Sugar Tree Golf Club Review
Golf - Public Course · 18 Holes · Par 70
Dennis
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Date Last Played: April 24, 2015
Sugar Tree Golf Club Review
Review of Sugar Tree Golf Course in Lipan Texas
Not only is Sugar Tree a Golf Digest 4 Star "Best Places To Play" course but it's also in Texas Outside's "Best Texas Golf Courses" because of its conditions, challenge, scenic beauty, variety, and value -- they don't come much better than Sugar Tree. Every hole is unique and presents it's own set of challenges which include doglegs, blind shots, rolling hills, very narrow approaches, elevation changes, creeks, challenging green complexes, bunkers, ponds, and natural hazards -- which make this a very fun course to play but you need to keep your patience and bring your A game to score well!
Sugar Tree is tight and tree lined and a shot makers course that requires some excellent course management skills. With a slope of 129 to 145, Sugar Tree ranks with the best of them in terms of difficulty - but don't let that discourage you from playing this fantastic course - move up a tee box and make the course a little easier and more relaxing to play.
Talk about course management and club selection - this course demands it if you want to score well and you may have to play it twice before you can conquer this great golf course. In addition to variety and challenge, Sugar Tree is also one of the most scenic courses we have played - trees line all the fairways and you'll find waterfalls, small lakes, the Brazos River, rolling hills, rock formations, a wooden covered bridge, and elevation changes with views of the surrounding country. In fact, the 12th hole, a 110 to 210 yard par 3, is from our perspective one of the prettiest hole in Texas and it made our list of the Most Scenic Holes in Texas. From an elevated tee box you look down at a small lake with cascading waterfalls, trees, a pond, stone terrace, bunkers, and a water wheel. Don't let the view cause you to loose focus, because if you miss the small green, you're in trouble.
There are lots of fun and challenging holes, but a couple of our favorites include:
- #1 one sets the stage for your round - a carry over the creek to a tight creek and tree lined fairway that dog legs left to a green guarded by the creek the crossed the fairway in front of it
- #14 the #2 handicap which is a 524 yard par 5 that plays along the banks of the Brazos River and requires accuracy off the tee box to carry the creek and nail the tight fairway and a very precise approach shot to an uphill well protected small green (you'll want to play this one again)
- #3 the number one handicap at 550 yards - a dog left that keeps curving left along a creek with a narrow approach over the creek to the green - plus a large tree is in the middle of the fairway about 90 yards in front of and blocked your shot to the green
- #10 which is a huge uphill tee shot followed by a blind shot thru a valley and then down to the green
Most of the greens are big and rolling but a few may require three putts thanks to severe slope, roller coaster contour, and ridges or valleys. The greens were in very good perfect condition the last time we played and they ran at a great speed of 9 or so. Plus they run true (if you can read the breaks) and are soft and hold the ball well.
We've played Sugar Tree a number of times and this time the fairways were in good but not excellent condition as they have been in the past. The grass is short and firm. The fairways range from tight to tighter and all are tree lined - we lost a lot of balls but still had a blast.
The bunkers were wet from a recent rain but should be in pretty good shape when they are dry. The lips are thin and manageable.
Not only is this a fun, challenging, and pretty course, the value is outstanding for a course of this quality. The only challenge is that Sugar Tree is not on the way to anywhere - it is 20 miles south of Weatherford. It's not easy to get to but you will really enjoy it once you're there. The good news is that they now have an excellent Stay & Play package in a 5 bedroom very nice house. And you with your Stay & Play you can play the 5 hole par 3 course which has an island green.
Add Sugar Tree to your list of must play Texas Courses.
Course Slope & Ratings
| Tee Box | Yardage | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | 32,767 | 73.3 | 142 |
| Blue | 6,177 | 71.1 | 135 |
| White | 5,807 | 69.5 | 129 |
| Red | 5,200 | 72.1 | 131 |
Course Information
- Greens Type:
- Champion Bermuda
- Greens Condition
- 9.0
- Greens Difficulty
- 9.0
- Fairway Condition
- 8.0
- Bunker Condition
- 7.0
- GPS:
- No
- Walkable:
- Tough - no pull carts
- Scorecard
- Course Map
- Beware of water on 13 holes and the 38 sand traps.
Texas Outside Rating
- Overall Rating:
- 9.3 out of 10
- Beauty:
- 9.5
- Difficulty:
- 9.5
- Variety:
- 10.0
- Fun to Play:
- 9.5
- Value:
- 9.5
- Condition:
- 8.0
- Front Nine Rating:
- 9.2
- Back Nine Rating:
- 9.4
FEES & AMENITIES
Approximate Weekend
Rates: $42.00 to $49.00
Service is good and country friendly, practice facilites are ok, the grill has some good grub, and the pro shop is well stocked.
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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About Texas Outside
Texas Outside has been alive & well since 1996 - that's ancient by today's internet standards! Texas Outside was originally developed by Lone Star Internet which is an Austin based web development company with an excellent reputation & client base. In March of 2006, we purchased Texas Outside & made a commitment to add new, exciting, & informative content on Texas outdoor activities & fun things to see & do.
