GordonATX

Once again we played this in the latter part of the summer. Again, the course was in really great shape; always is. Such consistency is nice. That's just something you generally get with a residential club type course.

Elevation changes are what really make this a challenging course. There are also a few tighter fairways and a tree or three. Ignore those tress, they're 90% air .. or so they tell me. The elevated greens will also force you to make some adjustments. Maybe you need an extra club or two. Maybe you run it up because you your normal shot will be more of a flyer and not hold the green. Oh, and don't forget about the wind (as applicable). Many of the par-4 holes are more like 4-1/2. You really have to put a couple of good shots together on some of these if you're looking for a par via GIR and two putt. And mistakes can quickly add up on if you're not careful. Play smart and take your lumps. Play for bogey when you have to. Trying to swing harder and/or make something happen for your follow-up shot is just not wise here.

While there are houses lining some holes, they're generally close to the tee box or set off behind the greens a good bit. They're rarely 'in play' such that you see and/or have to worry about them. This allows you to really enjoy the hill country elevation changes along with the trees etc. Does it sound odd to say I wished they had more water on the course? It would just add to the scenery. I'm not actively looking for forced carries, but it would just round things out.

The tee boxes were in decent shape. They've definitely seen an increase in activity since the COVID-19 virus came into play; see what I did there? :) With all of the weekend golfers now 'working' from home, they're much more able to get out during the week for a round as they've finished there work for the day by noon ... or they're boss simply doesn't know that they're not at home working. All good. Go play! Support your local economy. Just be safe about it.

There was a busted (?) water pipe on the #9 tee box which made for a large and long area of muddy grass to walk thru or go around. It happens -- I'm sure they'll have it fixed soon-ish. Also on #9, play LEFT. If you end up on the right side of the fairway (or rough), you may very well have to sort through a couple dozen or more range balls before finding your own. This really added to our time standing out in the heat. It'll be worse as the day gets longer. By the time we got through there around 5:30pm, there were a ton of range balls all over the fairway and rough. We hit back as many as we could but still left a countless number behind.

The fairways were in fantastic shape. And we've received so little rain this summer (which is not uncommon). So the grounds crew is really doing a great job of keeping the grass watered, cut, and healthy.

Now the bunkers need some work. They were about as hard as they could be and multiple players in our group sent some flyers from one side of the green to the other when they'd normally be nicely on the green. Add in some elevation due to many bunkers being well below the hole and you're just asking for trouble. I'm surprised we didn't hit a house. The bunkers are overdue for some much needed love. The sand was plentiful ... just about as hard as a rock.

The bunkers were also in great shape. They rolled nicely even though they'd been punched/aerated a week or so prior. I don't think I saw a single dry/burn spot. They were a little more speedy than not, but that's pretty much exactly what I prefer.

When we called for the reservation, we actually asked if there was water (coolers) on the course. We knew that such public water jugs were likely removed due to the virus. Surprisingly, they told us that "yes, there's water on the course." Well, that's true but not the whole truth. The jugs were removed. This left the water fountains at the two restrooms available. Had we known that, we'd have packed extra water for this hot summer day. Oh well, live and learn; we should've known better. Side note, we did see the beverage cart two or three times.

Aside from some of our scores, we all left feeling really good about the day of play. The course is both beautiful and challenging. Some days you need an easy course. Some days you need a pretty one. Mix it up and enjoy yourself.

And finally, I'd like to give a special shout out to the starter/marshal. Older thin-faced guy with short hair -- his name was either Bob or Darrell; not sure. He was just, well, pleasant and friendly. Sometimes you come across a marshal type who's a little guff ... the type who'll tell you to play faster even when you're pulling away from the group behind you. This guy was just nice, genuine, and a pleasure to have a quick chat with about various topics. He's a people person ... a guy I'd like to have a drink with after my round and just let him talk and possibly tell me some good stories. Kind of odd to feel that way about a golf marshal, but he simply improved upon our already good day of golf. Kudos.

It's a resort course. Do I expect certain things on a more expensive course. You bet I do! Honestly, I expect a lot. Did I get it? Mostly.

First off, you get to park in a parking garage. This is a huge plus in the Texas heat when needed. The pro shop is right next to it. We ended up carrying our bags from the garage to the shop. Is that normal? We weren't staying at the resort. We were locals just there to play golf. Were we supposed to drop our bags nearby first? I still don't know. Now while there's a pro shop, I didn't see any kind of clubhouse nor place to grab food/drinks. I guess that's something guests generally get up at the resort/hotel. Makes sense I guess. They had cart attendants who put our bags on the cart ... that were six feet from us ... after we'd already carried the bags from the garage. I mean, what's the point? If you're going to employ the young guys/girls, then make them earn their money. The driving range is a ways up the street on the other side of the hotel. So plan a few extra minutes to get there and back accordingly. It's a nice (downhill) range with plenty of room. I'll bet it gets really busy during nice weather, weekends, etc. And there was only one big putting green there on which you could both chip and putt. Then again, maybe I need to inspect more of the property to see if other options are available.

The course was in great shape. It's a shorter course with a few challenges. Honestly, I'd welcome playing it again now that I know the holes. This isn't some flat links style course where your score will almost always be about the same. With a hill country course, there are some blind shots, some twists/turns that you won't know about until you come up to them. So the first time playing a course like this will likely add a few strokes.

All aspects of this course were perfectly fine and well maintained. I have zero complaints. The greens were a little faster than other courses but I expect (and kind of want that) on a course like this. The bunkers (of which I found three) were all like something you'd see on the PGA with nice fine sand. Water isn't much of an issue on this course. That's typical of hill country courses as it's harder to keep ponds maintained, etc. So they have a little natural creek (run-off) here and there but not much else. Some of the rough is ROUGH ... as in don't even bother walking in because it's too deep with weeds/brush and you may encounter unwelcome wildlife. No sense risking a rattlesnake bite over a golf ball.

The scoring app I use on my phone could not provide any GPS yardage as the AT&T signal was too weak. Luckily, the Club Car carts are equipped with a touch screen that (among other things) shows yardage to whatever point you want. Since there are no hole layout signs at the tee boxes, the cart provides a nice colorful layout of each hole. The monitor also warns you about blind tee shots, proximity warnings based on your location to the green (for example), and more. So many golfers could benefit from these touch screens. Oh, your 120yds from the green? Is that the flag? What's it to the front or back of the green? Well these monitors give you all of that information; very helpful.

The cart also has two (2) USB ports but neither appeared to be working on my cart. I was trying to keep my phone battery up. The carts have rain covers that can fold down over your bags. That's great but really kind of useless here in Austin TX; we rarely get rain and golfers are therefore quick to skip playing those days with so many other sunny days available. Another thing I really like about these particular carts are the ball/club washer on one side and small cooler on the other. And of course, there's a sand bottle attached to the frame post. Saw some divots filled in with the green sand (which I prefer). Our carts, however, had normal sand. All good. But wait, there's more. :) These carts also have small trays up by the roof to keep (whatever) out of the way (e.g. your phone, a towel, etc).

