Inside the abandoned desert golf course you can still play where carts rust on fairways and snakes are biggest hazard
RANKIN Country Club in Texas ranks as one of the most abandoned golf courses in the United States.
Located in the heart of the Texas desert, Rankin has no employees, irrigation system, shade, or amenities.
There is barely any grass at the nine-hole course, which opened in 1953, while abandoned golf carts lie abandoned on the dusty fairways.
Rankin is still open to the public – though customers are warned upon entry to “Play at your own risk.”
The devastating desert heat is a real danger to golfers, as are the snakes that are hidden throughout the course.
Customers must pay a $5 green fee into a lock box by the first tee to play.
There is an honor system and not everyone pays.
The greens are in terrible condition while balls land in a puff of dust on fairways.
In November 2022, a proposition was approved to renovate Rankin in a partnership between the local school district and Upton County, Texas.
The aim is to bring a golf team to Rankin and improve the condition of the course for the general public.
A new sprinkler system is required in order to improve the condition of the golf course.
“We talked about a joint project with the county and Rankin ISD, which will be mutually beneficial to the community and the school district,” Rankin Independent School District superintendent Samuel Wyatt said.
“We can…do some cool renovations at a minimal cost to our tax payers.”