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GordonATX

Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
Lives
Austin TX
Handicap
20-24
Age
45-54
Gender
Male
Skill
Intermediate
Plays
Once a month

Review Statistics

Average Rating

3.7
3.7
Total 90 Reviews
4 Featured Reviews

Rating Breakdown

90 Reviews
5 Stars
19
4 Stars
37
3 Stars
23
2 Stars
10
1 Stars
1
Recommended Courses
75
Not Recommended Courses
9
Helpful Votes Count
50
Not Helpful Votes Count
7
First Review
10/31/2012
Last Review
12/19/2023

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Reviews

3.7

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Landa Park Municipal Golf Course

Played On 12/12/2023
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

I really need to play here more often.

After five (5) years, I've finally returned to this nice, quiet course.

While there's no driving range, you do have the option of using the two (2) netted hitting bays that accommodate four (4) golfers at a time. The clubhouse has a little bit of everything along with a full bar and small banquet room. Clubhouse and course personnel were all in a fine mood. You can tell there are a lot of (retired) regulars that likely play here (esp. on weekdays). It's like they can tell you're new/new-ish to the course; all good.

The course isn't long. But they made good use of the land in laying out the course. They compensate for the shorter distance with doglegs, narrowing fairways, well placed water and bunker hazards, forced carries, etc. I noticed a small yardage marker on one of the cart paths. I didn't see them elsewhere because I just wasn't looking. Using my phone for distance eliminates the need for me to know where these are (although I like them on a course). However, the carts (now) have touchscreen GPS in the cart. I love these things! The carts also had ball/club washers, sand, USB ports, multiple (large) cub holders, and extra padded seats. Those are so welcome on a four (4) hour ride.

The tee boxes were all holding up quite well for the amount of play they must get. The fairways were all in good order as well. I didn't see any need for repairs nor maintenance. And I'm sure this course gets quite a lot of play. So kudos to the grounds crew for keeping it in shape. The bunkers were well defined and kept. The sand however was hard and wet in some, and then just wet in others. We hadn't had any rain so it was just from watering. They certainly added an extra level of difficulty today. The greens were all in fine shape. Nothing caught my eye as an issue. They're not soft ... not too many ball marks on any of them. So that may mean you need to take off a yard or two on your approach -- like any of us can do that on purpose, right!? :) They were a nice tempo today -- not fast, not slow.

No beverage cart on this particular Tuesday. But I also don't expect on on this course. Since this is only my second time playing the course, I don't know if they ever have them. But I'm also not one to ever need a beverage cart. On a similar note, I do recall seeing a water jug station next to a ball washer.

During our afternoon round, a maintenance worker drove around the tee boxes and green skirts on a tractor while spraying them green. Is it just paint? Or is there anything useful in there like fertilizer etc? I have a feeling it's just paint. And it subsequently turned our balls, shoes, and any club grips green-ish ... whatever touched the boxes and skirts; unavoidable for us that afternoon on a number of holes. There's no good time for them to do it as there will always be golfers out playing. Still, is it really necessary? Is it just for looks or does it help in any way?

Don't forget about the wildlife. While we only saw a few ducks today, there were a ton of deer (yearlings, does, bucks) running around. You can tell they live on the course and in the woods along the edge as they're quite comfortable with the golfers around them.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Default User Avatar
Commented on 12/20/2023

Thanks so much for your wonderful review, GordonATX. We are thrilled to hear how much you enjoyed your time with us. Please visit again soon. Thanks for choosing Landa Park Municipal Golf Course!

Kissing Tree Golf Club

Played On 11/01/2023
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Wonderful retirement community course etc

At five (5) years old, it's still just an infant in golf course age. I purposely didn't play it in the first few years as I wanted a more 'built out' and complete course experience. I chose wisely. The course is looking really good right now. Yes, there's still a lot of housing construction going on and we'll soon see even more houses than we'd prefer. But that's all part of the master plan. This semi-private (Troon Golf managed) course has been cut through the hill country setting with great detail and care. And the community as a whole is very well planned out. I think I'm ready to retire here. :)

After stopping at the guard gate, you'll be directed to the golf pro shop for bag drop-off. While you can likely just park (as you might normally) to put on your shoes and get organized, it felt like this would not be preferred. Maybe that's just a feeling I got. My advice is to be prepared ahead of time accordingly. Anyway, they do not allow carts in the parking lot. So you either drop your bags or you're hoofing them up to the cart/shop area. Same goes for when you're done and it's time to go home.

You'll quickly realize that the electric carts are governed by GPS; they'll slow you down in certain areas (e.g. the clubhouse) and stop you from going off into the brush etc. The carts are certainly the best of all worlds. The only improvement might be AC for the hot months. Ha! Seriously, they have the newer style super padded seats that are so much more comfortable than the average cart. They also have large drink/cup holders, big/deep dash storage areas, USB ports, shelf trays up under the roof, ice chest, sand bottles, deep basket, club rain cover, soft/easy brakes, and (most importantly) touchscreen GPS screens which show (among other things) distances and other cart locations.

They have nice driving range, chipping, and putting areas. The Starter was very easy going and (as first time players) gave us the full run-down of the course layout and current rules. Some things to note are the bathroom near the practice area (by the starter) and a trailer bathroom on #14. I also noticed water jugs on various course holes. And the beverage cart saw us three (3) times. So all of that is just where/what it needs to be.

The tee boxes were in the best shape I've seen on any course. They'd rate right up there with some of the private country clubs I've played. Absolutely no complaints whatsoever.

