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Contents 8

Cover Stories

8 The Golf Club at Star Ranch. An All-Inclusive First-Class Golf Experience 6 WELCOME

How to contact us with Golf News and Stories

14 FE ATURE ARTICLE

2018 PGA Merchandise Show, Texassized Gems, Giants and just plain Goofy

20 ROBERT TRENT JONES SR. TRAIL The Golf Club at Star Ranch

T G I

On the Trail for Birdies & Brews.

26 SAN ANTONIO MILITARY GOLF COURSES NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

MAP & DIRECTORIES 32 GENERAL DIRECTORY 34 MAP 35 ADVERTISER’S DIRECTORY

DALLAS & FORT WORTH 42 47 48 52

TEXAS RANGERS GC GENERAL DIRECTORY TEMPEST GC TAKES SHAPE WHISKEY RANCH MARRIES BOURBON & GOLF

Robert Trent Jones Sr.Trail

REGIONS

GREATER HOUSTON & TEXAS COAST 62 68 70 71

EAGLE POINTE RECREATION CLUB GENERAL DIRECTORY MAPS ADVERTISER’S DIRECTORY

TierraVerde Golf Club TheTexasGolfInsider.com

Golf Insider

The Official Guide to Golf in Texas

FROM THE FROM THEPUBLISHER EDITOR

Welcome to The Texas Golf Insider Magazine Texas

GOLF INSIDER P.O. Box 310652 New Braunfels, TX 78130 830-964-2152 FAX 830-964-2153 thetexasgolfinsider.com Mike Ratchman Texas Publisher Office: 830-964-2152 mike@thetexasgolfinsider.com Mark Harris DFW /Houston Regional Publisher Office: 512-296-4076 mark@thetexasgolfinsider.com Editor: Ava Ratchman Contributing Writers: Art Stricklin, Steve Habel Tom Bedell Contributing Photographers: Gary Perkins, Mark Lindsay, Carlton Wade, Steve Giles, The Texas Golf Hall of Fame Office Manager: Marcede Pullen CIRCULATION 3 ANNUAL EDITIONS 300,000 per year including DIGITAL MAGAZINE. DISTRIBUTION Throughout Central Texas, Dallas/Ft. Worth and Greater Houston at Golf Courses, Welcome Centers, Golf Shows, Golf Retail Stores and more. Copyright ©2015 Texas Golf Insider. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Golf course rates are subject to change at any time. Texas Golf Insider and its affiliates are not responsible or liable for any errors, omissions or changes in rates or information.

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

Anyone Ready For Spring?

Mike Ratchman Publisher

Man, was it a long drawn out winter or what! Cold, rainy, icy days with very little sunshine. Now I know what they mean when they say you have cabin fever.The good news is we all know what lies ahead soon. Because those 80 and 90-degree days are right around the corner. So regrip those clubs and put new batteries in that rangefinder of yours, because we have a ton of golf courses and getaways in this edition of The Texas Golf Insider for you to experience. Over the winter I had a chance to travel to the Dallas/ Ft.Worth area for a few business meetings and had a chance to visit a few courses in the area. I also made my way to Arlington as well, only to find some of the nicest golf courses in North Texas, and it’s still growing. It was a short visit but in my time there I learned that the city of Arlington considers themselves a mini golf destination. Gander through the magazine and see what I’m talking about. If you’re taking that trip to North Dallas, on your way up stop off in the small town of Hutto and tee it up at The Golf Club at Star Ranch, home of the all-inclusive. Have breakfast at the course and play 18. Stop and have lunch and play another 18. Not only is the course in great shape year-round but it’s a great place to hang out afterwards for an ice-cold beer and a cigar. I recommend it highly. Now if your business takes you to Houston you might want to stretch yourself out to east of Houston to another quaint town called Mont Belview, where lies a beautiful golf course called Eagle Pointe Golf Club. One of the few places in east Texas with dramatic elevation changes and stunningly tall pines trees, wrapped around all the water you can handle. Now, you are going to have do some thinking on this course because there is an abundance of water that you must swing around on most holes. But you’re going to have a lot of fun. It’s truly pure golf. Well I could go on and on about places to play golf in Texas, but you’ll have to check the rest out on your own. Browse through the magazine, pick a course and hit the links. Publisher Mike Ratchman

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Mark Harris

Regional Publisher for the Texas Golf Insider â€“ Dallas-Ft Worth, with over 25 years experience in marketing and customer relations and over 40 years experience as a mediocre golfer with a passion for the game.

Steve Habel

A national correspondent for Cybergolf, managing editor for Texas CEO Magazine, contributing editor for Horns Illustrated Magazine, a publication focusing on University of Texas sports and staff writer for the San Antonio Spurs.

Art Stricklin

One of the foremost experts on golf history and travel in Texas, Stricklin has written a total of seven books and has personally played at a majority of the stateâ€™s 800 golf courses. TEXAS

Golf Insider

The Official Guide to Golf in Texas

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COVER STORY

Golf Club Star Ranch remains one of Central Texas’ best golf experiences

By Steve Habel, Senior Editor

If you haven’t been up the Texas 130 toll road that skirts to the east of Austin lately, you will be floored by the growth of the northeast suburbs, especially where the area’s three major municipalities – Round Rock, Hutto and Pflugerville abut each other. Here at this confluence lies the Timmerman property, once lush prairieland and the region’s largest cattle ranch. The ranch is now the home to Star Ranch, one of Central Texas’ most desired TheTexasGolfInsider.com

and successful developments and neighborhoods. And at its centerpiece is the Golf Club Star Ranch, a course where the golfer’s experience is consistently great and where a round almost always brings players back for more. The sightlines, buildings and homes that surround Golf Club Star Ranch these days are certainly a change from the open fields and sweeping prairieland prevalent when owner Tim Timmerman and golf course architect

COVER STORY

Roy Bechtol walked the site and staked out the routing for the course in 2000. Through the past 17 years, the Golf Club Star Ranch has proven to be one of the region’s most popular golf courses, thanks in a large part to Bechtol’s work that created a challenging, but infinitely friendly, track that can be played and enjoyed by all levels of golfers. “People have always come to me and said how much they like playing the course – and that’s music to my ears,” the Austin-based Bechtol said. “I’m so proud of the work we did at Star Ranch and happy that it’s been received so well and enjoyed by so many golfers. Our goal was to design and build a course that was both fun and challenging. I can honestly say we achieved that at Star Ranch.”

A round at Golf Club Star Ranch has never been better. It’s the total experience, from the initial ball struck at the expansive practice facility to the first tee shot to the final putt, that separates the time spent here from the hours playing some of Star Ranch’s competitors. “We haven’t made many tweaks to the course through the years because we just haven’t had to,” said Rob Fulford, Star Ranch’s director of golf. “We concentrate on the things that most people don’t see, like doing what we need to keep the turf healthy, the putting surfaces smooth and the aesthetics of the course in perfect condition. It’s been a very successful formula.” Designed by Bechtol with help from Carter Morrish and Randy Russell, Golf Club Star Ranch

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COVER STORY

opened to rave reviews in 2001. The 18-hole facility plays to a par of 71 and 7,017 yards from the back set of four available tees. Located on a scenic hilltop, the Golf Club at Star Ranch utilizes the land’s natural rolling contours and an inspired routing around a central lake to create an experience both formidable and fun. The course is rated at 73.5 and it has a slope of 130 from the tips. “The course rewards great play and is not as punitive as some courses where you have no way to recover,” Bechtol said. “There are times when you think your shot may be out of play but you find it in the light rough. We want the player to enjoy the round, not to be beat up. Golf is hard enough without a course making it even harder and we made sure the golfer can have fun at Star Ranch.” TheTexasGolfInsider.com

Having a plan of action when you play Star Ranch is the way to get the most out of your round. My goal is to try to build some momentum at the start by attacking the dogleg at the 398-yard par-4 first hole and chasing a birdie. A good start allows the golfer to survive the course’s most difficult stretch, which begins with the 455yard par-4 second hole, includes the 451-yard third and ends with the No. 1 handicap hole at Star Ranch, the 582yard uphill par-5 fifth. Try to carry any momentum from the front-nine to the back, which can be a challenge because of the demands of the hole Nos. 10 and 11, two long par-4s. Hole Nos. 13 (a 532-yard par 5 easily reached in two good shots) and 14 (which, at 376 yards, is a twoshotter that can be attacked with a wedge on the approach) are places to

COVER STORY

make birdie. And there’s opportunity to continue that run on the 170-yard 15th, which, with its waterfall and fronting pond, is scenic but dangerous. One final chance to score is presented on the 507-yard par-5 18th hole, but the approach is uphill and the putting surface has a false front and is hidden from view when you’re in the fairway. Take enough club and attempt to fly the shot all the way to the flag. Thanks to Star Ranch’s “all-inclusive” package, players get a round of golf with cart, unlimited range balls and breakfast and lunch for one low rate. Replays, as available, can be had for a discounted rate. Star Ranch also features a wonderful 55,000-square foot driving range and short-game area with mul-

tiple teeing areas, six target greens, five bunkers, two chipping greens and rolling terrain for every golf shot in the bag. The Golf Club at Star Ranch is a great place for tournaments, thanks to a stand-alone pavilion and available turnkey tournament sales packages with hole-in-one insurance, trophies, gifts, prizes, merchandise and much more. The property also plays host to weddings most weekends at its marvelous Events Center.

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All Inclusive Golf Package Green Fee, Cart, Range Balls and Complimentary Hot Breakfast & Lunch Buffets

For Reservations:

(512) 252-Golf (4653) Book Online at :

www.Starranchgolf.com Located just north of Austin off the 130 Toll Road. â€“ 2500 FM 685 Hutto, TX 78634 Now Booking 2018 Golf Outings Call 252-4653 ext. 2 for details.

