Whispering Pines Golf Club
Introduction
You won’t find Whispering Pines Golf Club in any major city. In fact, it is about 30 minutes from the nearest interstate and over an hour and a half from downtown Houston. Sitting just outside Trinity, Texas though you will find the top-rated golf course in Texas.
This is part of the mystique of the Whispering Pines Golf Club. It’s not a course you could drive by and look at the entrance because you were in the area. While they have an excellent restaurant, named Spirit Hall , an ample locker room and other basic facilities, you won’t find a lavish country club set up, such as a pool or over-sized restaurant. It’s golf in its purest form.
Although the Nicklaus Group was originally hired, Chet Williams is credited with designing Whispering Pines Golf Club and established the Chet Williams Design company following its completion. Stretching some 7,330 yards from the Spirit Tees through the piney woods of East, Texas, it is a tough test for any golfer, obtaining a slope of 152 and a rating of 77.3. But don’t worry too much, there are 5 sets of tees.
Whispering Pines Golf Club has received quite a bit of notoriety over the years. Dallas Morning News has it ranked it #1 in Texas more years than any other course. Golf Digest has Whispering Pines Golf club currently ranked #54 in the U.S while Golfweek Magazine has it ranked #24 for top modern courses in the U.S.
The Pro Shop and Practice Area at Whispering Pines Golf Club
The Pro shop is straightforward, nothing elaborate, but ample. Don’t expect to see a rack of putters or wedges sitting out. There are plenty of shirts and outerwear to choose from, as well as bag tags, ball markers, and even flags if you are interested in buying something to remember the day by.
The range is very ample, with plenty of room. Unlike a lot of ranges, there was plenty of room for each person. There is a chipping green with two bunkers to the right of the range. There is a very large putting green opposite the parking area from the range. It is on the way to the first hole. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to practice on the greens. We were told they were running at 13.2 on the day we played according to the pin sheet.
Course Conditions
The week before we played, a large cold front had blown through the area, making most of the Bermuda grass turn dormant. I will say, it was the best-conditioned course I have ever played with dormant Bermuda.
The tee boxes were in great shape as well as the fairways. The greens were on another level, and what you would expect with such a highly ranked course. When we were told they were running around a 12, and I have no doubt they were. They rolled true and fast.
I really enjoy playing top-level courses, because one thing they have in common usually is excellent bunkers. The sand at Whispering Pines Golf Club may not look it, but it is soft and fluffy. The first layer was firm but you found it really quick that it was softer than it looked.
The Front 9 at Whispering Pines Golf Club
The first hole sets the tone for the entire round. You must play strategic golf. While it might seem you can hit driver left of the pine tree, you will be left with an awkwardly short pitch, if you make it. Too long to the right will be blocked out from the green by a couple of trees. Hit a fairway wood or hybrid, which will leave you with around 140 or so. Short right is where you want to miss it. Anything left is trouble and long is likely dead.
Hole 2 is a par 5, that winds its way to the green. It is an uphill tee shot, and make sure to avoid the bunker on the left. If you decide to go for it, there is a little room left of the green to bail out. Most golfers will want to lay up short of the fairway bunker on the left, which will leave you around 100 yards to the green. Any misses with your approach should be just short or left. The deep bunkers on the right make for a difficult shot, and if you’re short-sided, you won’t likely be able to stop the ball on the top shelf.
Hole 3 is the first of 4 excellent par 3’s on the course. Playing slightly downhill, and 210 yards from the back tees, club selection can be difficult. The back right of the green slopes away from the water. Any pin located in this area will be difficult to attack. Aim for the center of the green and be happy with a par. If it is in the front or left half, take dead aim.
Hole 4 is the longest par 4 on the front at 470 yards. For longer hitters, the fairway can get a bit narrow. Avoid going too far right off the tee. The pine trees on the right can block you out from the green. Being as long as it is, it isn’t as guarded as other holes. Just avoid the lone bunker that is well short of the green. Short here is the best miss.
The par 5 5th was my favorite par 5 on the course. The water on the left can come into play for longer hitters. If playing one of the forward tees, the fairway can get really narrow, so a fairway wood may be the better play. Getting there in 2 will be tough. If you decide to go for it, short right is the miss. Short of the fairway bunker in the right is the layup. This should leave you around 100 yards in. Again, short is the better miss, and anything that is not on the green has a good chance to run off quite a ways.
Hole 6 is a shorter par 4, with the green almost being completely surrounded by bunkers. Just a fairway wood or hybrid off the tee here. Just avoid the water on the gith and you will be fine. A good second shot is required here. Ignore the flag and make sure you get your ball on the green. Any shot from the sand will be tough, and some areas will leave with an awkward stance.
