In this article, we’re rediscovering these golf courses in Oklahoma as gems for avid golfers. They’re excellent places to spend a few hours out in nature!
Oklahoma may be known for their Wild West style, tropical climate, and tornadoes, but did you know there are some amazing golf courses in the state?
Although the Oklahoma weather patterns may make golf seem like an unlikely option, the fact is that the tropical weather makes for some supremely lush and stunning courses.
If golf is something you do, or you’re just getting into and cultivating a love for the sport, we’re reviewing these golf courses in Oklahoma as gems for avid golfers.
It’s worth the drive to play on every one of these beautiful courses! So grab your golf GPS and your best clubs and head out for a few hours to get your fill of golf and nature.
Buncombe Creek Golf Course
On this 9-hole, par-36 golf course, you’ll be surrounded by lush grass, beautiful trees, and gently rolling hills. The views are expansive and stunning, and your cares will melt away as you stroll from hole to hole.
Golfers who want a full 18- hole game can play the same source twice from different tee boxes for variation and challenge. The holes are long and have some hilly terrain, making them a challenge for less experienced golfers and still an enjoyable experience for advanced golfers.
There’s no specific signature hole, but each one provides something different. The greens are fast and can be deceiving, so take care on your putts.
Most of the holes are fairly straight, some featuring slight dog-legs. The par-5 7th hole is especially challenging, due to a large group of trees obscuring the view of the green, creating a tough dog-leg close to the tee.
You’ll also find a driving range and a putting green to practice on before you get out on the course itself.
Oak Tree National This championship golf course has hosted the Senior PGA, US Senior Open, and US Amateur Opens, so plenty of professionals have set foot on the rolling terrain of this course.
The course is long, measuring approximately 7,400 yards from the back tees and 6,400 yards from the front. But it’s also designed to be a challenge, and it achieves that by way of its many deep sand traps, elevated greens that are contoured and tricky, water hazards, and run-offs that can result in a lost shot.
Oak Tree National
Hole number 5, a long par-5, 592-yard hole, features an oak tree in the fairway that leaves the golfer with a tricky decision from shot number one. There’s a water hazard running the length of the fairway on the left-hand side.
Once you’ve passed these two hazards, you’ll be required to make an approach shot to a narrow green that’s shielded by both sand traps in front of and water behind it.
Other challenging holes inlude the par-3 fourth hole, the par-4 18th, and the par-5 3rd hole, which stretches to 597 yards in length.
The Patriot Golf Club The Patriot Golf Course is built around the natural landscape, so golfers will play through limestone canyons, marshes, woodlands, and prairie land. These surroundings provide excellent views, but golfers should take care not to get too distracted because the golf requires thoughtfulness and strategic thinking.
Hole one, “George Washington,” sees golfers teeing off from a cliff, with a 130-foot drop down to the fairway. There are two separate teeoff choices for hole number 6, and this is where the course comes back up to the cliff top. Hole number 14 also features a 120-foot drop.
You’ll find a few holes featuring dog-legs, and many of the fairways have heavy trees lining their sides. Bunker-protected greens are common, and there are also multiple holes with streams crossing the fairways.
The 18th hole is a challenge for beginners and experienced golfers alike. Golfers will tee off over a deep, wide ravine, and the green is surrounded by sand traps. Scoring a par on this hole is a good effort.
The Patriot Golf Club
Chickasaw Pointe Golf Course
Located in Kingston, the Chickasaw Pointe Golf Course is a lake-side course that offers good play for golfers of all levels. It’s a public course, so all golfers are welcome to play a round.
Many of the fairways are lined with oak trees, providing a private, out-of-the-way feeling. From a few of the holes you can get a lake view, but all in all the view isn’t too distracting and you can focus on your game.
The fairways are quite undulating, providing a challenge from the tee-off, and there's an opportunity to use every club in your bag.
The 6th hole is the signature hole. It’s a 330-yard par-4 that runs mostly downhill and offers the golfer choices as to shot selection. Some of the holes (14th and 17th in particular) have testing carries and some harsh terrain that requires both patience and strategy to conquer.
Karsten Creek Golf Club
Karsten Creek Golf Club is said to be the best college golf course in the country. It's open to the public every day except Tuesday.
Played from the back tees, the course stretches 7,400 yards. The next set of these is considerably shorter, just 6,600 yards.
Wide fairways provide ample space for tee shots, but the densely packed trees lining each hole will swallow balls that miss the mark. Undulating ground provides a test that requires strategy and disciplined shots to avoid rolling away.
The greens are lightly contoured, but faster than they look so golfers will need to be accurate with their putts.
Hole number 12, a 350- yard par-4, presents an excellent opportunity for a birdie. Play it straight down the fairway from the tee, and you’ll have a chance of saving a shot once you reach the domed green.
The signature 11th hole is a memorable par-3 that begins with an elevated tee. Well-protected by a rocky creek, the green is slightly sloping and there’s little room for error.
The final hole requires the golfer to carry the ball across a lake, which continues to run the length of the hole.
About Jordan Fuller
Jordan Fuller has been golfing for decades and still plays as often as he can. He’s passionate about sharing his knowledge and information with other golfers, through his website, Golf Influence.