Mark Twain once said, “Golf is a good walk spoiled.” And while anyone who’s ever picked up a golf club can relate, the staff behind the desk at Holly Lake Ranch Golf Club (HLRGC) have made a career of ensuring that every guest walks away entertained and satisfied with their course experience. 

According to Jeff Wilson, HLRGC’s director of golf, “Our job is to put on a good show for people every day.”

It’s a mission statement that he and his crew abide by, from the part-time cart staff who pick up range balls at the end of the day, to the assistant professionals behind the desk, to the course superintendent, landscapers and greens keepers who ensure a quality playing surface.

“Holly Lake Ranch is an enjoyable course to play on a regular basis,” said Wilson, who held the dual position of director of golf and HLR Association general manager for four and a half years before transitioning back to the pro shop full time in late 2022; he still manages HLRA’s finances as the director of finance.

“Because of the different teeing areas provided, golfers of any skill level can enjoy the course.”

HLRGC was originally designed by renowned golf course architect, Leon Howard, in 1971. The front nine holes were completed in the spring of 1972, with the back nine opening three years later. 

The course combines doglegs, elevation changes, water hazards, sand bunkers and lots of trees. It plays between 6,800 yards from the back tees to about 5,100 from the ladies’, with an average slope of 109 from the gold, where the course is rated 67.5. There is also a forward set of tees designed for juniors, beginners or late-in-lifers. Most people ride the course on their own carts or from one rented at the pro shop.

Jakeb Welch, the latest golf pro to join the staff, likes to walk the course in the morning, often bringing his wife, Sydnee, also a golfer, and their toddler, Ember, along for the stroll. 

“Early in the morning, before the course gets busy, it’s gorgeous out there,” Welch said. “The course is tree-lined and the homes are set back, so you just get lost in the forest, surrounded by nature. It’s a perfect walk in the woods.”

Welch usually mans the front desk at the pro shop, but he also gives lessons, as does Wilson and the club’s assistant golf pro, Kendall Garvin, who’s been at HLRGC since July 2018. Garvin plays the course at least once a week and has a good feel for what it takes to put up a decent score. He carries a six handicap.

“There are subtle nuances on every hole that can make or break your game, especially when you get in close,” Garvin said. “Every green has its own set of challenges and characteristics, and some of the fairways can push your ball into trouble.”

According to Garvin, the green at signature hole #12 is one of the most difficult to read, as it’s raised to catch approach shots and tilts at a slight angle. Hole #3 presents a tricky fairway that leans hard to the right, drawing otherwise good tee shots into a stretch of tree-covered rough and rubble.

Karl Kingsbury, an admitted “golf addict,” plays the course almost every day, sometimes twice a day, and still makes time to work in the pro shop part-time on Friday mornings. 

“The best part about playing is, hands down, the friendly camaraderie,” says Kingsbury, whose wife and “golfing buddy,” Sherry, also plays when she can. “You can hit a good shot, someone in your group can hit a good shot, or you can hit a real stinker, and either way, you know someone’s going to make a comment. It’s a fun, light-hearted way to spend the day.”

HLRGC is open six days a week, with the exception of Tuesdays. On Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, tee times start at 8:15 a.m.; twilight tee times start at 4:30 p.m. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, shotgun starts launch at 8:45 a.m. and 1:15 p.m., with twilight shotguns starting at 5:30 p.m. through the summer.

Regardless, John Quezada, course superintendent, and his crew, stay busy preening the golf course daily. Quezada moved to Holly Lake Ranch, where he landed his first course maintenance job and married his wife, Barbra, in 1986. He worked his way up under six superintendents and landed the top slot in 2015, overseeing as many as 10 crew members in peak season. Most courses retain 18 crew members, basically one per hole.

“My job is to make our golfers happy,” said Quezada. “I ride the course regularly down the fairways to gain a golfer’s perspective and find spots that could use some TLC.”

His brother, Tony, works as assistant superintendent. Kevin Yandle is the chief mechanic. “It’s a team effort every morning to ensure an excellent, aesthetically pleasing playing surface from hole #1 to hole #18,” Quezada said. “We want to create a ‘wow’ when you get started and a ‘wow’ when you leave, and every hole is different.”

For his taste, hole #6 is his favorite. It’s a picturesque par four dogleg right, bounded by mature woods at the turn, leading to a generous green that overlooks Lake Greenbriar.

“In the fall, the treelined fairway is magnificent,” he said, “and looking down from the cart path at greenside, you just want to stop and snap a photograph.”

The maintenance facility houses offices, equipment storage barns and mechanic shops, with several mowers tooled for cutting greens, fairways, tee boxes and roughs to precise lengths. Several transport carts, tractors, greens rollers, a bunker rake and irrigation trencher round out the equipment list. 

There are about seven miles of irrigation pipe on the course. Every Tuesday, Quezada’s crew performs necessary maintenance and applies fertilizers and chemicals to keep the grass healthy. The rest of the week focuses on early morning prep work.

“The new greens we installed in 2021 are settling in and playing as expected,” said Wilson. “This year, we plan to update our on-course bathrooms, install some new fencing and convert a few bunkers from sand to grass to improve drainage and playability. We are always looking for ways to improve the course on a budget and keep the play fun.”

According to Pam Schmidt, president of the HLR Women’s Golf Association, “As more people migrate out here from the inner cities, we’re seeing more golfers, especially women golfers, eager to learn the game and get in on the fun.” 

Year ‘round golf, tournaments featuring crazy games, $5 all you can hit range balls, three levels of lessons and the 19th Hole, run by Whiskey’s Bar and Grill, overlooking the driving range – altogether, HLRGC has enough to turn anyone into a golf addict. 

HLRGC is a private facility that restricts play to property owners of Holly Lake Ranch Association and their guests, however, there are opportunities for tournament groups to play the course.