The Canary flies out of the mines

Long Cove, a lakefront community in Malkoff, Texas, about an hour from Dallas, is planning The Canary — an 18-hole championship golf course designed by architect Beau Welling that will be the centerpiece of The Old Mine Club on Cedar Creek Lake and is set to open for member play in 2027.

The Canary will transform the century-old mining terrain into a refined and unforgettable golf experience that also celebrates East Texas’ natural landscape. Stretching more than 7,400 yards from the back tees, The Canary will boast striking elevation changes, bold contours and water features that come into play on 10 holes, the majority of which will be located on the back nine.

“Beau Welling Design and our team have been working on The Canary for nearly five years now, and we are excited to invite members to enjoy what will be an unrivaled golf experience,” Long Cove founder Don McNamara said. “We are thrilled to be collaborating with Beau and his team in transforming this land that was once the site of abandoned coal mines and a railroad into a striking lakefront course that will delight players and should be considered as one of the best layouts in the state.”

The signature holes at The Canary will be Nos. 11 and 18, both demanding par 4s that will call for tee shots over a cove to island fairways that were once lignite coal tailings piles. The 11th and 18th holes will be perched directly across from the site of the Old Mine Club’s future clubhouse and anchor house, with bridges spanning 180 feet connecting the holes to the mainland.

 Other notable holes and unique features of The Canary will include:

• The fourth and fifth holes playing into the mounding formed by the dredging that created more than two miles of shoreline at Long Cove
• The ninth hole following the land’s natural formation and featuring dual, or alternate, greens
• The 13th hole playing through a pine tree farm that was planted more than 20 years ago
• Hole Nos. 14-16 playing around a channel formed from mining excavation

“After years of planning and promising conversations with the leadership at Long Cove, our team is excited to see work underway,” Welling said. “It’s a rare opportunity to work with such a unique piece of land, and we’re excited to add to the legacy of this great property with a new championship golf course that the membership will enjoy for years to come.”

With the rest of the Beau Welling Design team, Welling has recently introduced new projects at Omni PGA Frisco and Travis Club, as well as recent renovations to Ocean Forest Golf Club and Atlanta Country Club.

Offering a rare combination of accessibility from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and a secluded, destination-style setting, The Old Mine Club will also feature a driving range and a short game practice area, among other amenities.

Courtesy of Beau Welling Design and Long Cove