort and community developed by Michael and Chris Keiser, featuring golf, accommodations, homesites and dining facilities. Current Dream Golf properties include the award-winning Bandon Dunes in Oregon and Sand Valley in Wisconsin, along with Rodeo Dunes, under construction in Colorado.

Wild Spring Dunes occupies 2,400 sandy, secluded acres with 120 feet of elevation change and varied topography and ecosystems, including towering pines and hardwood forest; open, grassy meadows; rolling hills; and steep ravines carved by spring-fed creeks. An ideal site for golf, two course routings are complete, with plans established for a short course and practice center.

“We were so fortunate to get a shot at this site,” said Michael Keiser of being invited to Texas by Dallas businessman Brett Messerall, who had pored over more than 1 million acres via satellite and on foot to find the land. “It was so good, so unexpected, we just had to go for it. The golf courses here will have such great diversity and character — I expect them to be among the best in the country.”

Tom Doak will build the first of two planned 18-hole courses. Bill Coore and Austin, Texas, native Ben Crenshaw have routed a second course.

“This land just has a different feel from anything I’ve worked on in the past,” Doak said. “That’s the attraction for me, and I think the course will be unique and interesting for golfers.”

Wild Spring Dunes is located in historic East Texas, approximately 20 miles north of Nacogdoches, the oldest city in the state. Both Dallas and Houston are roughly two hours away from the resort site, and Shreveport Regional Airport is just 73 miles away. 

“It’s just a wonderful coincidence that this site is accessible to so many people,” Keiser sais. “The reason we’re doing it is because of the quality of the site. If it were 10 hours, 15 hours from Dallas or Houston, we’d still be doing it because the site is just that good.”

Golf construction on the Doak course is expected to begin this fall with an opening projected for 2026.

GOING SOCIAL

VICTORIA GC TABS BRITISH FIRM FOR MASTER PLAN
Victoria Golf Club, located in the Oak Bay district of Vancouver, British Columbia, has selected the U.K.-based architecture firm of Mackenzie & Ebert to develop a master plan for renovating the club’s historic golf course. Perhaps known better as Oak Bay Golf Links, the seaside layout on the southern tip of Vancouver Island has hosted golfers since 1893.

Club member A. Vernon Macan, a prominent architect north and south of the border, effected multiple changes to the course over a three-decade span between 1920 and 1955. In the 21st century, Canadian architect Jeff Mingay tweaked the course over a three-year period. The course’s future now rests in the hands of Mackenzie & Ebert.

“Our decision to collaborate with Mackenzie & Ebert was driven by their exceptional track record and their deep understanding of seaside golf courses,” said Richard Ingle, general manager of Victoria Golf Club. “We are confident this collaboration will bring significant improvements to the club as we develop our next course master plan that will enhance the playing experience for our members while preserving the unique character of our course.”

Tom Mackenzie and Martin Ebert own a remarkable portfolio of completed renovations and restorations, including work on eight Open championship venues, including this year’s host, royal Troon. The firm’s credits also include Asia’s top-ranked course, Hirono, in Japan and 2024 RBC Canadian Open site Hamilton Golf & Country Club.

“We are delighted to have been appointed to advise such a prestigious club as Victoria,” said Martin Ebert, director at Mackenzie & Ebert International Golf Club Architects. “As every golfer knows, the game of golf started by the coast, and Victoria’s seaside holes are absolutely stunning."

ADD CHART HILLS TO PAR-3 SHORT COURSE LIST
Chart Hills Golf Club recently debuted its new par-3 short course, created by Faldo Design. Located in Kent, on England’s southeast coast, Chart Hills is also home to a championship layout, crafted by Faldo and design partner Steve Smyers in 1993.

Called “The Loop,” the new six-hole course features holes ranging from 50 to 100 yards, with traits that pay homage to classic tracks such as St. Andrews and Augusta National. Golfers can play either or both three-hole loops, whether as a family-oriented standalone experience or as a warm-up for the big course. A paucity of bunkers and creative contouring on and around the greens yields a spread that’s ideal for beginners but also testing for lower handicap golfers.  

A new 7,200-square-foot practice putting green, situated adjacent to the first tee, possesses traits from Faldo’s favorite putting surfaces from his major championship triumphs—including a St. Andrews-style “Valley of Sin.” The new green is part of a slate of added amenities and course improvements as the club advances into its fourth decade.

“We’re proud to have unveiled the new amenities, including ‘The Loop,’” Chart Hills general manager Anthony Tarchetti told GolfCourseArchitecture.net. “It’s the result of a period of intense work from the team. The fact that it’s already been so well received is gratifying. We’re equally excited to be unveiling the latest development plans here at Chart Hills, with further investments still to come as we strive to create the very best facilities for members, guests and visitors. Since 2019, Chart Hills has undergone a complete transformation and, under our ownership, that will only continue in the future.”


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