Hole 7 may feel more open and less hazardous than the previous holes, but it is harder than it looks. Anyone in the left fairway bunker will likely have to lay up so keep it right of there. Longer hitters may be able to make it to the right bunker but it is more playable. Too long on your approach your in the long stuff, right is in the trap or water, short could roll into the water. That just leaves left, and likely well left of the hole for a miss. Avoid the small pot bunker on the front left at all costs. This could be the most difficult bunker to escape from on the front.
The par 3 8th is the shorter of the 2 par 3’s on the front but it isn’t any easier. The bottom of the green funnels to the right, while there is a large shelf on the back. Make sure you hit the correct area where the pin is. Anything opposite the pin will likely be a 3 putt bogey, especially if it is on the front.
The 9th is a quality finishing hole for the front, playing downhill a bit. Anything too far right will be blocked out by trees. A fairway wood and a long approach is a safer play. Just avoid the fairway bunker on the right. Back left looks like a good place to bail out to, but be wary that it will be a downhill chip to a green that runs away from you. The bunkers on the right may be deep, but it will be easier to stop the ball on the green if you miss it.
The Back 9 at Whispering Pines Golf Club
The back 9 starts off with a nice par 4 with a tee shot in front of Spirit Hall. Keep the ball down the left side of the fairway. Anything on the far right will be blocked off from the green due to the large tree nestled near it. I would rather be in the fairway bunker on the left than on the far right. Just left of the green is your best spot to miss. The front bunkers are better than long in my opinion.
Hole 11 is one of the more straightforward holes on the course. Keep your tee shot just short of the bunkers on the left for the best angle into the green. From there, it all depends on the pin location. There is a false front on either side of the bunker. If the pin is in the front, then the left side of the green is where you will want to hit it. If it is in the back, then make sure you clear the bunker. The approach is slightly uphill, so make sure to take enough club.
The 12th is a par 5 that narrows the further it goes. Off the tee, aim down the right side, and clear the bunkers if you want a shot at the green in two. If you decide to go for the green in two, avoid the bunkers on the right. They are designed in a way that you will likely get an unfavorable lie. Miss short if anything. Lay up just beyond the lone fairway bunker on the right. This should give you around 100 yards to the green. Back left is the best spot to miss, but from 100 yards out, take dead aim.
The 13th is a nice introduction to the final 6 holes, the best finishing holes in Texas. A par 4, with sand and water running up the left about halfway down. The sand shouldn’t come into play except for the longest of hitters. There is a lot of room so stripe it down the middle. With your approach do not miss left. Anything here has a chance to hit and bounce into the hazard. Your best miss is right or just short.
The 14th will be one that you will want to play again once you finish it. There are two ways to play this hole off the tee. You can go right of the large pine tree with a 200-210 yard shot, leaving you with about 140 to the green. Or you can go left of it, more than likely with a driver, for a shot at the green or just in front. This is the ultimate risk-reward shot. If you miss left, it is in the drink, right and you are in the woods hoping to get out with maybe a par. The green has a low area in front of it making it very difficult to run it up on the green. Just long is a good miss as long as the pin is not in the back.
The par 3 15th is the most widely seen hole at Whispering Pines Golf Club. It is even more impressive in person. Having played many of the famed Pete Dye island greens, I found this one to be superior. The green is smaller than all of Pete’s designs and is more visually stunning. There aren’t any real good spots to bail out. Short might be the best option but will likely leave you with a tough bunker shot.
Following the 15th, is another par 3 at the 16th. It is the longest on the course, and I found it to be the toughest. At 228 yards from the spirit tees, it is definitely not for the faint of heart. Just long is the only suitable miss, but it will leave you with a downhill chip running away from you.
The 17th is a marvelous par 5, and a joy to play. Longer hitters will have no problem carrying the bunkers on the left but still may not have a shot at the green. Play it safely down the right side of the fairway. With your layup, hit towards the two trees that stand next to each being short of them. This will leave about 100 yards to the green. Short is the best miss, and anything left will likely find the bunker.
The 18th is a staggering 499-yard par 4 from the Spirit tees. Hopefully, you don’t need a birdie here to shoot a good round. A par here is a great score. Keep it right of the very large sand trap on the left. There is more to it than you can see from the tee. The sand trap is also blocked off from the green by a group of trees, so a layup is all you really can do from there. On the approach, don’t be short, as it will likely roll back into the water. Be wary of the false front here as well.
Conclusion
Whispering Pines is at the top of the shortlist of my favorite places I have played. There are very few shots that do not require to think before you hit. You must hit the correct side of the fairway, and the correct area of the green to post a good score. I enjoy this type of golf. Having to think my way through a course rather than just spraying it down the fairway. There’s a real appreciation for the architecture of this course. There is no doubt it should be in the Top 100 in the U.S.
My Favorite Courses
Here is a shortlist of my other favorite courses I have played.
Mission Hills Country Club- Dinah Shore Tournament Course
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