On the Skillet: No. 17 at Delaware Springs

Dave Axland and Dan Proctor designed and built Delaware Springs Golf Course in the early 1990s, shortly before they collaborated with Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw on the era-defining Sand Hills project in Nebraska. Located an hour northwest of Austin, Texas, Delaware Springs offers an affordable green fee ($29 on weekdays, $34 on Fridays, and $39 on weekends) and a strong minimalist design.

I particularly like the 310-yard 17th hole, aptly—if cheesily—named “The Last Temptation.” It demonstrates how a short par 4 can be strategically compelling without relying on artificial hazards. (There is an irrigation pond to the right of the fairway, but it’s situated beyond a large bank and rarely comes into play.)

The risk-reward scenario on this hole revolves around club selection off the tee. From the back tee, a 200- to 210-yard shot will land in the widest part of the fairway, leaving an uncomplicated 80- to 90-yard approach to the small, simple green. Stronger players may note, however, that a 270-yard drive cutting the corner of the dogleg could result in an eagle look. This is where temptation enters the equation. Risk, too.

The 17th hole at Delaware Springs from above (Google Earth)

Any drive exceeding 220 yards brings trouble into play. The longer the shot, the more precise it has to be. If you miss right, you’ll end up with, at best, an approach obstructed by a pair of large trees or, at worst, a ball search in a thicket of trees and shrubs. If you miss left, you’ll find more trees and a slope that exacerbates your mistake. From either of these positions, you’re not likely to hit the green in regulation. It’s best to cut your losses and play short, as over-aggressive punch-outs are often punished by sharp run-offs around the green.

The 17th hole at Delaware Springs is as straightforward or as complex as you make it—an unsettling prospect at the end of a round.

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Dave Axland and Dan Proctor also designed Wild Horse Golf Club in Gothenburg, Nebraska; Bayside Golf Club in Brule, Nebraska; and Old Toccoa Farm in Mineral Bluff, Georgia. All public, all affordable, all excellent. Quite the résumé.