Golf in Converse

Golf, long ridiculed as the easiest of sports, is so childishly simple that many casual players go home feeling angry and frustrated at how quickly one can master the game. Luckily, these golfers can still savor the thrilling velocity and parabolic motion of a well-struck ball, especially with today's Groupon. For $12, you get three large buckets of driving range golf balls (a $30 value) at Northeast Golf Center.

Most courses have one signature hole. SilverHorn Golf Club of Texas has two—one for both nines—and both provide a window into the landscape-savvy brains of Randy Heckenkemper and PGA Tour pros Willie Wood and Scott Verplank, the trio responsible for this 6,922-yard, par 72 course design. At the par-five sixth hole, a 20-acre lake hugs the left side of a 556-yard dog-leg left, making any attempt to shorten the hole by cutting the corner a daring proposition. The inventive use of water hazards—a recurring feature throughout the course—returns on the par-four 15th hole, where two stone-lined creeks cross in front of the green, demanding a strategic approach shot or an amphibious golf cart. Tree-lined fairways and contoured greens characterize the rest of the 18-hole layout, which offers four tees to appeal to golfers of all abilities.

The Club also offers a driving range that serves as the grassy classroom for The Academy at SilverHorn Golf Club, where Director of Instruction Rob Myers and a staff of PGA pros and apprentices offer lessons. Lessons cover everything from putting form to swing mechanics to learning specialty shots, such as drawing the ball off the tee or chipping it discreetly into your rival’s beverage.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,922 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 73.4 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 138 from the farthest tees
• Four tee options

Built on land rich in both beauty and history, Canyon Springs Golf Club snakes its award-winning championship course through gentle hills nestled within the original site of the Classen Homestead. Golfers armed with the Longhorn pass can play the 18-hole course any time of the day, bolstered by bonuses including 10-day advanced tee-time privileges and discounted green fees and cart rental ($39 Monday–Thursday and $49 Friday–Sunday). In addition to reduced fees, Groupon holders also swing their way through test runs during one free round of golf, navigating the course's challenging bunkers, rolling fairways, and pommel-horsing greens. During each round, pass holders are outfitted with a cart, range balls, and a GPS device that chirps out location in the voice of Arnold Palmer. Members keep an eye on handicaps with complimentary USGA tracking, rein in slices with discounted range balls, feast with 10 percent off of food and nonalcoholic drinks from the club house, and compete for heady bragging rights in members-only tournaments held throughout the year.

After being ranked 19th on Golfweek's "Best New Courses" list in 2011, the course at Vaaler Creek Golf Club has been stacking up acolytes for its challenging play and picturesque Texas Hill Country setting. The Michael Lowry and JR Newman design stretches through oak forests as well as rocky outcroppings, encountering water on nine holes. Throughout each round, players steer new E-Z-GO golf carts over Bermuda 419 and TifSport grasses, taking advantage of the carts’ automatic braking systems as they stop to smell the flowers or the glorious scent of victory over manual controls.

Though the varied layout presents all manner of challenges, the par 3 12th hole requires a particularly cautious approach. Players must exhibit firm control over iron play as they aim for a peninsula green—discipline that must be then be duplicated four holes later to keep drives dry and on the isthmus fairway. Finally, players round out the round by facing a daunting approach over water, made even more difficult by the tree in the center of the fairway that obstructs flight paths and distracts would-be winners with its self-contained, elf-operated cookie factory.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Total length of 6,864 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 73 from the back tees
• Course slope of 140 from the back tees
• Four sets of tees per hole
• Scorecard

Quail Creek Golf Club’s 18-hole course invites golfers to enjoy the countryside charm of its rolling terrain as they swing their way past native tall grasses. A well-oiled short game pays dividends on this course due to the nature of the turtle back greens. The signature seventh hole offers a view of a large canyon that sits adjacent to the Blanco River, and the twelfth hole runs alongside the river itself. The same oblong pond stands in front of the greens at the adjacent ninth and 18th holes, providing a dramatic finish to both nines, as well as an opportunity for golfers to sacrifice their sand wedges to the water in a post-round gesture of respect for the course. The grounds include a driving range, and a Back Porch Bar & Grill where players can enjoy a frosty beverage, beer or burger, which can be ordered in advance so it is ready on the turn.

After rounds, players can drop by the Back Porch Bar & Bistro for a frosty beverage, beer or burger, which can be ordered in advance so it is ready on the turn.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,312 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 70.2
• Slope rating of 121
• Four tee options
• Course layout

The hilly terrain of Woodlake Golf Club has hosted five PGA Tour events, including the 1973 Texas Open, in which Ben Crenshaw notched his first PGA Tour victory. Built in 1972 by Desmond Muirhead, the par-72 course meanders along slopes spattered with such dangers as water hazards and sand traps, which trap sand as part of a scheme to produce low-cost hourglasses. On the sixth hole, a vast pond maroons all three tees far from the green, the fairway stretching tantalizingly just beyond the boggy, aquatic prison. A pair of water hazards squeezes the par-5 ninth hole, where Crenshaw’s first title ambitions were nearly dashed in the final round of the ’73 Open.

Customers looking to polish their game can work with John Clay, a 35-year PGA professional with 40 years of teaching experience. For one hour, John help pupils identify swing imbalances, bolster consistent muscle memory, and distinguish a pitching wedge from a wheat scythe. Freshly minted techniques find their form with a post-lesson round on the Woodlake Golf Club course and a bucket of range balls at the driving range.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par-72 course
• Length of 6,691 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 72.3 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 130 from the farthest tees
• Four tee options
• Scorecard