All total, we saw three (3) different beverage carts. While we're not normally ones to buy drinks etc, it's nice to have the option and I'm sure patrons who do use the carts more are happy to see them so often.

There were a couple nice restroom facilities on the course. I didn't go in; I can only assume they have AC. And while we saw several water coolers around the course (and even a trough or two for ice), none were present due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). So, all carts were preloaded with two (2) bottles of water that were iced down. We then grabbed a few more from the starter as he had a bunch on his cart just for that purpose. Well done!

Is it a shorter course? It sure feels like it. I guess I expected something harder. Maybe I'm getting to be a better golfer. Hahaha! Nope, that's not it. I kind of equate a higher priced course with a harder one. Maybe that's just my own (mis)perception. Still, this is a really nice course that's very well maintained. Enjoy!

I last reviewed this course six (6) years ago. At that time, it'd just reopened after being closed for four (4) years. I wrote about various conditions needing attention and my altruistic hope that it would all come together. Unfortunately, it hasn't.

As with the majority of my reviews, I'll talk a little about everything -- tee to green so to speak. And as much as I want every golf course to be successful, I have to be honest in my reviews.

It's always seemed a little funny/sad to drive up towards this southern looking mansion of a building/home/clubhouse ... only to park and walk over to this little side building. It's at that point to realize the big building is likely void of just about any activity. The true clubhouse is small, has a few things if you need them (balls, drinks, etc), but it generally lacking in personality (for lack of a better word). I generally notice a little bit of everything. Upon walking up to the clubhouse I noticed the landscaping (or lack of it) along with the rubber door mats lying around twisted and out of place. To me, it says no one cares enough to make the place presentable. And that, subsequently, carries over to the actual course to be played.

Tee Boxes -- They were quite average, nothing great but also no real complaints.

Cart Paths -- The cart paths are a mix of concrete, dirt, non-existent, etc. I understand there's a cost to putting down concrete but the fairways simply take that much more of a beating when you don't direct the carts around a hole. And because you don't see it every day, I took a picture of the path on #16. It was washed out years ago by flooding (I believe). And so it sits. Appropriate.

Fairways -- We've had some really nice fall weather albeit a little dry. Still, the fairways here were quite consistent with lots of dirt patches. Not areas with dead grass present ... just sandy dirt.

Bunkers & Water Hazards -- Yup, the water is wet; I found it once. Some of the bunkers had good sand, but others were way too compact (aka dirt). They were otherwise well cared for and raked.

Greens -- Oh, the greens. This is where you can really lose a stroke or six during a round of golf. The greens had likely been sanded in the week or two prior. Okay, that's perfectly normal. But the amount of dead spots (large dead spots) mirrored the look of many fairways. And no one should be putting through such obstacles. It really affected our play ... and our enjoyment of the round.

I was surprised to see USB ports in the carts. I didn't need them but like having them available. It's to the point I might actually start carrying a spare charging cable in my bag. One might the ability to charge if using an app or GPS to get yardage since I don't recall seeing any markings other than 150-yard poles. Hard to have lines spray painted on non-existent cart paths. And I don't recall seeing any sprinkler heads. But I was using an app all day and never bothered to look for any.

It's still a very quiet and peaceful course. It just needs a lot of love, money, and maintenance. It may work as one of a couple options for Bastrop locals, but at this time I can't recommend that anyone drive any distance to get there. Past that, maybe Buttross will buy it and sink a bunch of money into it.

Ram Rock is experiencing a little construction around the pro shop etc; aka new buildings/facilities. But don't mind that because the course renovation was completed within the last year or so. Go. Play. This. Course!

The driving range holds the normal number of folks but plays to a big-ish downhill and (on this day) into a strong Hill Country wind which I imagine is often the case. But that's just what they had to work with on this hilly landscape. The putting green was in fine shape with plenty of room for a number of golfers.

One complaint (of sorts) is that the golf carts don't hold larger base drinks (e.g. big Gatorades). Some of the newer carts accommodate various sizes but these are kind of old school with the four (4) standard drink holders. But the carts themselves are new/modern/equipped and include built-in rain covers, two (2) USB ports, and soft brake system (no click). Hey, you like having a golf towel in the cart? Well the ones they provide at Horseshoe Bay Resort are probably better than the towels in your house.

That renovation money was spent improving a number of things but with the primary goal of making the course a little more forgiving for the average golfer. I've read up some on the improvements and I'm sure they helped us out quite a bit. But don't worry, there's still PLENTY of challenges awaiting you on this course with a number of well placed fairway bunkers and even more greens being protected by both bunkers and water.

I'd normally break down tees, fairways, hazards, and greens into separate paragraphs. But honestly, all of these were in excellent condition. They use normal sand for divots; I'd prefer the green stuff. The bunkers had plenty of sand but some were a little compact most likely due to the (larger) amounts of water they have to put on the nearby grass etc to keep it in such fine shape during the super hot and dry months (August in this case). The greens were soft and receptive. Man I love fixing my ball marks! I really do -- mostly because I'm not a big greens-in-regulation guy to begin with. You'll find bentgrass greens and notice the large black fans around many of them. I'm told this grass provides a smoother putting surface; I'd have to concur. A couple of the greens had a few burned spots around the edges, but it's August and hasn't really rained for six (6) weeks. The grounds crew is doing a FANTASTIC job of keeping this course in prime condition. For this time of year, we were more than pleasantly surprised at the conditions from tees to greens!

What could this course use to improve the player experience? I'd like to see some sort of large hole layout display at each tee box. You know the kind -- showing the hole, the hazards, and standard yardage for the various tee boxes. Having never played this course before, we found the GPS based golf apps on our phones very helpful in determining the hole layout, doglegs, hazards, et al. I know the members are familiar with the course, but guests of the Resort would certainly benefit from these ... and have a slightly more enjoyable round.

This is one of just a few courses I've played that don't come back to the clubhouse at the turn. Being that you don't get back to the clubhouse, there are several bathroom facilities on course. And, yes, they have air conditioning. They also have cold water, ice, and cups. They also have a snack shack of sorts after #9 that serves various sandwiches, snacks, and drinks. It wasn't open on our day of play. And I suspect it's rarely open if ever right now. You need to have a large number of players out to make it worthwhile; probably best during tournaments/outings. So prepare your drinks/snacks accordingly before playing. They did have a beverage cart running on this day; she passed us three (3) times.

Might I suggest some sort of stay-n-play package; it'll make for a great weekend with your significant other and/or fellow golfing friends.

Being part of the Horseshoe Bay Resort, the clubhouse and amenities are pretty much what you'd expect. Everything is kept quite meticulous and nothing is left without some sort of thought nor personal touch.

