Central Texas Golf Course Scene

The Texas Hill Country is a place where visitors are always greeted with a friendly “Howdy Ya’ll,” where crystal clear streams and towering oak and cedar trees meet. No wonder this beautiful area welcomes about five million visitors annually.

It is easy to see why people come back again and again. This region offers breathtaking beauty and a relaxing atmosphere, a perfect slice of heaven for the traveling golfer.

From San Antonio to Austin, there’s a growing reputation for some of the finest golf experiences in the country. Forget about cowboys and oil rigs, this part of the state is home to unforgettable golf courses, including the first PGA TOUR Signature Series in the San Antonio area. The Hill Country is also now dotted with developments that are unique in design and amenities, but share the beauty and seclusion that golf course living has to offer.

Among the questions you need to ask yourself when you begin the search for that perfect golf course home is whether to go private, public, or semi-private with some public play. If your decision is to go private, look closely at the structure of the club to decide on the advantages or joining or not; how important is it to you to live on a course designed by one of the “marquee” designers; you’ll need to delve into the usual home ownership issues of security, resale, maintenance; how important the amenities are within the community and how far you have to go outside to deal with the essentials of your lifestyle.

Austin’s Riverside Golf Course is loaded with history. Its hallowed grounds marked the location of Austin Country Club for over 30 years, where Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite honed their games under the watchful eyes of Harvey Penick. Mr. Penick lived behind the fifth tee box and spent his days teaching and caring for his club members.

This great golf course was designed by Perry Maxwell, the renowned architect whose designs include Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth and Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa. Its historic fairways are lined with stately oak, pecan and maple trees with fairways that roll through the hilly terrain just minutes southeast of downtown Austin. When the course came under the ownership of Austin Community College in 1987, it was modified to make room for the ACC Riverside campus, but still contains 13 of the original holes.

For a great all around golf experience, enjoy the beauty and challenge of Forest Creek. Located in Round Rock, Forest Creek is in its 15th year of existence and remains near the top of the list of Central Texas daily fee golf courses. Designed by Dick Phelps, Forest Creek provides a course that can be “all you want” from the back tees for the low handicapper to a picturesque enjoyable challenge for the less skilled golfer. All in all, Forest Creek really has something for everyone.

In addition to an outstanding layout that is consistently in top playing condition, Forest Creek boasts and extensive practice center with a driving range, putting green and short game complex. 

The newest Central Texas resort course is like playing three courses in one, as its holes traverse three distinct terrains: rolling prairie land, a heavily wooded ridgeline and a river valley dotted with native pecan trees. Created by legendary golf course designer Arthur Hills, the 7,205-yard, par 72 Wolfdancer Golf Club, which opened in June 2006, makes the most of the terrain’s natural beauty.

Choose from five sets of tees, ranging from 7,205 to 4,953 yards. Wolfdancer offers a fair challenge for every level of player and provides an exclusive Forecaddie system for course guidance and an elevated level of service.

Under New Management, and Lookin’ Good!

Over the last several years, I played the Legends Golf Course in Kingsland three different times. I was always impressed with the location of the course and the thoughtful layout. I was not quitso impressed with the attitudes of the pro shop personnel and what I perceived as the slow, but sure degradation of the condition of the course.

(It was finally closed down and not reopened until January of ‘07) I am pleased to report that, after playing it the first week in October, some major changes have been made under the new management team, and all the changes are for the better! The attitude of the support team members was very positive, very helpful, and, most importantly, they displayed a real sense of pride in what they were doing to bring the Legends up to its full potential.

After checking in at the full-service pro shop, we warmed up on the driving range and then headed for the practice putting green. The green was fast and true and it was obvious that distance control with the fl at stick was going to be a challenge.

PLAY WHEN YOU WANT TO PLAY AT RIVER CROSSING CLUB!

River Crossing Club will soon be a Member-Only Club! To ensure that you will have access to the most preferred golf course in the Hill Country area, consider becoming a member through our Lase Membership offering.

This membership is made available through current Members who live in other parts of the country, and are unable to enjoy using their membership. Their loss is your gain!

At only 10 years old, SilverHorn Golf Club of Texas has fast become one of the area’s best upscale daily fee courses. This course is a wedge shot from the San Antonio International Airport (not really that close, unless you’re John Daly!), but you wold never know it while out on the course.

The distinct layout of SilverHorn can be credited to designer Randy Heckenkemper, along with PGA Tour Professionals Willie Wood and Scott Verplank. SilverHorn is abundant with tree-lined fairways, strategically placed sand and water hazards, and beautifully framed contoured greens. All which make this par-72 course a treasured Hill Country experience long remembered. Four holes on the front nine have water hazards in play. Locals say that Hole #18 is one of the best finishing holes in the area.

Playing from the tips, the 524-yard par-5, is a dogleg right and inclined fairway. A nicely placed tee shot will leave you in great position for your second, which must be well-struck so you can avoid the large oak tree growing on the right. Finally, there’s an approach shot over a depression in the fairway with a rock-bed creek at its base to a green with a large sand bunker protecting its front.