Fayette Golf Course

Fayette Golf Course is a true throwback. The nine-hole layout plays 3,034 yards at par 36 on what the club itself calls a “pasture golf course,” a wide-open field with minimal separation between holes. The greens are sand, not grass, which is increasingly rare in American golf. Green fees run around $10 for nine holes, and the season stretches from March through October.

Located along Highway 240 in the small Howard County town of Fayette, this is bare-bones golf at its most affordable. There is no driving range. The course draws players from the surrounding rural area who appreciate an honest round without frills or pretense, and it preserves a style of the game that has largely disappeared from modern courses.