Our History
The 3,600-acre ranch, started by G.W. Haltom in the early 1900s, eventually became the site for Diamond Oaks Country Club. G.W. Haltom's grandson, Robert, played a crucial role in the initial development plans for the country club. Today, Diamond Oaks sits on a 180-acre tract, part of the old Haltom Ranch. The name "Diamond Oaks" honors the Haltom jewelry business and the numerous oak trees that once covered the land designated for the course and clubhouse.
The Design and Grand Opening
The Clubhouse, designed by architect-engineer Wyatt C. Hedrick, was unveiled on May 22, 1960, and included a clubhouse, swimming pool, and tennis courts situated on 8 acres.
The Club Directors selected Charles Akey, a local club professional turned golf course architect, to design the course. The proposed layout featured a par 70 course stretching 6,500 yards, with a winding creek, three lakes, tree-lined fairways, and greens ranging from 6,000 to 8,000 square feet. The club's original newsletter, "Diamond Oak Leaf," debuted in October 1960 with the headline, “A Mighty Course from Little Acorns Grow.”
The official groundbreaking ceremony on July 8, 1960, was attended by golf legends Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan. Observing the dry landscape, Nelson remarked, “It looks like it hasn’t rained here in 100 years.” Heavy rains in subsequent years caused Big Fossil Creek to flood the fairways and greens. Nelson advised moving the proposed #1 hole to its current location and making the original hole #10 to avoid a water hazard on the first hole, preventing slow play. He also had a tree removed from the fourth hole's fairway, as it unfairly penalized higher-handicap golfers. He demonstrated this by hitting drives over and around the tree.
The grand opening for the clubhouse took place on January 20, 1962, with Dick King serving as the first club president and Doug Higgins as the club's first Golf Professional and General Manager.
Milestones and Events
In 1964, the Diamond Cup became the premier member guest tournament in the area, attracting so many golfers that there was a waiting list for playing spots. Golfers would line up early on the first day of registration to secure a spot and avoid the long wait. The Diamond Cup member guest tournament is still an annual tradition
March 28, 1965, Diamond Oaks Exhibition Match. Diamond Oaks Head Golf Professional Doug Higgins and Ridglea Country Club’s Head Golf Professional Raymond Gafford, beat the great Byron Nelson and touring professional Don January with a 5 under 65 for a two-stroke victory.
In 1973, funds were raised to add a second story to the clubhouse, creating a new ballroom, dining room, kitchen, and additional meeting space.
Key figures in the history and stability of the Club included Guy and Charles Cummings, Wendell Conditt, Guinn Phillips, Paul Harmon, Bill Roach, Roy Ralls, and Shug McPherson. Wendell Conditt, the club’s fourth president, was a dedicated member of Diamond Oaks and was pivotal in the Clubs’ longevity and began the Club’s relationship with golf legend Lee Trevino. In November 1981, Lee Trevino appeared in the first Lee Trevino Charity Golf Classic, raising $7500 for the Wesleyan golf program.
In the 1990s, the tennis courts were replaced with a more spacious practice area, and the swimming pool was filled in.
The club has hosted several USGA qualifying events and annually hosts the Fort Worth Junior Golf Association’s Fort Worth City Junior Golf Championships. It has also previously been the venue for the Lee Trevino Scholarship Tournament and the Norm Alden for Familiar Faces event.
The half-century journey began with Robert Haltom's vision of a country club on his grandfather's expansive land in northern Tarrant County. In 2011, Diamond Oaks marked its 50th anniversary under new private ownership, leading to a complete renovation project completed in three phases from 2012 to 2014, encompassing both the clubhouse and the golf course.
In November 2016, a benefit golf tournament and dinner hosted by six-time major champion, Lee Trevino, owner, George Sanders, Bill Hatley and Jack Prewitt was held in honor of Wendell Conditt. Mr. Conditt’s contribution to the Junior Game of Golf throughout DFW is legendary as well as his commitment in supporting the Texas Wesleyan University golf team.
In 2019 the MGA Cup was renamed The Conditt Cup in honor of Wendell and his love for Diamond Oaks.
In 2021 and 2022 the entire Clubhouse interior and exterior underwent extensive renovation after the historic winter storm that hit North Texas in February 2021. This remodel touched every area of the Clubhouse, added more windows to capitalize on the beautiful view of the golf course and saw the addition of bridal and groomsmen suites.
The Club and Golf Course have undergone many changes since the original fairways were carved between the oak and elm trees however our mission statement remains the same to provide the best value private golf club experience in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.