For 35 years, the TPC Las Colinas course at the Nelson Golf & Sports Club (previously the Four Seasons Golf & Sports Club) hosted the PGA Tour’s Byron Nelson Classic. It’s been almost a decade since the tournament was contested there in Irving, Texas; and yet, in that time, the club—and its marquee course—has only grown stronger.

The reason for that is singular: In 2022 Century Golf Partners and HKI America acquired the Four Seasons Golf & Sports Club, rebranding it The Nelson Golf & Sports Club. Much like the club’s long-term history as host of the Byron Nelson Classic, the new name just made sense. After all, Lord Byron was one of the original club’s founding members. But even before the change in ownership occurred, key executives with Century Golf Partners were doing their due diligence as it related to the forthcoming improvements that it wanted to implement at the club. “We met with the members in advance of the acquisition to align our interest in making improvements with their interests and what they wanted to see,” says Doug Howe, partner and COO of Century Golf Partners. “And they gave us tremendous insight.”

In the three and half years since that acquisition, Century Golf Partners has invested almost $20 million—using that money to renovate the clubhouse; to equip the driving range with Trackman technology; to build indoor hitting bays laden with the latest equipment and technology for lessons and club-fittings; and to transform the bar and grill, among other projects. All of those enhancements have further elevated an already multi-faceted club.

“It’s far more than just a golf club,” says Howe. “We have indoor tennis courts, indoor swimming pools, a Pilates studio, racquetball courts, basketball courts, pickleball courts—the fitness and sports amenities of this club are spectacular. There’s something for the whole family.

“We believe we have the most comprehensive golf and sports club offering in the Dallas-Fort Worth area,” he continues. “There is no other club that has 36 holes of golf, plus the sports and recreational facilities, the dining facilities, and the entire club experience that we offer.”

Adds Jim Hinckley, the founder and CEO of Century Golf Partners: “Not many clubs across the country have that experience.”

The playing experience on the club’s two golf courses has also improved. That, too, is a result of Century Golf Partners’ involvement. In particular, the company promoted key individuals, such as The Nelson’s director of agronomy, Landon Lindsay, whose meticulous care of the bent grass greens has enabled members to roll putts on championship-caliber surfaces every day. “On any golf course, the greens make or break it, and every year we consistently have our bent grass greens in top shape,” says the club’s general manager, Augie Barrios. “There’s a saying in the golf business: If the greens are great, the beer is colder and the burgers tastes better. Landon has really outdone himself on the greens.”

Around the same time that Century Golf Partners was acquiring The Nelson, another acquisition was in the works. That one involved the Four Seasons Resort adjacent to the club, which changed ownership via a separate joint venture. Subsequently, a $55 million renovation project was green lit at the resort, and the property was both transformed and rebranded as the Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas.

To showcase all these investments, The Nelson just unveiled a new national membership offering. “The club has such nationwide appeal with the history of the Byron Nelson Classic golf tournament, the fact that it was Byron Nelson’s home club, and the benefit of being affiliated with the Ritz-Carlton hotel and resort,” says Hinckley. “It has a unique place in history that everyone’s aware of, but when they get to the club, people are really surprised by the breadth of amenities that the club offers.”

Adds Howe, “The upgrades to the hotel experience, along with the extensive improvements to the club, make it a very enticing national membership opportunity. The club is just 10 minutes away from DFW International Airport, so it’s super convenient to have a stay-and-play experience as part of a weekend getaway. And you’re not just coming to a golf club, you’re coming to an experience that allows the entire family to enjoy all different types of activities.”

This email was produced in partnership with The Nelson Golf & Sports Club.