The golf cart attendants are like stealthy hunters waiting for their prey. They don't miss a beat. They're quick to either unload your bags or meet you wherever you park in order to assist you with your bags. And after the round they'll help just the same along with cleaning your clubs, etc.

It's always nice to see the newer style carts -- multiple big drink holders, USB ports, nice sized soft towels, rain cover, a cooler preloaded with bottled water and ice, and the soft brake system wherein you don't have to click it to lock it.

The course has an ample driving range with a number of colored yardage target flags. There's one putting green that can easily handle a half dozen or so players and it's a nice sampling of undulation to prepare you for your upcoming round.

All of the tee boxes were played a bit but in nice shape. The fairways also showed that golfers play here. Some courses just show more than others. With the irrigation system and course maintenance, this course's fairways allow you to go after the ball and take a divot. Therefore, you see more divots accordingly. And being a membership based course, these players are likely a bit more on the serious side. I do like that they use a very dark brown 'dirt' instead of sand. For some reason, I just don't care for the look of normal sand; it's not visually appealing in a fairway. And there are several sand boxes to use for refills along with ball washers located around the course.

Another nice feature is the ice machine with cups and cold water located as part of the nice bathroom facilities on the course.

One thing you don't see too often are disappearing cart paths. Most courses have paths from the first tee box to when you leave the 18 green. Here, the cart path often stops when you reach the fairway and pics back up next to the green. I don't mind it one way or the other; it's just different to see that.

Are you a long bomber with that turtle-on-a-stick driver? Well get ready to be disappointed. The vast majority of par 4s will have you reaching for that 3W, 5W, or hybrid as they have a nice dogleg left/right at about 230 yards. So you think you can cut it over the trees, or houses, or whatever? Well, I can't say I'd advise it. It's almost as if they left a particular grouping of trees in place just tall and long enough to prevent your cutting any corners. Play smart my friends.

What could this course use to improve the player experience? I'd like to see some sort of large hole layout display at each tee box. You know the kind -- showing the hole, the hazards, and standard yardage for the various tee boxes. Having never played this course before, we found the GPS based golf apps on our phones very helpful in determining the hole layout, doglegs, hazards, et al. Now I'd normally say they could also use 100-150-200-250 red/white/blue/yellow painted stripes on the cart paths but they don't always have a path so that's not exactly an option. They do, however, have flat plate markers in the fairways. Hopefully you're using GPS in some manner. Hmmm, aside from cost, I wonder why higher priced courses don't always have GPS and scoring in the carts.

70+ bunkers! Now re-read that sentence. The bunkers are certainly in nice shape, but I found way too many of them during this round. And the thick grass surrounding some of them was so perfect that I actually reached down to touch it because it looked fake. I'm not really sure what type of grass it was.

Now there are also a dozen +/- water hazards. But other than one random burner that went swimming, we didn't seem to have any trouble with them.

The greens are very, very nice. They were certainly on the speedy side as we had numerous shots run past the hole far more than we were comfortable -- and that was after we thought we were adjusting for the speed. I especially appreciate the nice collars that I believe were added during the 2016 renovation. And soft! I've never had to fix so many ball marks in my life. That's a sign of a very well maintained course with excellent conditions.

Might I suggest some sort of stay-n-play package; it'll make for a great weekend with your significant other and/or fellow golfing friends.

Due to its location near the heart of Austin and the tradition (or whatnot) of playing Lions, this course sees a lot of action! I remember playing here a few years ago for $20 on GolfNow. Now it's more like $35-40 during the same middle/heat of summer. No sense offering lower rates if players are willing to pay more. Note, check out and ask for the special "GolfATX rates" as applicable. For this outing, I ended up shooting a new record low score ... in spite of some of the course conditions. The tee boxes are all quite chewed up; lots of play. I don't think it'd be possible for the staff to move the tee markers around enough to prevent it. The fairways were okay -- hard pan as always ... don't expect big divots. And many of the greens were a bit thin and showed signs of fungus issues. It's a regular problem here; always has been. And there are several areas under some of the trees that are becoming more and more dirt/sand over the years. Obviously basically impossible for grass to grow there but it just seems to be getting a little worse. She's showing her age. Money won't be put into this course until its fate has been decided by the powers that be. And even then the city may not have any funds allocated for any significant renovation. It is what it is. Still, I love this course. It has some challenging holes and yet I know where to hit on every hole. If only I could make that happen. :) Of course, I have shot two (2) of my lowest rounds all-time on this course. I can't complain too much. And finally, if you want to know a little local knowledge about each and every hole, then check out my first review of this course here:
https://www.golfadvisor.com/courses/2750-lions-municipal-golf-course?reviewId=22510417

There are two (2) courses at Fair Oaks Ranch; we played Blackjack. And no, none of us were members; I acquired a certificate to play here. Now you know you're in a country club when the men's locker room (complete with lockers, showers, etc) provides disposable razors, shampoo, lotion, soap, etc. They appeared to have a nice dining facility and great swimming pool etc for members. I'd certainly consider living and/or retiring here.

Play smart. This course has a number of holes where you might want to put that driver away and just pull out a 3-wood. Play the course or it'll play you. They narrow those flush fairways right about where you hit your driver. And do your best to place the ball left/right based on your next shot angle, etc. This course certainly has some nicely designed holes ... a little challenging especially with some forced carries. All in all, every aspect of this course was in fine shape -- tees, fairways, bunkers, greens, etc.

We did, however, raise an eyebrow to the deep first cut of rough. This Bermuda grass was so deep at times that we nearly lost balls within 6ft of the green! You had to walk right over it to see it. That's a bit too deep for being that close to the green. This isn't the US Open after all. Backing up our observation were the dozen plus cut balls lying around on a few holes that'd been dealt a final blow by the mowers. If only their owners could've found them and kept them in play for another day.

One thing to note is that you do NOT come back to the club house after nine (9) holes; you're completing the whole 18 accordingly. They do, however, provide some very nice bathroom accomodations on the course along with cups, ice machines, and cold water. Heck, they even made it a covered drive-thru for your cart (see pictures). Also, the beverage cart passed us at least three (3) times on this hot Thursday afternoon.

Some of the little things that I liked:
-- alignment stick provided alongside each bucket of balls on the driving range
-- fold down rain cover on golf carts
-- tall stone tee box yardage markers
-- sprinkler head yardage markers
-- pin placement cards in carts
-- nice wide cart paths in fine condition all around
-- plenty of water jugs on the course
-- several ball washers on the course

How can they improve? Well, one thing that I highly prefer at all courses is yellow/blue/white/red painted yardage stripes on the cart path. That really helps players make a quick decision on their upcoming club choice while still driving to their ball. Looking around for a sprinkler head wastes time.