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REVIEW

Texas-sized Gems, Giants and the just plain Goofy Among Texas golfers, and most players from age 50 and older, there is not a more revered and honored name than the legendary golfer and Lone Star legend Ben Hogan. So its not surprising that the only major club manufacturer which carries a pro golfer’s name was still a big hit at the recently completed PGA Show. The 2018 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, golf’s annual cathedral of dreamers and doers, kicked off another golf year with a strong Texas influence. Many Texas golf companies were in full force along with other Texas pros including Steve Elkington and familiar figures in the game of golf. Probably the most recognized Texas name at the show was the Fort Worthbased Ben Hogan Company. It’s in its third life as a revival, having undergone a series of financial troubles and periods of bankruptcy and inactivity, but new CEO Scott White said the Hogan brand will The company is reinventing continue to itself as direct-to-consumer endure in golf’s stormy equipment seas. “We always want to cling close to the company’s roots and heritage.We know the high quality and standards people have for Ben Hogan clubs will never change and we want to continue to assemble top crafted clubs in Fort Worth,”White said. TheTexasGolfInsider.com

Some of the original Hogan employees are still around the current plant which is located only a few miles from Hogan’s original headquarters where he would come in every morning before his traditional lunch, stream treatment and solitary practice at Shady Oaks Country Club. White has signed up Fort Worth professional golfers J.J. Henry on the PGA Tour and Mark Brooks on the Champions Tour to represent Hogan clubs, which are available only via the internet on the company website, www.benhogangolf.com.There they can be customized for good or avid golfers who may never swing like Mr. Hogan, but still use the clubs he originally helped design. “We are never going to be mass market to all golfers, but there is always a place for a Texas original like Ben Hogan golf,”White said. Another Texas-sized splash was Allen putter manufacturer Tyson Lamb and his mother Tana.They continued to be one of the surprise hits of the PGA Show in only their second year showcasing their upscale, custom putters. They are only two of five full-time employees, four of which are family members, of Lamb Crafted Products. The company was born five years ago in Tana’s garage, located between Allen and Lucas, producing custom putters and other golf accessories. The golf putter niche has become so attractive that Lamb hasn’t been able to keep up with the orders coming off

REVIEW

Lamb Crafted product are proudly made in America,Texas that is!

his website and Facebook page. The putters, which begin at $1,250 per club and range all the way up to $5,000 for a single putter, are personally

crafted by Tyson himself. “I’ve been working a lot of 100 hour weeks, but for the first time in my life I have a direction and a purpose,” Tyson said. “I’m 29, but I want to be the very best I can be. It’s exciting to see what I can do with these products.” Lamb has capitalized on the latest golf collector craze through his mastery of social media on his website www.lambcrafted.com and his Instagram and twitter pages.The Lamb putter attraction was on full display at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando. There was a long line at his small booth when the show opened on Wednesday and Tana was forced to limit the crowd to 2 people at a time, buying putters which started at $2,900 at the show and ranged to $5,000. “Otherwise it would have been a mob scene and the product would have all been gone in 10 minutes,”Tana said. As it was, all 50 were sold by the end of the first day, leaving only a few putter covers, divot tools,T-Shirts and a couple of putters still in production for the golf masses to look over. “The first time I put my (last) name on a product, it made me very nervous

because I wanted it to be perfect, but I want people to have their dream product and I have my hand on everything we make here,”Tyson said. The growth is now taking place in an 1,800 square foot warehouse in Wyle, with a new three warehouse complex in the planning stages. It figures to get even crazier after the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Lamb announced an exclusive licensing deal at its 2018 All-Star Game in February, where fans can order putters and head covers for all 30 NBA teams. Lambcrafted is also expanding its golf association with NewYork clothing retailer Greyson Company. One of the most prominent Texas products showcasing in Orlando was longtime Jordan Spieth fitness coach Damon Goddard, who is taking his fitness skills as part of his AMPD Golf Performance School in Dallas to top junior players and junior golfers in North Texas and beyond. He has teamed up with Troon Golf to offer his fitness program to players who may never reach Spieth’s level, but enjoy the sport just as much. “People want to play golf, but they don’t want to hurt.They want to enjoy it. If I can help players enjoy the game more, not hurt and get fit, then they will play more golf,” Goddard said. Now, players of all skill levels will be able to learn from a wide variety of videos and information on the AMPD site, https://ampdgolfperformance.com, TheTexasGolfInsider.com

REVIEW

along with in-person visits and his new association with Troon golf facilities nationwide. “Not everybody is going to be a Jordan Spieth, but everybody can enjoy the game.We are just trying to help them do it better,” Goddard said. One of the hottest sellers at the show and certainly at a local golf course near you is the Loudmouth golf clothing line which now features loudmouth clothing for dozens of Texas colleges from the University of Texas to SMU, Baylor,Texas A&M and Texas Tech. They also do almost every major professional sport, with lead Loudmouth endorser John Daly famously wearing his Dallas Cowboys Loudmouth clothing everywhere to show his pride in America’s Team.The all-time pro sports best seller is the Chicago Cubs, but you can find you favorite teams, favorite beer and favorite character along with the military Folds of Honor in blaringly colorful Loudmouth fashion. For more go to www.loudmouthgolf.com As founder Scott “Woody” Woodworth once said, “They used to laugh at me, now they are laughing with me.” CBS Sports writer Kyle Porter was impressed with the Virtual Green: This product from Full Swing Golf was stunning and incredibly helpful. A green that undulates with the touch of a button is a pretty remarkable thing. TheTexasGolfInsider.com

This product also has guiding lights that help show you which way your

putt breaks. If you have a sweeping leftto-right breaker, the light guides you to where you need to putt the ball on the proper fall line. It’s difficult to trust at the beginning (kind of like being on an actual green) and a little pricey for the average golfer, but it’s a fantastic product. Another favorite of Porter’s was the Bomb-It Mini.The premise: the smaller the training aid the better you’ll hit it when you use the real thing.This driver has a mini head (and I’m being generous) that will help you find the true center on your driver.The Bomb-It Mini Driver embraces the old golf adage, “Aim Small, Miss Small!” It’s simple by nature, but it feels incredibly innovative.The club is made by Momentus Sports and retails for $150.

REVIEW

They say that 40% of all shots on the course are made with the putter, so one of the products that appealed to me was from PutOUT, something that could up my game. This training aid is designed to simulate the exact conditions of putting into a real hole on the green, no The PuttOUT - perfect matter where your golf putting you are. With a scientifically shaped parabolic ramp, each made putt is returned to the player the same distance it would have gone past the hole had it missed, anything else is a miss. Only putts of absolute perfection will hold in the micro-target, so let the practice begin. Throughout the show, two themes really seemed to hit you over top of the head; matte color golf balls and single rider golf carts.Volvik introduced vivid colored golf balls last year and they were an instant hit.The trend continued at this year’s show.We all know that success breeds competition so it was no surprise that Wilson, Callaway, and Zero Friction all showcased their versions of a matte finish golf ball. The other focus of the show’s festivities were all manner of vehicles

with which you can traverse a golf course with your bag. Four-wheelers, two-wheelers, electric bicycles and of course, golfboards were all represented. GolfBoard’s unique and proprietary features make it best-in-class and loads of fun. If you ever dreamed of riding your skate board across the well manicured greens of the nearest course, you will appreciate the thrill of riding a golfboard. Powered by an environmentally friendly lithium-ion battery, the GolfBoard is an easy-to-ride fully electric

vehicle that adds a whole new level of fun and excitement. Of course the show wouldn’t be as crazy and as popular if it didn’t let golf’s biggest and craziest dreamers in the big tent as well. And so was found a company selling a plastic rod known simply as The Stick. It’s a wrapped plastic rod which golfers and other athletes can use to rub out sore spots in their muscles, beat off opponents or attack themselves after a particularly poor shot. The company said it had been on the market since 1988 and carried the tagline, a toothbrush for your muscles. More information on this simple and zany product is at www.thestick.com TheTexasGolfInsider.com

FEATURE STORY

On the Trail for Birdies and Brews By Tom Bedell

Hampton Cove -Highlands No. 8

When I began writing about golf 20 years ago, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama was already five years old. I’ve been hearing about it ever since but never once stuck a tee in any of its 468 tee boxes—until last October, which seemed like a good time to celebrate anniversaries. It was also a good time to do a fair amount of immersive research into the state’s craft brewing scene as well as play a couple of non-Trail courses, all in northern Alabama. I’ve played a bit of golf here and there in two decades. Still, the RTJ Trail statistics could make anyone’s eyes cross:There are 26 golf courses at 11 facilities throughout the state, totaling about 100 miles of courses; nearly 12 million rounds have been played on

them in 25 years; over a half-million golfers visit each year from all 50 states and about 20 foreign countries. And considering the uniformly excellent quality and condition of the courses, the average green fee is $50. Even during peak season the highest fee at most courses is $64. (And there were a lot of $25 specials in the 2017 silver anniversary year.) That Guinness World Records calls the 12-course layout at Mission Hills in China the “world’s largest golf club” makes Roger Rulewich chuckle a little. Only 216 holes? Child’s play! Rulewich, who graduated fromYale University with a civil engineering degree in 1958, began working for Robert Trent Jones Sr. a few years later. By the time Jones closed up shop in 1995, Rulewich

The Shoals - Fighting Joe No. 9

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FEATURE STORY

Silver Lakes

was his chief lieutenant and the actual I felt like a bit of a piker playing a designer of many courses credited to mere 63 holes on the Trail, and only in RTJ, including those of the RTJ Trail. the north. But it did give me a chance All the works of the Pharaohs of to play at one of the original 1992 sites, Egypt had nothing on the early years of Hampton Cove in Huntsville. Silver the Trail, when there was a construcLakes from 1993 was also on the dance tion crew of over 700, building 18 golf card, near Anniston and Gadsden, as courses at seven very different locations, was The Shoals in Muscle Shoals, a late all at the same time. Even now, 25 years bloomer from 2004. removed from the initial Herculean No RTJ Golf Trail site is more than labors, Rulewich can still shake his two hours removed from another in head in awe at the the state, and with so enormity of the job many routings there is and say with wellbound to be someunderstated meaning; thing unique wher“It was something.” It ever one winds up remains something— teeing off. Hampton a wonder, really—that Cove has three 18so much was done so hole tracks—includquickly and so well. ing a Short Course, The project a feature of most of was the brainchild the Trail sites—and of Dr. David G. the River Course is Yellowhammer at Hampton Cove Bronner, CEO of the the only Trail course Retirement Systems of without a single bunAlabama which funded the project and ker. But it does sport a 250-year-old which has done more than very well for black oak behind the 18th green, said the state ever since, bringing in billions to be the third oldest in the state. of tourist dollars. Indeed, the RTJ Trail At Silver Lakes the three regulation has since been a model for other such nines are called Backbreaker, Mindtrails in other states, though no one has breaker and Heartbreaker, and the topped the original. latter is said to be just that (or worse) TheTexasGolfInsider.com

FEATURE STORY

if played from the championship tees. Show up at Silver Lakes as we did in the early morning light and you won’t really care about the difficulty of the routing because you’ll be so seduced by its beauty. Every course on the Trail has five sets of tees, so sensible choices can lead to pleasurable rounds. For the foolhardy though, there’s the Fighting Joe course at The Shoals, the first of the Trail courses—though not the last—to exceed 8,000 yards from the tips. (But hey, it’s only rated 78.7/138, so feel free.)

