Southern Hills Golf Course

Overview: Southern Hills Golf Course is a public Richard Phelps layout in Hot Springs, South Dakota, set among the pine-covered hills of the southern Black Hills. The 18-hole course plays to par 70 and 5,905 yards, but the modest scorecard length does not describe the full challenge. Rolling ground, ravines, mature ponderosa pines and repeated elevation changes alter the angle and distance of the next shot. The course rewards players who read the land carefully, use the wider landing areas when available and avoid turning the hills into unnecessary recovery work.

History: Southern Hills was built in 1977 as a city golf course for Hot Springs and the surrounding Black Hills communities. Richard Phelps used the existing mountain terrain rather than trying to smooth it into a flat municipal layout, giving the course its compact but varied character. The City of Hot Springs continues to own and operate the facility, which has kept the course closely connected to local recreation. Its clubhouse and surrounding setting also place it within a town known for historic buildings, warm-water attractions and access to the Black Hills.

Did You Know? Southern Hills shows why yardage alone can be misleading in mountain golf. At fewer than 6,000 yards, the course still produces changing lies and demanding approaches because the elevation movement controls both the view of the target and the usable landing space.