Golf - Public Course · 9 Holes · Par 72
Utopia
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Review of Golf Utopia
Golf Utopia is a short nine hole course on the outskirts of Utopia - the definition of utopia is "an ideal and perfect place or state where everyone lives in harmony and everything is for the best" . The course was carved out of some flat to gently rolling farmland and opened for play in 2001. In fact, during your round you'll see ancient farm equipment, horses, cows, and beautiful peaks and rolling hills of some of the most scenic hill country in Texas.
It's not easy to find Utopia, but somehow Hollywood found it and in August, 2010 a crew moved in to start filming the movie "Seven Days in Utopia" starring Robert Duvall, Lucas Black, and Melissa Leo. The story revolves around a young pro golfer (Lucas Black) who has a major meltdown in a tour tournament and ends up in Utopia where he meets seasoned pro, Robert Duvall who helps him improve his golf game as well as his life. The Golf Utopia course is where is where Lucas "finds his game." The pro shop is filled with some of the movie and book memorabilia.
Some of what makes playing Golf Utopia fun is:
Most of the nine holes are fairly straightforward and traditional and you can typically see the flag and any potential trouble from the pin. Some of the holes that we liked included:
The fairways are generally a little tight thanks to trees and you'll even find some trees that will split the fairway or block your approach to the green. When we played Golf Utopia in late September the fairways were in very bad condition - patchy spots of grass, a variety of weeds, and dirt. It was hard to tell the fairway from the rough or the cow pasture. The cart paths ranged from none to crushed stone to dirt trails.
The greens at Golf Utopia are a variety of shapes and sizes and most are small to average. When we played, which was just after a rain storm, they were bumpy and a tad slow and in fair condition. Most are fairly flat but you'll encounter some contour, slope, and a couple of the greens are slightly raised.
There are only a couple of bunkers and they are more like long natural sand areas with firm thin sand and no lip.
If you happen to be in the area, Golf Utopia is worth stopping in for a round of golf and some inspiring quotes from the book.
Tee Box | Yardage | Rating | Slope |
---|---|---|---|
Blue | 3,232 | ||
White | 3,011 | ||
Red | 2,625 |
Approximate Weekend
Rates: $26.00 to $32.00
Service is country friendly but no cart service is available. The Clubhouse is very nice with a pro shop that has the basics and lots of Utopia shirts, hats, and movie paraphernalia. No food service is available. The range is interesting and filled with antique farm equipment as targets.
Here's How Texas Outside Determines the Scorecard RatingThe Texas Outside rating scale ranges from 1 to 10 – a perfect 10 course would be something like this: links along a cliff overlooking the Pacific ocean and bordered by tall trees; lush fairways on rolling hills with lots of natural hazards; water (which is crystal clear) on most of the holes; immaculate greens (but they are undulating and tough); lots of variety and character (each hole is completely different and includes blind shots, elevation changes, doglegs, and significant challenges); perfectly manicured traps with the whitest and prettiest sand you’ve ever seen; a nice club house with great food and a 19th hole; a GPS; plenty of beverage carts or your own cooler and ice; and it only costs $40 bucks! What this means is that you probably won’t find any 10s in Texas – try Cabo San Lucas, Pebble Beach, or some of the Hawaii courses!
All of the above determines the overall score for the golf course. In other words, we like courses that are pretty, fun, very challenging with a lot of variety, and fairways and greens in excellent condition – all for $40. We also tend to play the courses that are affordable for the masses, which means in the $30 to $80 range. We rate hard and we haven’t found a 10 in Texas yet – don’t worry we haven’t given up and we’re still looking.
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