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31 With so many good layouts in Dallas and the surrounding area, Jodi Lutz knew her course would have to be something special if it was to tempt golfers out of the metroplex. Ninety minutes southeast of the city and just outside the town on Frankston, the 18-hole venue Lutz was developing on the site of an old, mundane nine-holer called Dogwood Trails, would need to be attractive, endlessly interesting, and make people want to come back regularly. A former competitive figure skater from rural Minnesota, Lutz was an entrepreneur looking for a real estate opportunity and, though not a golfer herself, recognized the site's potential. Before taking the plunge, however, she asked good friend David Frost to confirm it was as good as she thought it might be, and the ten-time PGA Tour winner from South Africa was extremely bullish, saying the combination of century-old pine trees; the handful of small, natural lakes; and the sandy soil would make for a splendid course. Encouraged, Lutz purchased an extra 175 acres and hired the father/son team of Jay and Carter Morrish to design what would become Pine Dunes Resort and Golf Club. After opening in April 2001, the course immediately began winning accolades and awards with Golf Digest awarding it a 4½-star rating. Morrish (Sr.) who had designed courses with Tom Weiskopf and Jack Nicklaus, and who had over 50 solo designs to his credit, said it was possibly the finest work he had ever done. The scorecard included a couple of trademark short par-4s and an extremely strong quartet of one-shotters, but it was perhaps the par-5s that attracted the most attention, specifically the split-fairway 5th, dogleg right 18th, and gigantic 11th. It's no wonder TV presenter Shane Bacon called Pine Dunes the "best hidden gem in America" and, with room for 85 guests in spacious overnight accommodations, it really is the ideal destination for a long-weekend getaway. In addition to its considerable length, the 11th at Pine Dunes is known for the wide expanse of sand that stretches across the fairway at about the halfway mark. Reminiscent of, though perhaps not quite so treacherous, as 'Hell's Half-Acre' at Pine Valley or one of A.W. Tillinghast's Great Hazards, it's really best-avoided which means sound course management is a must. Five more fairway bunkers and two besides the green can make the hole something of a card- wrecker, but careful and judicious plotters should escape without injury. Architect: Jay Moorish Photography by Ryan Lockhead/Loch Photo Works PINE DUNES GOLF COURSE GOLF COURSE PAR 5 ● 605 YARDS FRANKSTON, TX H O L E 11 th See Page XXX Scan this QR code to view Golf & Resort packages or to book tee times

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