Destination Guide

Destination: West Texas

As the old saying goes, the harder you have to work for something, the more you appreciate it. This is applicable to West Texas' golf scene. Although miles outside of many of Texas' metropolitan areas, West Texas offers some incredibly attractive courses that many casual visitors may overlook.

A good example is Lajitas Resort and Golf Club. While not for everyone, Austin entrepreneur developer Steve Smith took a chance and it seems to have paid off. People call it the "Ultimate Hideout" and if you ever come to play golf at The Ambush at Lajitas you will know why. It's a place where Gen. John "Blackjack" Pershing commanded a U.S. Cavalry Post when Pancho Villa and his revolutionaries threatened settlers in far West Texas. Comanches camped out here, staging raids into Mexico along the Rio Grande River for horses and silver. It became part of the pony path named The Great Comanche War Trail.

There is a distinct vision of this place that comes into the mind's eye of any Yankee who has never visited Texas. He sees Lajitas' desert landscape surrounded by mountains and cowboys of the Old West chasing Comanches. He sees a dusty and hot barren land, dotted with cacti and agave, basically treeless and pure desolation. This vision makes for some great golf and excitement surrounding Lajitas.

Another example of West Texas golf is Painted Dunes, a true desert golf course. Certainly unique in the landscape of Texas golf, views of the Franklin Mountains highlight this challenging course in El Paso. Far away from the traditional parkland layouts of the early Texas inner cities, all you have to know is some geography to discover why this affordable, but upscale city municipal, is kin more to Arizona than to Dallas.

First of all, El Paso is closer to Phoenix than to Houston. It is also closer to four state capitals than it is to its own capital of Austin.

But don't think of this far West Texas city as a lonesome boondocks nowhere, either. As part of the greater Juarez, Mexico and Las Cruces, N.M. population center, it's the largest international metroplex in the world, with 2.3 million inhabitants.

Not to be forgotten in the complex world of Texas golf, West Texas and courses like Lajitas and Painted Dunes are a quiet version of everything Texas golf has come to represent.

West Texas Transportation


If West Texas is your destination, you'll have a short drive from whichever airport you arrive at. El Paso International Airport serves westernmost Texas and has American, American West, Continental, Delta and Southwestern flights daily from Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Texas' major metros. If you are headed to Abilene, Lubbock or Amarillo, you might have to fly into Dallas or San Antonio.

If you are driving to West Texas, you can take I-10 through the southwestern part of the state. Interstate 40 runs nearly parallel to I-10, but through Amarillo and the northern part of the state. From Amarillo, which is in the panhandle, you can take I-27 south to reach the other corners of West Texas.

West Texas FAQ


How do I get to west Texas?

If you are driving to West Texas, you can take I-10 through the southwestern part of the state. Interstate 40 runs nearly parallel to I-10, but through Amarillo and the northern part of the state. From Amarillo, which is in the panhandle, you can take I-27 south to reach the other corners of West Texas. More information can be found in our transportation section of the West Texas Destination Guide.

Is West Texas in the middle of no where?

Yes and no. While there's no Metroplex or Houston in west Texas, the epicenter of the region it's closer to four other state's capitals than its own, Austin. El Paso is closer to Phoenix than Houston, and the greater Juarez, Mexico area, which spills into Texas along with parts of New Mexico make up the greatest international metropolitan area in the world with over 2.3 million residents.

What's western Texas golf like?

The altitude in most of western Texas is between 3,000 and 4,500 feet, so you'll get a little extra (between eight and 12 percent) length on your shots. Western Texas golf is "off the beaten path" to its extreme, with upscale courses few and far between. The result is courses that are amazingly cheap, easy to get on, and the courses are usually in worse condition than average Texas courses, most with very few bunkers. It's a very unique experience.

Is there such thing as "upscale" in west Texas?

You won't pay for it, but the best play according to state rankings by Golf Digest is El Paso's Painted Dunes Golf Club, coming in at 14th according to the latest poll. But unlike the rest of the list, rounded out by pricy and private courses, visitors can play Painted Dunes for about $40 including cart.

So if "metropolis" is to scale in west Texas, where are the big cities?

In the northwestern-most corner of Texas, sometimes referred to as the Big Nothing, Lubbock and Amarillo are the only cities with a significant population. As for golf, there are 49 golf towns, 73 golf courses, and 945 golf holes, with over 90 percent of the facilities open for public play. Few towns have populations of over several thousand or anything beyond a single nine-hole golf course.

What is the weather like?

June is the hottest month of the year, at an average scorching 95 degree high. March through May and September and October are the most temperate times of year, at between 87 and 70 degrees. Winters get cool but west Texas is always accommodating to golf, with highs in the winter at 57 degrees.

