CLEBURNE GOLF LINKS offers quality play
Cleburne Golf Links offers
one of the areas best and most challenging courses , fantastic vistas and the city ’ s best kept secret when it comes to great burgers and other fare .
Cleburne Golf Links offers 18 holes of hills and straightaways not to mention a great view Lake Pat Cleburne and one of the city ’ s best hamburger destinations .
“ Our food is great as ever ,” course manager Chad Gunier said . “ But since we ’ ve renovated the clubhouse deck it ’ s made the experience all the better . Nothing like enjoying a meal while looking out over Lake Pat .”
Cleburne Mayor Scott Cain described the course , which opened in 2009 , as part of the city albeit far enough removed from the activity so as to offer the peaceful joys of nature .
“ Cleburne is home to one of Texas ’ best public golf courses ,” Cain said . “ Our crews take pride in manicuring the fairways that trace the shores of Lake Pat Cleburne . Whether you ’ re finishing a round of golf or just taking time to enjoy the scenic views from our clubhouse you ’ ll want to be sure to take the time to order one of our award-winning , best golf course hamburger in North Texas . But you better be hungry , they ’ re huge .”
The course offers challenging play and picturesque views . The course retains , and perfectly blends into , the area ’ s natural beauty thanks to the builder ’ s decision to leave much of the native grass areas , which run along most of the holes , undisturbed .
Restricting those areas from play leaves them available to area birds and other wildlife .
Over the past year workers have upgraded the course ’ s entrance landscaping details and undertaken a wildflower beautification project along the lake both of which have proved popular with golfers and visitors , Gunier said .
“ Our Scottish links course continues to be a fan favorite , drawing residents and tourists alike to the scenic views of the banks of Lake Pat ,” Cleburne City Manager Steve Polasek said . “ Along with our museums , Splash Station , parks and sports complex , among our many other recreational destinations , it ’ s yet another enhancement to our quality of life in Cleburne .”
The par 72 , 7,068 yard course runs mostly north and south , and starts from the clubhouse . nCourse architect John Colligan dubbed it , “ the best true links golf course in the Metroplex .” Many tend to agree . An immediate hit with locals , the Links has become a magnet for out-of-town golfers and tournament play , providing one of the city ’ s premiere tourist draws .
Cost is one of the course ’ s draws with fees lower than or competitive with other courses in the area . City officials call the course both player friendly and one of the prettiest in the area as well as peaceful . Nor have the charms of the course escaped those in the know .
Avid Golfer , a magazine covering golf in the North Texas area , ranked the Links in five categories of its 2009 year-end listing of the best area public course with the Links topping the list in three categories .
The magazine ranked the Links 26th out of 50 in its list ranking DFW public courses , a ranking the writers predicted will improve considerably in coming years . Avid Golfer ranked the course No . 4 on its list of hidden gems .
More impressive , the magazine chose the Links as the best new golf course that year .
Golfers and sporting publications have bestowed numerous accolades on the course in the years since 2009 .
“ While Cleburne Golf Links is not technically a new course [ the city expanded and renovated an older course ], it did make significant changes throughout to where it ’ s nothing like what it once was ,” according to the article . “ Colligan fully utilized the lake shore land to create a 7,068-yard stunner .”
Rates , which include greens fee and cart rental , vary by season . The course also offers frequent-player packages . For a list of current rates , visit ci . cleburne . tx . us / golfweb / index . html .
Players may also book tee times online .
Golf lessons are available and the pro shop , located inside the clubhouse , stocks an array of golf and golf-related items .
“ The clubhouse offers an excellent golf shop , well stocked for your golf experience needs ,” Utecht said . “ Our staff can offer lessons as well as great tips to enjoy the facility .”
For those less interested in golf , the Links Grill , also inside the clubhouse , offers a variety of great food . Customers may dine inside or enjoy the outdoor deck overlooking Lake Pat .
Open to the public , golfers and nongolfers alike , the Links Grill has become one of the city ’ s most popular dining destinations .
“ The Links Grill offers a fantastic menu ,” Utecht said . “ Our burger , five years running , was voted No . 1 in the Metroplex by Avid Golfer . We offer a spacious deck for hosting special events and our staff excels at hosting golf tournaments of all types .”
The course is open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas . Cleburne Golf Links is at 2501 Country Club Road . For information , call 817-641-4501 .
20 Cleburne This is Texas