To leave you on a positive note, my friend shot an 82 ... and I found more balls than I lost. :)

The staff was certainly friendly enough; quite laid back. The starter was engaging, joked with us a bit, but also provided good course info for us since it was our first time at this course.

The pro shop is small but let's be honest, how many of us really buy any articles of clothing, clubs, shoes, etc at a golf course!? It has what you need -- grab a drink if you like, pay, and be on your way. It's an older facility. Newer courses are putting in more elaborate pro shops and clubhouses to entice players to hang out and spend more money. The clubhouse here was inviting enough though with a handful or two of tables, a couple of TVs, and a small bar. There's also a deck if you wish to sit outside. I'm sure the swimming pool will have a few screaming kids during warmer weather. All good. While they have a menu online, we didn't see anyone nor any place that might be serving food on this Wednesday. So we grabbed a Snickers (literally), finished the round, and ate a late lunch in Blanco. Perhaps they have food on the weekend. I don't blame them. You don't want to have employees hanging around to make a few meals if any at all. I get it. And I'm sure the locals that play there often are quite aware.

The driving range is smallish holding about 10-12 players. It's also parallel to #10. While we only found one (1) range ball next to the fairway, we found two (2) of our balls over in the range area. It's certainly not ideal to have them so close. Perhaps the club's property line prevents them from shifting the range over and redirecting it a bit. Personally, I'd consider putting in a fence of some sort as an added measure of keeping folks like us from running out into the range to hit our second shot (because let's be honest, that's exactly what we did). That, or maybe a line of fuller trees (bushy cedars that are low to the ground) might help create a barrier of sorts. It's just a thought/suggestion.

As a general note, there were more than a few rough spots on this older cart path. Just watch where you're going in case you find a pothole, tree root bump, etc. The carts are what I'd call the newer electric style with ample cup holders and storage areas up front. They certainly had some zip to them today. Sand bottles were on the frame but were empty. Hmmm, okay. As I found out, you're quite unlikely to leave a divot in the fairways anyway.

Before I get into my normal routine of talking about tees, fairways, and greens, I'd first like to compliment the course on a number of things they're doing right. They've done an excellent job of signage with layout and distances at the tee box of each respective hole. That's really nice to have. Every course should do it. They also have a big course map up near the clubhouse. I believe they have four (4) water coolers on the course. And I even saw several ball washers with towels -- those are a dying breed. While they're not air-conditioned, there are two (2) bathroom facilities out on the course. They have black-n-white 150yd poles, red/blue/yellow stakes for 100/200/250, and white/red/b-w flags for general distance pin placement. All of these things make the round just that much better.

As for the tee boxes, some are nice and some a bit on the rough side. Many of them, however, had little crabgrass seed heads that you often don't see until pulling back the driver/iron. And that's when it moves -- far more distracting than you'd imagine. I found it frustrating as to how many of those I had to pull up before teeing off throughout the day. They need to get rid of it or mow the tees more often.

Fairways were alright. There was the occasional thin spot here and there. That's to be expected with a hill country (non $$$ country club) course; it's just part of the natural terrain. The ground was on the harder side so that might affect iron play since you may not be able to go after it; you may have to hit your shots a little cleaner. The rough (with lots of clover) was certainly not too punishing unless you found yourself under the trees with the various semi-buried large rocks (boulders). But with hill country courses you're often able to scramble a bit more with the exception of a few bush and weed filled areas that are just too hard for the course to maintain. Not complaining about that though -- just making the general comment. You're not supposed to be playing from there anyway, right!? As for hazards ... what hazards? There are no bunkers nor water features on this course. It's just you and the grass. So you're scoring should be just that much better, right!? Right.

A few of the greens had some rough spots but overall they were in nice shape and receptive to the ball, felt a little spongy at times, and rolled nicely.

Hey, who left that big oak in the middle of the fairway on #14? I ended up looking directly at it -- too close to hit a long enough high shot but to far from me to hit a solid punch under it. I was stuck -- had to bail around it. To quote James Coburn from the movie Payback, "Man, that's just mean. That's mean, man."

Pro Tip #1: If you're using Gattis School Rd, then you no longer have to take the SH130 access road and loop back around. Instead, head north at the Muirfield Bend Dr signal light behind the HEB. You're welcome.

Pro Tip #2: If available and as you're able, consider the all-inclusive deal wherein you play in the morning, get breakfast and lunch buffets, and a replay in the afternoon. Now that's a great deal if you can hack it. (See what I did there?)

What's new since I last played here? Development! That 'in the country' course we knew for so long is now being surrounded by neighborhoods booming with new construction. It's no surprise; we knew this was coming all along. I just hadn't played here in upwards of six (6) years. #2 now has houses (in range!) on the right where some of you (ahem) used to lose your ball in the high weeds. There's a new townhouse complex to the right of #7/#8. The houses on the left of #11 and #13 will also make it easier for you to give up on finding your ball (sooner) should you hit it OB. But if you hit that roof just right, it'll bounce back into the rough and/or fairway.

With recent construction in the area, the driving range has gotten a little tighter (maybe) but it's still quite nice. Luckily they built a high berm with cedar/juniper trees on top to knock down that snap hook of yours. The range, the chipping green, the putting green ... all nicely done.

All in all the course was in fine shape. I really love playing in the spring before so many courses burn up in the heat and lack of rain. I noticed a spot or two in/around the greens that needed some help. And while most of the bunkers were lush with soft sand, a few (on the back 9) were packed down with large washout areas and exposed drains. Maybe they just got the worst of a recent rain. Hopefully they were on the maintenance list for the days following our visit. I do have one thing I'd really appreciate the course considering. Aside from the black & white 150 yard pole in the fairway, there are apparently no other yard markers available. Personally, I don't care for the sprinkler head variety as much. What I like are nice big yellow/blue/white/red painted stripes on the cart path. Would that be so hard to do?

I'll end this review on a positive though -- two (2) USB charging ports in the carts! So bring your cable and charge your phone, listen to your music (at a reasonable volume), etc. Enjoy!

Not a lot has changed since I last reviewed this course 5-1/2 years ago.

The course has 27 total holes so different nines can be played as directed by the clubhouse. On this occasion, we played the Original To North configuration. For those of us who rarely play here, it was a little different to end our round yet be sitting there amongst more holes. We essentially had to backtrack a little down a cart path or two in order to get back to the clubhouse.

The driving range holds about 20 players and is certainly long enough to test your driver. Balls are in little golf bag buckets and they have cleaning stands with water and towels. I certainly appreciate these little touches at courses. There are 2-3 putting and/or chipping greens -- enough space for everyone to warm up, practice, etc.

The tee boxes were all in decent shape; they'd definitely seen some action recently. Playing on a Wednesday, I kind of expected them to be moved to better ground after a typical high activity weekend. I really wish courses in general would move the tee boxes around more often so that we're more likely standing on good/solid grass when teeing off.