Off the Trail Our group did manage 36 other holes—a total of 99 for the trip, the last of which I unwontedly birdied— the other two courses strongly hinting that it pays to not limit oneself to Trail tracks when visiting. The Lake Course at the ingratiating and bucolic Goose Pond Colony Resort in Scottsboro is a 1971 George Cobb design playing around the Tennessee River. After the turn the course ups the charm quotient as it winds around a spacious marina on Lake Guntersville. TheTexasGolfInsider.com

The TP Country Club in Cullman is also known as Terri Pines, and it’s that American rarity, a private course that loves visitors.We met Bertis McGriff, the original owner, now 91, and the extended family that now runs the course, who enveloped us in the generous warmth of southern hospitality.The course is a 1971 Tom Jackson creation, a hidden gem if ever there was one, roaming over its many hills with giddy abandon, and ending with a thrilling uphill blast to the home hole. And for a beer geek like me, this trip was an eye-opener to the leaps and

The Shoals - Fighting Joe No. 18

bounds of the state’s craft beer production, as we also visited five breweries. Talk about giddy abandon, Alabama became the fastest growing craft beer state in the nation from 2011 to 2016. Granted, it started out from near zero due to restrictive laws then still in place, but made up for it fast with a growth rate over that time of 6,380%. According to Dan Perry, one of the founders of Straight to Ale in Huntsville, Northern Alabama has led the charge, one reason the regional tourist

FEATURE STORY

Silver Lakes - Mindbreaker No. 8

association has created an itinerary of breweries to visit—not a little like the Robert Trent Jones Trail.When our group visited there were eight breweries on the North Alabama Craft Beer Trail. Now there are a dozen, including those we visited, Straight to Ale;Yellowhammer Brewing, also in Huntsville; Singin’ River in Florence; Goat Island in Cullman, and Back Forty in Gadsden. (The latter is in Roy Moore territory, but before the special Senate election that would come to dominate the nation’s headlines, Back Forty went out on a limb and boldly sported a sign in favor of eventual winner Doug Jones.) All of this activity wouldn’t mean much if the beer was inferior. Far from it, and as we continued testing beers like Monkeynaut IPA, Brother Joseph Dubbel, Frankenhammer, Richter’s Pils, Sipsey River

Red,Tiger Chainsaw Arms, Pugilistic Zombie, IPAcalypse Now, Freckle Belly IPA and Naked Pig Pale Ale, thumbs kept pointing upward. It all seemed to come full circle on the last day, as Brad Wilson of Back Forty joined one of our foursomes to play Silver Lakes. Brad’s brother, Jason Wilson, founded Back Forty Beer Company and both, in their youth, worked on the initial construction of the Silver Lakes courses. It only seemed natural that Back Forty now brews the “official” swing oil of the RTJ Trail, Cart Barn Light, a 4.5% ABV cream ale packaged in a can that resembles the Trail logo. It gets better: buy a six-pack and there’s a discount coupon for Trail rounds on the bottom. Tom Bedell is,as far as he knows,the only member of both the GolfWriters Association of America and the North American Guild of BeerWriters. TheTexasGolfInsider.com

COURSES

Public Course

SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

MAP #29

RATES Monday-Friday $32 Seniors and Military $26 Saturday, Sunday and $38 Holidays Twilight at noon everyday (Green Fee, Cart & Tax Included)

COURSE FACTS

Number of Holes: 18 Par: 72 Director of Golf: Dave Roberts

TEE INFORMATION

Yardage/Rating/Slope: Blue: 6550 / 71.0 / 125 White: 6080 / 65.5 / 119 Gold: 5339 / 66.4 / 118 Red: 4815 / 64.0 / 113

DIRECTIONS From I-35 north, take Exit 178 and turn right onto Country Club Drive. The entrance to the course is on the right side of the street.

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Cibolo

Northcliffe Golf Club Home of the Noon Twilight Rate - Mon-Fri Just $24 Northcliffe Golf Club is one of the most beautiful and well-maintained golf courses in the San Antonio and New Braunfels area. The par 72 course is enjoyable for the average golfer, yet a challenge to the low-handicap players. Our rates are hands-down some of the most competitive around as we offer a great value to locals and visiting players alike. Northcliffe Golf Club is the home of “Twilight at Noon Seven Days A Week” Originally designed in 1979 by Joe Finger, the links-style design features generous fairways and leaves the golfer several options to play each hole. Northcliffe also has the unique design of 5 par-5’s and 5 par-3’s that wind through the course with no major elevation changes. Now open at Northcliffe Golf Club is the new “America’s first drift fry restaurant” Shifu’s 41 and a 1000 sq.ft. deck surrounding the pro shop. With a friendly informal atmosphere and customer service that is dedicated to making your golf experience exciting and enjoyable, Northcliffe is easily one of the “best kept secrets” around. We invite you to come relax, take it easy, and have a great round. 5301 Country Club Blvd. Cibolo, TX 77546

830-606-7351

www.northcliffegolfcourse.com

1250 AM / 94.5 FM

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Randolph Oaks 210-652-4653

REVIEW

Open access, and tee sheet, lure players to three San Antonio military base golf courses

By Steve Habel/Senior Editor

History abounds among the courses of in the 1950s and 60s; Fort Sam Houston the Alamo City and that trend is prevalent GC is the still the only military track to host in the tracks set on its air force and army a PGA Tour event. Golf legends Sam Snead bases, several of which until 2016 were and Arnold Palmer have played here, and mostly accessible only to active and retired Fort Sam Houston Golf Course has also military personnel and were considered hosted the All-Army Championship. unattainable by many area golfers. A 1976 redesign that added another 18 The courses at Randolph and Lackland holes to the installation’s facility split TillingAir Force Bases now hast’s work into two separate allow, and encourage, routings and both courses play from outside its have undergone significant immediate ranks, in renovations by the Kevin the process joining an Tucker Design Group in the open-door policy in last decade. place for years at the two Eleven of the original golf courses at Fort Sam Tillinghast-designed holes Houston. (Nos. 1-10 and 18) are now The two golf courses the backbone of the La Loma Salado Del Rio Golf Course at Fort Sam Houston are course; the other seven are loaded with lore and have among the holes on Salado played a huge role in the history of golf in Del Rio and make up holes 1 and 13-18 both Texas and the Alamo City.The base’s on that layout. pair of 18-hole tracks – La Loma and Now on to the courses that are finally Salado Del Rio – feature holes from the allowing outside play. original routing as drawn up and put to There is a procedure for getting perwork by Golden Age golf architect A.W. mission to play the courses at Randolph Tillinghast. and Lackland AFB. First and foremost, you Tilly’s original course (opened in have to plan ahead if you’ve never been 1937) was the host site for the Texas Open on the bases before.That means calling

Gateway Hills Golf Couse at Lackland AFB

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REVIEW

Fort Sam Houston Clubhouse and Event Center

the pro shop a day in advance (48 hours is preferred) and giving them the information they need to have a pass to visit the base ready for you at the gate. The golf course at Lackland AFB, called Gateway Hills GC, was opened in 1946 as a nine-hole course and expanded to 18 holes in the mid-1950s. Located in southwest San Antonio on rolling terrain, there’s no “name” designer attached to the course, but that doesn’t stop it from being a fun and challenging track, thanks to surprising elevation changes and a narrow, oak and mesquite tree-lined routing. Laid out on 200 acres, Gateway Hills Golf Course measures 6,901 yards from its back tees with many strategically located bunkers and a host of oak and mesquite trees.The facility also provides an excellent practice area which includes a driving range, bunker, green, a lob-wedge practice green and a pair of practice putting greens. “People who play our course for the first time are surprised at the movement and the way our routing has so many hills, some of which are extreme – like the approach to the ninth and 18th holes,” said Steve Griffith, the head professional at Gateway Hills GC. A foursome of America’s most renown golf architects – Perry Maxwell, Press Maxwell, Ralph Plummer and Joe Finger – all had a hand (and a shovel or two) in

the design of the course at Randolph AFB, which is located in northeast San Antonio. Called Randolph Oaks GC, it dates back to 1950 and their collaboration produced a long, flat course that is known for its wide fairways and small, elevated greens. Bunkers are in play, and a few water hazards dot the design. The course rating at Randolph Oaks is a stout 74.5 and it has a slope rating of 125 on Bermuda grass. Two of the par-3s play at more than 200 yards.The par 5s average 550 yards in length.The 12th hole is considered the toughest because of its long, 589-yard dogleg that turns sharply off the tee. All three facilities provide breakfast and lunch dining options. Gateway Hills even offers a succulent Steak Night Dinner on Thursdays from 4-7 p.m.

Randolph Oaks Golf Course

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Randolph Oaks Golf Course

Bldg 1300, Golf Course Rd, Randolph AFB, TX 78150 (210) 652-4653 - 18 Hole Golf Course, All Courses Use Gallus Golf App Designed By: Perry Maxwell

Gateway Hills Golf Course

1800 Dimsted Pl, Lackland AFB, TX 78236 (210) 671-3466 - 18 Hole Golf Course, All Courses Use Gallus Golf App

Fort Sam Houston Golf Course

1050 Harry Wurzbach Rd, San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 222-9386 - 36 Hole Golf Course, All Courses Use Gallus Golf App Catering Available

SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

Public Course

RATES

MAP #20

18 9 Twilight

Weekday $ 35 $24 $25 Weekend $40 $24 $30

Twilight rates apply after 2pm

COURSE FACTS

Number of Holes: 18 Par: 72 Architect: Leon Howard General Manager: Chris Godwin Superintendent: Diego Navarro Course Record: Chris Shive, 62

TEE INFORMATION

Yardage/Rating/Slope: Gold: 6544 / 72.6 / 134 Blue: 6170 / 70.8 / 129 White: 5807 / 69.0 / 124 Red: 5187 / 69.8 / 117 Silver: 5187 / 65.7 / 119

COURSE AMENITIES

• • • •

Practice Facilities Golf Instructions Fully Stocked Pro Shop Online Specials

COURSES

Lago Vista

Lago Vista Golf Course Located in the Beautiful Texas Hill Country Lago Vista Golf Course is a par 72 18-hole championship golf course that offers over 6,500 yards of fun and challenging play. The course originally opened as a 9-hole facility in 1971 to help promote lot sales in the, unincorporated neighborhoods that make up the city of Lago Vista today. Shortly thereafter, under the guidance of course designer Leon Howard, the course was renovated and expanded to 18 holes, and operated as a private country club until the mid-1990s. Today, all the golfers are welcome to enjoy the undulating fairways. Epic lake views, and abundant wildlife at Lago Vista golf course. The course features four sets of tees to provide a fun challenge for all ability levels, a practice facility with a spectacular view of Lake Travis.

