Golfers really can’t go wrong when deciding on which course to play in the Upper Valley. Dotted with nine courses from Mission to North Edinburg, the Upper Valley is as close to a “Who’s Who” directory than any other area in Deep South Texas.
Los Lagos, Champion Lakes and Tierra Del Sol came out as the Winter Texans’ favorite courses a year ago and they are all beautifully laid out, have all been worked on to keep their golf-ish figure intact and provide a wide array of great golf, great views and, most importantly (just joking) great food.
Los Lagos maybe heads the list as the most uniquely designed golf course throughout the Rio Grande Valley. Moguls fill the course, something you won’t see anywhere else – especially not in the abundance as it is here. The undulating fairways add to the challenge/charm and epic ponds that should be compared to Greek and Roman mythological sirens, similarly, luring golf balls to their deaths.
Undulating fairways just adds to the strategy for golfers, who can attack most holes in multiple fashion, especially when faced with one of Los Lagos' many doglegs leaving you with the option of cutting off as much of it as you can or just play it straight.
Aided by a never-ending wind that seemingly is in your face no matter which way you are facing, this course, which has five sets of tees ranging from 7,188 yards at the blacks to 5,561 from the reds, is challenging to say the least, but it’s also amazingly fun from the No. 1 tee to the No. 18 green. This should be high on your bucket list.
Champion Lakes, formerly known as Palm View, just keeps being a premier destination for golfers. It seems that the course is never in bad shape – only good to great. McAllen Director of Golf Carlos Espinosa and his staff work on big projects – and they’ve had plenty – but also the smallest of details. It is now the home of the UTRGV golf team, with their very own clubhouse.
Nobody has been able to keep up with the Valley’s golf Joneses – Champion Lakes – in a long time.
Espinosa is known for reaching out to Winter Texan golfers to see what the course could do to improve it in their eyes. The results have made this course among the nicest in South Texas and they continue to find ways to make it better. Houston Rockets center Willie Cauley-Stein, an NBA veteran of more than 700 career games, once said that Champion Lakes was one of the “nicest courses I’ve ever played and with, by far, the best greens ever. They were so true and at perfect speed. It was a lot of fun.”
The course holds some of the premier tournaments in South Texas including the McAllen City Amateur and the VAMOS fundraiser. Yet, Winter Texan golfers just call it home.
Tierra del Sol is not the same golf course you may remember, especially if you haven’t visited it recently.
The course, run by the City of Pharr, spent $1 million in renovations several years ago, transforming the course from a rough, brown-heavy 18-hole facility to one of the greenest and nicest in the Rio Grande Valley.
Among the many improvements were a new sprinkler system, tee to green cart paths, new grass, the leveling of tee boxes and a retaining box on No. 6, where golfers must carry water from a peninsula-style tee box. They have since continued to upgrade all areas. The course is a mixture of grip-it and rip it holes combined with placement-is-key holes.
There are not a lot of trees to contend with, as is the case with most courses in the Rio Grande Valley, there’s plenty of wind to make it the primary hazard. The next biggest challenge here is water, which golfers will face on most holes.
Golfers can catch a double whammy on the course’s signature hole, No. 5, a 400-yard plus par-4 with water along the right and out of bounds on the left. Catching the wind on this hole could turn it into a bogey or worse score in no time at all. Playing from the back, black tees the course will carry 6,700 yards or more, but players can choose one of two other sets to heavily cut down the distance – while still keeping it challenging.
Still, the course is a good one for all levels and ages. Many holes are wide open, giving golfers plenty of room for error and several opportunities to lower their score. Also, there’s a nostalgic feeling when coming up No. 18, with a majestic looking clubhouse coming into view.
Monte Cristo Golf and Country Club is a little bit off the beaten path. However, it’s worth every extra mile to get there.
Some of the holes are pretty simple. Others – like the par-3 island hole – are just spectacular and alone worth the tip. Because, when you’re good – well, you’re good.
The course is also covered with magnificent trees, some, just in the way from giving golfers an easy shot, and beautiful views. It’s relaxing and, well, just fun
Monte Cristo may be socially distant from the other Valley courses, but it remains among the most loved that the Valley has to offer.
Ebony Hills Golf Club is, if anything, a survivor. Because of its ability to remain relevant among the nearby community and its golfers, the course recently held its 100-year celebration.
The 9-hole course is flat and without many hazards.
Several Winter Texan parks reserve times on a regular basis to play the “friendly to play, friendly to walk” course that recently completed construction along the canal that had created a temporary layout.
Known as “the other city course” in Edinburg, Ebony Hills provides a fun and relaxing round for those who just want to enjoy a little peace.
Howling Trails was once owned by the Martin family and, thus, known as Martin Valley Ranch. Before that, there were a whole lot of orange and citrus trees.
The Martins sold the course to La Joya ISD, becoming one of the first golf courses owned by a school district. The course remained open to the surrounding parks and the public but also gave its area schools a place to practice, play and hold tournaments.
It is a wide-open course, but water and trees that you come across are perfectly placed – based on the point of view – where you would like your shots to land. It’s also filled with above ground water cannons – they shouldn’t get in your way, but you may hear a couple of dings during your round.
A work always in progress is the best way to describe Shary Municipal Golf Course, a 27-hole golf course with a full-service driving range that is open every day, except for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
But that constant work shows every single time you step on the course. It seems that this course has been improving every day for the past decade.
