Columbus Golf Course

There aren't a lot of inexpensive golf courses in Colorado County, Texas, nor are there a lot of eighteen hole golf courses. Most of the courses are several miles away and with the price of diesel fuel currently at $3.79 or more here, Denny and I chose to play the local nine hole golf course here in Columbus, Texas.

Columbus Golf Course is a little pricey at $30 per person to play 18 holes with a riding cart but the cost of driving a lot farther out cancels out the benefit of a cheaper round. Denny and I weren't real impressed when we walked into the clubhouse, which is supposedly undergoing remodeling. For the time being the pro shop is in the bar which is also the snack bar. There are no balls for sale, no golf clubs, no shoes, no alcoholic beverages of any sort, no hot food. You have the choice of a variety of bags of chips and soda pop should you become hungry during your round. I suggest you bring your own snacks and drinks.

Once we walked over to the first tee we were pleasantly surprised by the condition of the fairways and greens. The course plays 5635 yards for the men who start off playing the blue tees on the front nine and the red tees on the back nine. The slope/rating is 120/66.5. For the women the yardage is 4804, playing the white and the red tees.

Mature oak trees caused us the most problems with their low hanging branches. Denny and I both hit into and through the trees several times although the fairways aren't really all that narrow. It's simply an errant shot can cost you an extra shot or two. There are several ponds fronting or beside some of the holes which also makes the round a little more interesting.

Speaking of interesting, how many golf courses have a cemetery as a hazard? Click on the picture below to enlarge it and look on the right side of the photo to see what I mean. This is the 7th/16th hole which has an extreme dogleg to the right passing behind the cemetery after you hit the ball off the tee. I actually took this photograph well to the left of the tee box to show the cemetery better. Believe me, the slightest slice and your ball will be resting in the cemetery.
The eighth hole is also made a bit more interesting by the fact that there are two greens for the hole, both protected by water. You play the green on the right on the front nine and the green on the left on the back nine. And I hit my two of my best drives each time on this hole, meaning I hit the ball hard enough for it to roll into the water. And here the ponds are either too murky or the banks drop off too steeply to be able to retrieve any balls. Just consider them lost if you hit into the water at this course.
Prices go up $10 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. This is a walkable course and this time of year Denny and I were among only a handful of players on the course in the late morning hours. Despite the price, we'll probably go back next week, simply to attempt to play the course better than we did the first time.

And if you are hungry afterward, we suggest Schobel's Restaurant in town. If you get there before 2:30PM they have an excellent lunch buffet or a great lunch menu.