McAllen is planning a public par-57 course co-designed by Lorena Ochoa beside Champion Lakes. Here’s what the inclusive South Texas project includes.
Private golf is drawing much of the investment in Texas, which makes McAllen’s new municipal project especially important. The city is planning an 18-hole, par-57 course beside Champion Lakes Family Golf Center, with World Golf Hall of Famer Lorena Ochoa co-designing her first course in the United States.
This is the kind of development TGN wants to see succeed: public, family-oriented and designed to welcome beginners without becoming disposable for experienced players. The concept is ambitious. Accuracy still matters, so golfers should understand that the project remains in design and construction procurement—not at the tee-time stage.
What McAllen Is Planning
The proposed course will expand the Champion Lakes campus into a broader municipal golf destination. City procurement documents describe an 18-hole, par-57 layout for families, youth, new golfers, experienced players and visitors from both Texas and Mexico.
A par-57 course typically blends par threes with shorter par fours, creating more variety than a pure pitch-and-putt while keeping the round accessible and faster than a championship 18. That format can lower the cost, time and intimidation barriers that keep many people from trying golf.
Lorena Ochoa’s First U.S. Design
Ochoa is working with Rafael Alarcón and Carter Morrish of Alarcón Morrish Golf Course Design. She has participated in projects in Mexico, but the McAllen course is being presented as her first design in the United States.
Her involvement fits the region. McAllen’s cultural and economic connections to Mexico are a daily reality, not a marketing theme. A course that honors Ochoa’s career can speak directly to young players who see one of the greatest golfers in history as part of their own community and heritage.
Facilities Beyond the Golf Holes
The city’s 2026 request for qualifications calls for an approximately 8,000-square-foot control clubhouse and a roughly 16,000-square-foot maintenance building. The scope also includes parking, access, drainage, landscaping and supporting site improvements.
Those less glamorous elements are essential. A public course succeeds through efficient operations, safe circulation, reliable drainage and a maintenance plan the city can afford for decades. The maintenance building is as important to long-term playing conditions as any signature green.
Where the Project Stands
McAllen issued a solicitation in summer 2026 for a construction manager at risk. That means the city is assembling the team that will manage construction and cost, while the separate course-design team advances the layout. An exact public opening date had not been confirmed in the source material reviewed by TGN.
That timeline should not be rushed. Municipal projects must move through procurement, final design, construction, grassing and grow-in. TGN will report a firm opening when the city provides one, rather than manufacture a date from early planning milestones.
Why This Matters for South Texas Golf
The Rio Grande Valley has golfers at every level, but access, heat and time can make the traditional 18-hole model difficult. A shorter course can support school teams, junior programs, family outings, instruction and cross-border tourism. It can also give established players a place to work on wedges and scoring shots.
The strongest version of this project will set prices that remain genuinely public, create junior pathways and maintain the course at a standard that respects serious golfers. “Beginner-friendly” should never mean poorly built or poorly maintained. Strategic short courses can be demanding, fun and inclusive at the same time.
The TGN Bottom Line
McAllen’s new course may be the most golfer-first development on this list. It pairs a globally significant champion with a municipal mission and a format that can bring more people into the game.
There is still substantial work ahead, and no opening date should be assumed. But the direction is right: public access, cultural relevance, flexible golf and infrastructure designed for long-term operation. If McAllen executes the plan with the same care shown in the concept, the project could become a model for growing golf across Texas.
