ClubCorp was founded by Robert H. Dedman on November 11, 1957, and construction began on Brookhaven Country Club in the Farmers Branch suburb of Dallas. Legendary golfer and famous Texan, Byron Nelson, served as the chairman of the advisory board during construction. Brookhaven held an open-house in 1959 to show off the 26,000 square foot informal wing. In 1965, ClubCorp expanded to include city clubs, similar to country clubs but without golf courses.

By the 1970s, ClubCorp served as the management consultant for more than 50 private clubs. In 1971, The University Club of Houston opens (Texas) near the Galleria complex and is the world's first indoor climate-controlled tennis complex. In the 1970s ClubCorp offered reciprocal privileges, meaning a member of any ClubCorp club could attend other clubs. In 1975, they bought 13 additional clubs, including the Inverrary Country Club, home to the PGA Tour. In 1976, ClubCorp Realty is formed to develop residential communities around country clubs.

In 1981, ClubCorp acquired Firestone Country Club in Akron, OH, from the Firestone Family. Shortly after, in 1984, the company bought golf courses, hotels and other properties in Pinehurst, North Carolina. After acquiring Pinehurst Resort, ClubResorts was founded for the management of destination golf and conference resorts. Resort Guests are treated as "Members for their Stay."

They also bought Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California and Indian Wells Country Club in Indian Wells, California, Gleneagles Country Club in West Plano, Texas, Stonebriar Country Club in Frisco, Texas and Las Colinas Country Club in Irving, Texas. They also bought The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia in 1993, Barton Creek, Austin, Texas and Daufuskie Island off Hilton Head, South Carolina. In 1986, ClubCorp began publishing Private Clubs magazine as a vehicle for communicating to members. In 1998, Private Clubs earned the distinction of having the most affluent audience in America.

According to wikipedia