1. SportsTAYLOR PRESS Sunday, June 29, 2014 11
David
Thompson
Sports Editor
I believe
that we
will win
Say what you will
about soccer, but this
World Cup has been
pretty damn entertain-
ing so far.
The U.S. men’s soc-
cer team has captured
this nations attention in
a way I have not seen
since the woman won
the World Cup in 1999
against China.
Fans from all around
the country have come
out in support of the
Yanks, and they should.
This team is fun.
Their 1-0 loss to
Germany on Thursday
proved that they’re not
in that realm of world-
class caliber yet (The
Germans toyed with
the Americans for basi-
cally 90 minutes). But
for a sport that lands
4th or 5th in the inter-
est of most American
sports fans, nothing can
rally our interest to the
forefront like a good
underdog story.
The USMNT was not
supposed to draw with
Portugal, a game they
really should have won.
They did.
They were not sup-
posed to advance out of
the “Group of Death.”
They did.
They, for all inten-
sive purposes, are
not supposed to beat
Belgium on Tuesday to
advance to the quarter-
finals.
They will.
On the international
level, the U.S. is rela-
tively dominant in most
sports, especially those
with team components.
We are always on the
top of the medal list in
the Olympics, and none
can truly challenge us
in our top two sports of
football and basketball.
It’s strange to feel
like an American team
will not win. It’s an
exciting one. And when
they do, it brings us all
together.
I’m not expecting for
a full-tilt soccer revo-
lution if our boys can
advance deeper into
the World Cup. But the
longer they play, the
longer they remain in
the limelight and in the
collective conscious of
the American public.
If they do well
enough, and continue
to captivate us as an
audience, when they
come back home to
play in the MLS, we
may start paying more
attention to them.
That’s what they
really want.
My Predication
This team seems like
a squad of destiny, at
least for the time being.
Their two best players
are at both sides of the
pitch – GK Tim Howard
and F Clint Dempsey –
and the resurgence of
Demarcus Beasley and
emergence of Omar
Gonzalez, Mix Diskerud
and Kyle Beckerman
give the US team a
fresh look.
The biggest factor
against Belgium may
be the return of striker
Jozy Altidore, allowing
Dempsey to move back
to his normal attacking
mid position. Belgium
– although they won all
three group games –
faced minimal talent in
the opening round and
may be surprised by
the upstart Americans.
Thompson’s
Thoughts
Par for
the course
In 1914, local busi-
nessmen from the rail-
road and cotton indus-
tries stood on the roll-
ing hills near Mustang
Creek and proclaimed
the wind swept hills of
Taylor as a fine spot
for a golf course.
100 years and
thousands of rounds
later, the first ever
golf course built in
Williamson County is
still going strong.
“There is so much
history and heritage
to this golf course,”
President of the Board
of Directors Tim
Mikeska said.
“It’s time to
celebrate
all that and
time to show
the people of
Taylor that
we are still
here.”
Mikeska
first graced
the greens
at Mustang
Creek as a
young child,
playing his
first round
in 1963. His
father took
over the
course from
his grandpar-
ent after com-
ing back from
WWII. Now,
Mikeska’s son
Timothy, 16,
has become
the fourth
generation to
play the his-
toric course.
“That’s one
of the things
that makes
this place
so special,”
Mikeska
explained.
“I see third
and fourth
generation
golfers out
here every
day playing.
This course
is a link to
Taylor’s past.
We sometimes
feel forgotten
on the south
side of Taylor,
but we want
people to
know we exist and our
dedicated to this com-
munity.”
To commemorate
their century mark,
Mustang Creek will
hold an open house on
Wednesday, July 2nd
at 4:30 p.m. in the club
pro shop and outside
patio.
“We just want the
community to come
and see us and to check
out the course and the
history. The course
also offers one of the
best sunset spots in
town if people hang
out long enough,”
Mikeska said.
The cel-
ebration will
give way to the
upcoming 2014 City
1900
1914
Taylor Country Club
golf course is built.
1924
1991
A new Pro Shop and Sundown Patio
was built in 1991 and the course was
redesigned from a par 34 to a par 35 by
adding a new green and removing one
of the par 3’s. Mustang Creek is one
of the few public golf courses that still
allow the use of personal golf carts.
1980S
A new irrigation system
is installed that ended old
fashioned hand watering.
2012-13
Chris Garcia wins back-
to-back City Champion-
ships and looks to win
his third straight in 2014.
PRESENT
MUSTANG CREEK TIMELINE
1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1987
Taylor Country Club is purchased by
local businessmen and renamed
Mustang Creek Golf Course.
