Originally designed by Ralph Plummer in 1950, The Campus Course at Texas A&M sits on the Northeast side of Texas A&M University's campus. The golf course underwent a recent renovation in 2013 when the university partnered with Sterling Golf Inc. to provide a championship golf course. The renovation was headed by golf course architect and Texas A&M graduate Jeff Blume ('89) who modeled the course after some of the greats in the Northeast. Taking aspects from courses built by Donald Ross and C.B. Macdonald, Blume created and incredibly fun course that presents a challenge to all who play it. The routing of the golf course is one of the main things players will notice has changed if they've played the course before with only 5 holes maintaining their original routing. Players playing the golf course will also notice the 158 bunkers on the course, most of which are grouped closely together, that provide for a lot of strategic, penal, and heroic golf. For players who enjoy classical architecture this course will be a blast. The course plays firm and fast thanks to the amount of sand added on the fairways during the renovation and the incredible work done by the superintendent and staff. With all the rates being under $50 this is no doubt one of the best public tracks in the state and gives players a great taste of classical architecture.
Hole 1: 347 yards Par 4
The first hole at The Campus Course is one that players won't forget. This isn't the typical split fairway hole and actually gives players three options off the tee. The fairway on this hole stretches around 160 yards at some points and is clustered with 12 fairway bunkers and rough in the middle. Pin placement on this hole has a great impact on the right line to choose off this tee. The green is built on the back of a small hill and runs away from players at a lot of angles. A right pin calls for a shot right of the trees in the center of the fairway. This gives players a much better angle into the green and lets them not have the green run away from them. A left pin is a little trickier. Ideally players want to play down the left fairway to give them a shot with the green not running away from them. However, players can also go down the center of the fairway, left of the bunkers in the fairway, and have a much shorter club but a relatively blind shot into the green. A back pin placement on this hole runs away from players and gives players no ideal line to take off the tee. This is one of the more interesting pins on the golf course. It's very difficult to stop a wedge on this back portion of the green and really brings the three bunkers behind the green into play. This one of the most unique starting holes in the entire state and gives players a pretty good feel for what they'll see on the rest of the golf course.
Hole 4: 353 yards Par 4
The fourth hole, despite its yardage, is plenty drivable for a lot of players. Typically playing firm and downwind, players have a variety of options and lines to take off the tee. A group of bunkers guards the inside of this slight dogleg right. The main group is only a 220 yard carry from the tee with the last bunker being about 245 yards to carry. The safest line to take off the tee is to stay away from those bunkers and play to the left of them. This gives players about 120 yards to the green. Players feeling more aggressive and trying to have a wedge in will have to stay back of the three bunkers in the center of the fairway about 290 yards from the tee. Another option you see players take is going right at the green. With the firm conditions, players are plenty capable of getting themselves within 20 yards of the flag and maybe up on the green. However, if players fail to carry the bunkers in the middle of the fairway they'll have the dreaded long bunker shot. The green itself is guarded by 4 bunkers on the right. The green has a spine running horizontally through the middle of the green making the back portion run away from players. This gives players a variety of options for shots hit to back pins allowing them to carry it all the way there or run something up the spine.
Hole 5: 200 yards Par 3
The fifth hole at The Campus Course is a very fun version of theEden template. The green is guarded by deep "Hill" bunkers on the left and "Strath" bunkers to the right. The front pin placement is arguably the toughest pin with the green only being 14 yards wide. Getting up and down is very difficult given that the green bowls and makes the edges of the green run away from players. Unlike a lot of Eden templates however, players have the option to run something up to the front part of the green which adds to the interest in this hole. A back right pin is also very interesting. Players are unable to see the putting surface on this line and must carry the "Strath" bunkers in front. The green runs away from players here and makes it very difficult to hold the green. But pins in the back half of the green offer players the most forgiveness with a lot of room to bail out right. This is my personal favorite par three on the course and maybe even my favorite hole on the entire course. This hole tests a players long iron game extremely well yet allows everyone to enjoy it by making it very playable, something very common on this golf course.
Hole 6: 618 yards Par 5
The sixth hole at The Campus Course is the longest par five on the course and really is a three shot hole. The hole starts out with some heroic architecture with water running all down the left side. The aggressive play calls for a tee shot that must carry 245 yards down the left side. This might shorten the hole a couple yards but gives players a great angle for their next shot. Players taking the safer route will typically take it at the three fairway bunkers flanking the right side of the fairway. The second shot is one of the best on the course. Two "Spectacle" bunkers (Spectacle bunkers function the same as Principal's Nose bunkers, the only difference is the look) about 85 yards from the green are placed in the center of the fairway. Players can play to any side of these bunkers and if you can carry them your ball might get up to the front of the green. The green, like a lot of holes on the course, has a spine running horizontally making the back half of the green run away from players. So the best angle into the green is from the right where you can get the green working a little more with you. There is some trouble getting behind a treen just short of the green but players are plenty capable of carrying it. The green is unguarded by bunkers and in my opinion might be the best green complex on the course. It's very simple but there are a number of pins where players really have to think to avoid bogeys.
Hole 7: 217 yards Par 3
The seventh hole at the campus course is another nod to classical architecture. This Redan-esque template does an great job of testing the skilled player and at the same time not being too harsh on the average player. Like most Redan type hole the ideal play is a draw hit at the right part of the green and let it feed left. There is no kicker to move the ball more to the left but its still key to move the ball in that direction. The front left part of their green is guarded by a long bunker that catches plenty of balls during the day. There is a ton of room to the right for players to bail out or play safe in some cases. From this angle, only the back half of the green will run away from you. Missing long is a very difficult par save. The green will run away from you and there's really not enough room to run something up. This is one of the tougher holes on the course but players can easily get a shot back on the next.
