26 – 50 Golf Courses

I got to play here with two members who play here almost every morning. I won’t say their names but they were fantastic company. They are retired gentlemen and they can certainly still play very good golf. One of the two lads has beaten his age many, many times around here which is a great achievement. It might be the best accomplishment of all in normal amateur golf. Hopefully, it is something to aim at in the future. The four ball was filled by a non-member named Dillion who was also a really nice fellah.

There is an aura when you drive through the gates here. The facilities including the practice area, putting green and clubhouse could not be any better. They are majestic. We were first out at 8am and we had a beautiful sunny summer morning which was not too hot thankfully.

The first four holes are all par 4’s and it is a strong start to say the least. 451, 440 and 406 yard holes are followed by a shorter hole which has a tight fairway. The worst place to go on the first was over the green and that’s exactly where I ended up after thinking that I might be on the green in two. I learned my lesson on the second but Dillon fell victim when his ball went over the green and into the wee creek.

The 7th is index (handicap) No. 3 and is a belter of a par 4. It is easy to miss the sloping fairway and three of us ended up down the right hand side. There is a river that runs down the right hand side which certainly comes into play as the ground pushes you that way. The 9th is a beautiful par 4 that finishes in front of the clubhouse which sits high above all golfers.

The 10th is a par 4 where you don’t need a driver off the tee as there is that creek again which awaits at the end of the fairway. The 12th is a famous par 4 and it is a surprise that it is not index (handicap) No.1. Arnold Palmer spoke highly of it while Ben Hogan once said it was a signature masterpiece of golf architecture. The tee shot plays down and around to the left. It was 436 yards off our amateur tee and I hit a driver which I regretted. I should have hit a 3 wood as hitting the fairway is crucial. It is easy to get blocked out by trees. Your second shot plays over water to a sloping green. It is as fine a par 4 as you could wish to play.

The 15th is a beautiful par 4 that swings slightly around to the left. At Southern Hills, you must be straight off the tee or else you are likely to be blocked out by trees. This is certainly the case on the 15th. The 17th is a short par 4 of 336 yards and at the 2022 PGA Championship a lot of the pro’s were taking it on and trying to hit the green with their drives. Justin Thomas hit a brilliant shot here to help seal the deal.

The 18th was 423 yards and it is difficult to get your tee shot in the perfect position. There are bunkers down the right but because it doglegs to the right, you are trying to stay close to them. Your second shot is most certainly uphill and it is the most perfect finishing hole. It’s a superb finish to a superb golf course.

Waking through the clubhouse was so enjoyable as the halls are full of photos and memorabilia from tournaments past. It would be easy to spend an hour just looking around and trying to take it all in. Cary in the pro shop was an absolute gentleman. He came to say hello to us on the course which was a nice touch. My 3 playing partners and our caddie Carmen were brilliant company and I really enjoyed listening to all the stories that the retired members were telling me. Carmen is a young pro and she was extremely polite. I wish her all the best with her career. It’s a wonderful day at Southern Hills. A top quality golf course and a brilliant overall experience.