Fair Oaks Ranch G&CC offers a variety of playing options at its Live Oak and Blackjack Oak layouts.

Six shooters Mitchell W. Kiser

More than 20 miles northwest of downtown San Antonio in the community of Fair Oaks Ranch is the second of two high Hill Country venues on the GCSAA tournament rotation. A 36-hole private facility with nearly 1,000 golf memberships, Fair Oaks Ranch G&CC offers a variety of playing options.

Worldwide tour legend Gary Player designed both Fair Oaks courses, teaming with golf course architect Ron Kirby 26 years ago to do the Live Oak Course, then with Denis Griffiths on the Blackjack Oak layout, which opened nine holes in 1985 and another nine about seven years later.

At 6,700 yards, Live Oak is the shorter of the two layouts, but superintendent Mitch Kiser says it's a sterner test because of its tight driving holes through the area's relentless scrub oaks and its small, swift Tifdwarf greens. Blackjack is more expansive, playing to 7,000 yards from the tips. GCSAA tournament officials are likely to select Live Oak for tournament play.

Drought takes toll
Somewhat curiously, the two courses are located a good distance apart, with only Live Oak in the clubhouse vicinity. The far-flung ClubCorp-run operation was once part of a 5,500-acre ranch. The clubhouse and maintenance facilities are both renovated ranch buildings constructed out of native Hill Country river rock in the 1930s.

For Kiser and his staff, however, it's something of a logistical boondoggle. Housed in the ranch's old stables and barn, maintenance has easy access to the isolated Blackjack course, but it's a 15-minute "commute" for crews and equipment to the first tee at Live Oak.

"A more centrally located maintenance facility would be nice, but there are bigger issues here," says Kiser, a four-year GCSAA member.

Kiser's main challenges are directly related to south-central Texas' unbending hot, dry summers. He has just 600,000 gallons of water at his disposal daily to quench the thirst of 36 holes.

"It's not near enough. In this part of the country, this time of year, we need twice that much," Kiser said in July from his office in what was once the hayloft in the ranch barn. He added that high golf car traffic (members are allowed to have their own in addition to the club's fleet) and a proliferation of trees have combined to make the situation even worse at times.

"Trees are certainly an issue for us," he said. "There's becoming too many of them. They've outgrown their positioning on both courses. And, of course, they consume their share of the water."

As August was approaching, Kiser was unsure whether Fair Oaks' parched fairways would be included in this year's over seeding program. Still, he was counting on a break in the drought and area's usually good growing conditions in the fall and winter.

"I know we'd like to put our best foot forward for GCSAA, but it's one of those scenarios where it might be best not to overseed," he said.

Bigger is better
Born in Houston, Kiser grew up in west Texas. His 15-year career in golf course management began with an assistant's job at Brentwood Country Club in San Angelo. He's also had four-year stints each at Brookhaven, a 54-hole private club in Dallas, and Mission Durato, a Nike Tour site in Odessa.

Kiser has been at Fair Oaks three years. He says he was hesitant to leave familiar environs for San Antonio, but has no regrets now.

"Brookhaven, and now Fair Oaks, have shown me how to learn and utilize the amenities that come with a larger, more upscale facility," he says. "We have some pretty big challenges here, but the upside is definitely worth it."