Growing up, Joe Penland, Jr. and his family spent many summers at Lake Sam Rayburn and the Rayburn Country Resort – although it wasn’t called that back then. Penland has many fond memories of those family visits to the resort, to the extent that he now calls Rayburn Country home.
Back in 2020, the resort was in serious financial trouble and closed. Penland saw a business opportunity and stepped in, bought the resort, lock, stock, and barrel, and began making improvements right away. He wants to ensure that the property remains viable for generations to come. Several months later, the resort reopened and is doing well, although things can always be better. By June of that same year, Penland had reopened the resort.
Rayburn Country Resort in Brookeland, Texas, sits nestled along the shores of Lake Sam Rayburn. It was built in 1968 to serve as the centerpiece of the master plan community, encompassing 3,300 acres of lakefront property. This family-centric resort offers plenty to do for water lovers, recreation lovers, and RVers. For starters, you’ve got Lake Sam Rayburn at your disposal. There’s a beach and a roped-off swimming area. For golf lovers, there’s an 18-hole Robert Trent Jones golf course and an immaculate 14,000-square-foot clubhouse, as well as a hotel, a restaurant named Sammy Ray’s, a family pool area, tennis courts, a fitness center, a marina, and banquet space. Future plans include hiking and biking trails, a bar and game room, a spa, and other improvements aimed at appealing to a wider variety of vacationers. Many of these amenities are available at no charge to residents of the community.
The hotel provides several room options, including double or king beds and suites. Rooms are spacious, well-decorated, and most importantly, comfortable. Rayburn Country Resort also has several rental cottages on Lake Sam Rayburn, the largest man-made lake in Texas.
Patrons also have several choices when it comes to dining. Sammy Ray’s is the ultimate bar and grill experience. It’s perfect for either date night or treating the team to dinner after that big win. It’s also the area’s go-to venue on Friday with free live music. Whether you’re craving a melt-in-your-mouth burger and a craft beer or steak and a baked potato, the attentive staff will take care of you.
Another place to enjoy a great meal is The Angelina Room, located in the main clubhouse. They offer a great selection of steaks and chops as well as some interesting seafood dishes. And, they have a pretty good Tex-Mex menu!
The golf course, once known as Rayburn Country Club, has undergone a significant transformation over the years. The front nine was designed by Jay Riviere and opened in 1968. The back nine was designed by legendary golf course architect Robert Trent Jones and opened in 1972. The 3rd nine, known as the Family 9, was designed by Robert Von Hagge.
The Front 9 was always a member favorite, probably because it was the easiest of the three layouts. The fairways are generous, water only comes into play once, and so do the bunkers. The Back 9 also has generous landing areas off the tee, although the many doglegs may have you second-guessing your club selection. The holes are much tighter, the approaches are more challenging, and the majority of the greens are elevated. When all 3 nines were playable, the Family 9 was the toughest, relying on shot placement and small greens. Driver was usually not a good choice of the tee, even on the 600-yard double dogleg.
After years of neglect, the front and back nines have been renovated, and decisions are being made on what to do with the 3rd nine. Now featuring over 150 feet of elevation change, this redesigned course has brought new life to the property and is quickly becoming a bona fide golf destination.
The golf course will appeal to all skill levels, as long as you pick the right set of tees! The designers did a fantastic job of blending the natural beauty of the surrounding piney woods with well-placed hazards, bunkers, and undulating greens. Skilled players will be presented with several risk/reward opportunities as they play the course; what they choose to do is up to them!
The course has several memorable holes. Number 6 is a picturesque par 4 that looks like something straight out of North Carolina. The hole plays 410 yards with tall pine trees lining both sides of the fairway, so keeping the ball in play will go a long way in posting a good score. The green is elevated and protected on each side by deep bunkers.
The 10th hole at Rayburn Country Resort is a dogleg left par 5 that plays downhill the majority of the way. I mention that because at some point, you’ll be faced with a downhill lie as you approach the green, something not all players are comfortable with, and may prohibit you from going for the green in two. Another deterrent is the “chasm” that crosses the fairway about fifty yards in front of the green, which is a lot wider than deep.
Number 16 is another great golf hole. It’s a dogleg right par 4, playing 442 yards (I’ve played shorter par 5s!). The tee shot is semi-blind, so just hit it down the middle. Your approach shot plays downhill into a very large green protected by grass bunkers on the left and a small pot bunker on the right. It will take two long and well-struck shots to reach the green in regulation.
This is just a brief overview of the resort. For more information on the golf course or anything else, visit www.rayburnresort.com.