Course Review – Tangle Ridge Golf Course
For the better part of three decades, Grand Prairie’s Tangle Ridge Golf Club has been a go-to for those who appreciate great municipal golf. This city course stuns with its rolling topography, Ultra Dwarf Bermuda greens and fun architectural elements.
Customer service at Tangle Ridge is always top-notch, as the friendly staff is always welcoming and kind during the check-in process. There is a driving range and a large putting green where players can hit some balls to get loose and roll a few nuggets to prepare for the round or work on those pesky four-footers.
The snack bar area hasn’t changed much since the course opened 30 years ago, but you will still find regular players hanging out, nursing beers and recapping their rounds in the comfort of the dining area. And although they don’t feature a large menu of food, they have plenty to fuel up, including one of the meanest hot dogs in Metroplex municipal golf.
The opening hole at Tangle Ridge is an early look into the fun elevation changes you will see throughout your round. The elevated tee box overlooks the dogleg left par 4 and offers a nice view as you put your first peg in the ground. A three-metal can be played for position, but a driver will offer the chance to put a scoring club in your hands on the very first approach.
No. 2 is another example of the elevation featured at Tangle. The tee sits perched above the fairway below, and if the wind is blowing from the south, balls can hang in the air and ride the wind to the right, bringing O.B. into play. Longer hitters don’t necessarily need to hit a driver, but if you choose to do so, expect a short iron or wedge in, should you find the fairway.
After a short, almost drivable par 4 at No. 3, players stand over the tee shot on the short par-3 fourth. This hole only plays 132 from the back tees but features a large bunker in front that can be a death sentence for your scorecard if you should come up short. No. 4 also usually plays directly into the wind, but with trees behind the green, you may not feel the extent of the headwind as you stand on the tee. Your best bet is to be sure to take an extra club and find the middle of the green.
No. 5 is the first par 5 of this Jeff Brauer par-72 layout. Another hole with a distinct Hill Country feel, players can favor the left side of the fairway and watch as tee shots rocket off a speed slot down to the right center. It’s a long hole, so even with a big tee ball there is still plenty of work to be done, as most players will still have a long iron, hybrid or even three-metal remaining to a deep green well-guarded by bunkers and a large hill on the right. A par on this hole is a good score, but with a couple of well-struck shots, a circle can be scribbled on the card.
No. 6 is one of the most interesting par 4s in the area. The tee box sits well above the landing area with the green just in the distance, some 310 yards away. With the elevation change, longer players can challenge the green, but any miss will likely find a bunker, as they are scattered about on the right and left. Find either of the two bunkers on the right, and you are presented with a very difficult 40–50-yard bunker shot to an elevated green with not much room to work with. It is a classic risk-reward hole that can yield an easy birdie or leave you dumping sand out of your shoes on the following tee box.
Tangle Ridge features a dynamic finish to the opening nine. No. 8 is an interesting study in architecture, as modern clubs and balls have made this hole play very differently than it did 30 years ago when the course debuted. Longer hitters can keep driver in the bag and opt for a three-metal to keep tee shots short of the meandering creek that wanders across the fairway around the 300-yard mark. Should players feel the need to try for the green in two, a 275-yard, uphill carry remains, which must clear a grass- and water-filled depression just short of the green. If you do come up short, there is a chance you can locate your ball, but it will present a near-impossible up-and-down with the green towering above your head in front of you. The smart play is a lay-up second, leaving a short iron or wedge remaining. This hole requires all of your attention from tee to green, as there is a lot of trouble to navigate. Fall asleep for a moment, and a big number might be in your near future.
Some of the fun things about Tangle Ridge are the short par 3s. Now, that’s not to say they’re easy, but they aren’t the hulking 200-plus-yard behemoths that have become so popular among modern architects. No. 9 is another example. Playing just 152 from the back tees, this hole is all about pin placement. If the pin is up front, throw your shot over the flag and watch it catch the slope and nestle up next to the pin. However, if the pin is on the back right, it becomes a much more daunting effort to get close. Anything chunked comes up short in the water, and anything short or long will find sand. You need to be precise here, but since the hole isn’t very long, it makes things much more user-friendly.
After a couple of short par 4s at No. 10 and No. 11, comes another par 3, which plays about 165. There are bunkers surrounding this par 3, and a large green means precision irons are beneficial to prevent three-putts.
The next par 5 of the day comes at No. 13. This tee shot is perfect for players who can fire a high draw around the dogleg left. Those who play a fade need to be careful, as starting a ball in the middle and fading it to the right can rifle down a hill and run the risk of finding out of bounds on the right. Find the fairway, and this is a green light to attack in two, as most longer players will be only around 190-200 yards away. There is a little more room to the left of the green than it appears from the fairway, so be mindful that you can bail out left to avoid the group of bunkers that sit short right of the putting surface.
One of the most picturesque holes at Tangle Ridge is No. 14. This dogleg right along water is gorgeous from tee to green. A fountain in the middle of the water feature offers a great place to take a couple of pictures with the group before teeing off. A more conservative play with a hybrid or three-wood might be the best way to attack this hole, as the fairway can run out for the longer hitters if they choose to hit driver. The approach plays slightly downhill and over the aforementioned water and fountain, so anything short will be taking a swim. Play one more club than the number and try to find the middle of the green here. You might not make three, but you won’t make six either.
A picturesque par 3 comes at 17, which is the longest par 3 on the course at almost 200 yards from the tips. It’s over another water feature, which adds some visual stimulation and gets the blood pumping, especially if you have a good round going. Be aware that this hole will usually play with the wind a touch, but be mindful that the breeze will hit your ball when it gets above the tree line. It’s a great par 3 and a fun penultimate hole.
I have always been on record saying I love courses that end in par 5s. There is so much opportunity to end on a high note. Tangle Ridge offers players one last chance to card a birdie or better on its 521-yard finisher. Players must first tackle a tee shot that is a tough carry over water. The farther right and more aggressive you get, the longer the carry … oh, and there is a pesky bunker right in the middle of the split landing area. Should you choose to be aggressive, play at the trap with a power fade to find the right side of the landing area and give yourself the chance to get home in two. However, if you are sitting on the lead or protecting a score, then take the more conservative left route, and this should help take potential big numbers out of play. Two huge bunkers guard the green, so be aware that a missed shot on approach can lead to a dicey up-and-down attempt. This hole is a great final stanza, and one that can certainly be feast or famine.
Tangle Ridge has it all, and as prices continue to rise for municipal golf, Tangle Ridge has quietly maintained itself as one of the best overall value plays in the entire area. Conditions are always solid, the course offers some great topography you just don’t see much of in DFW, and the staff always makes you feel welcome and important. Tangle Ridge has been in my regular rotation for almost 30 years, and with the value and fun layout, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed should you add it to yours.