Answer Line: Fore! A brief history of golf in Gregg County
Published 10:40 pm Monday, September 1, 2025
QUESTION: What can you tell us about the history of golf courses in Longview and Gregg County?
ANSWER: Ok, I’m going to break the answer to this question up, because I’ve found there’s a lot I don’t know about the history of golfing in East Texas. As I start writing, I hope that some of you avid golfers let me know of any golf history you think I’m sure to miss. Answer Line doesn’t pretend to know everything.
So I’ll start with what is certainly the longest running place where people have been playing golf in Longview – Pinecrest Country Club.
It was founded in 1921 and celebrated its 100th birthday in 2021.
“During the oil-rich heyday of the 30s, Longview was known to have the largest oil reserve in the World – Pinecrest continued to grow and evolve from these not-so-humble beginnings,” the country club’s website says.
“While its first course was a nine-hole member designed course, in 1932 a new expanded clubhouse was built, and in 1958, Press Maxwell designed and constructed the championship 18-hole course.
“With expansive property, the practice facility was designed with the top golfer in mind. Boasting two practice greens, a practice chipping area, two full fairways and greens to which a member can play, a hitting tee with both grass and artificial turf, all creating 27 acres of the largest practice area in East Texas,” the website says.
“In 2009, the clubhouse was upgraded and expanded to over 30,000 square feet. The pool was updated by adding slides and cabanas. The very active tennis courts were resurfaced in 2021.”
While researching this question in old newspapers at newspapers.com, I found a golf course I had never heard of before.
On June 30, 1938, The Longview Daily News reported the opening of the Floyd Boone Public Golf Course.
One of the articles I read about golf in Longview during that time period said Boone had been the pro at Pinecrest Country Club before embarking to open his own business. His golf course was the first 18-hole golf course in the area.
I’m a little fuzzy on where that course was located exactly. The description I found is a “mile west of Greggton on Gladwater Highway.” That is, of course, what we know as U.S 80. today, but I don’t know how much that route changed over the years. It was hailed as the first 18-hole golf course in Longview when it opened.
One of the things I love about reading through old newspapers is how the community reacted to new businesses. It was common for other businesses to run advertisements congratulating new businesses, and that was the case when the golf course opened.
Gladewater businessmen John R. Griffin and Howard Hall bought the course in 1940.
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