Firewheel -- Bridge's Masters Course

Firewheel at Garland Golf Course has a total of 63 holes of very good golf — the Lakes, Old Course, and the Bridges which is home to three unique nines.  Owned and operated by the City of Garland, each of the courses has its own unique personality and characteristics:

• The Old Course was built in 1984 and has 18 holes that consist of gently rolling terrain, tree lined fairways, 65 strategically placed bunkers, and slow moving streams winding throughout the course
• The 18 hole Lakes Course is the longest (7134) and toughest of the courses thanks to tight fairways, carries over ten lakes, and 52 big faced bunkers – they say  "if the Bridges course has teeth, the Lakes Course has fangs"

The Bridges is the newest of the courses and was completed in 2001 and it is located about 3 miles from the Lakes and Old Course Clubhouse.  The Bridges has its own clubhouse and is home to three different nine hole courses with bent grass greens, sculpted fairways lined with oak and pecan trees, and two creeks  that meander throughout the course.   

• The Masters is the longest (3553 yards) and toughest and most fun of the three nines with tight tree lined fairways, water on 5 holes, and 35 bunkers
• The Champions is the easiest with more forgiving and relatively flat fairways, some of which are side by side but water on 7 holes and 27 sand traps of all shapes and sizes can cause your problems
• The Traditions is the middle of the roader and the shortest (3202 yards from the tips) but 4 lakes and a stream plus well guarded greens can make this nine challenging and fun

All three nines were designed by Dick Phelps and common to all of the Bridges nines are bent grass greens, very good conditions, an outstanding burger at the Branding Iron Restaurant, an excellent GPS, good service, and a fantastic rate for such a quality course. 

The Masters is clearly the longest and most demanding of the three Bridges nines – tighter tree lined fairways, some ups and downs, raised greens, water, bunkers, and dog legs.  Which to us also makes it the most fun to play.  Each hole is a little different and unique and offers something to keep you focused if you want to score well. 

Some of the memorable Bridge's Master's holes include:

• #4 has a carry over a deep creek ravine to a tight fairway followed by a dog right shot to a green with little to no room for error
• #5 is an intimidating par 3 with a carry over of 257 yards over a lake to a green with little room for error
• 7,8 and 9 are all great holes with a little bit of everything – 7 has an uphill shot than a blind downhill shot with water along the left side leading to a dog right green; 8 is a long 550 uphill shot to a raised green with two bunkers in front and water on the left; and 8 is a downhill shot past five big bunkers (two of which are in the middle of the fairway) and an odd shaped green

Despite the harsh winter, the severe drought, and the record heat, the fairways at the Bridge's Masters course were in very good condition, as were the roughs.  As you might expect on a very popular municipal course, there were a lot of divots.  Most of the fairways a little tight and if you miss them you're wet, lost in the trees, or on three holes in the back yard of a large beautiful home. 

The bent grass greens were also in good condition but had suffered some damage creating rough and bumpy spots.  The greens are all good sized, run at a good speed of around 10, and have enough slope that you need to study them carefully before you putt.  All of the greens are well guarded and raised with means a bump and run won't work and if you come in high you'll most likely stop dead or stop and roll back down the hill.  A long shot will also roll off and down the back side of the green. 

A recent rain had soaked the bunkers when we played making the bunkers unplayable – thank God because I found most of them.  The bunkers at the Masters range in size from small pot bunkers to some real monsters that are steep and deep. 

Bottom line – a great nine that's fun yet demanding but very fair – and a great value.