The fairways were in fine shape, I regret that I left a few divots or scars that I shouldn't have; sorry. The rough consists of thicker/deeper Bermuda that transitions into hill country scrub brush/grass along with little white golf ball sized rocks, thorny bushes, and lots of cedar trees. And there were a number of holes with elevation changes as well as slope left/right. So that adds a slight but welcome challenge to one's game. Note, I didn't see a single yardage marker other than tee box signage. So you're relying solely on the GPS in your cart of your mobile golf app. As long as the technology is working, then you shouldn't have any problems. Everything worked perfectly for us.

The bunkers were of course in fine shape with the plenty of good sand. There wasn't a lot of water to contend with. It's present here and there but not really that much of a factor.

The greens were in fantastic shape. They are plentiful in size and all have some undulation and ridges. They were rolling faster than average today at an 11 (according to the Starter). One thing we found interesting is the pin location. So, if the tee markers are at the back of the overall tee box, then the flag will be red and in the front of the green. If the markers are in the middle, then the flag will be white and in the middle (left or right). And, as you've already guessed, if the markers are at the front of the tee box, then the blue flag will be in the back of the green. I thought that was quite a smart way of providing additional information to golfers.

As the community continues to build out, I'm sure the course will see additional (landscaping) improvements and tweaks. I certainly look forward to playing here again … and again.

Conditions Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate

Riverside Golf Course

Played On 10/13/2023
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Accessible getaway for the right price

It's been a LONG time since I've played this course. While it's no country club, I did find it in better shape than anticipated.

TEES -- Quite a number of the tee boxes have seen a lot of play. Either players think that they're pros and taking divots while not using tees ... or they're just not good golfers. Or perhaps the tee markers need to be moved around a little more. They're not always the biggest tee boxes to begin with. Anyway, there was minimal grass on a number of them and just about dirt only on a couple in particular.

FAIRWAYS -- No complaints here. They all appeared in quite decent shape (when I was actually playing out of them).

HAZARDS -- The bunkers were full and clean, but definitely not soft. Had they been watered a good amount? Are they just a harder sand/dirt compound? I'm not sure. I just know they were all very hard. As for water, there's barely a single pond that you may encounter. Generally speaking, you may have one or two little creek type areas to carry.

GREENS -- Most of these were just fine. However, a number of them had some larger burned up areas (heat, disease?). Soft sand was placed over these spots in lieu of grass. Hopefully a more permanent fix is coming as it might've been better to rope them off as ground under repair and let us drop on a better playing surface. I did encounter FIRE ANTS around the #16 and #17 greens. I avoided one of them but they snuck up on elsewhere so I ended up with a few bites around the ankle. That's not acceptable to me. These really need to be treated ASAP and/or regularly. For the number and size of these mounds, I can tell you from experience that they haven't been dealt with in a timely manner. Get them handled or they'll just become that much bigger of a problem.

CLUBHOUSE ETC -- The clubhouse is the same as it's been for a long, long time. It's a little old building pushed up against the back of the Austin Community College campus. I only stepped inside to pay so I'm not really sure what food/drink options may be available. There's no driving range and they have a single practice green. The carts are pretty basic (as expected) but do have USB ports and the larger drink/cup holders. They were running a beverage cart on the Friday we played and we saw them two or three times.

Conditions Average
Layout Fair
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Fairly Easy

Roy Kizer Golf Course

Played On 05/22/2023
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Aside from the water, it's great for scrambling

The course is looking really good right now. As most of us know, it certainly sees a lot of players every day. This was our first time back since they shut it down for some renovations. A few of the tee boxes were overly beat up. Again, that's likely seen on par-3's as some of you 'pro' golfers think you're actually good at hitting off the grass rather than using a tee. :) Maybe give it a try -- you just might like it. Question -- why is #16 cart path only? I think it's always been like this. But why? Afraid we'll drive over the rolling hills on the left side and not get back? Aside from that, I just can't see any reason to limit such access. Question -- why is the big tree on the corner of #17 still there? Looks like it took a beating during the last ice storm. Will it live on? Is it worth keeping around? I know a lot of us would prefer it be removed as it's certainly knocked down its fair share of balls over the decades. We all hate it. :)

Conditions Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Difficulty Moderate

Canyon Springs Golf Club

Played On 04/01/2023
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

I truly enjoy Texas Hill Country style courses!

This is a very nice semi-private club. It's a very typical Texas hill country course with lots of trees, limestone rock, natural grasses and weeds to line each hole. The course makes really good use of its natural flow.

So, the course and pro shop staff were apparently very accommodating and super chill/friendly during the whole week long process. They had our carts waiting for us with name cards (just as you see during tournaments). The clubhouse has a nice country feel to it. You really do feel like you're on an old homestead that's just been refreshed. They also have additional buildings for banquets, tournaments, weddings, etc. And don't forget the two (2) longhorns that are right behind the clubhouse; they're just along the #1 fairway.

They actually have two (2) driving ranges. We, of course, used the one near the 1st/10th tees. It's more for those about to play a round. This one hits downhill a bit. I like to have a little slope as it makes it easier to see targets, your ball, etc. This one was sloped more than I'd prefer but you can only do so much with the natural terrain. And being in the Texas hill country, you can't expect it all to be flat. This spot had one large putting green with a half dozen or so flags. It was in fantastic shape. However, the flags/targets do not have holes. I've seen this just a time or two now. You just hit to the flag which has a base of maybe 1-1/2". It's perfectly fine for just simply warming up, but I know a number of golfers who really do want a hole for the ball to find. Do I mind? No. I understand that having to cut and replace holes on the practice green surface is simply more involved and damaging. So a simple (small) pole rod going into the turf has to be easier and better for the course.