4616 Rimrock Drive Lago Vista, TX 78645

512-267-1170

www.lagovistagc.com

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180 GOLF COURSE RD. | NEW BRAUNFELS, TX 78130

DIRECTORY SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

COURSE TYPE PHONE COURSE TYPE PHONE AUSTIN: Avery Ranch Semi-Private Falconhead Semi-Private Gray Rock Golf Club Semi-Private Hancock Park Golf Course Public Jimmy Clay/Roy Kizer GC Public Lions Municipal Golf Course Public Morris Williams Golf Course Public Riverside Golf Club Public BANDERA: Flying L Ranch Golf Course Resort BASTROP: Colovista Golf Club Semi-Private Hyatt, Wolfdancer Resort Pine Forest Golf Club Public BLANCO: Vaaler Creek Golf Club Semi-Private BOERNE: Tapatio Springs Resort BURNET: Delaware Springs Golf Course Public CANYON LAKE: Lakeside Golf Club Public CASTROVILLE: Alsatian Golf Course Public CIBOLO: Northcliffe Golf Club Semi-Private COMFORT: Buckhorn Golf Course Public CONCAN: Club at ConCan Resort DEVINE: Devine Golf Course Public FLORESVILLE: River Bend Golf Club Public FREDERICKSBURG: Lady Bird Johnson Golf Course Public GEORGETOWN: Cowan Creek Golf Club Semi-Private Legacy Hill Golf Club Semi-Private White Wing Golf Club Semi-Private HORSESHOE BAY: Horseshoe Bay Resort Resort Apple Rock Resort Ram Rock Resort Slick Rock Resort HUTTO: Golf Club at Star Ranch Semi-Private KERRVILLE: Scott Schreiner Municipal GC Public KINGSLAND: Legends Golf Course Public KYLE: Plum Creek Golf Course Public LAGO VISTA: Lago Vista Semi-Private LAMPASAS: Hancock Park Golf Course Public LEANDER: The Golf Club at Crystal Falls Public

(512) 248-2442 (512) 402-1558 (512) 288-4297 (512) 453-0276 (512) 444-0999 (512) 477-6963 (512) 974-8333 (512) 386-7077 (800) 646-5407 (512) 629-4585 (512) 308-9653 (512) 321-1181 (830) 833-0706 (830) 537-4197 (512) 756-8471 (830) 899-3301 (830) 931-3100 (830) 606-7351 (830) 995-5351 (830) 232-4471 (830) 665-9943 (830) 216-2800 (830) 997-4010 (512) 864-1244 (512) 864-1222 (512) 864-1244 (830) 598-8600 (830) 598-8600 (830) 598-8600 (830) 598-8600 (512) 252-4653 (830) 257-4982 (325) 388-8888 (512) 262-5555 (512) 267-1170 (512) 556-3202 (512) 259-5855

LLANO: Llano Golf Club Public MANOR: Shadow Glen Semi-Private MARBLE FALLS: Hidden Falls Golf Club Semi-Private NEW BRAUNFELS: The Bandit Golf Course Public Landa Park Golf Course Public PLEASANTON: Pleasanton Country Club Semi-Private PFLUGERVILLE: Blackhawk Golf Club Public ROUND ROCK: Forest Creek Golf Club Public The Golf Club of Star Ranch Semi-Private TeraVista Golf Club Semi-Private SALADO: Mill Creek Inn & Country Club Semi-Private SAN MARCOS: Quail Creek Country Club Semi-Private SAN SABA: San Saba River GC Public SEGUIN: Starcke Park Golf Course Public SPICEWOOD: Pedernales Golf Course Public SPRING BRANCH: River Crossing Club Private The Club at Rebecca Creek Semi-Private SAN ANTONIO: Alamo Golf Club Public Brackenridge Park Golf Course Public Canyon Springs Golf Course Public Cedar Creek Golf Course Public Gateway Hills Golf Course Public Golf Club of Texas Public Hyatt Hill Country Resort Resort La Cantera Golf Club Public La Loma Grande Public Mission Del Lago Golf Course Public Northern Hills Public Olmos Basin Golf Course Public Randolf Oaks Golf Course Public Riverside Golf Course Public Salado Del Rio Public San Pedro Range & Par 3 Public Silverhorn Public The Palmer Course Public The Quarry Golf Club Semi-private The Republic Golf Course Public TPC San Antonio Resort Windcrest Golf Course Semi-private Willow Springs Golf Course Public UNIVERSAL CITY: Olympia Hills Golf & Conference Ctr Public UTOPIA: Utopia Golf Course Public WIMBERLEY: Quicksand at Woodcreek Public

(325) 247-5100 (512) 278-1304 (830) 693-3300 (830) 609-4665 (830) 221-4340 (830) 281-3486 (512) 251-9000 (512) 388-2874 (512) 252-GOLF (512) 651-9850 (254) 947-5698 (512) 353-1665 (325) 372-3212 (830) 401-2490 (512) 264-1489 (830) 904-4653 (830) 885-5168 (210) 696-4000 (210) 226-5612 (210) 497-1770 (210) 695-5050 (210) 671-3466 (210) 504-2550 (210) 647-1234 (210) 558-4653 (210) 222-9386 (210) 627-2522 (210) 655-4148 (210) 826-4041 (210) 652-4570 (210) 533-8371 (210) 222-9386 (210) 349-5113 (210) 545-5300 (210) 558-2365 (210) 824-4500 (210) 359-0000 (210) 491-5800 (210) 655-1421 (210) 226-6721 (210) 945-4653 (830) 966-5577 (512) 847-9700

SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN DIRECTORY

THE COAST COURSE TYPE PHONE Alice Municipal Golf Course Public Brownsville Golf Center Public Buccaneer Bay Public GC Public Colony Creek Country Club Semi-Private Corpus Christi Country Club Private Cottonwood Creek Golf Course Public Edinburg Municipal Golf Course Public El Campo County Club Private Fort Brown Municipal Golf Course Public Ganado Golf and Country Club Public Goliad Country Recreation Assoc. Public Grande Caribbean at Dune Crest Public Harlingen Country Club Private L.E. Ramey Golf Course Public Lorenzo Golf Center Public Oso Beach Municipal GC Public Northshore Golf Course Public Padre Isles Country Club Private Palm View Golf Course Public Palmilla Beach Golf Club Semi-Private Rio Colorado Golf Course Public South Padre Island Golf Club Public The Victoria Country Club Semi-Private Tierra Del Sol Golf Club Public Tierra Santa Golf Club Public Treasure Hills Country Club Semi-Private Village Executive Golf Course Public Valley International Country Club Semi-Private

(361) 664-7033 (956) 541-2582 (361) 790-7513 (361) 576-0018 (361) 991-2811 (956) 428-7758 (956) 381-1244 (409) 543-6592 (956) 542-9861 (361) 771-2424 (361) 645-2144 (361) 749-1974 (956) 412-4110 (361) 592-1101 (361) 826-8017 (361) 826-8010 (361) 643-2798 (361) 949-8056 (956) 687-9591 (361) 749-4653 (979) 244-2955 (956) 943-5678 (361) 573-3712 (956) 702-2320 (956) 973-1811 (956) 365-3100 (956) 968-5331 (956) 546-5331

RIO GRANDE VALLEY COURSE TYPE PHONE Adobe Wells Country Club Alamo Country Club Brownsville Municipal GC Cimarron Cottonwood 21 Ebony Hills Golf Course Fair Winds G.C & Practice Range Fort Brown Memorial GC Harlingen Country Club Jim Paul Golf Course Llano Grande Golf Course Los Lagos Golf Club Martin Valley Ranches Golf Course McAllen Country Club Meadow Creek Golf Club Palacio Real Golf Course Palm View Golf Course Rancho Viejo Country Club Raymondville Municipal Course River Bend Resort Shary Municipal Golf Course South Padre Island Golf Club The MAX Golf Course Tony Butler Municiapal GC

Private Private Public Private Semi-Private Public Public Public Private Public Public Public Public Private Public Semi-Private Public Semi-Private Public Semi-Private Public Public Public Public

(956) 686-8801 (956) 787-0910 (956) 541-2582 (956) 581-7408 (956) 428-0766 (956) 381-1244 (956) 423-2010 (956) 541-0394 (956) 412-4110 (956) 943-7520 (956) 565-3351 (956) 316-0444 (956) 585-6330 (956) 928-0440 (956) 581-6267 (956) 381-0964 (956) 687-9591 (956) 350-4000 (956) 689-9904 (956) 548-0191 (956) 580-8770 (956) 943-5678 (956) 726-2000 (956) 216-5970

Laredo

127

Utopia 1604

473

1604

Kyle

130

55 53 50

52 54

620

29 725 65 65 75

87 87 Spring Brand

3 46 64 26 8 85 Castroville 26

Comfort

1431

Marble Falls Leander 1825

Robstown

ConCan

15 15

Harper

2342

n 44 286

Refugio

Portland

358

Corpus Christi

Sinton

sto ou To H

Kingsland

n to

Port Aransas

ico ex

of M

S To

Practice Fac. Restaurant Banquet Fac. Pro Shop Instructions Ad on Page

Yardage /Rating /Slope

Par

Type: M=Municipal, PR=Private, P=Public, SP= Semi-Private.

