Is there really an Oldham County Country Club in Vega, TX? GPS didn’t acknowledge such a course. GPS found no results for their address. No one answered the phone. I drove Main Street (Highway 385) through this very small town a few times with negative results. Finally I went back to the internet to find a map of the area, and it verified I had not traveled far enough south on Hwy. 385 outside of town. Yes, there is an Oldham County Country Club in Vega, TX!
Now that I have found the course, is anyone home? The only people I saw were Desiree and her brother who were sitting in a cart (doing what I don’t know). She approached me and said Dave (Manager?) was out mowing on the course. She said she was a member and the cost to play was $20. If I gave her the money, she would get it to Dave. I guess this was as good as dropping the $20 in a box by the first tee. I did see her speaking with a man on the course, so I hope it was legit!
Interesting start to this course, we’ll see where it goes from here. Standing on the tee box at Hole #1, I wasn’t quite sure of the direction of the fairway. I could see a large pond to the right, but the green was nowhere to be found. The “stick” drawing on the scorecard (probably a second grade project) did show it might bend to the right. The safe play is to just hit it straight on this 310 yard par 4. As I wandered down the fairway, I discovered it is indeed a dogleg to the right with both a pond and creek to carry. My guess is that a few long hitters may try to take flight over the pond for a glorious shot at birdie or eagle. Not me; not today!
Hole #2 is playing into the wind today. Remember it is the wide open ranges of the Texas Panhandle, so it probably plays into the wind every day! It’s a short (238 yards) from the white tees and a fun hole to make you feel like a long hitter of the golf ball. There is a pond to carry adjacent to the teeing area, so find a club that will give you some loft. The par 5 third hole is flat, long, sparsely grassed, and wide open as it imitates the landscape of this region. So far the tee boxes and fairways have been spotty, and when you find grass it is long making it difficult to find a ball that actually landed in the fairway. However the greens were in excellent shape.
Hole #4 is a par 3 and the large trees surrounding the green will offer much needed shade, and serve as a brief respite from the wind. Additionally, they aren’t too much of a hazard unless you are crazy wild off the tee. So far it’s been easy to find my way around the course. The cart path is fairly direct…until you arrive at Hole #5.
Somewhere out there on the horizon lies the putting surface. Gazing out into the distance, I saw two very distinct fairways – a wide one to the left and a tighter one to the right. Time to hop back in the cart and do a little scouting of the territory. Of course the correct line is the narrow one to the right between the trees!
After five holes it’s time to take inventory of my ball supply. My advice to you is…bring plenty of balls. If the grass is always this long, you will have trouble finding even your good shots.
Hole #6 is a par 4 of 310 yards with a blind tee shot. I’ll trust the scorecard that the fairway veers to the left. The dogleg is protected by a large bunker that today was the consistency of concrete so any ball that finds it will probably accelerate toward the putting surface. Hole #7 is a straight par 5 whose fairway alternates between high weeds and barren dirt patches. Out-of-bounds lingers dangerously close to the right and is guarded by a barbed wire fence. Hole #8 is an uphill par 4 and the only hazard I see is the fairway. Hole #9 is the “Beer Box” par 3 – I have no idea what that means, but I could use a beer (but it won’t be at the clubhouse)!
Rating – Par (38 out of 60): If you are looking for a perfectly groomed course, this isn’t it. However if you want to walk right on and possibly be the only one playing, this is it. It’s another small town course that allows the people of this area to have close access to this great game of ours. If you are cruising Old Route 66 and find yourself driving through Vega, TX, stop by and tell Desiree “hi” as you hand over your $20 bill.
Highway 385 S, Vega, TX 79092; 806-267-2595
