A view from the front of the eighth green at Archer City Country Club. Long is not good here, as the ball will roll into a rocky hill and be out of bounds. The hole is long enough to make club selection and shot placement critical.
Good time for a great price
by By Clay Stewart
(Posted 6/26/2009 12:11 pm)
It’s not a hard course and it’s fun. There are enough challenges at Archer City Country Club to make it a fun round at a very affordable price. Enjoy wide-open fairways, small greens and a lot of good roll as it’s as dry in Archer City as it is everywhere else.
No. 1 150-yard par 3
This is an interesting beginning hole since it is off a large hill onto a smallish green. Don’t aim for the green that is visible from the top of the hill, it’s the wrong one. Drive to the edge of the hill and look down at the surface. The hill is mowed, so a ball won’t be lost if it’s a wormburner off the tee. It’s hard to hit it hard enough to get there. Many shots come up short. There’s a small pond way left, but aim to the right of the red tees. It’s a fun opener with a nice trip down the hill.
No. 2 255-yard par 4
This short par four is drivable, but course designer Frank Underwood, who also designed the old Bowie golf course, kept this in mind. There’s a small hazzard in front of the green to swallow a tee shot, but it’s currently dry. Fire away, but don’t be long. It’s OB. To the right is a small grove of trees, but a punch shot can still hit the green and the pop-up style makes it an inviting shot for a bump and run. It’s ranked as the easiest hole on the course.
No. 3 280-yard par 4
Long hitters can drive this one as well, but a small hazzard sits about 40 yards in front of the green. It’s also dry. Left is OK, as is right with the wide-open spaces. It’s also OK to fly this green, as there is room behind it.
No. 4 350-yard par 4
This is another short par four with room all around. It’s straight away with trees down either side, but nothing that should really hamper an approach shot. The fairway slopes gently to the right, so aim down the left side and it should roll back in. This fairway isn’t as hard as some of the others, probably due to recent watering, so the roll won’t be as much.
No. 5 460-yard par 5
This hole might play better as a long par four, but it sets up well as a short par 5. Long hitters will clear the hill and have a short to mid iron into the green. Short hitters will have a long iron or wood to the green. (Sports editor’s note: I hit driver, 4-hybrid to the green here.)
Watch for the creek about 50 yards in front of the green and the water to the right. Playing this hole down the left side is fine and creates a little bit of a shortcut. The green slopes from back to front, so a shot in should hold.
No. 6 150-yard par 3
This par three is into a sloping green from back to front. It’s pretty wide open, but there are a few trees scattered around the green. Long is death, so keep it short or on the surface. Playing to the right or left is OK here. It’s ranked as the 10th hardest hole on the course, but on this course that’s not bad.
No. 7 300-yard par 4
With the distance, it’s easy to think this will be an easy hole. However, watch for the large lake left. It’s not in view off the tee due to trees. The tee shot goes up a long hill and the fairway takes a sharp left at the top and is slightly downhill to a slightly elevated green. Take it just right of the trees off the tee and draw it slightly to the left with a 4-iron or 5-iron and get to the top of the hill. Long is OK, but will result in playing from the No. 8 or even the No. 9 fairway.
The approach shot can be caught by trees and spit out, but a straight shot from the fairway will put it on this large green. Trees on either side of the green can block shots left or right, so be careful here.
No. 8 185-yard par3
This tweener par 3 can create problems with club selection. Long is death and right can send it down the hill from the 7th hole. Keep it straight and avoid the trees down the right side. Short of the green is fine here. It actually plays a little easier from the back tees as a 200-yard par 3, but not by much.
No. 9 375-yard par 5
Yes, a 375-yard par 5. It plays pretty easy if it’s played the right way. First, keep the tee shot slightly right to have a shot at the green. The fairway is through a small opening between a pasture and the cart barn. It’s blocked by a mesquite tree, so make sure there’s enough room to get over it. Stay left with the second shot, or it could break a window in the house to the right. It’s definitely reachable in two. Long is OK, but not too much because the ball can go across the street. Left is OB, so stay in the fairway.
The back nine:
Archer City is a nine-hole course, so play the blue tees from the back. It lengthens each hole by 15-20 but really doesn’t make any hole much harder.
Contact Bill Lindscott for a tee time at (940) 574-4322.
“My favorite part of the course is probably the last three holes,” Lindscott said. “The others are very wide open, but on those last three you have to be pretty selective where you place the ball.”
Lindscott said there aren’t too many hole-in-ones on the par threes at Archer City, but there was a hole-in-one on the second hole last Tuesday.
A yearly membership at Archer City Country Club is very affordable. It’s $43.50 per month.
The prices in the snack bar are very affordable and Lindscott and his staff are very friendly.
For a fun round of golf at a very affordable price, try Archer City Country Club.
ARCHER CITY COUNTRY CLUB
Membership: $43.50/mo.
Members: Green fee $1
Cart fee $9 for 18 holes
Non-members:
Weekdays – $10
Seniors – $7.50
Children under 12 – $5
Weekends – $12
Seniors – $9
Children under 12 – $7.50
Carts
Non members: $10/person for 18 holes.
Private carts are allowed for a small trail fee.
The Graham Leader editor David Rupkalvis on Archer City Country Club:
“Over the last three years, I have played some of the best golf courses in the region, and Archer City is one of my favorites.
Unlike the ‘difficult’ courses, Archer City gives you a chance to relax and just enjoy golf. Most of the holes make it possible to make amends for a bad tee shot, and I have hit plenty of those.
For a good golfer, Archer City is a chance to post a really low score. For those like me who hover around 100, it is a chance to realize what par actually means.
I have been to more scenic courses, more difficult courses and better groomed courses in the last three weeks, but Archer City is one of my favorites. For $20 with a cart, it promises to be an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon — even at 102 degrees.
A lot of golfers might find the faults in this course, but I find it fun.”
A lizard overlooks the green at No. 8 from one of the trees to the right of the hole. A shot too far right can roll back down a long hill from hole No. 7 and create a very difficult wedge shot into the green on this par 3. (Photos by Clay Stewart)