Type Hole

Map Number

SAN ANTONIO |HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN COURSES

Gateway Hills Golf Course (210) 671-3466 26 1800 Dimsted Pl., Lackland AFB, TX 78236

P 18

72 6917/73.1/125

•

• • 28

www.myjbsa-fss-mwr.com

Grey Rock Golf Course

(512) 288-4297 M 18

(512) 978-2330 M 9

2633/32.6/112 •

• • 33

(512) 974-4653 M 18

6914/73.8/124 • •

• • 33

LaLoma Grande Golf Club (210) 222-9386 P 18 85 1050 Harry Wurzbach, San Antonio, TX 78209

6774/72.5/124 • • • • • 28

Lago Vista Golf Course (512) 267-1170 M 18 2 0 4616 Rimrock Dr., Lago Vista, TX 78645

6579/70.0/118 • • • • • 29

Landa Park Golf Course (830) 420-0417 M 18 73 180 Golf Course Rd., New Braunfels, TX 78130

51 7401 TX-45, Austin, TX 78739 www.austintexas.gov

Hancock Golf Course

54 811 E 41st St. , Austin, TX 78751 www.austintexas.gov

Jimmy Clay Golf Course

53 5400 Jimmy Clay Dr., Austin, TX 78744 www.austintexas.gov

6909/74.6/141 • • • • • 33

www.ftsammwr.com /recreation/golf.html

www.lagovistagc.com

5665/71

• • • • • 30

www.landaparkgolfcourse.com

Lions Municipal Golf Course

(512) 477-6963 M 18

6001/69.2/124 • • • • • 33

(512) 974-8333 M 18

7023/73.0/124 • •

Northcliffe Golf Club (830) 606-7351 SP 36 29 5301 Country Club Blvd., Cibolo, TX 77546

6550/72/125

• • • • • 24

Plum Creek Golf Course (512) 262-5555 SP 18 98 4301 Benner Road, Kyle, TX 78640

6210/71

• • • • • 19

Randolph Oaks Golf Course (210) 652-4653 P 18 75 Bldg. 1300 Golf Course Rd, Randolph AFB, TX 78150

7172/74.5/125 •

6819/72.2/125

• • • • • 33

Salado Del Rio Golf Course (210) 222-9386 P 18 72 85 1050 Harry Wurzbach, San Antonio, TX 78209

6819/70.8/124

• • • • • 28

Star Ranch Golf Club (512) 252-4653 SP 18 3 2500 FM 685, Hutto, TX 78634

7030/71.0/117

• • • • 8

The Bandit Golf Club 65 6019 FM 725, New Braunfels, TX 78130

5905/67.6/

• • • • • 19

52 2901 Enfield Road, Austin, TX 78703 www.austintexas.gov

Morris Williams Golf Course

55 3851 Manor Road, Austin, TX 78723 www.austintexas.gov

• • 33

www.northcliffegolfcourse.com

www.plumcreekgolf.com

• • 28

www.myjbsa-fss-mwr.com

Roy Kizer Golf Course

50 5400 Jimmy Clay Dr., Austin, TX 78744 www.austintexas.gov

(512) 974-4653 M 18

www.ftsammwr.com/recreation/golf.html

www.starranchgolf.com

www.banditgolfclub.com

(830) 609-4665 SP 18

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

Practice Fac. Restaurant Banquet Fac. Pro Shop Instructions Ad on Page

6155/71

• • • • • 19

The Golf Club of Texas Concan 15 520 Mountain Valley, Concan, TX 78838

(830) 232-4471 P 18

5187/72

• • • • • 72

The Max (956) 726-2000 P 18 99 27700 FM 1472, Laredo, TX 78045

6211/72/125

• • • • • 31

The Republic Golf Club (210) 359-0000 P 18 64 4226 S.E. Military Dr., San Antonio, TX 78222

7007/74.3/128 • • • • • 19

Vaaler Creek Golf Club (830) 833-0706 SP 18 87 228 Jeff Vaughn, Blanco, TX 78606

6864/73.0/140 • • • • 5

Type: M=Municipal, PR=Private, P=Public, SP= Semi-Private.

Type Hole

The Buckhorn Golf Course (830) 995-5351 P 18 66 36 FM 473, Comfort, TX 78013

Map Number

Yardage /Rating /Slope

COURSES SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

Par

www.buckhorngolfcourse.com

www.clubatconcan.com

www.themaxlaredo.com

www.republicgolfclub.com

www.vcgc.golf

SHOPPING/SERVICES | ACCOMMODATIONS/DINING | TOURNAMENTS/INSTRUCTION ACCOMODATIONS/ DINING

Alabama Road Trip | Ad Page 2 www.alabama.travel/golf |

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

INSTRUCTION/TOURNAMENTS WAFOJGT at The Golf Club of Texas - Concan | Map # 15 | 520 Mountain Valley, Concan, TX 78838 | Ad Pg 72 WAFOJGT23@gmail.com | 830-232-4471

www.TheTexasGolfInsider.com

“Where Golfer’s Go To Play A Round”

DALLAS | FORT WORTH

COURSES

Texas Golf Insider expanding to the North Texas market They say everything’s bigger in Texas – and it certainly holds true for Mark Harris DFW Regional Publisher the North Texas 512-296-4076 golf scene. You can look forward to feature stories on the Dallas-Fort Worth area courses that will add to your golf experience. With many public golf courses – ranging from bargain municipals to high-end daily fees and resorts – there’s something for every price point and level of player and

Texas Golf Insider is committed to bringing you a comprehensive guide for golf options and features on courses and trends in the game. I suggest a visit to Whiskey Ranch which offers a tasty way to celebrate a good round, or embrace your baseball pride at the Texas Ranger Golf Club. And you won’t want to miss the new, improved Tempest Golf Club, so mark your calendar for this July’s opening. We look forward to bringing you great golf reasons to visit, stay and play North Texas Golf.

The Golf Club of Dallas 2200 W Red Bird Ln, Dallas, TX 75232

(214) 333-3595

www.golfclubdallas.com

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

FEATURE STORY

Texas Rangers Golf Club

makes Arlington even more of a golf destination By Steve Habel/Senior Editoror

The burgeoning city of Arlington, Texas is the home of both the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Rangers, two of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex’s big-league sports franchises, but city officials wanted to create another calling card to make sure people come to the city and stay a while. They’ve done just that with the total renovation of the former Chester W. Ditto Golf Course into a completely new track and its rebranding as Texas Rangers Golf Club. In November, golf course architects John Colligan and Trey Kemp of Arlingtonbased Colligan Golf Design completed the renovation of Ditto, a city-owned track opened in 1968 that has been completely rerouted to fully utilize the 164-acre site and its 80-plus feet of elevation change. Then in January, city and team leaders announced that the course would be renamed to reflect Arlington’s major league baseball team, becoming the only golf course in the TheTexasGolfInsider.com

country with such an affiliation. Under the 36-year promotional and licensing agreement, the Rangers have granted the city the right to use its brand on the golf course, which is about three miles from Globe Life Park (the Rangers’ home stadium) and the entertainment district. Before the Rangers would sign off on the new agreement, the course had to be revised and renewed into a first-class golf experience. By all accounts, Texas Rangers Golf Club will be a true destination course and one of the most anticipated rounds of golf in a region known for great tracks. “It’s easier to think of Texas Rangers Golf Club to be a completely new course built on the land that used to facilitate Chester W. Ditto Golf Course, “said Greg Durante, the city of Arlington’s golf services manager. “Everything here has changed, from the routing to the turf that’s been planted to the practice facility to the clubhouse and to the new irriga-

FEATURE STORY

tion system and pump house. This course will be great in every way and reflect both the city’s and the Rangers’ dedication to excellence.” Texas Rangers Golf Club will play in excess of 7,000 yards from the back tees, a 300-yard increase, and there are five sets of tees on each hole, providing a range of options to suit players of all abilities. From the forward tees, the course is now 550 yards shorter than before. There is also now more variety in hole length. Par 3s range from 135 to 195 yards, par 4s from 335 to 475 yards, and par 5s from 510 to 600 yards. “The entire course has been rerouted to take advantage of the topography of the site,” said Colligan, who has been a resident of Arlington for 42 years. “Fairways and greens have also been shaped to make the game more fun for all levels of players, directing shots toward the middle as opposed to the old rejecter fairways and greens.” A new bunker style has also been introduced, which Colligan described as “about 50 percent Alister Mackenzie and 40 percent Perry Maxwell with a pinch of George Thomas for good measure.” The bunkers now feature Buffalograss along the top edges, which adds texture and color and reduces the maintenance burden.

Various ornamental and native grasses have also been incorporated across the course, to add texture, color and contrast. A series of ponds near the ninth and 18th greens and 10th tee have also been added. These supply a pair of rock- and boulder-lined streams which join to form a larger stream that crosses the ninth fairway into a new 3.5-acre irrigation lake. “We want to make Ditto the go-to golf course in the state of Texas and beyond,” Colligan said. The project also included the construction of a new practice facility, with a driving range featuring a primary tee that is 500 feet wide and 200 feet deep. The interior of the range offers six double-sided targets with bunkers to offer a more realistic practice environment. Practice putting greens total 30,000 square feet, one located at the back of the practice range, one near the short game area and a third which blends into the back tee on the first. There is a practice hole that forms a buffer between a street and the practice range. The master plan includes a

Lake Arlington - Hole 17 TheTexasGolfInsider.com

FEATURE STORY

TierraVerde- Hole 17

four-bay, climate controlled practice facility that could also be used for club fittings and private instruction. Future plans for the course include a new maintenance facility and a 18,500-square foot clubhouse. The clubhouse will feature a 200-seat banquet facility, a 120-seat grill, a 160-seat outdoor patio and a kitchen to provide service to all four of these areas. The course is scheduled for a soft opening late summer 2018 with a temporary clubhouse. The new clubhouse is scheduled to be completed between winter of 2018 and spring of 2019. The Ditto name won’t disappear from the property the family sold to the city in 1968 that was developed into a golf course in 1983, as the new clubhouse will be named after Chester W. Ditto. Texas Rangers Golf Club joins Tierra Verde Golf Club, Lake Arlington Golf Course and Meadowbrook TheTexasGolfInsider.com

Farms as a member of the Arlington Golf family. Tierra Verde GC is a world-class golf course in its own right, earning kudos such as one of the 25th Best Courses in Texas That You Can Play (a category for all public, municipal and resort courses) and the top course in the DFW Metroplex. Tierra Verde GC was also the first golf course in the Lone Star State and the first municipal course in the world to be certified as an Audubon Signature Sanctuary. Opened in 1998, and carved from 250 acres of secluded terrain, the course’s unsurpassed layout encompasses a variety of natural settings and offers an outstanding playing experience on every hole. Each hole has five sets of tees, sculpted fairways, strategically placed sand bunkers and water hazards – all accented by stately trees and beautiful native grasses. Tierra Verde GC features a stateof-the-art golf learning center, a

FEATURE STORY

lighted driving range, a threehole practice course and a large chipping and putting green complex. There’s also an outdoor pavilion and fullservice restaurant, Ventana Grille, that complements every event from small corporate outings to large fundraising tournaments. Lake Arlington Golf Course opened in 1963 along the lake’s north shore and was redesigned in summer of 2008. A Ralph Plummer design, Lake Arlington GC is a traditional 18-hole, par-71 facility that sits on 185 acres and blends open and tree-lined fairways, long challenging par 3s and scenic greens to appeal to every level of player. It has a longstanding commitment to environmental enhancement and preservation and offers challenging golf along with a practice putting green and chipping area at an exceptional value.

