Prosper-ous Beginnings

Jack Nicklaus will give life to BearsBrook-a member-owned club in Prosper, Texas, situated on 225 pristine acres north of Dallas

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo stopped by to meet Jack Nicklaus during the Golden Bear's first visit to the future site of BearsBrook (click image to enlarge)

NORTH PALM BEACH, Fla.—Sometimes, a name does say it all.

Bridging the gap between a picturesque, idyllic site in a town with a storybook name such as Prosper, Jim Williams Jr., the developer of a member-owned golf club in North Texas has chosen the greatest name in golf to design their golf course: Jack Nicklaus.

The Golden Bear will be given the opportunity to design a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course on an ideal piece of property less than 30 miles north of Dallas—a site highlighted by rolling terrain, 120 feet of elevation changes, rich with thousands of hardwood trees, and streams that meander through the property. The developers are asking Nicklaus to take this canvas and create a core golf experience that will become the identity of BearsBrook Golf Club.

“This is a beautiful piece of property,” Nicklaus said. “Two of the most striking features are the great trees on the site, and streams that run through the middle of the property. The owners are passionate about the game of golf, and they desire to have a core golf course, which means a course that is dictated by the features of the land and not a course that is dictated by a residential development. The developers intend to use the best features of the property, accentuate them, and provide to members the best golf experience they possibly can.”

“BearsBrook has great potential. It is going to be a very special project and we are delighted to be a part of it.”
Nicklaus was so enamored with the site and its potential that BearsBrook is being considered as a Jack Nicklaus Golf Club. The Jack Nicklaus Golf Club was created as an exclusive access and reciprocity program for 25 Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses located in ideal markets around the world. The program will be limited to 35 Founders or Associate Members at each club. Each Jack Nicklaus Golf Club will be able to offer Associate Members reciprocity at other Jack Nicklaus Golf Clubs, as well as access to a Nicklaus Home established on each property for use by Jack Nicklaus, his family and other JNGC Members worldwide.

Current locations, hand-picked by Nicklaus, that will encompass some of the world's most sought-after markets and destinations include: New Zealand; Royal Island (Bahamas); St. Lucia and Anguilla in the Eastern Caribbean; the Patagonia region of Argentina; Mount Holly, a private ski destination in Utah; Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic; Vancouver Island in Canada; Tuscany; Scotland and South Africa. In addition to these spectacular destinations, Jack Nicklaus Golf Club members will have access to Jack’s Florida and Ohio home courses—The Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Fla., and Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.

According to ownership representative Scott Erwin, BearsBrook is already recruiting a limited number of potential Founding and Charter Members.

In addition to the rare aspect of a core golf experience— no street crossings, no tunnels and estate residences will be set back 250 feet from the golf corridors—BearsBrook will be a member owned and operated “pure golf club.” For example, there will be no swimming pools or tennis courts, and members will not have to require tee times. There are plans for a more traditional country club for families in a different location near this gated community.  BearsBrook Golf Club members will have access to the family country club but country club members will not have access to BearsBrook Golf Club.

“The golf club will be located on approximately 225 of the 1,400 acres assembled by LandPlan and its investors, and it will be the most ideal portion of the land to dedicate to the finest golf experience Jack Nicklaus can create,” said LandPlan Development Executive Vice President Scott Erwin. “The golf course land is without question the crown jewel of our Prosper land.  It is very valuable and highly developable because only a small portion is located in the flood plain. If it was developed as gated residential lots without golf, our most valuable lots would be located in this heavily wooded area with creek views. So to dedicate this land to golf is a commitment from LandPlan that should resonate with future members.”

Erwin anticipates construction to begin in the summer of 2009, and targets a fall 2010 opening of the BearsBrook golf course and clubhouse.

Nicklaus Design, the global firm founded by golf legend Jack Nicklaus and privately owned by the Nicklaus family, is widely regarded as the world’s leading design firm. The company has 334 courses open for play in 32 countries and 39 states. Of those 334, Jack Nicklaus has been involved in the design of 266 courses. At least 60 Nicklaus Design courses have been ranked in various national or international Top-100 lists, and no fewer than 87 Nicklaus courses have hosted a combined total of over 600 professional tournaments worldwide or significant national amateur championships. Nicklaus Design currently has more than 55 courses under construction and projects under development in 45 different countries.

Additional Photos (click thumbnail to enlarge)