Links to the Past

As they tee up, make their approach shots, or line up their putts, few Texan golfers likely realize that the familiar landscapes of tee boxes, fairways, and greens can obscure stories from the past that played out on those same grounds. Such little-known links to the past include prehistoric campsites, a Spanish presidio, and a prairie where the Rough Riders trained, as well as courses constructed by New Deal agencies in the Great Depression or military personnel in times of war. Links to the Past: The Hidden History on Texas Golf Courses takes readers on a tour of eighteen Texas golf courses with surprising connections to history. On the (3z (Bfront nine, (3y (Bpoints of interest include encounters with dinosaur fossils near Austin, a Comanche raid on a Spanish frontier presidio near Menard, and a battle between Anglo buffalo hunters and Native Americans near Lubbock. The (3z (Bback nine (3y (Bexplores reminders of the East Texas lumber industry near Diboll, a training ground for the Rough Riders outside downtown San Antonio, and a race riot near Houston in 1917, to name a few. In addition, Dan K. Utley with Stanley O' Graves provide full histories fo the courses themselves, detai