Lake Arlington - Hole 14

FootGolf at Meadowbrook Park

While at first glance it may seem unassuming, like its designer, there is much more to it than meets the eye. Lake Arlington GC is a perfect example of Plummer’s personality and architectural philosophy. He thought a golf course should flow with the surrounding land, utilizing the existing landscape, elevation changes, streams, prevailing winds, and other natural conditions to create unique holes and challenging approach shots. The Meadowbrook Park Golf Course opened in 1924 and is the oldest course in Arlington as well as one of the first FootGolf courses in the Dallas,Fort Worth area. The nine-hole, par-33 facility consists of six par 4s from 250 to 300 yards in length and three par 3s approximately 150 yards in length. Its small greens and narrow fairways are designed to challenge every level of player and is fun for the whole family. TheTexasGolfInsider.com

FEATURE STORY

Golf North Texas exempts booking fees Golf North Texas was created to be a place where golfers in north Texas can go to book tee times to their favorite Keith Coppedge, PGA Purpose Golf,Co-Founder courses. It might www.purposegolf.com seem like we are www.golfnorthtexas.com doing the same 214-789-8400 thing as so many other companies...so why would you choose us to book your next round? Golf North Texas works differently than other major tee-time reservation sites. Companies like Golfnow,TeeOff, and Golf18 Network rely on “trade times” to provide you with discounted rounds of golf. However, when courses trade these tee times to get on a certain website, they lose control of what they once owned. How do trade times affect me? When golf courses lose ownership of their “inventory” (tee times), this leads to rounds of golf being discounted to the point of no return, leaving the actual golf course with lost profits. How does this affect you, the golfer? Well, when golf rounds are sold at an 85% discount, your local courses aren’t making enough revenue to support the conditions of the course and the clubhouse.That means that your favorite courses will soon lose their quality and won’t be able to provide you with a good experience.When you have a bad experience at a certain course, there is a good chance you’re not coming back to play again. If this happens over and over again with customers that used to be loyal to certain courses, the impact broadens and the course can hardly sustain itself, leading to the possibility of closing down. This might seem like an exaggeration, but multiple courses in the north Texas area have actually had this happen. Major TheTexasGolfInsider.com

companies that “trade” local tee times for a spot on their website are taking millions of dollars out of the Dallas/Fort Worth market alone. And if we don’t find a better solution, more and more of our favorite courses will end up closing down - sooner rather than later. Golf North Texas exists to make a difference and help solve this problem. How Golf North Texas is different When courses partner with Golf North Texas, they understand that they are going to retain complete control of their tee times.We provide value to our courses without taking anything from them.This allows them to decide what to offer their loyal golfers as incentives to play.These incentives usually take shape in the form of discounts, which is great for golfers everywhere. However, these discounts are only available if you join as a member of Golf North Texas. For only $4.99/month, you gain access to the best deals that our golf courses have to offer. Whether you play once a week or once every two months, becoming a member of Golf North Texas is worth it after only one or two rounds. Not only will you find great deals, but you will also be exempt from booking fees.There is nothing worse than booking a tee time for your foursome and racking up more fees than the round costs itself. Members of Golf North Texas don’t worry about paying online fees - making our memberships even more worth the small price. All of this adds up to our courses being supported in a way that no other company offers, while also still getting you great deals.What’s more to want? Instead of paying booking fees and using websites that cause harm to your local courses, go local. Go Golf North Texas.We’re excited to have you join us!

DALLAS | FORT WORTH DIRECTORY ARLINGTON: Chester W. Ditto Golf Course Semi-Private Lake Arlington Golf Course Semi-Private Tierra Verde Golf Club Semi-Private AZLE: Cross Timbers Golf Course

Public

BURLESON: Hidden Creek Golf Course Southern Oaks Golf Club

Public Public

CARROLTON: Maridoe Golf Club Indian Creek Golf Course

Public Public

DALLAS: Bear Creak Golf Club Buffalo Creek GC Cedar Crest Golf Course Keeton Park Golf Course Luna Vista Golf Course Preston Trail Golf Club Steven Parks Golf Course Tension Glen Golf Club The Golf Club of Dallas Trinity Forest Golf Club

Semi-Private Public Public Public Public Semi-Private Public Semi-Private Semi-Private Public

DESOTO: Thorntree Country Club

Public

EULESS: Texas Star Golf Course

Semi-Private

FAIRVIEW: Heritage Ranch Golf Course

Public

FERRIS: Old Brickyard Golf Course

Public

FORT WORTH: Hawks Creek Golf Course Public Jm Mclean Golf Center Public Meadowbrook Golf Course Municipal Pecan Valley Golf Course Municipal Rockwood Golf Course Municipal Saddle Hills Park Public Sycamore Creek Golf Course Municipal The Golf Club at Champion Circle Semi-Private Whitestone Golf Club Semi-Private FRISCO: Frisco Lakes Golf Club Trails of Frisco Golf Club

Public Public

GARLAND: (817) 275-5941 Duck Creek Golf Course (817) 451-6101 Firewheel Golf Park (817) 478-8500 GRAND PRAIRIE: (817) 444-4940 Grand Oaks Golf Club Prairie Lakes Golf Club (817) 447-4444 Riverside Golf Club (817) 426-2400 Sunset Golf Course Tangle Ridge Golf Club

Public Public

(214) 440-2229 (972) 205-2765

Semi-Private Public Semi-Private Pubic Public

(972) 264-6161 (972) 237-4156 (817) 640-7800 (214) 331-8057 (972) 299-6837

(972) 416-2131 HASLET: (800) 369-4137 Willow Springs Golf Course

Semi-Private

(817) 439-4653

(972) 456-3200 (972) 771-4003 (214) 670-7615 (214) 670-8784 (214) 670-6322 (972) 248-8448 (214) 670-7506 (214) 670-1402 (214) 333-3595 (214) 646-3570

IRVING: Cottonwood Valley Golf Course Public TPC Las Conlinas Course Public Twin Wells Golf Course Municipal

(972) 717-2525 (972) 717-2525 (972) 438-4340

LANCASTER: Country View Golf Course

Public

(972) 227-0995

Semi-Private

(817) 341-1111

Public

(940) 759-4896

Public Public Public Public

(972) 941-7600 (972) 390-1036 (972) 422-8068 (214) 509-4653

Public

(972) 234-1416

Public Public

(972) 227-0995 (972) 937-3521

Public Public

(817) 596-4653 (817) 441-1044

Public

(972) 429-5100

LIPAN: Sugar Tree Golf Course

MUENSTER: (972) 296-2146 Turtle Hill Golf Club PLANO: (817) 685-7888 Pecan Hollow Golf Course Ridgeview Ranch GC (800) 579-3089 The Club at Los Rios The Course at Watters Creek (972) 842-8700 RICHARDSON: Sherrill Park #1 (817) 738-8402 (800) 723-6725 WAXAHACHIE: (817) 457-4616 Country View Golf Course (817) 249-1845 Waxahachie Country Club (817) 624-1771 (817) 246-5012 WEATHERFORD: (817) 535-7241 Canyon West Golf Course (817) 497-2582 Oeste Ranch Golf Course (817) 249-9996 WYLIE: (972) 292-3089 Woodbridge Golf Course (972) 668-4653

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New Tempest Golf Club begins to take shape

Brauer-designed track aims to be the top course in East Texas

By Steve Habel, Senior Editor

The site for the new Tempest Golf Club in East Texas was made for a great golf course and the team assembled by owner Joe Bruno is well on its way to fashioning Mother Nature’s gifts into one of the region’s best and most challenging places to play the grand game. Tempest Golf Club is a stunning parkland-style course taking shape on the site of the former Southern Hills Golf Club, a mile off I-20 two hours east of Dallas and 45 minutes west of Shreveport, Louisiana. Parts of the new course are being grassed now, with the goal of opening for play in July 2018. Brought to life by Arlington,Texasbased golf architect Jeffrey D. Brauer, Tempest Golf Club takes advantage of impressive Piney Woods topography with its dramatic rise and fall of almost 200 feet, incredible core golf vistas TheTexasGolfInsider.com

No. 18, the closing hole atTempest GC

across as many as five holes in the routing’s lower confines, and a pair of holes that play across a four-acre freshwater lake. It will be easy for golfers playing Tempest Golf Club to believe they are in the rolling hills of North Carolina rather than a short drive from one of America’s major metropolitan areas. Brauer is noted for his ability to turn even the most banal or difficult tract of land into a fun and interesting golf course, but here he was given a great canvas and is bringing out the best of it. “We have always had the stated goal of being the best course in East Texas and the site allows us to accentuate what Jeffrey D. Brauer the land gives us,”

