Picture this: Dallas’ skyline shimmers in the distance. Here at Cedar Crest Golf Course, history whispers with every swing. Established in 1916, Cedar Crest Golf Course officially opened in 1919. Sol Dreyfuss designed the club. A.W. Tillinghast designed the original 18-hole golf course.
Back in the 1920s, Dallas aimed to become a pro golf hub. Dreyfuss offered a purse leading to the first Dallas Open at Cedar Crest in 1926. Macdonald Smith won. But freezing conditions made it tough.
Despite the cold, the pros were impressed by Cedar Crest. Dreyfuss offered $12,000 to host the 1927 PGA Championship. It was the first time the championship ventured south. Walter Hagen won. During the semi-final, a young Byron Nelson offered Hagen his baseball cap to shield the sun. Hagen usually didn’t wear a hat because he liked his hair. Hagen accepted the cap. He swung and the cap fell. But Hagen won the hole anyway and eventually the whole championship.
The stock market crash hurt Cedar Crest. The club closed. In 1946, the City of Dallas Parks Department bought the facility. Initially, it wasn’t popular. The traps were filled. The fairways widened. In 1949, the city bought more land to expand the golf course.
In 1954, Charles Sifford won the United Golf Association tournament at Cedar Crest. The United States Golf Association held its first Public Links Tournament of the Southwest at Cedar Crest that year. In 2001, a new pro shop opened. In 2004, Cedar Crest Golf Course was renovated with a driving range and a lake. D.A. Weibring designed the project.
Cedar Crest hosted the Southwest Airlines Showcase at Cedar Crest in 2023 and 2024. The Golf Channel televised the event, highlighting top Black collegiate players.
From the tournament tees, Cedar Crest stretches to 6,726 yards. Rolling terrain and tree-lined fairways test accuracy. Multiple tee sets ensure all skill levels enjoy the course. You’re only ten minutes from downtown. Yet Cedar Crest feels intimate. It’s a gem with a rich history. A true testament to Dallas golf.