Interviews

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Richard Humphreys
/ Categories: News

Escalante Golf targets spring 2025 for completion of $100m Kelly Ranch project

Golf course operator Escalante Golf has released details of Kelly Ranch Golf Club, a new $100 million private club project on a site southwest of downtown Fort Worth, Texas.

Architect Tripp Davis is working on a design for an 18-hole golf course on the 240-acre site, which features rugged rolling hills with creeks and stands of live oaks and cedar elms, and 200 feet of elevation change.

Kelly Ranch will be sandcapped and grassed with Stadium Zoysia. Greens will average 6,000 square feet and feature TifEagle Bermuda. For bunkers, Davis is planning a scalloped-edge design for seamless integration with the existing topography. The course will play up to 7,600 yards, with five sets of tees.

Additional golf facilities include a 26-acre practice facility that comprises a 400-yard driving range, short-game area with practice bunkers and chipping and putting greens, and a short course. The clubhouse will have an elevated outdoor terrace to provide views over the course and surrounding terrain.

Earthworks are under way, with Escalante Golf expecting to complete work by spring 2025.

“Kelly Ranch Golf Club’s key differentiator is that it is being designed for the golf purist; it will be a golf-only environment free of distractions often found at traditional country clubs,” said Jeff Kindred of Escalante Golf. “When at the golf clubhouse, members will never hear noise from a pickleball court, tennis court, swimming pool, or a social event. Kelly Ranch Golf Club will truly be an oasis of sorts, offering golfers challenging play in a serene and natural awe-inspiring setting unlike any other club in the region.”

A limited number of founder memberships have been released, with resident and invitational golf memberships available soon.

The golf club will lie within a 2,400-acre masterplanned community being developed by Ryan Voorhees of Kelly Ranch Estates. The development includes 2,500 new custom homes which will be built across three gated residential communities – Rio Vista, La Dorada and Kelly Ranch. There will also be a new elementary school, a 65-acre high-end shopping and dining destination, a 50-acre commercial development, medical and healthcare facilities, and an athletics and wellness club.

“Our vision for Kelly Ranch Golf Club is to redefine the golf market in north Texas and create a course that exudes excellence, thoughtful design and unparalleled scenery,” said David McDonald, president of Escalante Golf. “There will be no other private golf club in the downtown Fort Worth region that can match the challenge and natural beauty of Kelly Ranch. It is truly in a league of its own and will not only be the crown jewel in our property portfolio, but the crown jewel of Texas golf.”

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Slideshow HTML
  • Kelly Ranch Texas
    Escalante Golf

    Tripp Davis is designing a new golf course for Escalante Golf’s new $100 million Kelly Ranch

  • Kelly Ranch Texas
    Escalante Golf

    The site has 200 feet of elevation change, creeks and stands of live oaks and cedar elms

  • Kelly Ranch Texas
    Escalante Golf

    Earthworks are in progress and the course is expected to be built by summer 2025

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Escalante Golf
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