TEXAS GOLF ROAD TRIPS
“Not a shred of evidence exists that wandering is irresponsible. One trip can change everything, and every trip should try.” Bruce Northam, Globetrotter Dogma
One spring morning when I was probably about 20, I wake up in the back of my jeep with the back seat folded down, rolling down the road at 80 miles an hour. Clearly the sun was just coming up. I wreaked of strip joint perfume, I had no idea where I was, my head hurt, my bowels bulged, and Willie Nelson's Red Headed Stranger was blaring through the speakers. I was surrounded by golf clubs, guns, fishing gear, fast-food wrappers, empty beer bottles, and an old sleeping bag. I remember thinking road trip the night before but recall more alcohol induced posturing than formal plans.
A few hours later I'm 300 miles from where I was just five hours ago, and we're pulling into a private Hill Country ranch with an impressive rock cabin and a 20-acre spring fed bass lake, and the next 14 hours were spent drinking beer and catching lunkers under the warm spring sun , with a few quick hikes into the hills for a wild turkey or wandering Barbados sheep, and even a quick 9-hole jaunt around the local goat track.
We had the place to ourselves, and it was something about the arrival of the proprietors that persuaded us to venture into the night, so we glanced at a map and somehow maneuvered our way through the clear cool night and rambling roads that weave through some of Texas most beautiful terrain. Vanderpool, Leakey, Camp Wood, Barksdale, Rocksprings, Del Rio, Acuna. Yes Acuna. As in Mexico. We were “smart enough” to pull over and ditch our gear behind a few big yuccas somewhere off an unmarked back dirt road. By then the binge was in its advanced stages. The neighboring country brought music, booze, dominoes, and even love into the equation, and we wrapped up our activities just in time to stumble upon a friendly local gang smashing out the passenger side window to the jeep.
They ran and we got the hell out of Dodge, and it was my turn to drive. My partner passed out while I struggled to find our gear. The night was cold and loud since the window was missing, and the road back was dark and lonely - except for the deer. We lost the radiator as the result of an attack deer, and luckily had enough juice to make it the last few miles to I-10. The wreck didn't even stir my buddy, and I was unable to wake him to let him know that I was hitch hiking into Kerrville for help. After a mile of jogging, a cross country road tripper in an old smoke-filled trans am took me that last few miles into Kerrville with James Brown blaring wildly as the sun continued its ascent. Once we rounded up a tow service and made back to the Jeep, my traveling companion was nowhere to be found. After a search party was commenced, we found him a 100 yards off the roadside in a curled up inside the sleeping bag in a ditch.
Everyone has their own idea of a good road trip, and the general idea is usually to get away completely, to forget everything. Yet the best trips have nothing to do with planning, and it is in this spirit, that we recommend a few golf excursions for you to consider.
Golf and Travel in Texas
Roads and highways Texas has America's largest highway system with more than 250,000 miles of roads and streets. Almost anywhere you go in Texas, the roads are well maintained. Even the farm and ranch roads are generally paved, well marked, and a great option if you're interested in getting off the beaten path.
Texas is as large as all of New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and North Carolina combined - the perfect place to explore. The state's area consists of 261,914 square miles of land and 5,363 square miles of water. Texas occupies about 7 percent of the total water and land area of the United States. Second in size among the states, Texas, according to the 1996 Statistical Abstract of the United States, has a land and water area of 267,277 square miles as compared with Alaska's 615,230 square miles. California, third largest state, has 158,869 square miles.
Length and Breadth of Texas
The longest straight-line distance in a general north-south direction is 801 miles from the northwest corner of the Panhandle to the extreme southern tip of Texas on the Rio Grande below Brownsville. The greatest east-west distance is 773 miles from the extreme eastward bend in the Sabine River in Newton County to the extreme western bulge of the Rio Grande just above El Paso
Both golf and traveling in Texas embrace the Zen-like notion that the journey itself, rather than the destination, is the thing. Texans have always been highly susceptible to the call of the open road. Texas has so many diverse routes, unique cities, and outstanding golf courses. When you're in your car traveling the open road, you have the independence to do whatever you want to do, see what you can see, and generally enjoy yourself.
