New restaurant combines golf with a good meal

Published 9:24 pm Wednesday, May 2, 2018

By Adam Dodson | The Selma Times-Journal

A new restaurant is available for Selma-Dallas County residents that intertwines the entertainment of the golf course with the satisfaction of a good meal, known as The Back Nine. Located on Craig Field Golf Course, The Back Nine is one of Selma’s newest venues, opening around three weeks ago. The restaurant is located around multiple tee boxes, giving guests a scenic view while they eat their meal.

The owners of the restaurant, husband and wife Lee and Fran Wilson, have put in all the work to get The Back Nine up and running. They are currently the only people on staff for the restaurant, but Lee says that will change as the business picks up.

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Wilson says he was driven to start a restaurant of his own and decided to combine it with his decades-long passion for golf. Seeing a chance for The Back Nine, he decided to take advantage of it.

“I have always played golf out here for probably the past 20 or so years. Then I saw an opportunity for the restaurant out here, decided to take the opportunity, and here we are now,” Wilson said.

According to Wilson, he handles the cooking while Fran handles the finances. Wilson said his wife has been “extremely supportive” throughout the startup process.

For their startup process and the first three weeks of business, Lee and Fran wanted to make sure they had their system down before they publicized it too much. Understanding the importance of good and efficient service, they took their time with each customer to learn the “do’s” and “do not’s” of the restaurant industry.

While it took time, Lee said it is worth it and that business is starting to gain headway.

“I wanted to do a soft start. We wanted to get everything down right and make sure of good service,” he said. “We wanted some good feedback about everything, and it’s gone over pretty well. We are getting new customers every day.”

He added that the lunch crowd has been where they have seen much of their business, but the steady transition has prevented them from becoming overwhelmed. According to Lee, they have attracted guests from inside and outside of town.

The Wilsons took care of multiple tasks in order to make their dream a reality. They extended the kitchen, spruced up the dining area and have been adding memorabilia to the walls.

The menu is divided into two sections: “The Burger Menu” and “Things to Enjoy at the Course.” Burger options include the Tyler Hamburger, the Cheeseburger, the Bacon Cheeseburger or the Jalapeño Cheeseburger. For the other menu, guests can enjoy an assortment of hand-held favorites, including the “Chef Special” Sandwich.

While they have a plethora of options on the menu, Lee says he is willing to cook it up however they like.

“If they want it hot, I give it to them hot,” Lee said.

Their hours are Monday through Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m with lunch specials on Wednesday and Friday.

For the future, the Wilsons are exploring opening on Sundays once business picks up even further. Additionally, Lee says they are going to begin serving beer and wine, along with having special days for fresh-served catfish.

For more information about The Back Nine, visit their Facebook page at “The Back Nine” or call (334) 267-6040.