Hole 8: 332 yards Par 4
The eight hole at The Campus Course is one of the most fun holes on the course. The short par four's strategic design gives players plenty of options off the tee. A creek runs through the center of the hole creating two fairways. The left fairway requires no carry over water but does have three fairway bunkers on the right side. Players can also go over the creek (a shot that requires a carry of at least 235 yards) and play to the right. The line of the tee is almost entirely dependent on the pin placement. The way the green is angled and also runs away from players in the back really forces players to think. A pin placed nearest to the creek is really difficult to get close to coming from the left fairway and also brings the left bunker into play for players coming up short. A pin furthest from the creek is ideally hit into from the left fairway. This gives players a lot of green to work with whereas shots coming in from the right have very little room for error although they'll have less than about 75 yards into the green. The green on this hole is very simple. It runs away from players in the back and tests a scratch players ability to stop a wedge if they please but also allows the average golfers a chance to run a shot up.
Hole 9: 491 yards Par 4
The longest par four on the course plays 491 yards from the back tee... uphill... and usually into the wind. This hole is arguably the most demanding hole on the course requiring a two really good shots to get home in regulation. This hole seems to play as a "par and a half" with its difficulty and could easily be considered an insurmountable hole. Off the tee, a players only goal is to be able to have a clear second shot (not behind a tree that's 265 yards from the tee) and not be in one of the fairway bunkers. The approach is one of the most difficult on the course where players are hitting into a green only 16 yards wide at the front with a total of five bunkers surrounding it (there is still plenty of space in front to let players roll a ball up to the green). The green once again has a horizontal spine running through the center of the green that makes the back portion run away from players a considerable amount. Theres also a bit of interior contouring to this green that makes for some interesting pins. Players will also notice that this green is connecting to the practice green much like the ninth at Oakmont. On a personal note, it's interesting to see how people react to a par four of this length. The most common reaction I heard was that it's unfair. However, if it was listed as a par five there wouldn't be much complaining.
Hole 10: 550 yards Par 5
The opening hole on the back nine starts off with a semi-blind tee shot. The ideal line off the tee is to take it over the first two bunkers or draw it around them. The bunker placement on this hole screams Macdonald in that they create a number of options for players and force players to think. The ideal but more aggressive line is to take it over the first two bunkers or draw it around them. The way the tee shot looks players get fairly uncomfortable taking it over these bunkers because they appear to be much further than the are. Taking it down the right side brings trouble into play with five fairway bunkers stretching some 25 yards. The lay up shot for most pins are fairly straightforward. However, a back left pin is much more accessible from the right half of the fairway but players don't want to be too aggressive or they'll end up behind a tree. A back right pin is more accessible from the left side of the fairway that's guarded by three fairway bunkers. The green, once again, has a horizontal spine making the back portion run slightly away from players and is guarded by three bunkers. The back left part of the green creates somewhat of a bowl which allows players to play really aggressive on their approach. The back right part of the green runs away from players and balls going long can easily run down about 15 yards.
Hole 12: 530 yards Par 5
The twelfth hole is the final par five on the golf course. Water runs all along the right side of this hole and creates a number of options for players off the tee. The water dog legs around the water with bunkers on the other side. To carry these bunkers is about 260 yards which for a lot of players might be a stretch. Another option players have is playing left of the water. The fairway here is is only about 30 yards wide but does set up a nice second shot. The other option players have is to play short of the water. This is probably the least utilized option but probably the safest. Most players can't reach this green in two and they typically take on an unnecessary risk. The second shot seems fairly straightforward but ideally players want to be about a full wedge out and on the right half of the fairway. This side of the fairway opens up the green for pins on the left. The left part of the green is guarded by three bunkers in the front and runs away from players making it very difficult to hold the green. The right half of the green tilts towards player but is also guarded by another bunker right of the green. This is one of the coolest green complexes on the course. Just having a wedge in hand doesn't guarantee a close putt. Thinking about the angles is very important on this hole in order to have a birdie chance and on a lot of par fives thats typically not the case.
Hole 16: 394 yards Par 4
The sixteenth hole is one of the most intricate par fours on the course. The fairway is guarded by a fairway bunker on the left (only 220 yards to carry) and four bunkers on the right (260 yards to the first one) and makes players feel as thought they need to take it down the left side of the fairway with a draw to avoid bunkers. This line closes off the green and makes it much more difficult to get it close or hold the green. The way the bunkers are positioned deceives players into taking this line (it's not a "bad" line but does make the next shot a little tougher). Staying on the right side of the fairway gives players a much better angle into this boomerang green. The green itself is guarded with a bunker in the front and one in the back left. The green contouring is this hole's main defense. The false front will bring balls back down some 10 yards and the back left side of the green runs away from players feeding right into the bunker.
Hole 18: 404 yards Par 4
The final hole at The Campus Course begins with some of the best views on the property with Kyle Field in the distance and a view of almost every hole standing on the tee. This dog leg right par four gives players a final taste of classical architecture. The nine fairway bunkers on this hole allow for a great mix of heroic and strategic play. Ideally, the right side of this fairway is the place to be and gives you a great angle into the green. To get in that position players have to take on the three bunkers on the right with a carry off the tee around 255-260 yards. The approach shot on this hole is one that you want to get your camera out for. The green sits directly in front of Kyle Field and serves as a great alignment tool. The green complex is built up much more than some of the other green on the course and is guarded by three bunkers on the left. The back portion runs slightly away from players but is definitely deep enough to hold shots and gives players a great chance to end with a birdie. The Campus Course at Texas A&M is a true public gem and gives players a chance to play a fun style of architecture.
