Pecan Ridge Golf Course

Pecan Ridge Golf Course is located in Scurry about 45 miles southeast of Dallas.  This one of those country courses that was carved out of  the trees and pastures and designed by a local farmer trying to make a little more money off his land than he could by grazing cattle.  It’s also one of those good news bad news kind of courses.

The bad news is that the:

• Conditions aren’t the best – the fairways are dry, parched, and cracked in large part thanks to the drought that Texas is suffering
• On the front nine the holes are side by side and fairly simple and straightforward
• The only food available is microwave burgers, Philly cheese steaks, some snacks, and no beer
• Greens are bumpy, slow, and in rough condition

The good news is:

• Green fees are  reasonable and affordable
• There are no cart paths so the 90 degree and “cart path only” rule will never apply
• The dress code is country casual meaning anything you want to wear is appropriate as long as your private parts are covered
• There aren’t many hazards to frustrate you or cause you to curse or throw or break your clubs
• Thanks to the wind, very firm fairways, and short holes you’re likely to have some record drives and even drive the greens on several holes
• Since there aren't any bunkers you won’t go home with sand in your hair, teeth, and shoes and you don’t have to spend time raking the traps
• You won’t have to worry about replacing or sanding your fairway divots because it’s virtually impossible to take one
• You and five or six of your buddies can play together and not have to worry about a marshal proding you or being pushed by another group behind you
• You won't be tempted to spend all of your hard earned money on new golf gear or Pro V1s because they are aren't selling any 

The front nine is not real exciting with several holes that run side by side and holes that are fairly traditional and straightforward.  With side by side fairways, you’ve got lots of room for spraying the ball and if you land in another fairway you'll most likely you’ll be able to easily hit straight toward your green.  The front nine has a couple dog legs, blind shots, downhill approaches, and water that can come into play on three holes. 

The front is short with yardages of 2860, 3035, and 3225 and there are three par 5s for a total par of 37.  Number 8 is a fun hole with an uphill blind shot to a kiddie roller coaster fairway leading to a tough approach shot (thanks to water on the left and trees on the right that pinch the fairway) to a downhill but slightly elevated green. 

The greens and fairways on the back nine seemed to be in a little better condition and this nine has a little more character.  The back nine is a par 35 and even shorter at 2250, 2415, and 2525 yards but it’s a lot more fun and has some interesting and challenging holes. For example:

• #11 is a 170 yard par 3 that's all carry across a lake to an elevated green with no room for error
• #12 is a 200 yard par three with a narrow right to left sloping fairway
• on #13, long hitters may want to leave the big dog in the bag on this 280 yard downhill par 4 with water across the front of the green

The fairways at Pecan Ridge Golf Club were dry and parched when we played in June.  Like most courses they were struggling thanks to a drought that was causing problems at most Texas courses.  On the front the fairways are wide and forgiving but a little tighter and more challenging on the back.  The fairways are gently rolling and some are contoured and sloping.

The greens were also struggling and in very bad condition with lots of damage thanks to the drought as well as snow and freezing conditions during the winter.  Most of the greens are oval and a tad smaller than normal.  They hold the ball fairly well but are slow and bumpy. Most have some minor slope. 

Bottom line – very affordable rates but not the best of conditions when we played during the drought in 2011 but a good course to play with family and beginners and practice a variety of shots – much more fun than the range!