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Courses

Course City Rates from
Course City Rates from
Horizon Golf Club
Tee Times
Horizon City $12
Desert Oaks Golf Course Laughlin AFB $25
Regulation Course at Sunset Country Club
Tee Times
Odessa $17 - $22
Scott Schreinder Municipal Golf Course
Tee Times
Kerrville $31 - $41
Lorenzo Country Club
Tee Times
Lorenzo $15
Sammy Baugh at Western Texas College Golf Course
Tee Times
Snyder $10
Sunset Course at Underwood Golf Complex El Paso $16 - $24
Diamondback Golf Club
Tee Times
Abilene $57 - $75
Yoakum County Golf Course Denver City $16
Roadrunner at Hogan Park Golf Course Midland $15.00 - $20.25
Lone Star Golf Club El Paso $16.50 - $24.50
The Rawls Course at Texas Tech
Tee Times
Lubbock $25
Sunrise Course at Underwood Golf Complex El Paso $16 - $24
Canyon at Meadowbrook Golf Course
Tee Times
Lubbock $13
Creek at Meadowbrook Golf Course
Tee Times
Lubbock $10
Utopia Golf Course Utopia $10
LakeRidge Country Club Lubbock $26 - $50
Wolf Creek Golf Links Colorado City $15 - $18
Sonora Golf Club Sonora $20
Quail at Hogan Park Golf Course Midland $15.00 - $20.25
Tin Cup Country Club Merkel $20 - $27
Mountain Creek Golf Club Robert Lee $10
Hillcrest Country Club Lubbock $35
Iraan Golf Club
Tee Times
Iraan $5
Hondo Golf Course Hondo $20
Gaines County Golf Course Seminole $12 - $26
Willow Creek Golf Center Abilene $9.50
Kent County Golf Course Jayton $20
Judy Course at Midland Country Club Midland N/A
Concho Springs Golf Course Eden $12.50
Comanche Trail Golf Course Big Spring $18
Bronte Longhorn Golf Club Bronte $7
Reeves County Golf Course Pecos $15.00
North/West at Green Tree Country Club Midland $45 - $60
Marfa Municipal Golf Course Marfa $6.38
Salt Fork River Golf Course Seymour $20
Lake Sweetwater Municipal Golf Course Sweetwater $10 - $16
Stamford Golf & Country Club Stamford $15
Levelland Country Club Levelland $29
Riverhill Country Club Kerrville $56 - $65
Haskell County Country Club Haskell $25
Midland Country Club Midland $62 - $105
Aspermont City Golf Course Aspermont $10
Lamesa Country Club Lamesa $21
Hamlin Golf Course Hamlin $10
Desert Pines Golf Course Fort Stockton $40
Shady Oaks Golf Course Baird $28
Santa Fe Park Golf Course San Angelo $8
Maxwell Golf Course Abilene $28.50
Quicksand Golf Course San Angelo $32.00 - $39.99
Bentwood Country Club San Angelo $46
Winkler County Golf Course Kermit $30
El Paso Country Club El Paso $125
Lubbock Country Club Lubbock $133
Scurry County Golf Course Snyder $10 - $15
Big Lake Country Club Big Lake $25
Comanche Creek Golf Course Mason $20
Lamesa Municipal Golf Course Lamesa $20
Ward County Golf Course Monahans $20
Fairway Course at Abilene Country Club Abilene $50
Winters Country Club Winters $21
Par-3 Course at Sunset Country Club Odessa $8 - $11
North/East at Green Tree Country Club Midland $45 - $60
Throckmorton Country Club Throckmorton $10
Club Course at Abilene Country Club Abilene $50
Mesquite Ranch Golf Club San Angelo $10.00 - $12.00
Links Course at Odessa Country Club Odessa $50
Mountain View Valley Golf Course Van Horn $10
Ballinger Country Club Ballinger $15
McCamey Country Club McCamey $10
Coleman Country Club Coleman $12
Big Spring Country Club Big Spring $25
Lake Creek Golf Course Munday $12
Rotan Golf Club Rotan $5
Alpine Country Club Alpine $10 - $29
Albany Golf Club Albany $10
Permian Basin Golf & RV Resort Stanton N/A
T-Bar Country Club Tahoka $12
The Club At Comanche Trace - The Valley Course Kerrville $77
Ozona Country Club Ozona $15
Shadow Hills Golf Course Lubbock $33
East/West at Painted Dunes Desert Golf Club El Paso $21.50 - $41.00
Ascarate Municipal Golf Course - Delta Nine El Paso $11 - $17
Crane Country Club Crane $13
Mesquite Grove Golf Course Dyess AFB $20
Frio Valley Ranch
Tee Times
Concan $18
Old Course at Odessa Country Club Odessa $50
Anson Golf Club Anson $10
Eldorado Golf Club Eldorado $5
Spur Golf Course Spur $5
Junction Golf Course Junction $10 - $15
West/East at Green Tree Country Club Midland $45 - $60
Vista Hills Country Club El Paso $20 - $30
The Club At Comanche Trace - The Hills Course Kerrville $77
Ascarate Municipal Golf Course El Paso $9 - $28
East/North at Painted Dunes Desert Golf Club El Paso $21.50 - $41.00
Rocksprings Country Club Rocksprings N/A
Rankin Country Club Rankin $5
Knox City Country Club Knox City $15
Sweetwater Country Club
Tee Times
Sweetwater $25
Menard Golf Club Menard $10
Andrews County Golf Course Andrews $15 - $23
San Felipe Springs Golf Course Del Rio $10 - $30
Reese Golf Center Lubbock $24.55 - $32.00
Ratliff Ranch Golf Links Odessa $21 - $25
Coronado Country Club El Paso $55
Brady Municipal Golf Course
Tee Times
Brady $10
The Club At Comanche Trace - The Creeks Course Kerrville $77
Ranchland Hills Country Club Midland $35 - $40
North/West at Painted Dunes Desert Golf Club El Paso $21.50 - $41.00
Tangle Oaks Golf Club Hawley $17 - $26
Sundown Municipal Golf Course Sundown $16 - $18
San Angelo Country Club San Angelo $45
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