Fairways were in fine shape -- nothing outstanding, nothing to complain about. The first cut was also in similar condition. I'd say it's moderate when it comes to scrambling and bailout room for those golfers who are not consistently hitting the fairways.

I found three (3) bunkers on this outing. The first was quite standard with decent sand. The second was compact and hard; there was no getting under the ball. The third was very soft but also very wet.

Greens are medium to large size and held the balls well. They were average pace if not even a touch on the slow side this week. I did notice a number of them had been painted and/or fertilized (mostly around the edges). Perhaps that's simply indicative of this time of year and growth stage. I could speak on it more if only I were more knowledgeable.

I do believe they've added some additional water coolers since my last visit. There's plenty on the course to keep us hydrated during the warmer months. They also had a beverage cart running during our round and we passed her three (3) times.

Outside of the holes, parts of this course have a little extra land that's simply extra space. That happens sometimes when courses are part of a master plan where the developers have a lot with which to work. The downside is that it creates more areas for the landscape crews to handle. And when it's just extra land, courses rarely do much more than keep it mowed (if and when). So, it generally fills up with less desirable grasses, weeds, etc. And when it's not regularly maintained, it can hurt the overall look and feel for a course. And when I'm playing a semi-private club that has a membership base, I just tend to expect a little more attention to such details. Just an observation. Also, I noticed a few trees along the creek holes that may be dead. Spring hasn't yet sprung so we'll just have to wait and see. Floods in recent years may be a factor along with age. I just hope they take any dead ones out ASAP so as to give the area a better/kept look. It might be time to plant some new ones here and there as well; have to plan for the long-term and future decades.

The clubhouse et al was great and the staff personable and friendly. Two thumbs up for that! But now let's get to the rest...

I always try to be a fair reviewer. If you're awesome then I'll shout it from the mountain tops. But if you lacking, then I'm going to point that out just as well. It's not meant to tear down a course nor their personnel. It's meant to give an honest interpretation of my experience. Some courses might listen and make adjustments were applicable. And some won't be able to swallow their pride and will subsequently brush off said comments. Those latter courses will very likely see a steady decline in business, revenue, rates they can charge, etc. We'd all like every course to be in tip-top shape. While it's just not possible, all courses should put in the appropriate effort.

I know that some course comments below are influenced by the fact that we're playing in the winter. But this is also central Texas and it's been a very mild winter. In the end, I feel my commentary is mostly justified regardless of the time of year. On top of that, I see a number of recent reviews all saying how the course is in great shape, etc. The layout is fine and all. But I'm wondering if some of y'all need to get out more and play some other courses for comparison. While my review may seem so, I wasn't in a bad mood today. I actually scored quite well today; quite well comparatively. Anyway, my review stands.

I'll discuss the clubhouse etc later in this review as I like to address the golf portion of courses first.

There are three (3) putting greens; one even has a bunker on the side for practicing those sand shots. There's also a driving range -- narrow and short -- but it'll let you warm up a bit. Unlike the About description on their GolfAdvisor page, the carts do NOT have GPS; not anymore at least. Not sure when that write-up was written but it's out of date in more ways than one.

As we started our round, several tee boxes were a little, well, moist (almost muddy). It's almost like it'd rained fairly hard the day or two prior ... but it hadn't rained. They'd also seen a lot of play. I'm not sure if the tee box markers need to be moved more often or if they have a ton of players that we didn't see digging divots like gold was underneath. And more than one tee box's void had essentially been filled in with sand.

Zoysia grass fairways are a little different than what we're used to seeing at the majority of courses. It's just not as consistent when making a shot. It's kind of hard to explain it; you'll just have to try it for yourself. I noticed a significant amount of clover on the first fairway or two but it seemed to clear up for the most part after that. One suggestion I have for the course is to paint (and/or repaint) yardage markers on the cart paths. A lot of players need those. Having a 150 b&w pole is great, but let's add in those red-100, white-150, blue-200, and yellow-250 painted stripes on the concrete. It's an easy, low-cost addition to have and maintain. Now back to those fairways and first cut of rough -- perhaps it's a thing with Zoysia ... or perhaps y'all just need to mow more often. I truly don't know. What I do know is that the fairway should not have clumps nor piles of dead cut grass. It wasn't on every hole but certainly present on enough holes that I took note of it.

I expect the rough to be rough, but this was on the rougher side. There was a lot of weeds -- tall grassy weeds. There was also a lot of broad-leaf weeds in the transition area from the fairway to the rough. Are we going for a natural look without using chemicals or is your pesticide sprayer trailer broken?

The bunkers were all full and freshly raked. Unfortunately, it went downhill from there. We counted two maybe three different kinds of bunker material. I'd call it sand but it just ... wasn't. The medium brown was more of a clay based dirt with minimal bounce. The tan certainly looked like sand until you stepped in it. One version felt like caliche and the other hardened kitty litter. They too had minimal bounce if any. In many places you had to pick out the nickel sized rocks from around your ball. One of my players was breaking in his new irons on this round; he flat out refused to hit from the bunkers. We didn't blame him.

The (often quite large) greens were all a bit firm; more so on the back nine. I've never had back-to-back easy and high iron shots (which were some of the best I hit all day) hit the green, bounce 10-15 feet straight up, and then proceed to keep going off the back of the green. The greens were cut quite short and had a decently quicker speed than average. I have no problem with that. I did see a bit more thinness (dirt showing) on several of the front nine greens. The back nine seemed to be in better shape but did have a touch of disease/fungus here and there.

There's an ample number of water coolers on the course and a nice M/F bathroom setup after you finish #7/#12. The water cooler is even under the shade of the porch on this building; nice touch for those hotter months.

The clubhouse is fantastic. The pro shop is spacious and has everything you need including quick drinks and snacks. The bar/dining area has high ceilings, a bunch of tables, a full bar with stools, numerous TVs, great decor, great natural lighting, lots of windows and doors to the porch outside. And the events banquet room next to the dining area is just as nice. The covered porch out back runs the length of the entire building with a mixture of seating/chairs (rocking, comfy, padded table) along with ceiling fans. And finally, they have a large rock wall bordered fire pit along with a few more high-top tables and chairs overlooking the course below. It's all in all a really, really nice setup. It just felt completely out of place compared to the actual golf course. The main facility felt like a small-medium country club whereas the course felt more like an old, tired muny. It was a bit of Jekyll and Hyde.

The General Manager made the rounds during lunch checking with the various tables of 'old retired guys' (that I hope to be someday) who are regulars and/or members. That's good to see. I'd like to suggest that you also stop over at the table of younger 40/50 something year old new-to-your-course guys to see how things are going. It just might make the difference on having return guests, etc.