The Rules
Some wise sage wrote that the best trips have nothing to do with planning, and it's absolutely true. Let your imagination run wild. Adventure is often synonymous with 'expedition', and we sometimes mistakenly succumb to the idea that true adventures require preparation and planning.
There are few things in life more exhilarating than taking off on a road trip. Sometimes the solitude of the road is appropriate, while other times good company is preferred. The adventure begins when you're plan fails.
Money
In my own fantasy world money is not an object. I'd like to think that I can convince most of you to avoid financial issues altogether and focus on the task at hand: your golf adventure. You can' t always take this approach but try it at least once. The game of golf transcends anything one would normally assign a monetary value. It all works out in the end. Some days you'll experience great value and you'll stumble across an unexpected jewel of a course, in perfect condition and surprisingly inexpensive. While other days you'll plan accordingly for your round at a top flight course, only to discover that they've sanded the greens and their promotional message while holding to make a tee time quotes a golf writer who was paid off 3 years ago: “Rated the best public daily fee course in Texas”. It's all in the experience and you'll never enjoy it if you're worried about every dime you spend in your golf adventures. Go ahead, you have my permission to indulge yourself a little. Buy yourself a shirt in the pro shop. Spend a little extra on the premium imported beers. Get a little loose with your partners and challenge them to a substantial wager. Tip the cart girl too much and consider it a cost of doing business to see such an attractive girl. Splurge a little and enjoy yourself. Life is too short to do otherwise.
POSSIBLE TEXAS GOLF ROAD TRIPS
To set the mood, here a just a few random ideas to get your brain-pan working on the possibilities of golf and travel in Texas. The hardcore details of these cities and courses can be found in one of the eight regional chapters that follow this page. You've got the entire state, an unbelievable highway system, generally outstanding weather, and the always handy Southwest Airlines to help you hop from one side of the state to the other when it's affordable and convenient.
The Big Country Loop
Seven 9-hole courses on a 160 miles round trip excursion. Haskell, Stamford, Anson, Hamlin, Rotan, Jayton, and Aspermont all await the restless golfer just north of Abilene. This one keys off of the small-town experience, with the largest population totaling only 3,500 folks. Get ready for Dairy Queen, friendly people, and wide-open blue Texas skies.
Hill Country Triangle
Outline this route on your map and fantasize about the road trip possibilities on this route. Austin, Kyle, San Marcos, New Braunfels, San Antonio, Comfort, Fredericksburg, back to Austin, and all points in between; a total of 230 miles if you push this one round trip. Take a look at what lies in the middle of the triangle: hard core hill country roads, historic, small-town cities, bed and breakfasts, and dance-hall beer joints galore. If your home base is Austin or San Antonio, you're always relatively close to home in case of a legitimate business responsibility that requires your presence.
Random High Plains Fandango
Get to Lubbock and use that as your home base (see Southwest Airlines), then make a point to play as many small town 9 hole tracks that you can work in during your stay. The Panhandle region serves up an impressive 38 nine holers and some of the most affordable golf in Texas.
High Plains Bermuda Triangle Golf Challenge
This one is for the remote-minded. Get away from it all and mosey up to the one of the most remote areas of Texas. The thriving metropolises of Muleshoe, Farwell, Friona form the equivalent of golf's Bermuda Triangle (73 miles round trip), where you can escape and have golf-fun without the crowds.
East Bound and Down Shreveport Golf Orgy
From Dallas hit I-20 east towards Shreveport, LA, the Las Vegas of the south, and make it a point to hit the small-town courses within easy range of the interstate. Towns like Canton, Lindale, Mineola, Big Sandy, Gladewater, Kilgore, Marshall, Longview, etc. all offer Northeast Texas golf at its finest. Huge pine trees, the lush conditions of the Piney Woods, and terrain that will make you feel like you're next door to Augusta National.
The Gulf Coast Golf Trail
Take your state map along with this book and circle the golf towns of the Texas Riviera. All told there are 367 miles of Texas surf and plenty of golf along the way. Fly to the tip of Texas and start off on Texas' southernmost course, the outstanding South Padre Island Golf Club, then work your way up through Corpus Christi to Portland's unbelievable country club, then Rockport, Port Lavaca, Palacios, Freeport, Galveston, and eventually Orange.
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