In 2001, Texas golf ranch opened by lake; 25 years later city traded it away

In 2001, the city of Temple, Texas, opened a sprawling 266-acre “golf ranch” next to a 600-acre reservoir, marketing it as a unique blend of course, event venue and recreational hub. A quarter-century later, with the facility aging and the university next door seeking space to grow, the city and Texas A&M University–Temple struck an unusual deal: a land swap that traded the golf ranch for 138 acres of undeveloped university property, both valued at roughly $2.5 million. As reported by TXKToday and Texas A&M University–Temple, the exchange reshapes the future of both the golf course and the university’s campus, turning a 25-year-old municipal experiment into a potential engine for education, research and community development.A golf ranch with big ambitionsThe Temple Golf Ranch opened in 2001 on the shores of Lake Temple, a 600-acre reservoir that already drew boaters, anglers and weekend visitors.