Baxter Spann

Española, NM

Black Mesa in La Mesilla, New Mexico, opened in 2003 and was designed by Baxter Spann. It sits on land of the Santa Clara Pueblo north of Santa Fe, in badlands terrain of ridges, arroyos and black volcanic rock. The routing works with the natural folds instead of flattening them. Fairways tumble between ridgelines, blind and semi-blind shots appear throughout the round, and the greens sit in natural hollows and shelves. At about 6,500 feet the ball carries, which helps on the longer holes. It is open to public play, priced well below comparable desert resort golf, and remains one of the more unusual pieces of ground in the state.

Houston, TX

Gus Wortham Park Golf Course runs along Brays Bayou in Houston's East End, a few miles from downtown. The course dates to 1908, when the original Houston Country Club occupied the site, and is considered the oldest continuously operated golf course in Texas; early exhibitions there featured Harry Vardon, Ted Ray, and Bobby Jones. Architect Baxter Spann led a restoration completed in 2018 that rebuilt greens and bunkers and reworked the irrigation system, part of a partnership between the Houston Golf Association and the City of Houston. The course is public, with elevated tees and uphill carries that use the site's natural rolling terrain, and includes a clubhouse and practice range.

Fort Worth, TX

Hawks Creek Golf Club, in Westworth Village near Fort Worth, Texas, occupies the site of the historic Carswell Air Force Base golf course, which dates to the early 1920s. Architect John Colligan renovated the course around 2000, reopening it in 2002 under its current name, and it sits along the fence line of the Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, where military aircraft are often visible overhead. The course runs about 6,800 to 6,900 yards from the back tees, with mature trees, water in play on most holes and Mini Verde Bermuda greens following a bunker renovation. It is owned and operated as a public course by the City of Westworth Village, with a driving range and grill available to golfers.

Parachute, CO

Battlement Mesa Golf Club is a public golf course in Battlement Mesa, Colorado, along the Colorado River on the state's Western Slope. The course opened in 1987 and was designed by architects Joe Finger and Ken Dye, taking advantage of the river corridor and surrounding mountain views. The 18-hole, par-72 layout stretches over 7,000 yards from the back tees and includes a stretch of holes on the front nine known locally as “the gauntlet” for their length and difficulty. Elevation changes are present throughout, though most greens allow run-up shots. The course is open to public play and includes a clubhouse and practice green, with tee times available by phone or online booking.

Las Cruces, NM

Baxter Spann desert design with Organ Mountain views near Las Cruces

Spring Hill, KS

Sycamore Ridge Golf Club is a public 18 hole course in Spring Hill, Kansas. The course was designed by Baxter Spann and opened in 2000. It plays to a par of 72. The front nine features steep wooded hills, valleys, and streams. The back nine transitions into a gently rolling links-style layout. The facility offers a driving range along with dedicated greens for chipping and putting practice. It measures over 7,000 yards from the championship tees.