Fairway to Heaven: Wild Spring Dunes
By David R. Holland
Wild Spring Dunes is going to change what a lot of people think of Texas golf.
Texas, yeah, I’ve heard it all my life. Cowboys, horses, desert, cacti, oil producers, cotton farmers, cattle ranchers and country music legends.
But there’s also a “Piney Woods” and this East Texas area has four national forests bearing the historic names of Angelina, Sabine, Davy Crockett, and Sam Houston.
That is where Michael Keiser, who developed Bandon Dunes, Sand Valley and Rodeo Dunes, is building his next world-class golf destination.
Inspired by a visit to Wisconsin’s Sand Valley, Dallas businessman Brett Messerrall identified the 2,400-acre site for a new Texas golf destination after a massive, million-acre search. Keiser visited and was sold.
Wild Spring Dunes, just 20 miles north of Nacogdoches, has been imagined as a 36-hole resort with the first 18 designed by Tom Doak and the second 18 by the team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw.
The showcased first 18, the Doak minimalistic routing, is a par-72 beauty stretching out 7,120 yards from the back tees. Set in sandy soil, pine forests, open meadows, and seven spring-fed creeks, Wild Spring Dunes offers a bucolic peaceful getaway, wooded retreat, world-class golf, with fishing and hiking.
Travel golfers: Put it on your calendar. Grand Opening should be in October of this year. And if you just can’t wait that long, a special eight-hole preview loop is now open for $70 including 16 holes. Caddies are mandatory, $100 plus gratuity. The full 18 could be open this May.
I have to chuckle when I hear others say Wild Spring Dunes is in the “middle of nowhere”. This Texan has no problem driving 500 miles in one day. Heck fire, this resort is only 190 miles from my downtown Fort Worth home. From George Bush International Airport, north of Houston, it is a mere 148 miles. That’s a Sunday road trip.
Even better it is just 72 miles from Shreveport International Airport.
Like Keiser’s other portfolio award-winners the golf is walking only with caddies. Summers here are hot and humid so management could offer carts when the heat is oppressive.
Also in the plans the resort will have lodging behind the 18th green of the Doak course plus private cabins and homes, a short course, clubhouse, practice facilities and expansive views of the wooded surrounds.
The sandy soil is ideal for growing grass and drainage, and the sodded routing made for extremely good conditions, only a year into the process. I was lucky enough to play all 18.
“The site in East Texas is not the sort of windblown dunes land we’ve worked on in Bandon and at Sand Valley,” explains Doak. “Instead, it’s more like Pine Valley, rolling land that falls off on three sides into deep barrancas, reminiscent of Pasatiempo or L.A. Country Club.”
Keiser’s company says the terrain features 60 feet of elevation variation across the Doak course, utilized with a strategic routing that maximizes the site’s natural characteristics.
Much of the land at Wild Spring Dunes is loblolly pine and wide meadows are dotted on the edges with resilient plants like yucca, prickly pear, and various native grasses. The terrain boasts a rich variety, with areas featuring small oak clusters and a few pockets of large hardwood trees.
“I did not expect to see in Texas what I found there,” Doak said. “We tried to get every hole to touch some natural feature of the property and to build it around something that’s already there. When you start with a blank site and you have everything memorable from the detail, its really hard not to exaggerate that too much. If you’ve got a really good site, you don’t have to try too hard.
“It’s a beautiful walk. You get a foreshadowing of the ravines early, at the second and third holes, but the back nine really kicks things into high gear starting right from the par-3 10th tee (193 yards over a ravine).”
The 11th hole is a 399-yard, par-4 that is part of a series of holes (11-15) utilizing the edge of a striking, sandy, forested cliff.
“The 11th was the one hole that we really didn’t understand well at the start, and it was a lot of work to get that hole to drain, but it has turned out beautifully and the view through the green and up the hill to the 12th is stunning,” Doak said.
As a golfer I always smile when the first tee is elevated, downhill and with an expansive view. That’s No. 1 at Wild Spring Dunes. It is a par-4, 396-yarder that drops 40 feet with a gentle dogleg that begins from a spot hunters named Old Baldy at some time in history. It was a perfect spot for a blind and unobstructed views to sight down whitetail deer or wild hogs.
Look for the Crenshaw-Coore 18 to open with a similar tee shot from this high point. “It is a superb place that feels as though it was destined for golf,” said Bill Coore. “The site is marvelous, sandy, and the routing has come together very naturally.”
Holes 2 and 3 of the Doak layout introduce you to various ravine carries then the blind green at the 481-yard, par-4 dogleg left fourth is super fun. The fairway rises before sinking into a bowled putting surface.
Not a lot of dirt was moved – another Doak minimalistic trademark. You won’t find a manmade lake. The fairways are wide and generous, but wild shots will find the pine trees. More challenges come when you miss the greens and short-game magic is a must.
Also in play during your round is a “Comfort Station” where the chef is preparing a grilled snack, pork, cole slaw, sweet BBQ sauce folded into a tortilla, and beverage.
Wild Spring Dunes’ future
Slated for a 2026 opening, the short course is part of a multi-year development plan that includes accommodations and restaurants. In the meantime, visitors will experience great service right away, as the current temporary food and beverage options, golf shop, and valet service are all excellent.
Following the model of previous Keiser developments, Wild Spring Dunes has launched a Founders Membership program. By providing a deposit, members gain exclusive access to the property, priority real estate options, and premier golf privileges, including guaranteed tee times, tournament entry, and lodging.
Wild Spring Dunes has partnered with local lodging in Nacogdoches, the home of Stephen F. Austin University, to provide stay-and-play packages. A key partner is the historic boutique Fredonia Hotel, a locally owned landmark since 1955. This welcoming hotel offers comfortable accommodations, quality dining, and a well-appointed bar—a place to unwind and share stories after a day on the Wild Spring Dunes course.
Wild Spring Dunes is a must-drive road trip destination. If you’re heading out from the DFW Metroplex, make a pit stop at the award-winning Pine Dunes in Frankston—it’s right on the way.
For more information visit https://www.wildspringdunes.com
