After my round at Sand Creek Station I headed about 15 minutes north to check out Hesston Golf Course, the last course on my trip to Kansas. I knew the course wasn’t going to be a destination course, but I figured since I was in the area and had the time, why not give it a try.

My tee time was about 1:30 P.M. and I was hoping that most golfers got in their holiday round early in the morning. However, as it turned out, I wasn’t the only crazy person out golfing in the blazing hot afternoon sun. I teed off a few minutes early and played pretty quickly, in about 3 hours 15 minutes. But, it felt longer with a number of foursomes spread out throughout the course. Still, the timing worked out well so I could get back to DFW at a decent hour.

I couldn’t quite get an idea of what to expect prior to my round. On one hand, the course looked like it could be pushing hidden gem status. On the other, there is always the chance a new course is a complete stinker. After playing here though I’d say the course falls solidly somewhere in the middle of those two things. The course didn’t fit my golf game – especially with the strong Kansas winds – but it was in decent shape and provides a good value.

Hesston Golf Course opened in 1975 and was designed by Frank Hummel. The course is located close to a housing development next to the interstate, but the homes shouldn’t be an issue – expect on the 14th hole. Hummel isn’t a name I’ve heard before, but it looks like he has a good number of courses throughout the Central Plains. Buffalo Dunes, in Western Kansas, seems to be Hummel’s best course.

The layout at Hesston is a mix of prairie and parkland style holes. I didn’t feel like there was a signature hole though. Maybe the 6th, a pretty par-4 next to a creek. The area’s topography is mostly flat and except for the first two holes which go up and down a hill, the rest of the course is flat. Tees are close to the greens and on a cooler day it would be a nice walk. I thought the green complexes were the most interesting feature. Most small greens are elevated and drop off steeply on each side. Offline approach shots kick away and the thick greenside rough will make it tough to get pitch shots close.

I played the black tees which are 73.2/131/6839. In hindsight, I probably should have tried the blue tees since the course is a par-71. I found the course to be difficult all around. From the black tees, the length and small greens didn’t pair well for my game. Many holes are tree-lined and dogleg at odd angles. I struggled with all the doglegs – some holes bend sharply – and never felt comfortable trying to cut the corners and have the ball land soft enough to stay in the fairways. There is plenty of funk to the tee shots.

The green fee was $43 to ride, which seemed like a good deal. The conditions were good as well and worth the price. I think the fairways are zoysia and most were in good shape. Each hole seemed to have a section that was burnt out and bare, but acceptable for the price. The greens didn’t have any bare spots and rolled smooth, just at a medium pace.

Personally, I didn’t care much for the design at Hesston. It isn’t a terrible course and its worth the drive from Wichita, but it was my least favorite course of the weekend. All the doglegs and long par-3’s in the 20+ mph winds were more than my game could handle. Still, Hesston was a good value and in good shape. I guess what I’m saying is that if your game is more reliable than mine, you may enjoy the course more than I did.

Course Pictures (click any picture to scroll through the gallery):