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 Juárez, 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.