Above the practice area you'll find a nice, covered snack shop with a walkup window. Given a little more room, it would be great to have some shaded seating up there to rest, watch others practice etc. The staff working the window, beverage cart (saw her twice during the round), and outdoor grill were all very pleasant. It's quite convenient that this snack shop is surrounded by the 1st tee, the 10th tee, and the practice area. And it's all just up the hill from the main clubhouse. While one of the guys in my group opted for a pre-packaged turkey sandwich, the rest of us chose to get a hotdog; and we were the winners. It's a quality dog cooked on an outdoor grill with a buttered, toasted bun. They offered grated cheese and a selection of normal condiments. Personally, I just can't put cheese on one unless there's chili underneath. And if chili had been offered, then I would've ordered two or three and skipped the rest of my round. :)

Carts are of the newer variety with larger cup holders, plenty of pocket space, USB ports, and easy 'no stomp' brakes. We had a cooler on one side and green sand on the other. I'm such a fan of green sand; bonus if it includes any fertilizer and/or nutrients. Along with a daily pin placement card, the carts are also equipped with touchscreen GPS screens that show distances to pins, front/back green, and hazards. It also had an additional pop-up view of the green (slope etc) that I hadn't previously come across. I do wish it would also show distance to other carts on the course but that's just wanting it all, right!? There was a time or two when that could've been helpful in knowing if we were safe to hit. All good though. Oh, and this was the first time to have a radio option on the touchscreen. It picked up local stations +/-. The speakers aren't great but it's an option if you're into having a little something on in the background as you play your round.

The vast majority of the (blue) tee boxes were just fine. They'd done a good job of keeping them from drying out. Only one or two caught our eye as being mounded a bit. We're just coming into spring so the winter grass is going away and the nice green fairways are starting to come in quite nicely. One thing I noticed after the round (while looking at a satellite view) was the number of housing developments surrounding the course. I saw plenty of houses while playing but I never felt cramped by them. On some courses, they seem to be right on top of you. But for the most part, housing was placed away just enough that I didn't feel closed in, didn't feel like I might hit a roof. :) With the trees, other vegetation, and use of the land available, the course layout really provides a nice environment. The rough is very indicative of hill country golf. There are plenty of tall grasses (with some cactus) that you'll need to avoid. You're not going to scramble much on this course. Still, I tried. Ha! The bunkers (of which I found none *thank you very much*) were all in really good shape according to my playing partners. As for water, you only have one hole (#16) with any water and it simply stretches along the left side. The fairway is plenty wide so it really shouldn't be much of a concern. The only 'forced carries' on this course are some tall grassy rough and the #10 tee shot for most of the tee boxes. Past that, I saw one bathroom (without AC) and one water jug. But I wasn't looking out for them as much since the temperature really didn't require me to seek them out. And finally, the greens were all in fantastic shape. They actually cut a thin border around them to separate the green from the fringe. Now, the little cut out on the left side of #14 green got me. I put up one of my better shots of the day going after that flag and my ball ended up rolling off the left side and down into a low spot. "Man, that's just mean." [movie: Payback]

Pro Tips:
Hole #6 is a split fairway. You have to pick one side or the other. But before you do, make sure you look at the GPS and/or pin placement sheet so that you know where the flag is located. It's a massive peanut shaped green. And if you choose the wrong fairway, it's going to affect your distances and approach shots. You should also take note of the flag position on #5. That particular green is terraced and you may have an interesting ride up/down if you land it on the wrong section.

It's rare that I end up sitting around in the bar after a round but today was different. We had a nice time sitting inside having a beverage or two with the game on the TV. Several of us ordered food from their menu (of a dozen or so items). Apparently everything ordered was very well received -- burgers, sandwiches, quesadillas, etc. I'd certainly recommend it.

For this particular outing, one of my guys was trying to coordinate with some of his business colleagues to have four (4) foursomes on a perfect Saturday afternoon. In the end, he couldn't fill all of the slots and even had a couple players drop out -- one due to a medical issue, and another who simply texted two (2) hours before our tee time that he couldn't make it. Who does that!? Well, he won't get any invites in the future. As such, another friend and myself were called in to simply fill some seats. Free golf, food, and drinks at a great course all on someone else's corporate dime!? Why not. :)

Conditions Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Default User Avatar
Commented on 04/05/2023

Hi GordonATX, thank you so much for the review. Have a wonderful day!

Jimmy Clay Golf Course

Played On 02/20/2023
2.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Overall impression and/or issues -- it's just not a good time to play this course. Out of the GolfATX city owned courses in Austin, we rarely come back to this course. It's simply been a broken record +/- for a decade or so. It was designed long ago and would take PGA money in order to rebuild it to desired playing standards.

Speaking of money, did I see any water jugs on the course today? I don't recall any. Maybe they're there ... or maybe they've indefinitely succumbed to COVID-19 (when they were first removed from the GolfATX courses). Be prepared regardless.

The governors on the golf carts appear to be on the slower end of the spectrum. We thought our cart hadn't been charged properly and turned around on the first hole only to get the same limited speed out of the second cart. Ugh! I'd almost consider trying to adjust the nut on the rod/cable that controls the electric speed governor. It's not like Clay is a dangerous course with big hills, dangerous curves, etc. It's a tame/safe course.

With a handful of fairways stacked next to one another like bacon in a frying pan, there's often a bit of forgiveness when you miss the fairway. That'll help players who are perhaps higher handicaps and/or having an off day (like ... me!).