No course is the same as another. They don't all have high dollar membership bases. They aren't all located near high traffic areas, big neighborhoods, and/or more well-to-do (gated) neighborhoods. Unfortunately, the GCoT course is on the far west edge of San Antonio which really limits their reach to players. The area around them isn't developed enough. And yet there's another gated community course about three shots north with your driver. What!? They appear to be doing fine yet have a low number of (big) houses around the course. It's just kind of odd sometimes. A satellite image will show you where a road was built next to the GCoT course long ago but houses never came. All of these circumstances may very well (and very likely) factor into the budget of GCoT. And that, in turn, may limit them on their maintenance expenses. That's my assumption at least. But that's the golf industry. It's expensive and you have to have the support of your area and players in order to survive. I hope things can improve here. Perhaps the spring and summer months help bring the course conditions back to life a bit. As for me, they're not really losing my subsequent business because I don't live nearby nor even in San Antonio. But I don't see myself ever making the trek back to this course from south Austin. Peace.

I'll tell you up front that the one thing you won't find on this course is a driving range. They do have a couple of hitting bays (nets) if you feel the need to warm up, etc. Past that, I think this course has just about everything else you could need/want. Now I didn't see a beverage cart during this round, but it was a Monday in December. So, you can't really expect one on a public course like this; there just aren't that many players. I can't wait to come back and play this course again ... especially in the spring when the trees are full again.

The course is fairly wide open with only a scattering of trees to define the fairways, knock your ball down, etc. This will certainly allow you to scramble and recover as necessary -- especially for those of us who are currently having trouble controlling the driver and 3-wood.

The course had a really nice use of natural plants and grasses all around the course -- around the ponds, in some of the bunkers, etc. Some courses feel a little over-designed with their landscaping but this one felt very natural ... as if they'd just found the space to put the holes around nature that was already in place. When you can't tell one way or the other, then it works very well regardless.

The numerous bunkers were all in quite good shape; I found four (4) of them on this round. A few needed a little maintenance but only due to the several days of rain that we'd received in the past week. There's only so much a ground crew can do. The rest just takes time for them to dry out.

The greens were fast and the front nine (9) had just recently been sanded. But still, they were all in excellent shape. The fairways were in excellent shape as well. This course was a really nice treat for a winter golf round. Too many courses dry out and just aren't maintained as well as you'd like. This course is doing things right and the golfers are appreciative.

It's a fun course -- shorter than most courses (especially the newer ones). This one will make you put your driver away on numerous 4-par holes. You'll likely practice a few more fairway target shots than normal on this course. I like that! I want to use more than four (4) clubs in my bag. I want to pull out my 3-wood, my hybrid, my long irons, etc. But it's not some super easy course. They compensate for the shorter distance with narrowing fairways, well placed water and bunker hazards, forced carries, etc. It's basically got a little bit of everything. As much as some of us hate seeing that pond or wet creek right in front of a green, I like and accept the challenge. I don't want to get bored of just hitting another shot up to or near the green. Being able to bump-n-run too often just doesn't challenge us enough. I like that this course puts it in your face once in awhile and says "Well, what'ya got!? Let's see it." I will say that you need to know where the water is located. While many courses have ponds cut into the ground with a flat bank, there are a few spots on this course where the ground has a sloped roll-off. If you get too close to it and the grass is cut shorter than longer (as it was today), then your ball will just keep rolling until it's wet.

The clubhouse is just about perfect for a course like this. The pro shop is small-ish but they have whatever you might need. They have a nice 19th hole as well as a banquet room with a small deck overlooking the creek. It's a good setup. And the staff was very down-home friendly.

A few other things I noticed that not every course has these days:

-- ball washers on cart
-- club washers on cart
-- green sand on cart (I'm a fan of the green.)
-- benches for walkers et al to rest
-- ball washers on course
-- water on course (a standard in Texas but thought I'd mention it)

They also have a good amount of wildlife on this course. There are a two or three herds of deer throughout the course. They're very tame and quite used to the golfing activity. We also ran across a couple varieties of ducks who make the course and nearby creek/springs/river home. You can see seven (7) of these ferocious little guys in the attached picture.

Finally, while there is a road or two bordering the course, the traffic is quiet and minimal. The nature (trees, creeks, rivers, etc) will dominate your enjoyment of this area. There's also a train track that cuts through the middle of the course alongside one of the roads. But it's always a slow moving train with that perfect tempo; love the sound of those wheels as they barely push it along the track.

Been a few years since I last played Grey Rock. In fact, I don't think I've previously reviewed the course here on GolfAdvisor. Ironically, it's the closest course to my (current) house. Well, I had the opportunity recently as part of a tournament.

For this mid November cold and rainy day, I found the course to be in really great shape overall. But, I also noticed a couple of missteps by the course and/or staff.

I must say I really do like the grounds around the club house. I like how the high rock wall separates the area from the parking lot. You just get a nice, calm feeling once you're walking up to the club house while passing the putting greens. And the driving range is just behind the club house yet not in the way nor are you distracted by others while warming up. Warming up off of mats instead of real grass is a problem though. No one likes it ... no one except the course maintenance folks. Overall, it's really a great use of the land. And the landscape is very well done .. grasses, trees, up-lights, brush/bushes, etc. Anytime I think "I could live here" ... well, that's a sign that you're doing something right.

Being a tournament, I didn't get to directly interact with the course staff on this particular occasion. With regard to the carts, we all noticed the lack of towels. On the majority of courses I've played, a towel is provided for each player. And being that it was cold and RAINY this day of play, they should've provided towels; no exception.

For the most part, the tee boxes were just fine. However, my players all commented on several boxes that were severely mounded. I understand course maintenance and water runoff, but these are definitely in need of being rebuilt. All of the tees had also seen a bit of play and had a significant number of divots, etc. I was surprised that the staff didn't move the markers for this tournament. The course is full of players and it's Sunday afternoon. Pretty sure you won't have a ton of play over the next few days so why not give us a fresh area of grass off which to hit our tee shots!? The #3 tee is especially large and it was almost painful to look back at a massive perfectly smooth green grassy area ... that was no where near the markers.

Not much to say about the fairways. They were all in fine shape. No complaints. And my players certainly like having the yardage markers (bumps) on the cart path. They're colorful and very easy to see ... unlike the paint that so many other courses use.

The bunkers were a-ok -- perfect amount of (good) sand. The water was plentiful ... likely due to heavy rains during the previous month. There was a nice amount of varying vegetation around the course. And being on the edge +/- of the hill country, there are plenty of oaks (and other large trees) along with the heavy rough which really like to turn the head of that iron you're swinging.

The greens were all in excellent shape. I can't recall seeing a single bad spot on any of them. They'd likely been aerated within the past week and I saw tiny bits of fertilizer all around which often collected on your ball. No worries ... just part of yearly upkeep.

For being the end of a very dry summer 2018, we found the course to be in really good condition. Tee boxes, fairways, rough, and greens were all in surprisingly good shape.

