Golf Course Review by: Billy Satterfield
Rankings:
The Takeaway: The Patriot is one of the best themed clubs I’ve been to and makes you proud to be an American. The course enjoys excellent zoysia turf conditions and dramatic elevation changes. Certainly among the best courses in the Sooner State. Grade B+
Quick Facts
Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jr. in 2010
Cost: Private
Phone Number: (918) 272-1260
Course Website: Official Website - Visit The Patriot Golf Club's official website by clicking on the link provided.
Directions: Get here! - 5790 N. Patriot Dr., Owasso, Oklahoma 74055 – UNITED STATES
Photos: See additional photos of The Patriot Golf Club
What to Expect: Growing up I watched a lot of Atlanta Braves baseball games on TBS and they were dubbed “America’s Team.” With a strong theme dedicated to patriotism, military, and great Americans, The Patriot could very well be dubbed “America’s Club.” Each hole is named after a famous American patriot, the club colors are red, white, and blue, and Taps is played at 13:00 everyday while play stops to salute the American flag that can be seen from every location on the course. The course starts off with a dramatic tee shot off a cliff edge to the fairway below that is bowled on the sides to help keep balls in play and they descend to their destination. Large elevation changes and challenging walks in different stretches are commonplace throughout the routing though there is a modified routing that players can take which is more walking friendly and allows you to pick up about half the holes. As thrilling as the front nine starts, the back nine has the reverse effect with a fairly forgettable start before delivering some stronger holes later in the inward nine. Perhaps the most anti-climactic moment on the course is at the 17th hole where one would expect a crescendo hole at the high point of the course in an incredible setting, but instead a pedestrian par three awaits that doesn’t compliment the eagle statue and flag setting. Beyond that though, the course is a ton of fun with a lot of highly memorable holes. The front nine beats out the back as the superior side to play but 14 and 18 are certainly two of the best holes at The Patriot. You’ll find the zoysia grass in great shape as it provides an ideal surface to strike irons from. In the end, The Patriot is a fantastic all around club and a course that delivers more elevation changes and uniqueness than most tracks in the Sooner State.
By the Numbers
| Tees | Par | Yardage | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | 72 | 7135 | 74.3 | 130 |
| White | 72 | 6659 | 70.4 | 128 |
| Gold | 72 | 6109 | 69.5 | 126 |
| Red | 72 | 5527 | 67.6 | 124 |
| Red (Ladies) | 73 | 5527 | 72.7 | 122 |
Individual Hole Analysis
Signature Hole: 18th Hole – 430 Yard Par 4 – The Patriot will test you to the last shot by delivering one of the most difficult holes as the closer. The tee shot plays to a fairway that doglegs to the left with trees lining the right and a ravine hugging the left. The approach shot plays from a downhill sloping fairway, over the ravine, to a shallow green with no forgiveness short and plenty of trouble long with a pair of bunkers and a rock wall looming. The downhill lie will cause plenty of players to blade their shot into the ravine or just clear it and skip over to one of the bunkers. It really is a great hole that will test all of your game, and if you manage to finish with a par I like your chances of taking a skin from your foursome.
Best Par 3: 6A Hole – 132 Yards – Named after the 18th president, Ulysses S. Grant, 6A is the first of back-to-back one-shotters to pick from; the other being 6B named after Grant's counterpart in the Civil War; Robert E. Lee. This hole plays just 132 yards from the tips to a heart-shaped green with water driving straight towards the putting surface and then splitting to each side of the green. There are no bunkers to contend with, just water everywhere except the green where players need to take dead aim at the flag.
Best Par 4: 14th Hole – 474 Yards – Named after the Wright brothers perhaps due to the launching pad tee box that your ball will take flight from, the 14th plays well downhill to a bowled fairway lined by trees on both sides. As the hole bends to the right the fairway slopes to the left which is a factor to consider when taking aim at the domed green flanked by a bunker on the left. The effective hitting of the green isn't that large considering the sloping edges and makes for a challenging approach shot, especially from a long distance. It is an exciting tee shot that pairs with a difficult over hole to conquer; a great combination.
Best Par 5: 1st Hole – 566 Yards – Often regarded as the signature hole at The Patriot, the opening tee shot features a huge drop off a cliff edge to a bowled fairway below with the American flag soaring above the trees on the left. It is an inspiring tee shot that calls for a baby cut to avoid the pair of bunkers on the left side of the fairway. Players that find the fairway have a legitimate chance of reaching the green in two after enjoying the extra distance and hangtime the drive offers with the front right side of the putting surface being the most inviting line to take. The green slopes from right-to-left so take that into account when playing around the putting surface and see if you can walk away with a birdie.
Birdie Time: 5th Hole – 315 Yard Par 4 – The Jackie Robinson hole is a risk/reward par four that is begging you to be aggressive in an effort to put a birdie on the card. At just 315 yards from the tips and on an elevated tee, this short two-shotter is reachable for long drivers of the ball and plenty inviting for everyone else. A stream cuts through the fairway with the left side being wider than the right, but the right side leads straight to the green and is the shortest distance to the putting surface. The hillside right of the right half of the fairway will kick balls back towards the short grass so it is the ideal side to play to when looking to score a three. It might be the most fun hole at The Patriot and one you'd never tire of playing.
Bogey Beware: 8th Hole – 476 Yard Par 4 – The Patriot has a handful of very strong two-shotters to contend with and the 8th causes as much trouble on the scorecard as any of them. The tee shot plays to a fairway that is flanked on the right by a creek that eventually cuts diagonally across the short grass to create a strategic hazard to contend with. The creek comes into play sooner on the right side causing players to dial it back from there to maintain the ideal angle into the green that is protected by a quartet of bunkers. You can drive the ball further down the left side of the fairway before the green comes into play but the angle into the putting surface is inferior and you have to be on your game to hit it in regulation. The staggering of the bunkers produces a visually intimidating look that adds to the challenge, so you'll need to summon your inner Chuck Yeager, who the hole is named after, to successfully navigate the trouble here and avoid bogey.
