Bear Creek Golf Club has long been a popular spot for corporate events and charity tournaments. Its central location near DFW Airport makes getting to this Arcis property easy for anyone in the Metroplex. Bear Creek offers one of the most all-encompassing daily fee golf experiences in the area, with a pair of courses, spacious clubhouse, practice area, and The Backyard, which features a converted Airstream that is open for players before, during, or after their rounds. The Backyard is stocked with drinks and quick bites for those looking to hydrate up, enjoy some libations or delete a mid-round dog.
For this feature, we will focus on the West course, so be looking for a future issue when we will break down the East routing. With four sets of tees, the West can tip out at 6,670 yards, and those who choose to tee it forward can play from additional distances of 6,282, 5,681, and 5,620. Unsure which tees to choose? Just check out the Bear Creek website for some guidance on which yardage you should play based on your average driving distance. For example, the website suggests those playing the back tees should average 275-plus off the tee, and those who average 250 yards should play one tee forward. You get the idea.
After a quick warm-up on the range and putting green, the West layout opens with a par 4 that trundles downhill to the green 370 yards away. A large fairway bunker on the left can collect errant shots in that direction, and those who play a fade need to be aware of Bear Creek, which can come into play down the right side over the hill. Find the fairway, and this can be a nice birdie opportunity to open the round.
The opening nine at Bear Creek West has some of the most impressive daily fee topography in the area. Rolling hills create vistas that wind through the corridors of tree-framed holes and really test every club in your bag. The stretch from No. 2 through No. 8 really shows off those elevation changes. No. 2 features a narrow fairway that ascends a hill to the awaiting green. A rock formation on the right really adds to the visual appeal of the tee shot and approach. Finding the fairway is paramount here, as there isn’t much room for error. It’s a great test early in the round.
No. 3 is a true grip-it-and-rip-it par 4. It plays downhill, and tee shots are usually with the prevailing winds. After the first two holes where driver isn’t completely necessary off the tee, the third is tailor-made to pull off the headcover and swing for the fences. Good tee shots will scream down the hill, leaving nothing more than a short iron to the green.
The first par 5 at Bear Creek West is a little quirky, but will also reward a good tee shot. Players must navigate a chute that climbs a hill. Miss left or right and your ball will be among the trees and require a punch shot. Finding the fairway doesn’t necessarily mean you will be in position “A,” as the uphill portion of the fairway, especially during the drier summer months, will slowly return balls toward the bottom of the hill, taking away distance and creating a blind second shot. It is a three-shot par 5 for everyone but the elite long hitters.
After a mid-length par 3 comes the second par 5 of the outward nine. This tee shot is similar to the one on No. 3. It plays significantly downhill and usually down-breeze. Be aware, this is a completely blind tee shot, and Bear Creek installed a light system that allows the group in the fairway to hit a button when they clear, which signals a green light on a tree to the left of the tee box. Be sure to wait for the light to turn green before you bombard the group in front of you with Titleists. Once at the fairway landing area, players can choose to lay up short of Bear Creek or try to knock it on in two, setting up an eagle attempt. Bunkers surround this narrow green, but the risk is usually worth the reward.
No. 7 is another quirky but fun hole at Bear Creek. It plays right to left and back uphill. If you are confident and surgical with a driver, you can sling a low-running hook and make the approach much shorter. But any drives that stray right of the center line can find a slope and scamper into the trees. An iron or hybrid for position usually eliminates this threat but will leave a longer approach to a green perched on a hill. From the fairway, players can usually only see the top of the flagstick.
No. 8 is a gorgeous par 3 that drops from tee box to green. A trio of bunkers flank the putting surface. But when playing appropriate tees, this shouldn’t be anything more than a mid-iron. Wind can be tricky to judge, as the surrounding trees can make the breezes swirl around this natural amphitheater.
The par 4 ninth leads players back to the clubhouse and The Backyard, where players can take a quick break for some food, craft beer or a specialty cocktail. The Transfusion is always a player, but if you are in the mood for a chilled domestic beer or even a crisp soda, The Backyard covers all bases. The barbecue is also rock solid, but probably best reserved for post-round, as you wouldn’t want to slip into a meat coma midway through the final nine.
Speaking of that back nine, the Bear Creek West front, which features multiple holes with exciting elevation changes, gives way to a more parkland-style design with flatter routing on the inward nine.
No. 10 is the first of two par 5s on the back, and longer hitters can definitely give this green a go in two. Three fairway bunkers have your attention off the tee, and navigating across Bear Creek once again keeps you on your toes for the second shot. A narrow green from left to right can be tough to hit, but find it in regulation or less, and you likely won’t have a very long putt for birdie or better.
Three consecutive par 4s follow the 10th, with 13 being one of the tougher holes on the course. This slight dogleg features Bear Creek lurking in the trees on the right. It’s a tight window to navigate, and though there are no fairway bunkers to deal with, the tight fairway and quick dogleg make it a tough driving hole. Longer hitters can try to carry the dogleg to a wider portion of fairway, but that is reserved for top-of-the-food-chain players. Others can choose to favor the left center of the fairway with something less than driver, but that will leave a longer approach to a green guarded by a bunker in the front.
After the par 3 14th comes the final par 5 of this Ted Robinson design. Of the four par 5s on the West layout, this one is, in my opinion, the most gettable. A good tee shot will leave a long or even mid-iron into the green, and although the putting surface is well-guarded, it can be manageable getting up-and-down from one of the greenside bunkers.
No. 16 is one of my personal favorites at Bear Creek West. This tee shot carries over a hill, which can add some distance. Longer hitters may consider a three-metal or an iron for position, as driver, especially during the months when the course plays firm, can run the risk of running down the hill and finding the water in front of the green. Advancing a tee shot too far down the fairway can lead to a bit of a hanging lie, but that’s part of what makes the hole interesting.
The final two holes at Bear Creek West offer a par 3 and a par 4. The par 3 17th is a carry over water, and although there is a landing area short of the green, players will need to choose their club wisely to keep their ball dry. A large bunker to the right of the green and a smaller one to the left are best avoided, but the overall aesthetic of the hole is brilliant. It’s a stunner and one of the best par 3s across Bear Creek’s 36 holes.
The final hole of Bear Creek West is a par 4 that plays back to the clubhouse. Two large fairway bunkers guard the left, but if avoided off the tee, players will be faced with nothing more than a short iron into a kidney-shaped putting surface. It’s a nice finisher to a wonderful layout.
Overall, Bear Creek presents plenty of challenging shots, with creative routing and some nice topographical elements, particularly on the opening nine. The clubhouse is a great place to relax before or after the round, and The Backyard has been a welcome addition to an already great Arcis property. A pair of pavilions also makes Bear Creek the ultimate facility to host any corporate event or charity tournament. Bear Creek does bring in big crowds daily, so be sure to book your tee time early. With a pair of courses and all the amenities you would want to enjoy a day on the course, Bear Creek West is a no-brainer.