MIDLAND COUNTY, Texas — Golf courses in Midland continue to be the topic of conversation around town.
Midland ISD is set to build a new Midland High School in the coming years where Ranchland Hills Golf Club currently is, but those who want to keep Ranchland Hills are not giving up yet. Meanwhile, there are also talks about a new course in Midland County.
The Midland County Commissioners Court did go forward Tuesday morning in searching for a consulting firm to perform a feasibility study on what amenities would be included with a potential new golf course. However, Ranchland Hills was also discussed.
Like a five-foot putt, the current state of golf in Midland is not so simple.
“Regardless, I think we need to move forward with a county course," said Jeff Somers, Midland County commissioner for Precinct 2.
Somers has confidence that a course run by Midland County will be feasible, with facilities to be determined too.
“The restaurants or the banquet facilities or whatever you might need that a golf course could provide, we’re going to understand that a little better after this feasibility study," Somers said.
While the future of Ranchland Hills is still teachers and not tee times, the need for golf is nothing new.
“Even if we had all the golf courses open, we didn’t have enough golf here in this community for the rounds that are played, and so I want to make sure that we continue to increase that as opposed to decreasing it like we’ve been doing the last few months," Somers said.
Somers is also in favor of trying to keep Ranchland Hills.
“I understand MISD is moving forward and that’s what they should be doing, but all I ask is that we pump the brakes a little bit and possibly come up with another solution that would benefit MISD and also benefit the folks in the community," Somers said.
One option he sees is right across the street from Ranchland Hills.
“The city owns Hogan, but swap part of that land for Ranchland and build the school directly across the street from Ranchland on that portion of Hogan Park and I think that’s a good option, and – from what I understand – that’s one that would work out well for MISD and for the county," Somers said.
For conversations between Midland ISD, the city and the county, they might already be playing the 18th hole.
“I also say that we could relook at things, relook at the location for the next month or so and get some good options in front of MISD," Somers said.
Midland ISD has owned the Ranchland Hills property since 2019 and passed their billion-dollar school bond in November of 2023. As for the potential new county golf course, there is no location, cost or design right now with those factors to be determined at a later time.