As for the actual course conditions, the winter months are never much fun on older muny type courses. All dried out grasses were cut short and left us hitting a lot more hardpan dirt. A number of tee boxes were more dirt than grass. I know this course gets a good amount of play and funds may be more scarce (vs private course), but some of the boxes were just ridiculous. The fairways were in decent shape generally speaking. They just had short, 'dead' winter grass. Don't expect decent divots if that's your style of play. The bunkers were all in good shape. Of course, we don't want nor plan to play from them so that's not really that helpful. Still, kudos for having plenty of good soft sand and rakes all around. The water hazards all seemed to be in pretty good shape. I only noticed that the one around the #6 green was on the low side. Luckily, that worked in my favor since my approach came just short enough to drop down into what would normally be water, but was instead dried dirt. The greens were alright. But they, too, were dry and hard. They certainly didn't hold a shot. None of us needed a repair tool today. I often hit a shorter shot into the green to compensate for the extra roll/bounce I was going to receive. I did see a few weeds and/or undesirable grasses creeping in here and there; it happens. They were rolling fairly decent ... a little on the quick side (which I certainly don't mind). I did see a few too many cut grass clump droppings that came from underneath the mowers. Not exactly sure how you prevent that ... or if you have to come behind with blowers to get them off. We simply had to move a number of them before putting; enough to make it noticeable.

See you in a few years Jimmy Clay ... maybe, maybe not.

Conditions Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Difficulty Moderate
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Challenging course .. be ready!

It's been five (5) years since I last played this course. As you may know, this course is made up of three (3) 9-hole courses: The Oaks, The Creeks, and The Lakes. For this particular outing, our group was instructed to play Lakes & Creeks. The playing difficulty of a course is a slope rating range from 55 to 155 with the standard being 113. Well, the Lakes/Creeks combination that we played has a slope of 130 from the blue tees. So it's a little on the difficult side (in every way possible) for the average golfer. You should expect to shoot higher than your normal average ... and that's okay. My score on this day said it was MUCH harder though. :) And if you're not able to play a course on a regular basis, then it just becomes that much harder to play it well. Scrambling on this course is a little more difficult than the average course. You really do want to be in the short grass to do well here. You'll also notice that the majority of the holes were designed specifically to reward accurately placed shots. Narrowing fairways, trees, bunkers, water, bends ... all are used quite precisely at common landing areas off the tee.

I really appreciate a bit of nature and natural surroundings when I'm on a course. Given the land on which this course was cut, there's an abundance of trees and natural landscape. It doesn't feel planted nor fake as some courses can be. And while you'll see just a few houses on just a couple of holes, the majority of this course is simply wandering through a large area of land.

Before you begin your round, you have a nice driving range (balls provided as applicable), practice bunker, and two (2) putting greens. Our cart was provided with two (2) bottles of water iced down and ready to go. On the course, I noticed several water jugs and separate cans for trash and recycling. The divot sand provided is green! I love it when courses use the green sand instead of the normal beach sand. Maybe it's just the dyed sand ... or maybe (hopefully) it has some fertilizer etc mixed in. And being the newer +/- style of carts, you're provided with four (4) bigger cup holders, big cubby holes, two (2) USB ports, and hard plastic basket-like shelves under the roof. But more importantly, there's a touchscreen GPS monitor. This is a huge advantage when you need to know the distance to the pin, the front/back of the green, and/or a particular hazard.

The tee boxes were in average condition for the most part but I did notice a lot of activity on the par-3s because so many golfers take a divot. It happens. But the staff need to accommodate for that and they so rarely do. I'd like to see larger tee boxes on par-3's so we could be moved around to better grass more often. It's just a thought.

Before you pull out driver on the par 4s, you really should take a good look at the distances and graphical layout of each hole on the GPS touchscreen that's in your cart. Water, bunkers, and doglegs often await you. And those can and will greatly affect your score if you choose to challenge them. The bunkers on this particular day were definitely on the firm side -- recent rain, sprinklers, or are they always like that!? It makes a big difference at times so I'd much prefer the standard fluffy sand. Past that, the sand was very clean and free of rocks and debris. Also, I noticed several bunkers only had one (1) rake. And these weren't small bunkers. There was definitely a shortage of rakes this day.

The greens were decently receptive ... not too hard, but certainly not too soft. They had a nice speed to them and were in excellent shape ... some of the cleanest, well cut greens I've seen in quite awhile. Now, a significant number of the greens are elevated and/or protected in front. You'll be limited with any bump-n-run shots onto the green.

Clubhouse staff and the starter were very friendly and accommodating. I don't recall seeing a Marshal but the course didn't need one on this slower day. The beverage cart found us twice (once on each nine). That's just about what you'd expect and/or need.

Conditions Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Moody Gardens Golf Course

Played On 10/03/2022
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
First Time Playing
Wet weather
Used cart

Water water everywhere!

This was my first time at MGGC. Because we were running late, I didn't get to check out the clubhouse etc. It appeared to be an older building left over from the former Galveston Muny. It's elevated such that the main floor is on the 2nd floor. I could see that the bar on one end of the building was surrounded by windows and had the usual sports on TVs. So that's a plus.

Two marshals were hanging around the driving range and handling starter duties. They were super friendly ... some good ol' boys. We enjoyed chatting with them for a bit before they sent us off as a 2-some. I was fully in favor of that. I'm not a big fan of playing with strangers. That, and there was a good chance I'd have a poor scoring round; I did. We saw one of the marshals on the course later on but he was likely handling something rather than checking on players. He did have his radio volume up which (luckily) went off just *after* my partner's tee shot. He might want to turn the radio down or use an earpiece while out on the course.

Water, water, water ... it's everywhere on this course. Take a look at satellite imagery and/or your golf app in order to figure out your safe shots. And you can't hit near the water because that area is often marshy. Oh, and it'll be full of huge, hungry mosquitos. So when you find a Titleist Velocity with a blue dot bottom right of the logo ... that's mine. I left them all over that course! :)

Trees ... what trees? There are a lot of palm trees on the course and it looks like the freeze we had last winter killed half of them. Too bad. Past that, this course won't have any trees for you to worry about. You're either in grass (short/rough) or you're in the water. Well, you could end up in the bunkers; I did more than once. I can't really speak to their general condition because they'd been flooded +/- by the recent rains. Some had puddles and some were just soaked and hardening on top. I imagine the course would have to wait another day or so before they could turn them over and/or fluff them up ... if that's something they actively do. The course is flat -- no elevation changes whatsoever. As for the grounds, I didn't notice any real problems. The tee boxes, fairways, and greens were all in really nice shape. The greens were fast though. I don't know if that's normal or if they'd been cut (shorter) recently. But a putt that should've rolled 10ft was going about 14ft.