It’s not overly challenging – that doesn’t mean it isn’t challenging. It’s the perfect balance, right there in the middle with a good mix of open holes, safe-play routes and “should I go for it?” layouts
For courses such as Alamo Country Club or El Nino in Mission or Ebony Hills in Edinburg – just like everywhere – the true challenge is golfer versus himself or herself.
Alamo Country Club is a short, 9-hole course. But don't be fooled just because it's short. It's narrow and if your best asset is that you can crush the golf ball, this course will force you to figure out other approaches.
It's a very narrow and ambitious course where golfers are playing out of bounds and in between houses every single hole. It’s not a golf course where you have to be mighty from the tee – just strategic. There are a couple of par-4s that are shorter than some par 3s. On those, it all depends on how aggressive you want to be.
The way the course is designed, it's just challenge after challenge – but if you hit the ball straight, you'll have the chance to score well.
El Nino Golf Course is located within the Mission West RV Park, this tiny golf course, is especially popular among its residents – but other regulars also find the time to enjoy this 9-hole, par-29 executive golf course and Santa Fe style clubhouse.
Note: If the entrance gate is closed call (956) 450-2199 (course) or (956) 585-5551 (clubhouse) and when you get there, or when you call, ask about the specials for both in-park residents and out-of-park golfers.
Upper Valley Golf Courses
Alamo Country Club
Address: 438 Country Club Dr., Alamo
Phone: (956) 787-0907
Description: 9-hole, par-35 semi-private course
Website: myalamocountryclub.com
Yardage: Black – 2,332; Blue – 1,584 yards; White – 2,205 Red – 1,881; Gold – 1,972
Amenities: Pro shop, chipping range, driving range, practice green
Ebony Hills Golf Course
Address: 30 W. Palm Dr., Edinburg
Phone: (956) 292-2144
Description: 9-hole, par-35, Public
Website: cityofedinburg.com/departments/golf_course/ebony_golf_course.php
Yardage: Gold – 5,975; Blue – 5,604; Red – 5,249, White – 4,564
Amenities: Snack shop, putting green, chipping area, practice bunker, pull carts, rental clubs
El Niño Golf Course
Address: 511 E. Loop 374, Palmview
Phone: (956) 585-5551
Description: 9-hole, par-29 executive golf course
Website: http://missionwestrv.com/el-nino/
Yardage: 1,285 yards
Amenities: Santa Fe style clubhouse
Pricing for in-park, out-of-park and seasonal packages
Los Lagos Golf Club
Address: 1720 S. Raul Longoria Road, Edinburg
Phone: (956) 316-0444
Description: 18-hole, par-72 course
Website: cityofedinburg.com/departments/golf_course/lagos_golf_course.php
Yardage: Black – 7,188; Blue – 6,789; White – 6,211; Gold – 6,211; Red – 5,561
Amenities: Putting green, chipping area, practice bunker, driving range, pull carts, rental clubs, snacks available
Howling Trails Golf Club
Address: 1910 Hole in One Dr., Mission, TX 78572
Phone: (956) 323-2165
Description: 27-hole, public, owned by La Joya ISD
Website: Facebook
Yardage: Holes 1-18; Blue – 6,175; 19-27 – 3,459; 1-18 Reds – 5,597; 19-27 – 3,201; 1-18 Yellow – 4,881; 19-27 – 2,873
Amenities: Putting and chipping area
McAllen Country Club
Address: 615 Wichita Ave., McAllen
Phone: (956) 631-1103
Description: Par-71/72, 18-hole, Country Club
Website: mcallencountryclub.com
Yardage: Black – 6,397; Green – 5,946; White – 5,628; Red – 5,150
Amenities: Driving range, practice green, two short-game areas, pro shop
Monte Cristo Golf & Country Club
Address: 2919 N. Kenyon Road, Edinburg
Phone: (956) 381-0964, (956) 378-7895
Description: Par-71 Public course
Yardage: Gold – 6,392; Blue – 6,014; White – 5,373; Red – 4,521
Amenities: Driving range, practice greens, pro shop, restaurant, bar
Champion Lakes Golf Course
Address: 2701 S. Ware Road, McAllen
Phone: (956) 681-3444
Description: 18-hole, par-72, public golf course
Website: www.championlakesgolf.com
Yardage: Black – 6,783; Blue – 6,384; White – 5,814; Red – 4,816
Amenities: Chipping green, putting green, lighted driving range, clubhouse, dining room, pro shop
Shary Municipal Golf Course
Address: 2201 N. Mayberry St., Mission
Phone: (956) 580-8770
Description: 27-hole, municipal golf courseWebsite: sharymunicipalgolfcourse.com
Yardage: 1-18 Blue – 5,995; White – 5,672; Red – 4,746, Yellow – 5,426; 19-27 Blue 3,138; White – 3,019; Red – 2,754, Yellow – 2,920
Amenities: Pro shop, putting green, kitchen, lighted driving range
Memberships available, Twilight rates
Tierra Del Sol Golf Course
Address: 700 E. Hall Acres Road, Pharr
Phone: (956) 402-4545
Description: 18-hole, par-72 Municipal golf course
Website: golf.pharr-tx.gov
Yardage: Blue 6,827; White – 6,266; Gold – 5,820; Red – 5,252
Amenities: Driving range, putting green, pro shop, restaurant
Daily, three-month, annual packages available
