About Us
Who We Are
Forty years ago, Jerry Mobley dreamed big. His vision wasn't oil, although Midland's success in the oil industry likely was a key in realizing his dream. What he sought was a golf oasis born of dusty farmland in northwest Midland County. It is now known as Green Tree Country Club. Some scoffed at the idea of the new development. Midland already had three courses - each of them quality tracks. Of those courses, two were private, well-established and loaded with character. Three country clubs in a town Midland's size, even by today's standards, is still considered extremely rare. But Mobley's vision didn't stop with a golf course and premier club. It also included a residential development. In this area, he was also ahead of his time as evidenced as Green Tree's status as one of the premier residential locations in Midland-Odessa. Mobley - then the Head Golf Professional at Ranchland Hills Country Club - believed there was room for another club. He shared his belief with John Wood in the summer of 1977.
Not long after, Hoyle McCright of First National Bank came forward providing another integral piece. Midland West Corp. was created, and 320 acres north of the original site was obtained from Button Estes. "The site was a sandy old farm with one sickly tree and tumbleweeds," Mobley recalled in a letter. Mobley wrote there were a few hitches in the GTCC development, because of the development's unique design requirements - long cul-de-sacs, no alleys, no curbs. "We didn't even have a road, just a dirt trail to the property as late as February 1980," Mobley wrote. Just as the roads leading to Green Tree evolved, so did the club. Charles Howard of Austin was the architect of an 18-hole, championship golf course, which covered a reported 176 acres and featured Bermuda fairways and bent-grass greens, renown as the largest in the southwest at the time. An additional nine holes were opened in 1985, providing more options for golfers looking to get in a full round.
When operations began in 1980, under the leadership of President John Wood, Green Tree offered a 36,000 square-foot clubhouse, tennis courts, swimming pool, racquetball courts and a tennis clubhouse. Even before the facilities were completed, Green Tree had 225 members in place. Green Tree remains a second home to many, what is critical to any club's success is knowing what niche you serve and cater yourself to serve that market. Catering to the family atmosphere is what Green Tree will continue to hang its hat on. In the short term, Green Tree will not only focus on its facilities, such as the golf club's extensive practice facilities or the tennis club's covered court, but also its programs and services. Green Tree Country Club boasts an award-winning junior golf league and tennis programs, a family dining restaurant and couples lounge that features a positive dining experience. For Green Tree Country Club, the priority is the family experience, and every year we continue to reinforce that commitment. Green Tree officials believe relying on a broad base will help the club not only survive, but flourish in the future.