As for our particular day of play, it was WET. We'd had a day or two of overnight rain so the course was a little sloshy in spots. It seemed to drain fairly well though. Of course, the cart paths had numerous spots where it remained covered in big puddles. It's not a big deal, but is something that could possibly be added to the maintenance to-do list for a (... wait for it ...) rainy day. Speaking of the cart paths, I really wish every single course would use the red-white-blue-yellow paint striping. They do have the various/multiple distance markers on sprinkler heads ... so that's good. But I'm a fan of 'path paint' as it's so helpful to so many. During this COVID time, this is a rare course (that I've seen) that actually has coolers of water available. With COVID still messing with various things in our respective lives, most courses have not yet gone back to putting out water.

With the airport next door, we were treated to a loud single engine plane that was doing touch-n-go's with a quick vertical accent upon takeoff. It was fun to watch. Speaking of noise, I wasn't used to playing on a course that has streets bordering the course such that you get a somewhat steady stream of cars driving in/out of the course as well as the neighborhood next door. I did not care for that ... mostly because I'm just not used to it.

Conditions Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Moderate

Jimmy Clay Golf Course

Played On 09/29/2022
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
Previously Played
Wet weather
Used cart

Adding it back into my course rotation

Well, I hadn't been back to JC in a lot of years. It'd seen some tough times along with some severe drought. So a friend and I spent a weekday afternoon to get reacquainted with the course. Luckily we'd had some rain recently which helped soften things up a bit. In fact, it was cart path only on this particular day -- at least until we were about 2/3s finished and the marshal said we could go 90°.

Tee boxes seemed alright -- flat and not overly beaten up by those of you who take divots with your driver. :) And the fairways had a nice cut of grass and appropriate first cuts of rough. Same can be said for the greens as they had a nice cut and were in quite good shape. All in all, I was very pleased with the conditions after remembering my last outing or two on the course many years ago. I'm glad to say that it's come back nicely ... to the point where I can add it into my course rotation as applicable.

You can certainly scramble often on this course. The fairways are sometimes a little wider than average and any trees lining them are sparse. Some courses punish you with the rough but it wasn't bad; it was just where it should've been. These factors can make this course a little easier and/or pleasurable for higher handicappers and/or newer golfers.

One tip for the course. I know you've thought about it. Maybe you're trying to see if it'll come back with enough leaves etc. But the tree in the fairway on #18 needs to go; picture attached. The shot off of the tee box is already challenging. We don't need a 78% dead tree sitting in the way for our approach to the green which is bordered by two (2) ponds. This hole has enough difficulty in general ... we don't need to add the tree into the mix. Please cut it down.

Conditions Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Moderate

Plum Creek Golf Club

Played On 08/11/2022
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Holding up to the summer heat/drought.

It's August, we're in a drought, and haven't seen rain in about 6+ weeks. So I was surprised that the course was in good shape overall. You may not take too many divots with the (often) dry/hard ground underneath. But that's to be expected -- with or without a drought at many courses in the area.

A number of the tee boxes could really use some work. This is a problem with a lot of courses simply because we ALL hit from this one localized area. But for that reason, more attention needs to be given to them accordingly. I get it ... it's hard for course maintenance to keep these nice. And it doesn't help when so many of you are digging into them like you're a pro; you're not. We noticed more than a few were mounded/tilted. And along with some boxes being severely chewed up and divoted, a number of the them were mixed grasses ... stuff no one should have to hit off of.

The fairways and greens were in good condition considering the high heat and lack of (extra) water this entire summer. The weather has also made sure that only the ponds have water .. so you don't have to worry quite as much about some of the otherwise potentially hazardous areas along a few of the fairways. The bunkers were all in nice shape with good fine and dry sand; only saw a couple of small rocks.

And finally, we encountered a few too many locals on the course. Honestly, you shouldn't encounter anyone other than golfers and course employees, right!? Well, we had three (3) different instances with kids and teenagers during our round on this Thursday afternoon. First, we came up on two (2) younger boys throwing the baseball around the #4 tee boxes. They live in one of the residences just yards away so they're using the course as their backyard. Were they in our way? No, they stopped and walked over to the edge of the property when we came around to hit. They've obviously been taught that (by their parents?). But that means their parents have told them it's okay to play on the course property -- which it's not. I'm not trying to be a "get off my lawn" guy. But we do pay to be here. More importantly, it's for their safety that they not be on the property. Do they know how quickly I can slice one into them? And then what .. I get sued by their parents for medical bills!? That's a problem that the course management needs to handle *before* anything happens. No one likes to be the bad guy but the residents alongside the course need to be reminded, reprimanded, etc. in order to minimize such situations. This is not their playground; it's private property. Our second encounter consisted of three (3) teenagers walking down the fence line of #16 by the apartments. They were generally quiet and just heading from A to B. But they came into view just as we were teeing off and were in the danger zone +/-. And finally, I was about to hit my approach shot when a young teen came up from behind me riding his bike down the cart path.

Conditions Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Moderate

Lions Municipal Golf Course

Played On 03/28/2022
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

It's getting busy ... lots of players here.

Just a shorter review (even though I'll still write more than most -- to note a few things from my recent round.