It's been 5-1/2 years since I last reviewed this course. In reading my last review and thinking about playing this course yet again, it remains my opinion that it's easily one of the most open courses available to all skill levels. You have many wide fairways, normal rough, normal bunkers, and good sized greens. It's not one of those courses with towering trees ready to knock you down when you're not hitting perfectly off the tee. It's not going to give you any significant forced carries either. For all of these reasons, I find it to be a great course to relax and practice your shots a bit more. Instead of having to play course obstacles, you can use this course to work on target placement shots. You don't have to just hit it as far as possible nor over a particular obstacle. You can opt to play a hole from one side or another just to give yourself a different angle on the next shot. I like that I don't have to play a hole the same way every time. Know what I mean!?

I can't say much about the bunkers as I didn't find any today. My playing partners however found them challenging ... but that was 99.9% their playing ability (for today) and only 0.1% issues with the bunker conditions. The water, however, was still wet as always; found it a couple of times. The greens were slow today mainly because they'd aerated a week prior. And then we had rain the night before and day of play. So we had to adjust our putting power a bit. I only saw one green with any kind of issue (a small patch of fungi or something got to it). Otherwise, we were very pleased with their condition and how they rolled.

We played on a Tuesday afternoon. I found it odd that they had a beverage cart running around the course. I'd normally only expect that on (maybe) Friday thru Sunday. It's nice to have it. However, one tip for the course and/or cart driver ... make sure you have the basics in stock. When asked about cokes, we were told she only had DIET Coca-Cola and DIET Dr Pepper. Really!? Only diet on the cart!? How does that happen ... ever? The course or the cart gal simply failed in keeping proper inventory.

They also had a marshal driving around and he passed us at least twice during our round. Everything was pretty easy going this round so there weren't any issues. But I like seeing a marshal making regular rounds.

The walking pushcart 3-some that we caught up to for the last four (4) holes were slow. They each took quite a bit of extra time with every single shot. We might've had the marshal say something to them had he been around at that point. On a normal lazy Tuesday we wouldn't have minded too much. But on this day we had a dark thunderstorm rolling in on us. They could've picked up the pace just a bit so that we could all finish our respective rounds. Instead, we had to skip the final hole (I gave myself a bogey) while they s-l-o-w-l-y finished it out. They were senior players and someday (many years from now) I'll be one of those guys. But I guarantee I'll still play at a good pace and be aware of other groups around me.

As you may know, this course is made up of three (3) 9-hole courses: The Oaks, The Creeks, and The Lakes. For my first time here, our group was instructed by the clubhouse to play Oaks & Lakes.

The playing difficulty of a course is a slope rating range from 55 to 155 with the standard being 113. Well, the Oaks/Lakes combination that we played has a slope of 134 from the blue tees. So it's a little on the difficult side for the average golfer. But don't let that discourage you. It's just something to know so that you don't beat yourself up when you have a few extra strokes on your scorecard at the end of the day. This isn't that track back home that you've played over and over. Give yourself a break; you deserve it.

Driver may not always be your friend on the par-4s. And it's so hard to leave it in the bag when the rest of your group is pulling out their driver almost each and every time. Plus, let's admit it (again), it's fun to hit. But as I keep telling myself and may someday actually do it ... put it back and pull out a wood, a hybrid, or a long iron. Your scorecard will thank you. Play *your* game ... not that of your playing partners. This course does not want you to scramble from under the trees etc; it will punish you. And that'll only lead to more negative thoughts and a less enjoyable round. Want to score better, have a better overall feeling about your game, and possibly beat the others in your group!? Leave the driver in the bag for almost every hole on which you have doubts about using it. I know you probably won't listen to me, but don't say I didn't warn you.

The architect certainly made sure to put a bunker right about where most players will land their drives. You'll also notice that a number of the fairways narrow at that very same spot. This is certainly a factor or two in the difficulty of this course and adds to it's somewhat challenging persona.

Trees! I do certainly enjoy the native Texas trees (almost all oaks) and vegetation/brush that are ever present on the course. It makes for a very natural feeling space. I'd like to think that the course was basically carved out of the area leaving you surrounded by its natural presence. Of course, that also means you're not going to scramble much and going off the fairway will almost certainly result in a lost ball or three during your round. Luckily, you'll find as many (good/quality) balls if not more while looking for your own. Trust me.

While most of the forced carries on the Oaks course were simply dry 'creeks' for water runoff, they were still full of well kept vegetation that you don't and/or can't hit out of. So it's still best to avoid them (obviously). I anticipated more water on the Lakes course. Sure it has a few ponds (er, "lakes"), but I was actually hoping for more water hazards just for the variety and course challenge. Sounds crazy to ask for such hazards, right!? I just like seeing something a little different than the last course, etc. I like the diversity. And when you call it The Lakes, well.....

With many greens being elevated and/or protected in front, you'll be limited with any bump-n-run shots onto the green. Side note -- special thanks to my longtime friend Steve for what my brother and I call "the ol' Goodwin bump-n-run" shot that he taught me years ago. The greens also didn't hold shots well today. Hard, cut short, different soil composition underneath? I have no idea. But I didn't see very many ball marks at all and we certainly only created a couple amongst our group. Oh, and the greens on this day were FAST. With the slope and undulation, this made for some speedy downhill putts at times. To be honest, I kind of like my greens fast versus slow. But my scorecard isn't as big of a fan. I had 34 putts this round ... a bit higher than normal and certainly not deserving of my self-professed 'one putt wonder' moniker.

I really do appreciate how more courses are embracing and paying for the GPS equipped golf carts. The carts had a small touch screen to show you the terrain of each respective hole along with yardage. If you want to know how far it is to reach the hazard, then just touch the screen on that spot to see the distance. GPS screens like this have been around for a number of years now yet every now and then I encounter fellow golfers who didn't realize that they were touchscreens and gave additional/specific information.

And finally, the staff were all quite friendly and readily available. The marshal checked us in, asked if we needed any information (since many playing there are first-timers), and otherwise let us handle our business. We may have seen him one other time while on the course. But he wasn't needed (by us) as we didn't have anyone playing right in front of nor behind us; it made for a very easy, no pressure day of golf. We also encountered two (2) different beverage carts for a total of 3-4 visits during our round. I did anticipate a cart boy to help us back to our vehicle and was surprised when we didn't see any around at the end of our round (2:00pm +/-). Okay, so that's a small tip I get to leave in my pocket. But it also meant that I had to drive the cart back down to the staging area and walk back to the car -- and that ended up being a bit farther than most courses I've played. I can manage either way -- just something I noticed.

I last reviewed this course eight (8) years ago so I figured it was time for another quick write-up. My feelings toward this course haven't changed much.

True or not, I think the two (2) most common attributes about this course in these reviews are "Scenic" and "Challenging." Yes, the views are often very nice; very peaceful. And there are times you forget there are even houses anywhere nearby. It's truly Hill Country golf unlike anything you'll find elsewhere.

