It seems like the Lone Star State has a plethora of such courses, in virtually every part of the massive state. From San Angelo to Texas City, from Lajitas to Gladewater, from Brownwood to Blanco, there are bigtime golf memories waiting in small towns.
Here are four destinations that you should consider for golf in Texas away from the big cities.
Blanco
Head back out into the Texas Hill Country to the once sleepy town of Blanco which, in the past decade or so, has become a not-so distant suburb of north San Antonio, about 45 miles from the confines of the Alamo City.
Blanco is the home of Vaaler Creek Golf Club and the Rockin’ J Ranch neighborhood that surrounds it.
If you’ve paid attention to golf in this neck of the woods over the past 15 years, you know about Vaaler Creek. Word of mouth and a bushelful of great reviews have been enough to elevate the course into the top tier of places to play in the region at any price.
Vaaler Creek GC was voted the nation’s No. 19 Best New Course for 2010-11 by Golf Digest, buoyed by its playability and excellent conditioning. Opened as a nine-hole track in 2007, the course – the first signature design by Michael Lowry, expanded to a full 18 two years later. Lowry fashioned a much-tougher-than-it’s-carded 6,874-yard, par-72 track among live oak, cactus and scrub brush-filled prairies
There are all sorts of cool features to deal with at Vaaler Creek GC: ponds, sand hazards of sundry sizes, elevated tee shots and wavy, tree-lined fairways.
“There are a great variety of challenges at our course, and you can be as aggressive as you think you can handle,” said Adam Grosch, Vaaler Creek GC’s general manager and head professional. “The bottom line is that it’s a fun place, a course you can get around in a good pace and one that you will enjoy every time you play.”
Both nines offer far-reaching views of the surrounding region. The back-nine at Vaaler Creek is a bit more mature and not as severe as the newer outward half. Given its length, golfers might think they can overpower the course, but finding success here is not that simple. The routing has a rich variety of long and short holes, with shots involving strategically-placed bunkers and the occasional carry over water.
Vaaler Creek GC’s true last line of defense is its lightning-quick, mounded and sectioned putting surfaces, which can make even the most aggressive players a bit timid and prone to second-guessing.
Vaaler Creek has become a real favorite for Hill Country golfers and continually draws players from the region’s bigger cities. It’s one of the best conditioned and fun places to play in the region.
Brownwood
Further up 281 and off the beaten path is the town of Brownwood, home of the finer-than-fine Hideout Resort and its wonderful, Bentgrass-greened golf course.
The resort’s Bill Johnston-designed track was expanded from nine to 18 holes in 2008 and takes full advantage of the rolling terrain to create a true Hill Country destination. Teeing it up from the track’s highest points provide beautiful vistas of lush fairways, meandering creeks and giant oaks, along with distant views of Lake Brownwood.
Johnston didn’t have to manipulate the ground much here to fashion the 6,981yard par-72 course, using the natural beauty and the native hardwoods to create the perfect mix of challenge and fun. There are four sets of tees to allow everyone to enjoy the course, as the routing allows for a playable round for golfers of all skill levels.
The course is lined with plenty of bunkers, stands of trees and water hazards strategically placed to reward distance and accuracy. And, again, the putting surfaces are smooth and flawless Bentgrass, a rarity for a semi-private course in these locales.
Amenities at The Hideout include an 11,000-square-foot lodge, a 55-foot by 95-foot swimming pool with spa and, for the little ones, a kiddie pool. Dining at the Hideout Golf Club Restaurant is a snap for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with food so good you’ll likely want to take all three meals here as often as possible.
You can stay and play in style, with the choice of well-appointed accommodations in either the resort’s six clubhouse lodge rooms, one of the property’s 17 cabins, or the expansive Ranch House for larger parties.
Glen Rose
Further on north up the road is the Somervell County destination of Glen Rose, a charming town of shops and restaurants and tourist attractions worthy of a whole weekend’s stay. That visit would include a round at both the golf courses at Squaw Valley Golf Club, a 36-hole facility ranked among Texas’ top public-access courses and drive-to golf destinations.
Squaw Valley GC, with courses designed by noted Texas-based architects and former partners Jeffrey D. Brauer and John Colligan, is a true joy to experience. Starting as an 18-hole championship course designed by Brauer in 1992, Squaw Valley GC was, in 2001, expanded to 36 holes with the addition of a new track fashioned by Colligan.
The two courses have their own personalities, and each is really fun to play. They are a study in contrast, with the eastern portion of the property virtually flat and treeless, while the western half contains large native live oak, pecan and bur oak trees.
Squaw Valley GC offers golfers a serene and satisfying golfing experience via beautiful vistas of century-old oak trees that define rolling plains. Squaw Creek meanders through both courses, creating carries over water on numerous holes.
“Our two courses are fun and challenging for all levels of golfers, and that’s always been our draw and the reason we get repeat play and strong word of mouth,” said Steve Heppler, Squaw Valley GC’s head golf professional. “There’s a little bit of everything in the courses – from drivable par 4s, reachable-intwo par 5s, and long and short par 3s.”
Somervell County and Glen Rose have plenty to do off the courses, including Barnard’s Mill & Art Museum, the building that started this area as established by Charles Barnard in 1849; the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, ranked No. 3 in the nation as the “Best Wildlife Safari Park;” and Dinosaur Valley State Park, one of Texas’ top State Parks and a place where children of all ages can walk in the fossilized footprints of dinosaurs.
Other favored attractions are: the Eagle Eye Ranch and Carriage Company (for horseback riding in the park, hayrides, and carriage rides); Dinosaur World, where 150 life-size dinosaurs are displayed in a unique setting; and the Creation Evidence Museum, with its 25-foot replica of Noah’s Ark, a biosphere, and artifacts and scrolls.
Texas City
No trip around the Lone Star State would be complete without at least a day on the coast, so we high-tailed it south to Texas City and the wonderful Bayou Golf Club just on the mainland side of Galveston Bay.
Bayou Golf Course has long been known as one of the region’s friendliest and most playable places to tee it up and roll it in. But in recent years, with the City of Texas City footing the bill for a needed renovation and refreshening, things have gone from good to even better.
The hybrid links/parkland-style course was originally designed by legendary Texan Joe Finger back in 1974, and was restored in 2014 by Houstonian Mike Nuzzo and is carved out of about 200 acres.
The Bayou GC’s 6,596-yard par-72 track has a little bit of everything, with plenty of challenges for every level of golfer. Moses Bayou skirts the property as the tributary makes its way to Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, with the routing bringing water into play on 12 of the holes. There are also 18 sand bunkers scattered about to form a formidable combination with the course’s slightly elevated tees and greens.
“When things are right with this course, we can get the greens rolling to 13 on the Stimpmeter and, with the undulations added in, can create as challenging a round of golf as you would ever want,” said Mike Skiba, the course’s head professional and director of golf. “But in reality our course is a place where golfers can have a blast playing with their friends.”
Breezes off the bay and the tides constantly affect this open course, making it play longer than the yardage on the scorecard and more difficult that its 71.1 rating and 123 slope. From the tips every par 5 plays at more than 500 yards, and four of the par 4s are carded at over 400 yards.
One of the best parts of Bayou Golf Club is its five-and-a-half acre, walking, family pitch-and-putt course that helps grow the game by benefitting both the skilled golfer looking to hone his or her short-game skills (and who isn’t) as well as the beginners just learning about how great golf can be.