This course is popular because of its location, lack of other courses nearby, its history, difficulty level, and price. It sees a lot of golfers ... and maybe a few extras that aren't that good at the game. So, the tees are currently beat to heck. It's the beginning of spring and everyone is getting out to play. I wish the course could increase (lengthen) the size of some of the greens. But they're also limited on space as this course will built a long time ago and they pretty much used all of the land they had available to them. I'm just trying to figure out how they can move the tee markers up/back more often to allow for divots to be repaired by whatever means.

The fairways were fine but on the tail end of winter grass conditions. Hopefully spring will bring them back to life. The bunkers were in great shape but was that sand or dirt? Looks like a soft dirt to me; maybe I need to research or ask about it to be sure. At least it was fresh, clean, and lacking little rocks etc. The greens were in really good shape ... even rolling a little slow today actually.

We saw a course marshal several times. That's not always the case. And this was on a Monday late afternoon. He was mainly checking to see that pace of play was going okay. The groups in front of us included a single, a 2-some, a 5-some of high school boys not putting out, and another single. I think they all simply played the front nine and left. So the back nine was much smoother. Odd that the only tee time I could get for my 2-some was at 3:00pm though. SMH. No worries; all good.

Conditions Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Difficulty Moderate

Delaware Springs Golf Course

Played On 03/17/2022
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Just enough challenges for a country course.

Has it really been eight (8) years since I last played this course!? Well, it's just as I remember it. The club house is simple but certainly adequate and they have a decent grill for your dining/drinking pleasure.

I feel like this course has a higher number of senior golfers because the area has a high number of retirees ... with their own golf carts. But don't worry, they know the course and how to play it. They're likely to push you to pick up the pace instead of the other way around.

The putting green near the clubhouse has a little extra undulation in parts but that's good practice of which too many fail to take advantage. The driving range is also close by and can certainly handle getting you warmed up as needed. However, it likely maxes out around 235 yards and that's if you hit it straight to a small area. So perhaps stick to your 180 or less irons.

While this course gets a significant amount of play, the tee boxes are holding up well. Some felt a little hard ... hard to place a tee. You'll find plaques in the ground with yardage markings next to the tees so that can be helpful when you aren't looking at the scorecard, GPS, etc.

The fairways were cut well but I guess I have to blame 'winter conditions.' They're just a little hard ... lacking the softness of (growing) green grass. If you're a divot maker then this may not work well for you at this time. It's better for those who pick their balls a little cleaner. And you won't be playing out of the real rough much if at all. You'll be lucky to even find your ball in the high grass, cactus, thick brush, etc. This is the Hill Country after all. As for yardage markings, you do get sprinkler head distances. Those seem to be harder to find on so many courses I play. They don't use 150 yard poles but that's okay. I do wish they'd paint the red-white-blue-yellow stripes on the cart paths. Oh well, we can't have it all.

There is a scattering of bunkers around the course. They're well placed (in a bad way). So I found a couple. The sand was very fine and very dry but void of any rocks. So I can play those more or less.

Hole #1 is the only hole with a water hazard. It's a mossy little creek at the end of the downhill fairway that you have to carry in order to continue the par 5. I bombed a nice drive that rolled down to the flat area just a few yards short of the end of the fairway. Honestly, I'd forgotten I needed to hit a lesser club off the tee; haven't played the course in a long time. So I was thrilled with my "tee shot of the day" ... only to top the next ball into the water. Ugh. So much for having a chance to be putting for eagle.

The greens had been 'painted' around the edges but were all in really good shape. Unfortunately, the winter conditions aren't done yet so the greens felt a little harder than they might be when receiving more water. So they didn't hold the ball too well ... didn't see a single ball mark that needed fixing. And they were running fast today. That meant we played a lot of shots short on purpose and hoped for the best. And that, in the end, will certainly affect one's score. It is what it is.

Noticed large black tarps rolled up near every green on the course. It's great to see they're taking precautions during overnight freezing and/or morning frost conditions. Protecting the greens is vital since those are the most important parts of the course with respect to our game.

The course had coolers with cold water and cups on both 9's. They also had ball washers next to them. The carts did not have ball/club washers on them but did have two sand jugs and USB outlets. They also had the wider cup holders that I so prefer. And the brakes on these are nice because you just let the cart stop and don't have to engage (click) the brake. Sooooo nice in my opinion. It's the little things that make me happy sometimes. Ha!

Conditions Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Difficulty Moderate

Willow Springs Golf Course

Played On 01/29/2022
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
First Time Playing
Used cart

OG course in SA; better layout than expected

This was my first time playing this course. My overall impression is that I'd like to come back in the late spring or early summer when the grass is green and trees are full of leaves. That would likely really make a difference. Stupid winter. :) But hey, we can literally play golf year round in central Texas. So we've got that going for us ... which is nice.

The clubhouse at this muny is basic. But it was well kept and clean. Personally, I never require anything from a clubhouse as I come prepared. So I have no complaints. I'm not expecting country club amenities at this type of course. Along with a smattering of hats/shirts/balls/tees/etc, they also had a small assortment of snacks and drinks (Gatorade, beer, etc).

Apparently there was a frost delay. We had tee time around 2pm. There were various groups getting ready to play. We were asked by 2-3 of them what our tee time was as they were wondering if they were before or after us. Turns out some of them got a text message that morning stating all times would be pushed back 45 minutes. Our group, however, did not get such a text. So this was news to us. And no one in the clubhouse mentioned it to us. That's something they need to tell every single person that walks in (all day long). A course marshal had been hanging around the #1 tee box while we checked into the clubhouse etc but he left right around that time and was never seen again. That left several groups standing around trying to figure out who was next up, who was missing players (now coming 30-45 minutes later than usual), a single walker who went off, etc etc etc. And there was a diverse mixture of carts, push carts, and even bag-over-the-shoulder players. I can't tell you the last time I saw someone carrying their bag. I don't think any courses I normally play allow it (for whatever reason). It was all a bit frustrating. We eventually walked up and teed off simply because no one else was stepping up; snooze or lose. Being one of the fewer nice weather days (and a Saturday), the course was certainly busy ... which slowed up the pace of play for everyone. Along with a more affordable muny come players of all skill levels. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to have everyone on the course. I used to spray the ball all of the place myself when I first started. And I'm certainly not a 'good' golfer even today. But I hit quick and my shots aren't too crazy. Anyway, we would've normally been able to finish before sundown but ended up two holes short; that's always disappointing.