It is, however, a hard course when compared to so many other tracks in the area. This is one of those courses that'll beat you up one way or another; it's not really a matter of if but more of how often. There's very little to no forgiveness once you get away from the fairway. Good luck hitting from the scrub, trees, etc. It's just not a scrambler's course. That's okay, we're supposed to be in the fairway to begin with, right!? If only theory could become reality.

You might want to leave that driver in your bag on far more holes than normal. Unless you're really accurate, this course will open you up to far more unfavorable circumstances than you'd like. Stick with whatever club is accurate. Instead of driver-wedge, maybe go with 5-8.

Thinking about going for it 180 yards out with a green surrounded by woods and a forced carry right in front of it!? Is it worth the extra stroke and the lost ball? Or maybe you should just lay up and pitch it over. The latter is probably the better move all around statistically speaking. This really isn't the best time to go for it and hope for the best. Play positive. Play smart.

One up side is that I probably found just as many balls as I lost. Apparently some of the rest of you like to hit it where I do. Thanks for that!

All in all the course was in really nice shape. The fairways had been aerated a few weeks prior but you couldn’t tell. The tee boxes had also been aerated and were a bit thin; a bit of dirt showing thru. They'd grow back in of course but this was just part of the today's experience. A few of the greens had some burn spots mostly around the edges. They might’ve been cut back recently. Otherwise, they were rolling slow today (with a few extra bumps here & there); they might’ve had a little rain overnight as well.
As always, there are plenty of water coolers and at least two (2) ice chests (with good ice!). I saw one on the front and one on the back -- look for them as they really make a difference in having and keeping a cool drink handy.
#18 oh how we loath thee. This is a split fairway hole where you have to use whichever side the course wants you to play that day; it just depends on where they line up the tee boxes. We prefer the left side simply because your first shot is down a short fairway; you just need to know how far you can hit it before running out of the short grass. Then you have to hit it over the creek, etc. The right side, however, is a long-ish forced carry over the creek with large Texas oak trees on both sides of the hallway that you feel you’re hitting down. It’s not as bad as it seems (provided you can hit a normal drive), but it messes with a lot of us visually/mentally. And the rough can be on the thick side with tall weeds etc since it's so close to the creek. This makes errant shots even harder to find (and play).
And finally -- from what I’ve heard, they don’t charge you any more for choosing to hit from the fairway. Maybe I should try a bit more of that next time.

Late summer and the course was in fantastic shape all around. We'd actually had lots of rain in the weeks prior, but it had drained really well and was definitely ready to play. There's just such nice scenery on some holes; very picturesque with the rolling hill country in the background.

I will say that some 4-par holes really could be 4-1/2. They just require a longer tee shot (in the fairway) followed by another long shot which is usually to an elevated green; this adds to the level of difficulty. The Bermuda rough (esp around the greens) was deep on this day. It was well maintained but made it especially challenging to locate balls. It was also (obviously) hard to hit out of and really raised the bar on the level of difficulty while also increasing the shots on our respective scorecards.

This is a nice little course on the edge of one of the bigger day trippin’ destinations in Texas. While we simply drove over and back from Austin, I can certainly see working this into a weekend of relaxation in the area. The course is situated next to a small RV park and the Gillespie County Airport. I think most folks actually enjoy the sound of the smaller aircraft that fly in and out on occasion; we certainly do. The airport has the 1940’s style Hanger Hotel and Airport Diner. And if you’re up to it, you might work in a wine tour or two in the Fredericksburg area. Make a weekend of it and stay at a local bed & breakfast and cruise around the shops in town.

The course is full of big Texas oak trees. Past that, there’s little to no rough with regard to cedar trees, bushes, etc. that you often find in hill country courses. This allows you to scramble pretty easily. In some spots, the course has a little up/down rolling elevation to make things a little more interesting. I was truly expecting more of a flat links style course but thoroughly enjoyed the small challenges.

The tees and greens were a little close to one another on a few holes. Of course, that’s more common on some of the tracks that were designed years back. It’s just something to take note of so that you’re aware of others around you. There are times when you need to cut the chatter to avoid disturbing the player putting nearby. On the same note, you need to be aware of wayward balls being hit near your tee. Fore!

Some of the tee boxes had either seen quite a bit of play or hadn’t been moved in a day or three. Some of them simply had excessive divots while other holes had plenty of nice grass from which to hit. It happens. But as courses know, they need to move the boxes and replace grass more often on those par 3’s where everyone’s taking a divot. All of the fairways appeared to be in fine shape. I found that many of the green skirt areas had a couple different grasses. But that’s something that can be hard to maintain – especially for a smaller staffed course unlike some of the big dollar country clubs. Of course if I’d just hit the green in regulation then these grasses would be of no concern to me. All in all the greens were quite nice, well cut, and with only a few bad spots here and there. For the most part, those spots were due to us golfers. We need to teach some of you to fix your ball marks; saw way too many from the past week or three that had damaged the greens. It makes a huge difference in the recovery of the grass.

Seems like most of the holes had a fairway and/or greenside bunker or two – all nicely done and well maintained. Personally, I do prefer a bigger bunker as opposed to those little pot bunker variety. Sounds odd, huh!? Nothing like hitting a good shot into a bunker that’s only a few yards wide. I find that low percentage probability even more cruel than if I found a larger beach.

There’s plenty of H2O on the course to help water the course and keep wildlife such as large ducks and geese around. FYI, geese = unpleasant noise. Along with three ponds there’s a nice creek that runs through a good portion of the layout. These make for a few forced carries which I think every golf course needs to keep us humble.

A couple extra course observations:
I believe I saw two water cooler stations – one on each nine. Personally, I’d like to see two per nine because I tend to play in the heat and certainly take advantage of these being available at every opportunity. The gas carts were newer and certainly did the job. This course would also be very walk-able for anyone so inclined.

The pro shop, banquet room (seating for 100 or so with scoreboards, PA, etc), Red Bird Grill, etc. were all very well done, clean/kept, and with ample space to move around. I can’t speak for the Grill’s full menu but we did get some of their big ‘stadium style’ hot dogs and fountain drinks (which I prefer). One suggestion -- add a few ceiling fans. While the vaulted ceiling will help pull up some of the heat, fan movement would’ve been nice to have; it’s Texas after all. And finally, the entire staff was 100% Texas friendly – courteous and accommodating.

This is an older course that's flipped back and forth between being public and private. Being on the north side of town it's certainly easy enough to access. Bunkers can be on the hard/firm side at times, but the greens aren't too hard to putt. The front nine is pretty straight forward and flat. The back nine takes a different turn ... literally ... and incorporates a little more elevation change along with becoming a bit more narrow. I certainly prefer it during the spring and early summer before the drought dries it up.