Fairway Course at Abilene Country Club

Originally built in the 1970s by Ron Garl and Charles Coody, the club was purchased in the late 1990s and has been updated for the more modern game. Fairway is a long, challenging course that has hosted the Southwest Classic from 1981 to 1991. The layout incorporates many bunkers, and water dominates the back nine. In 1981 the LaJet Classic at Fairway Golf and Racquet Club was added to the PGA tour.

The highlight of the course is the demanding nature of the finishing holes. Many a promising round has been tossed into the water that’s present on each of the last five finishing holes. Survive the carries on 14 and 15, and deal with the par 3 hole 16 with water on the left, and your confidence will be strong enough to deal with the 448-yard par 4 17th, which requires a tee shot of at least 200 yards to reach the fairway. From the blue tees the par 5 18th is only 485 yards, but the lake runs the entire length of the fairway waiting to eat any fade or slice.

Getting there : From Hwy 83/84, exit Antilley Rd. and turn right. Turn right on Fairway Oaks Blvd. and the course is on the left.