The big plus on the carts was GPS. There's a small screen mounted under the roof which allows you to touch it for specific yardage. It also shows an overview video of the hole you're playing. You can also see these virtual flyover videos on their web site: https://www.alamocitygolftrail.com/willow-springs-golf-course/. Note, don't drive your cart in the wrong areas (e.g. greenside) or the GPS will lock it up and you'll have to reverse out; my cart partner found that out the hard way. Club/ball washers are located on one side and space for a cooler on the other. Our carts did not have coolers attached; I assume you might need to ask for one (as needed). Other features included USB ports, bottles of sand, and four smaller style cup holders.

The course overall isn't anything fancy. It's certainly not the most manicured course. Grounds crews likely stick to the area of play and a fair amount of the rest seems a bit untouched +/-. I kind of expect that, but I also appreciate when attention is paid to general greenspace areas. There's a putting green (or two) but no driving range. I didn't see any water coolers on course. I also didn't see a bathroom although there may be one near the #16 tee box. Not sure if they run a beverage cart. They didn't have one during our 'busy with good weather' Saturday afternoon outing.

There are plenty of tee boxes available with ample real estate to adjust the tee positions around. Being an affordable course, this one certainly sees a lot of play. So the tees were a little chewed up. Winter grass and temps don't help this situation. You'll find a basic yardage sign at each hole. Normally I'd like to see a hole layout as well. But the GPS videos cover that (if you actually watch them).

The fairways were nice and brown with 'winter' grass. The unfortunate side was that there's a lot of hardpan. So don't expect to take a lot of divots. One up side to the fairways' current condition is that your ball will roll out a lot if you hit a screamer. The rough wasn't really rough. It, too, was cut short and simply not a factor. In fact, it probably gave me something more to hit out of -- a touch more grass and less hardpan contact. I didn't see any regular distance markers on cart paths nor fairways. I believe I saw a 150yd pole or two. The GPS takes care of this except for walkers.

I noticed a nice variety of trees on the course. Again, I'd like to see them in bloom. I bet it makes a world of difference. The creek however could use a little love. I saw far too much trash in it from runoff etc. You just shouldn't see trash anywhere on a golf course.

There are just a few water hazards on the course. And they're not really that much in play. I did notice one of them was a bit low with several feet of mud up near the bank. But we're not supposed to be playing over there anyway, right!? The bunkers, however, need some work. They were cut fine and had plenty of sand. But don't bother picking up the rake because they were about the hardest (compact) bunkers I've ever come across. I barely made a shoe imprint -- hard as hardpan dirt.

The greens were in decent shape. I noticed a few areas where they were trying to deal with dry spots, fungus, or whatever. Being short cut winter grass, they were running FAST which really amplified your breaks and downhill putts. We all lost a significant number of strokes due to this. I'm not necessarily complaining; it's just that time of year and we happened to catch them cut short. But cut short and hard underneath, they were not receptive to incoming iron shots; they didn't hold well. We quickly adjusted to hitting our short to land in front of the green and have the ball bounce or skip up onto the green. And that makes for even less accurate ball position on the green.

Conditions Fair
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Difficulty Fairly Easy
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Basic and natural course lacking personality. (sigh)

I'll start by stating that no one in my 4-some is a member of this private club; we acquired a certificate to play. We asked to play the North Course but were instead put on the South Course due to tee time limitations. Had I known that was going to happen, we would've postponed our visit (driving down from Austin) until another day. Anyway, we ended up playing on Wednesday afternoon; the day before Thanksgiving. Upon arrival, we parked and walked our bags down to the check-in 'cabana' area. Being a private club, I thought there might be guys running carts out to newly arrived players. There weren't ... but that's okay. Some clubs provide such services whether you want them or not. And some clubs don't. There were a few groups going off to play one course or the other, but the majority of players appeared to just be on the range hitting balls because they didn't have to be at work. The putting greens (one was in use, another was not) looked large and in great shape. I just didn't have time to test them out.

While the clubhouse et al is on the north side of Loop 1604, the South Course (aka Canyon Creek Course) is ... (wait for it) ... on the south side of the highway. That means the first tee box is about 0.7 miles from the clubhouse (as the crow flies). Wow! And when you tee off from #1, you're a mere 240 feet from the access road ... or 385 feet from the center of the freeway. Thanks Google Maps. A decent drive then puts you next to a drive-thru car wash (among other businesses). I might expect this from a different kind of club. I was just surprised that a private course would be among such daily life in the fast lane (pun intended). I know it's a huge urban area and land is oh-so expensive. I just wasn't expecting it to this level.

The EZ-GO TXT carts were the older electric variety with small cup holders and small glove box areas. And at least on my cart, the brake was extremely sensitive ... had to push ever so gently to get it to engage. The carts did have USB ports but I didn't need to test them out. There were two coolers on the cart -- one had ice and the other contained sand and a scoop. That may be the second time I've seen sand in a cooler. It works. I'd prefer sand in bottles for various reasons. I'd also prefer this cooler spot to instead have a ball and club cleaner. But with these carts having rain hoods (more common at private clubs), I guess that took away the option for sand bottle carriers. Note, I never saw a club nor ball cleaner on the course either. And finally, the towels provided with the cart were, well, overdue for being replaced. I assume they were clean/washed but they were significantly stained to the point that I would never provide them to players on a muny much less a private course. Am I asking for too much? Maybe, maybe not. But I just kept thinking that I expect a lot more from a private club.