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said Brauer, whose previous designs include the Cowboys Golf Club in Grapevine, Texas, as well as The Wilderness at Fortune Bay, The Quarry and Legend Courses at Giants Ridge, and Superior National Golf Course in Minnesota, all of which are highly awarded. “Mr. Bruno has spared no expense giving us everything we’ve asked for, but the canvas itself just needed to be brought forward with a playable routing,” Brauer added. “Mr. Bruno’s architectural projects have won awards – he understands good design, and he is known for demanding the very best, which set the tone for the project.” “With a tweak here and Soon to be the 4th hole at Tempest GC a mound or two or a bunker there, we have been able to had to make something special that I bring out the flavor and reveal the totally bought into his way of thinking best things about the site. It will be a and our collective vision for what was remarkable golf course and fun to play possible here came together.” over and over again.” Tempest Golf Club will be carded Bruno, a New Orleans-based at 7,068 yards and play to a par of attorney, originally developed the 36-36-72.The first six holes are routed course and its surrounding neighover the footprint of the old course but borhood as a gift to his children and the rest are completely new, built on grandchildren. After years of strugland previously reserved for residential gling financially with the project, lots.The putting surfaces will be turfed Bruno made the decision to take a with Champion G12 bermuda, perfect mulligan on both the golf course and for the climate of East Texas. the community, eventually adopting Brauer said that golfers will find the philosophy of putting the golf the sixth, the 11th, and the 12th holes course first. to be Tempest Golf Club’s signature “The former course was not well offerings, but only after great debate received, was losing money and had because every hole is solid and has little become a nightmare in its operation,” features that sets it apart. Bruno said. “I was ready to give up The sixth hole (a par 5) uses the on the situation, but I walked the old same corridor through the woods as course with Jeff, who was like a kid one of the course’s existing holes but in a candy store. He was so enthusias- was transformed by moving more than tic and excited about the chance we 30,000 cubic yards of earth, removing TheTexasGolfInsider.com

FEATURE STORY

The future hole 5 at Tempest GC

the previous blind areas and creating a wonderful downhill vista. Brauer was surprised that original courseâ€™s designers didnâ€™t use the large tree-lined pond that now borders the 11th hole, a 450-yard par 4. He now considers No. 11 one of the best challenges on the course, especially from the back two sets of tees, which ask for an angled carry over the water. TheTexasGolfInsider.com

The 12th hole had originally been earmarked for housing but its footprint was ultimately too steep. Now, that corner of the course has been turned into a dramatic, downhill par 3 on which the golfers traverse a creek on a wooden bridge between tee and green. The 10th and 18th holes occupy what was an overcrowded mix of holes 7, 8, 16, and 18 and set the stage for

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a dramatic beginning and end to the back-nine. The course and its renovated and expanded 7,500-square-foot clubhouse are being constructed by Signet Golf Associates of Pinehurst, North Carolina. “Every day I’m on site here I see something else I like about the course and what we are fashioning from the palate nature has provided,” said Peter Dejak, one of Signet’s founders and principals. “Jeff has done an amazing job in his routing, and as the shaping of the holes become more evident and grassing continues, I see the subtle features coming into play that make all the difference between a good golf course and a great one.” The price tag for the new course and its amenities will end up being more than $7 million, an unwavering sign of the dedication and commitment Bruno and his team have for the project and its ultimate success. Brauer, the former president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, also designed the three top-rated public courses in Kansas: Firekeeper, Colbert Hills Golf Club, and Sand Creek Station. Among his more than 100 design credits are the La Costa Resort’s two courses in Carlsbad, Calif. (renovation), Gaylord Springs at Opryland in Nashville, TN, and Avocet Course at Wild Wing

Plantation in Conway, SC. He has won three “Best New Course” awards among his other honors. Tempest Golf Club will be challenging for the best players, with tee locations that will make it playable for men and women of all levels- and junior golfer-friendly. “I don’t believe in designing tough courses,” Brauer said. “Neither potential members, average golfers, or even millennials who will eventually support this course are enamored with extremely difficult tests of golf, although that philosophy was embraced and seemed true in the past. I am taking advantage of the site to design for moderately challenging, intensely interesting and beautiful golf.” The clubhouse balcony will have views of seven golf holes and will include corporate meeting space, a 200-seat banquet hall and an expanded The Tavern at Tempest restaurant. The course will have extensive practice facilities and there are plans for casitas for stay-and-play or time-share options, and a pool. All signs point to a true destination golf course and unforgettable golf experience. For information on hosting a 2018 golf, wedding, or corporate event, send your request to info@ tempestgolfclub.com.

Clubhouse rendering

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FEATURE STORY

Fort Worth’s Whiskey Ranch marries bourbon and golf

And that, folks, is a win-win situation for us all By Steve Habel, Senior Editor A huge part of the history of golf is wrapped around the 19th hole and the consumption of a few shots of an adult beverage – namely whiskey – to bring some warmth back to the chill in your bones after a round on the links. Heck, in Scotland, birthplace of our great game, it’s a given that a little nip during the round has the pseudo-medicinal power to cure putting yips and help you forget that occasional shank. Whiskey Ranch, set on the former site of Glen Garden Country Club neardowntown Fort Worth, has taken that notion a step further and even added a little Texas flair to the mix. Cue Fort Worth-based Firestone and Robertson Distilling Co., manufacturers of TX Whiskey, the fastest growing whiskey brand in the world.

F&R needed a place to expand its operation and its owners eventually purchased the shuttered Glen Garden CC, a facility dripping in golf history and the place World Golf Hall of Famers Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson and Sandra Palmer honed their games and played regularly in the 1930s. “When we learned about the history, we knew we had to put our new facility here,” said Troy Robertson, who along with Leonard Firestone founded Firestone and Robertson Distilling in 2010. “And as golfers we loved the pastoral look of the place, and it suited what our vision was and this distillery. Leonard and I are both big fans of the game.We’re definitely paying homage to it, and it’s something we want to perpetuate.”

Glen Gardens Golf Course

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At Whiskey Ranch, you play the course once trod by those golf greats and then relax with a drink of bourbon straight from the stills and storage tanks used to produce and age it, all less than 150 yards from the first tee. The new distillery exWhiskey Ranch Tavern pands by a power of 10 the capacity of the original F&R Originally designed by John Brededistillery located in a revitalmus, Glen Garden Country Club ized pre-prohibition warehouse just debuted in 1912, the same year that south of downtown Fort Worth.That Nelson and Hogan were born. It began distillery will remain open for continued as a nine-holer with sand greens, but production and innovation, tours, and by 1925 the course had nine additional more. holes. The course at Whiskey Ranch is not Through more than a century of the same routing on which Hogan and golf and the growth of Fort Worth, the Nelson caddied as kids, earning 65 cents course went through a series of changes, a loop, but Robertson (a member at including the installation of Bermuda Colonial CC) and Firestone (a member greens in 1978. at River Crest, which is Fort Worth’s “I’m happy to say we were able oldest club) tried hard to preserve as to keep most of it the way it was,” much of the course as they could.

Whiskey Ranch Still House

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“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves and dive into the golf business,” Roberson said “selling whiskey is the focus here.” Whiskey Ranch is, first and foremost, a distillery, and is the first craft bourbon and whiskey maker in North Texas.Touring Glen Gardens Golf Course the facility is a unique and immersive experience. Robertson said. “We had to reconfigure A grand stone entrance and winding a couple of holes because of the way we paved road leads visitors across a pastoral arranged our distillery campus. It’s right setting to the front of the property, in the center of the property and lies on which was intentionally designed to old five and seven fairways.” showcase dramatic views of Downtown The course, which played to a par of Fort Worth in the background. 71 and at about 6,200 yards when it was The visitor center, or Ranch House, shuttered, has been modified to a 5,300is the hub of activity at Whiskey Ranch. yard, par 68 track that sports three par Guests are led to a dedicated check-in 5s and seven par 3s.The course also has a area before arriving at the Ranch Store, few new holes, including the par-3 sixth, a 2,000-square foot retail area showcaswhich features a bit of windswept look ing F&R products along with local goods with natural Texas prairie grass. from Texas artisans. “We shortened No. 7 to a par 3 and Handmade caps adorning each bottle a couple of other holes we ended up reof TX Whiskey is an F&R configuring,” Robertsignature, and a capson said. “We could making station allows have kept two more guests to create their holes, but for safety own. reasons, and not seeThe site’s “Barrel ing golf balls hitting Breezeway,” with barrel off our building we racks that mimic the rick actually created a house on property, leads couple of new holes.” to the Tavern and the Whiskey Ranch Oak Room.The Tavern is not a public course is available for tastings and there are no and features a large green fees, per se; custom bar, comfortindividuals can only able seating, and historic play by invitation. golf memorabilia (which Golf is offered as an came as part of the amenity for private purchase of the club) on and charity events Located behind barn doors display. set up beforehand. is the Column Still TheTexasGolfInsider.com

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The Ranch Store atWhiskey Ranch

“The sign that says, ‘Glen Garden Honors Its Former Members Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, and Sandra Palmer’ is still up and we’re going to keep it up,” Robertson said. “There were a number of really neat pieces of memorabilia that we showcase.We have shadow boxes and display cases with old trophies from club history.” Around the corner is the Oak Room, with a floor-to-ceiling, tiered rock fireplace, sealed concrete floors, oversized round chandeliers with industrial pendant lighting and plenty of natural light.The Oak Room is intended for corporate and private events of any kind and can accommodate approximately 175 people. Opening from the Oak Room is a two-sided wraparound covered patio with additional seating for 130, called the Back Porch.This area features two outdoor fireplaces and views of the lake and newly designed 18th hole. Also outside is an open courtyard, which welcomes whiskey lovers with lush greenery and a firepit. Whiskey Ranch is the largest whiskey distillery west of the Mississippi, the only one on a fully functioning 18-hole golf course, and the first with a 50-foot copper column

still in full view, along with the world’s first “doubler” designed with site windows for public tours. The site has four deep water wells which will be used to craft the TX Straight Bourbon. F&R released its first whiskey brand, TX Blended Whiskey, in June 2012.

The Oak Room

This whiskey was awarded both “Double Gold” and “Best American Craft Whiskey” honors at the 2013 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.The distillery’s long-anticipated, first-ever North Texas straight bourbon,TX Bourbon, was released in December 2016. If the combination of golf and whiskey is your cup of tea, you owe it to yourself to find your way to Whiskey Ranch.

Entrance toWhiskey Ranch

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FEATURE STORY

by Art Stricklin

Wow! That hurricane really helped our golf course, thanks!!, said no resort owner ever. But when Hurricane Matthew decided to play through in a major way a couple of years ago, Hammock Beach Resort owners decided to get golfing better rather than weather bitter. The result for the huge resort, 35 miles outside of Daytona Beach, is a spectacular newly renovated Jack Nicklaus designed Ocean Course, which opened late last fall under the catchy marketing title, â€˜New Turf, Same Surf.â€™ The resulting 14-month total renovation from a layout which was devastated

by the 2016 hurricane and further delayed by Hurricane Irma last summer has made the Ocean Course with six holes on the doorstep of the Atlantic Ocean, one of the great U.S. East Coast courses once again. Hammock Beach brought back the Nicklaus Design team to perform a makeover of the course. Now, there are fewer trees, plus the six holes along the ocean have even more dramatic views. Additionally, the renovation included the installation of new Platinum Paspalum grass, a type of salt-water resistant/tolerant turf that turns the entire course into an emerald green color. The turf, which was first used in Hawaii more than a decade ago, got an on-course test last fall when Irma Ocean Course - No. 16 hit the same area, but it passed with flying colors. That set the fall grand opening, which included lavish dinners on the ocean lawn, and a first foursome which included professional golf four-time winner Lee Elder and tennis great Ivan Lendl.

