McAllen’s Private and Public Courses Offer Year-Round Golf
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Golfers looking for a mild climate and exceptional golf courses find what they want in McAllen.
Palm View, an 18-hole, links-style facility owned by the City of McAllen, offers a par-72 championship challenge and is one of the only courses in the area with contoured, undulating fairways. The championship tees turn the links into a challenging 6,771 yards, with the middle tees tendering a moderate 5,779-yard play. The course hosted the Ladies Professional Golf Association’s Duramed Futures Golf Classic in 2008 and expects to welcome it again in the future.
“Fourteen of the holes have water, and our renovation several years ago added many trees. With our great customer service, we get players around quickly,” says Rex Flores, golf professional at Palm View Golf Course since 2000. “Our driving range has three levels and is double ended, so there’s a lot of opportunity to hit a bucket here, even if you don’t play a round. And our fees are great for such a playable course.”
Golfers enjoy McAllen’s private courses, too. The McAllen Country Club opened its current 18-hole, fast greens course in 1968. No matter the skill of the golfer, the club’s traditional, well-maintained tree-lined fairways mean an outstanding experience. Amenities include a fully stocked golf shop, locker rooms, full bag storage, tennis, swimming and a restaurant.
In nearby Mission, The Club at Cimarron, another private club, features a Dave Bennet-designed course. Flores says that Cimarron and Palm View share similar demographics of golfers because of Cimarron’s affordable membership rates.
Wherever you play in McAllen, be prepared for a bustling round, especially on weekends.
“November through March, every course is packed, even in the middle of the week,” says Flores. “That’s when the winter Texans arrive. They stay two to three months and play lots of golf. Our winter highs in the 70s are perfect golf weather.”
Though the daytime temperature in summer can approach the century mark, the weather’s not as humid as Florida. The constant Gulf of Mexico breezes keep things relatively cool on the fairways and greens.
Flores, who is from Edinburg (McAllen’s neighbor to the north), has played Los Lagos Golf Club there many times. Los Lagos combines a links-style layout, sand traps and an impressive 11 acres of lakes. The course opened in 2000 and is setting the standard for future golf developments in the area with a pavilion that seats up to 350 for tournament spectators.
“McAllen’s growing fast,” says Flores. “As more people come, they’ll want to play more golf.”
With nearly 20 private and public courses in the McAllen area, including resort style, nine-hole and other championship courses, golfers won’t be disappointed.
Story by Kelly Koepke
