Designed by the Land, Built for Everyone
Before homes started to appear on the streets of COLTON, before trails meandered through the trees and before the first residents arrived, something remarkable happened: John Houck and Dee Leekha-Houck were invited onto the property.
For the internationally respected disc golf design team, that early invitation changed everything.
Normally we are working around what is already there. This time, we were brought in early enough to let the best parts of the land guide the design.
The result is The Jackalope at COLTON, a destination-worthy disc golf experience championship course and a nearby innovative micro course with a putting green designed to welcome players of every age and skill level.
A Course Inspired by Texas
The first thing the team remembers about COLTON was not a specific fairway or hole. It was the feeling of the place.
It felt unmistakably Texas: mature oaks, towering pines, cedar, subtle topography, a winding creek and the sense of a landscape with its own quiet rhythm. Rather than changing that landscape to fit a preconceived course, the Houcks walked it, studied it and let its natural character shape the experience.
That process revealed opportunities rarely available in disc golf design. COLTON offered three ideal ingredients – trees, topography and water. The team then added even more possibilities through new ponds, carefully shaped mounds and the freedom to work with the land from the earliest planning stages.
Designed Before the Neighborhood Took Shape
For John, one of the most exciting aspects of the project was timing. The Houcks were brought in before roads and homes were in place, which allowed the course to be planned as an integral part of COLTON rather than added as an afterthought.
That early involvement gave the design team something rare: first choice of the land and they were able to identify the most dramatic natural features and build the course around them.
The result is a course that feels like it belongs to the community because it was planned alongside it. Fairways, trails, water, terrain and nearby community areas all work together to create a rhythm John described as uniquely COLTON.
More Than a Championship Course
At the center of The Jackalope experience is an 18-hole championship course designed to challenge experienced players while remaining approachable for newcomers. Three distinct tee positions allow players to grow with the course over time. Beginners enjoy shorter, more forgiving shot lines, while more advanced players face tighter gaps, greater distance and strategic shot-making decisions.
Nearly every hole also includes an additional championship-level Gold Pin placement, giving tournament organizers the ability to create an even greater challenge for elite players. It is a feature John said appears on only a small number of courses he has designed.
But the championship course is only part of the story. Near COLTON’s Arroyos Park, The Micro Course introduces a more compact, welcoming way to experience the game. Developed from Dee Leekha-Houck’s micro course concept, it is designed to help first-time players see the basket, build confidence quickly and enjoy the satisfaction of progress from the very first throw.
A Course for Every Player
The Jackalope was created with a broad range of players in mind: families, children, grandparents, new players, experienced competitors and people with accessibility needs.
Dee emphasized that a great course should remove intimidation from the game. The micro course helps do that by making disc golf visible, social and easy to try. Custom tee areas, a putting area and thoughtful spaces for groups and instruction help turn the course into a shared outdoor experience.
On the championship course, the different tee sets are not simply shorter or longer. They are designed with different levels of challenge, giving newer players more forgiving angles and experienced players more demanding lines. The goal is not just difficulty. The goal is growth.
Subtle Details, Lasting Memories
Some design choices will be easy to see: the pines, the ponds, the creek, the mounds and the holes that reveal themselves with a sense of drama. Others will be felt more than noticed.
John’s hope is that players walk away saying they loved the experience, even if they cannot name every design decision that made it work. A memorable course, in his view, gives players creative moments, including the two or three shots they will talk about long after the round is over.
A Legacy Amenity for COLTON
When asked what they hope people will say twenty years from now, John and Dee did not focus on rankings or awards. They talked about connection, community and legacy.
They imagine residents saying they are glad they moved here. They imagine first-time players remembering that the micro course was where they discovered disc golf. They imagine The Jackalope becoming a place where families, neighbors and visitors return again and again.
A good amenity does not become outdated. It becomes part of a community’s story. At COLTON, that story begins with the land, grows through the game and carries forward one throw at a time.