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Director of Golf Brad Hauser said the In addition to the new turf, all the grand re-opening was about making golf bunkers are filled with brilliant white fun again and there is plenty of fun and Angle-G sand, which combined with the pain on the par 72 Ocean Course, where new green grass and the ever present the last six holes are nicknamed the Bear ocean in the background makes a feast Claw due to Nicklalus’ influence. for the eyes if not the scorecard at times. Along with the After a fairly simple new turf, each of the par 4 start to the course holes on the Ocean and a few inland lakes on Course include new the front nine, the ocean forward or executive makes its first appeartees, playing about ance just behind the eight 4,000 yards total, greens and continues on which is a great the left side of the par distance for kids or 4 ninth.There is either golfing beginners who ocean or lakes on every want to experience hole of the back nine, beauty and the chalcapped by a spectacular lenge of Hammock, par 5 18th hole which but not be frustrated ends at the clubhouse from the outset. with the water tee to The course can green down the left side. be played as far back Another part of the as 7,200 yards, more fun equation at the new Brad Hauser, Director of Golf than any vacationing Ocean course is the regolfer should ever exvamped practice facilities, perience, but enough with a large grass range, for a professional or amateur tournament short-game area and putting greens, giving which could be played here. you a great golf experience.

Atlantic Ocean-hugging holes and closing stretch named “The Bear Claw.” Credit: Ryder Haske

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In addition you have a grass putting Further inland is theTomWatson Congreen next to the multi-story resort where servatory course which was not damaged by you can practice to or from the large the hurricanes, either one, but still is a fun resort pool, the Oceanside grass chipping test of golf for vacationers and serious players areas and the large covered spa. Such deci- alike.There are no ocean views, but plenty sions in the Atlantic of man made water to Ocean Paradise. test your driving skills, Not to mention the dozens of bunkers and hundreds of rooms some narrow driving with balconies which alleys. look out over the In addition, it can beach, the water and be played as far back the golf. as 7,800 yards from In fact, there is the championship not a better place tees if you want to Teeing off with the Atlantic Ocean as a backdrop. to take in the newly add some real pain renovated and restored to your vacation. Nicklaus handiwork than the balcony of The restoration of the Ocean Course the Atlantic Grill adjacent to the 18th is just one of several improvements green, while enjoying some of the outat the resort. It recently renovated standing food options, then deciding to its glitzy grand lobby, refurbished all go to the beach, the pool, or the course. 15,000 square feet of indoor meeting It may not have you saying thanks for the and event spaces, and has plenty of dinhurricane, but it might come close. ing options.

The Conservatory Course

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In time for the prime winter season, the resort launched its boutique accommodation option,The Lodge at Hammock Beach, which offers an intimate accommodation option overlooking the Ocean Course with 20 guest rooms, direct beach access and the unique â€˜Lodge Experience,â€™ which is a fancy name for VIP service that includes amenities and daily breakfast. Of course if golf, sun and fun get to be a bit overwhelming for you at Hammock

Beach, there is always the world famous Daytona Motor Speedway, known as the Super Bowl of Speed, less than an hour away with a fascinating tour and ride along programs. You certainly appreciate the new turf, the same surf and the Hurricane aided grand remodeling when you visit the newly restored Hammock Beach Resort. For more information go to www.hammockbeach.com

L to R: Prem Devadas, president of Salamander Hotels & Resorts,Terry Bechtold, managing director of Hammock Beach; Sheila Johnson, founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts;AmyWilde, president of ACP Communities; Brad Hauer, director of golf at Hammock Beach; and Neill Faucett, managing principal of Lubert-Adler.

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Houston Area Golf Courses

Eagle Pointe Golf Club & Recreation Complex

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Soaring high: Eagle Pointe Golf Club Second to none: Eagle Pointe GC continues its legacy of excellence sets the pace for affordable challenge and fun By Steve Habel/Senior Editor

From the beginning, Eagle Pointe Golf Club had a leg up on the competition, thanks to a wonderful and unique property that allowed for a routing and golf experience one would be more likely to find among the North Carolina sandhills than the Texas coastal marshes. Since its opening in 1999 in the booming southeast Houston-area suburb of Mont Belvieu, Eagle Pointe has become a showcase for daily-fee or semi-private customers in its area. As the course celebrates its 19th year, it’s been lengthened to keep up with demands of today’s longhitters and its management – led by general manager and TheTexasGolfInsider.com

PGA professional Jeff Strong and his team, keeping things right on track. “Eagle Pointe had survived and thrived because it has always been a great course and we have always had a great plan that stood up when the golf industry took a downturn,” Strong said. “We offer a fun and challenging round of golf on a track that asks you to hit every shot in your bag and attack the correct portions of our greens to be successful.” Houston-based golf course architect Rick Forester was given a premier site on which to build the 7,132yard, par-71 course. Rolling terrain and interesting elevation changes

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make Eagle Pointe GC very different from the mostly flat sites of many courses in the Greater Houston area. As golfers meander along through the course’s towering pine trees, they’ll find the ground will rise or fall as much as 40 feet. “There’s a very open natural feeling here, both because of the mature pines and because you’re not closed in by dense housing developments,” Strong said. Water is a consideration on most every shot at Eagle Pointe GC. Cherry Point Gully weaves its way through the course, the Old River is the boundary on several holes, and a waterfall and several ponds are scattered along the fairways.

The course carries a rating of 73.2 and a slope of 128 from the tips, but actually plays much tougher because of the elevation changes throughout the round. The putting surfaces at Eagle Pointe GC roll fast and true, and there are plenty of elevation changes to make club selection interesting. It’s a course that requires careful placement and a trip around the track is a test for all skill levels yet accessible for a high handicapper. The layout can be a bit tricky for first timers, as some fairways slope severely enough to bounce your ball into a hazard if you don’t hit the correct side; hole Nos. 1, 10 and 17 are good

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examples of this.The pinelined fairways roll through bunkers and water hazards to reach some impressive, wellconditioned putting surfaces. There are also a handful of severe doglegs at Eagle Pointe GC, some as much as 90 degrees, where a good but offline tee shot can run through the fairway. A number of the greens have steep slopes. Players get a heaping helping of the tests to come on the very first hole, a 536-yard par-5 that plays downhill, then across Cherry Point Gully and uphill to a one of the course’s smallest putting surfaces. There is the triple challenge of length, positioning and elevation change at the 444-yard par-4 sixth, ranked as the No. 1 handicap hole at Eagle Pointe GC.The hole turns hard right to left and then plays uphill to a perched green that’s one of the least receptive on the course; it can sabotage a good front-nine with its challenges. “The difficulty on the sixth is that you have to position your drive,”

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Strong said. “You also cannot be too short or you’ll be cut off by the dogleg. But if your drive goes too far, you can end up in the rough.” No. 9, a 601-yard uphill par-5, and the 495-yard par-4 downhill 10th keep your attention around the turn. The former requires a blind drive to an elevated fairway and a pond on the right and bunkers on the left narrow the approach; the later plays longer than it’s carded but the putting surface is open at the front and will accept run-up. The 213-yard 15th is the toughest par-3 on the course because of its two-tiered green and huge bunkers right and left. Landing on the green is tough enough but that’s when the real

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challenge begins, thanks to the movement on the putting surface. Much of the discussion surrounding Eagle Pointe GC are about its final trio of holes.The 469-yard par-4 16th, with its creek, a pond, a waterfall and a smallish green that is narrow and long, makes for the toughest test on the back nine. On the 540yard dogleg-left No. 17, players must navigate a tree-lined par-5 with ponds on both sides of the generous landing area and an approach past heavy bunkering around the green. The closing hole, like the 17th, is somewhat more level in terrain than the rest of the course. Itâ€™s a 429-yard par-4 with water on both sides of the fairway and a huge bunker at the front of the green that forces an approach through the air. Membership at Eagle Pointe also offers one of the areaâ€™s best recreational facilities, featuring a 60,000-square

foot state-of-the-art complex with the most modern fitness equipment and a plethora of sports amenities that any active person would enjoy. There are two full basketball courts, a pair of racquetball courts, four outdoor lighted tennis courts, a heated indoor lap pool, child watch and outdoor play area and a half-mile nature and jogging trail.The facility also sports a real wave pool, indoor banquet and reception facilities,The Pointe Grill restaurant and a tanning salon.

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COURSES

Public Course

GREATER HOUSTON | TEXAS COAST

MAP #17

RATES Monday-Thursday $33 Seniors (65+) M-Th $28 Friday-Sunday and $39 Holidays Seniors (62+) Wknd $36 (Green Fee, Cart & Tax Included)

9-Hole Par 3 Course -Walking- $10

COURSE FACTS

Number of Holes: 18 Architect: Joe Finger; Mike Nuzzo

COURSE AMENITIES • Snack Bar • Driving Range • Family Pitch & Putt Course • New 13,000 sq. ft. Putting Green • Fully Stocked Pro Shop • Online Specials

2800 Ted Dudley Drive Texas City, TX 77590

409-739-9622 bayougc.com

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Texas City

Bayou Golf Club A Little Piece of Heaven Near Houston Golfers can now experience the newly renovated Bayou Golf Course in Texas City. It features a new 13,000 sq. foot putting green and just recently opened the new 9-Hole Par 3 Course for walking, a great way to spend quality time with friends and family. The golf course redesign architect, Mike Nuzzo, increased the average size per green to 5,000 sq. ft., rebuilt sand traps and added new tee complexes. The 200-acre site on the bank of Moses Bayou boasts a championship layout with elevated greens and tee boxes. Amidst the blue skies and palm trees, with a tropic-like climate, Bayou Golf Course offers golfers year round play. Only 15 miles from Galveston, the convenient location, and spacious clubhouse makes Bayou Golf Course an ideal choice to host your next golf tournament.

To Book a Tournament call 409-739-9622 Golf Gift Certificates are now available