Managed by Troon Golf, the property, part of a Brookfield Residential “55 and better” community, features the first new public, 18-hole golf course to be built in the state in six years. The name comes from a local legend built around a speech given in San Marcos by Sam Houston when he ran for governor of Texas in 1857.
Kissing Tree Golf Club in San Marcos, Texas, opened for daily-fee play on Monday, October 1st. Managed by Troon Golf and part of a Brookfield Residential Properties community, Kissing Tree is the first new public, 18-hole golf course to be built in Texas in the past six years.
Troon is overseeing the clubhouse, course operations, course agronomy and golf shop retail. Troon will also manage the food-and-beverage operation, which will include a food truck in the near future. The future clubhouse restaurant, Tarbox & Brown, will combine Texas hospitality with ranch-to-table comfort food to create an experience focused on family, fun and the art of home cooking.
Kissing Tree is the first baby boomer-centric community designed specifically for the “spirit of Texas,” with the lifestyle, homes and amenities geared toward the active adult lifestyle of those 55 and better. Set on the banks of the Hill Country, the planned 3,200-home community is located between Austin and San Antonio. Homes range from approximately 1,400 to 3,400 square feet and prices range from approximately $285,000 to $500,000.
Kissing Tree Golf Club serves as the centerpiece of the community, with a collection of indoor and outdoor amenities surrounding it, including eight pickleball courts, six bocce ball courts, horseshoe pits, an 18-hole putting course, a biergarten, live music stage, demonstration kitchen, community classroom and more.
The name Kissing Tree recalls Sam Houston’s gubernatorial campaign speech in 1857 in front of a mighty oak tree in San Marcos, where he famously kissed several of the female attendees, creating a bit of a local legend.
The club’s 6,600-yard, par-72 golf course, designed by Gary Stephenson, offers multiple sets of tees and consistent year-round playing conditions. Tifway 419 Bermuda grass has been used on the tee boxes, fairways and rough, while greens are TifEagle Bermuda grass.
In addition to the 18-hole golf course, Kissing Tree Golf Club also features a short-game practice facility, an extensive practice range and a practice putting green.
Kissing Tree GC has already earned certification as a Signature Program facility with Audubon International. The Audubon Certification Program for Golf is an environmental and conservation assistance program created to help golf courses protect the environment, including wildlife and habitat management, and adhere to comprehensive sustainable resource management principles.
“Kissing Tree Golf Club puts true Hill Country golf right in local golfers’ backyard,” Dirk Gosda, President of Brookfield Residential Texas, said. “As our residents who have already been previewing and playing the course can attest, the views and topography provide a challenging, yet accessible and enjoyable, golf experience for everyone. The natural beauty of the property really shines through, and the greens are pristine. We can’t wait for the public to join our residents on the links.”
Adds Kissing Tree General Manager Josh Clay: “The course offers all levels of golfers a fun and exciting round of golf. From drivable par 4s that incorporate risk-reward water hazards around the green to reachable par 5s, golfers will have plenty of chances to make birdies and eagles.”
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