The golf course’s rolling greens and fairways may be situated behind a gated security checkpoint, but Eric Hoyle says make no mistake—Heritage Ranch Golf and Country Club is open to the public.
Hoyle, the course’s community events director, said the Fairview golf course—which is owned by the homeowners association—has been working for almost a decade to attract members from outside the gated neighborhood.
The course and the residential streets intertwine, both in topography and in concept. The golf course was designed to be the centerpiece of a neighborhood for active adults and empty-nesters age 55 and older since before ground broke on the first homes in 1999, Hoyle said.
After the community sold its last home in 2007, Heritage Ranch began a marketing push to attract nonresidents to the community’s prized centerpiece.
“You obviously want to make sure that the golf course is getting the full use, and if homeowners are only using it about half the time, that’s all untapped potential that can be made for revenue,” Hoyle said.
Completed in 2003, the clubhouse has come a long way since the early days, when it operated out of a triplewide trailer while the existing facility was under construction.
The 24,000-square-foot permanent clubhouse now hosts weddings and other private functions. The ballroom holds 250-300 people.
Wedding ceremonies can be held on a knoll outside the clubhouse under a large tree overlooking the golf course, in the ballroom or in the foyer.
Hoyle said the venue is available for weddings and other events year-round.
Today, the course’s use is split about equally between Heritage Ranch homeowners and people from outside the community, Hoyle said.
Heritage Ranch offers golf memberships and hosts a number of events open to the public, including tournaments and charity events.
Hoyle said many residents moved into the community because of the golf course and already have memberships. At 1,144 homes, the development is fully built out, making the number of residents with memberships unlikely to expand in the long run.
Nonresident golf memberships offer an opportunity for growth, Hoyle said.
The golf course can also serve to convert occasional golfers into prospective homebuyers in the long run.
People who visit Heritage Ranch for tournaments or casual play cannot help but drive past the houses on the edge of the course, he said.
“If we get the people in their 40s that come out here [to the golf course], they know this is a place they can move to in another five-to-10 years,” Hoyle said.
465 Scenic Ranch Circle 972-886-4700 www.heritageranchgolf.com Hours: Open sunrise to sunset seven days a week
