Piney Woods Country Club

Rusty Lambert purchased this old farmland from the Smith family in 1984 and proceeded to build a tough little 18-hole track that’s loaded with lakes and tributaries winding their way through the design. The thick rough can get you, but fortunately there are no bunkers. Overall this is a great course for the money, with green in outstanding shape and an extremely entertaining layout.

A few notes regarding the layout: Watch for the creek that impacts the tee shot and approach on No. 1, a 425-yard, par 4. Hole 6 is a tough 500-yard par 5 because of the narrow fairway.

The 150-yard No. 7 is listed as the number one handicap because of the forced carry over the lake, but most agree that the 469-yard, par 4 No. 8 is the most difficult due to the creek in the fairway and the long approach shot.

On the back, hole 12 can be reached in two if you can cut the corner, but beware of the water hazard protecting the front left of the green. The green is hard to hold on No. 14, a 380-yard par 4 with an extremely tight fairway.

The greens are in good shape, the course is well tended, and the price is right. A road trip to Nacogdoches for golf is definitely worth taking.

Getting there : From Athens, drive east on Hwy 31 to FM 317. Turn right and the course is 9 miles down on the left side of the road.