1988-90
Carl Stried wins the first three City Championship golf
tournaments. No one has ever won that many again.
Course redesigned
with bermuda grass
greens and Taylor
Country Club’s
club house opens.
DAVIDTHOMPSON
sports@taylorpress.net
Celebrating 100 years
Title Hunt
Chris Garcia looks to
become the second
three-time winner at
the 2014 City Cham-
pionships at Mustang
Creek Golf Course
on July 5-6.
Previous Winner
1988 Carl Stried
1989 Carl Stried
1990 Carl Stried
1991 Keith Repa
1992 Mike Fowler
1993 Keith Repa
1994 Mike Fowler
1995 Jack Branson
1996 Jack Branson
1997 Mason Miller
1998 Mason Miller
1999 Wayne Slaton
2000 Wayne Slaton
2001 Alan Jones
2002 Robert Roebuck
2003 Kevin Taylor
2004 Corby King
2005 Trey Schroeder
2006 Justin Otto
2007 Tim Mewis
2008 Keith Harris
2009 Kelby Brown
2010 Mark Baldree
2011 Dustin Nelson
2012 Chris Garcia
2013 Chris Garcia
Locals have been playing at Taylor’s Mustang Creek Golf Course for generations. On July 2nd, the course
will celebrate its 100th anniversary. The event will be followed by the City Championship on July 5-6.
Photo by David Thompson
Guide to
Mustang Creek Golf Course
Hole #1– Par 4, 349 Yards
A fairly straightforward hole that starts you
on an elevated tee box, the opening shot
carries you past two water hazards about
25 yards in. The fairway slopes away from
the golfer. Try to avoid the waste area and
a one-shot penalty about 15 yards from the
first green. The green is small, but
flat and easy to play if the pin is
not located on the ride side.
Number 2 at Mustang
Creek can be a difficult
play, especially if the
wind is not in your favor.
The hole faces due
south and slopes
from right to left. Out
of bounds is on your
right and a water
hazard about 220
yards down on your
left can make for a
tough second shot.
The
green
– which
was replaced
a few years ago
– is elevated but
flat and small. The
collar sweeps away
on all sides, but a birdie
is very possible a shot
is landed in the green in
two.
If you can
carry the
water on
your first
shot, this
heart-shaped
green makes
it a tough birdie
or par opportunity
for most golfers.
The green slopes towards
you, and watch out for
a sand trap behind the
green. Depending on
pin position, the
best place for
your shot is
below
the hole.
Number 4
is another
Par 3 that
carries water.
It lends itself
to a relatively
large green with an
elevated pin that
can be seen from
the tee box.
Hole #5– Par 5, 487
This is the first of Mustang Creek’s Par 5’s. It dog
legs left from the tee box and most first shots land
about 250 yards from the pin. Avoid out of bounds
stakes on the right and the left where golfers will
pass the old Taylor country club. As you approach
the green, the dog leg straightens out. The green
is small and a tough putt depending on pin place-
ment. If the pin is in the middle it can be done with
ease, but a placement in front of the green
can cause problems on the approach, due
to a slope on the green. Number 5 is
considered one of the signature
holes at Mustang.
Hole #6– Par 3, 120 yards
Placed on an elevated tee box, Num-
ber 6 is a short par 3 that can
lend itself to some nice birdies
on its two-tier large green.
Stay on the lower side
of the green to avoid
a tough first putt.
Hole #7– Par 5, 491 yards
The second of Mustang’s Par 5’s, Number 7 plays to
a slight dog leg to the right from the tee box. A water
hazard sits on the right side near the ladies tee box
about 100 yards in, and out of bounds
runs on the fence line from the tee
to the green. The hole slopes
down after your first shot and
straightens out on the way
to the green. There is
a waste area about 50
yards in front of the
elevated green. One
of the nicest green’s
at Mustang.
Hole #8–
Par 4, 325 yards
The second to last hole here offers a
tough 90-degree dog leg left tee shot.
As a shorter Par 4, the green can eas-
ily be reached in two shots, and a nice
tee shot could land you with a simple
chip to the green. This hole also has
an elevated green with a thick collar
and two trees behind it.
Hole #9, #18– Par 4, 320 yards, 372
The final hole at Mustang has an upslope that leads to a water hazard in front of
the green. This is another hole that can be difficult if there is wind coming from the south.
The 18th green – the only green used differently from the front and back 9 – gives the golfer
chances for different skill shots to get into the hole safely. It’s a nice way to end the round,
and a great viewing area to watch other golfers.
Hole #2– Par 4, 266 Yards
Hole #3– Par 3, 160 yards Hole #4– Par 3, 143 yards
See PAR • page 12
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