You'll find the only bathroom at an intersection of #5 and #14 tee boxes. So at least you have two opportunities as needed. What I found interesting was the beverage cart was parked here under a carport like area. The young lady working the cart had a banquet table set up against the wall with a nicely displayed assortment of items. I'm sure that's helpful in letting folks know what's available and even 'suggestive selling' a particular item or two. That's all fine. However, she didn't move. She didn't drive the course. She just sat there (on her phone) waiting for you to come by twice in your round. Interesting. I've never seen it done that way. I'm sure it has its pros and cons. And remember, there's no clubhouse at the turn on the South Course ... you're on your own.

Regarding the physical condition of the course, it was alright. The tee boxes were a little beat up in spots but otherwise flat (not rounded). The tee markers on each hole seemed close together though so there may not be a lot of difference in overall distance. Essentially (from what I remember), there's really just a single tee box area per hole. Some courses have it this way and others have them spread out to give actual (significant) distance options for various levels of golfers. Moving onto the fairways, we found them in good shape and certainly consistent from hole to hole. But I guess they expect players to all have GPS via phone apps etc? Here's a tip -- we don't. Out of my group, two of us used apps and/or a ($$) rangefinder and the other two just kept asking us "how far do I have?" I didn't see a single distance marker on the course -- no paint on the cart path, no 150yd poles, and no sprinkler head yardage. Maybe this is a trend (?) with some of the newer courses only decades old, but this course has been here since 1954. We've only had these fancy smartphone apps and/or other yardage gadgets for the last 10 years or so, right!? So what have players been using? Continuing on, the cart paths were fine but I noticed a significant number of cracks throughout the course ... again, just not something I'm used to seeing at a 'club.' One thing I didn't see was a single cooler of water, ice, nor cups anywhere on the course. Is this a carryover from the first 6-12 months of COVID-19? Or is this the norm for this course? The rough was typical for the hill country area. The grass will often eat your ball wherein you have to be within just a couple of feet to see it. So make sure you (and your other players) are watching your respective shots. Outside of that (literally), you'll find tons of oak and elm trees, hard dirt, and various small rocks and roots. Bunkers abound because they're easy enough to maintain and add a bit of challenge (or just plain punishment) to the course. They all appeared to be in good shape with clean, soft sand. Most holes had two bunkers around the green, several had three, and I think only one had just one. But I think I only saw one possible fairway bunker so it's limited to the greens. As for water hazards ... what water hazards? Maybe (barely) you can say there's one on #12 but I just don't consider this retention pond to be enough in play; it's certainly not designed as much of a forced carry. Speaking of forced carries ... nope, don't recall anything significant. Now the greens were the best part of the round. They were all in really nice shape and fast. They also had a good amount of break for most putts; challenge accepted.

I normally try to take relevant pictures during my rounds. But I didn't take any 'pretty' pictures that day because I just didn't see anything worth shooting. Maybe the overcast skies made things look dull. But still, there just wasn't anything special about any particular hole, layout, landscape, etc. In the end, it's a very basic and natural course where they cut holes into the landscape and didn't add anything in particular. So there's not anything outwardly aesthetically pleasing about the overall course. I guess it kind of lacks personality -- lacks anything special, unique, and/or memorable. And my assumption is that they have the basic grounds crew out mowing etc as needed but they're not making any efforts to clean up the edges and make it nicer than just average. It could be mistaken for just about any course in the Texas hill country regardless of price.

Obviously, these reviews are about the course played -- the actual holes etc. But being a private club, there's more to talk about than a simple pro shop. The clubhouse was nice from what I saw. Because of the terrain, the pro shop and 19th Hole are on the 2nd floor when you enter from the side or back of the building. The pro shop was probably 2-3 times the size of a normal shop. It was well organized and had plenty of everything you might need. But if you want to get to the 19th Hole where they have bathrooms, lockers, etc., then you have to go back outside and work your way over. It's not as odd as it sounds, but I still questioned the overall layout. What architect would do that? The 19th Hole bar/grill looked nice as well. I saw a few tables seated with a waiter taking their order. There was also a card room for poker and such. The locker room had bathrooms, showers, whirlpool, and steam room. Do folks actually still use those? It all felt very old school ... but not necessarily in a bad way; just maybe a little dated.

Now, I still 'recommend' this course simply because it's not unplayable. It takes a lot for me to not recommend a course. But I wouldn't spend a lot of money on it and I certainly wouldn't be a club member unless I'm always playing the North Course (and that assumes it's in superb condition all around).

Conditions Average
Layout Fair
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Fairly Easy

Falconhead Golf Club

Played On 10/18/2021
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Always a good choice! Never a hesitation.

I don't want you to get the wrong (negative) idea from my review below. I point out things but try to be at least a little funny/entertaining. *Are you not entertained!?* So, I'll put this here and again at the bottom:
*** I highly recommend playing this course! It's a great track and has never disappointed me. ***

First off, shout out to the starter. I don't think I'm allowed to say his name but it rhymes with lob (wedge). He just comes across as a great guy -- always in a good mood when I've come out here. And given enough time, you can have a nice chat with him -- stories, jokes, life, whatever. Anyway, this is a great course to play. I've always really enjoyed the rolling hill country and natural setting. If someone were to come to the Austin area and ask for some of my preferred courses (for various reasons), this one would certainly make the list. Today's round was not perfect of course. My 'job' as a reviewer isn't to just put up a short comment of "course was in good shape, shot well, will be back." What does that do for you as a reader of such reviews!? So I have some good and not so good to point out in my honest and detailed review. I'll start with the things that are particular to this course and today's round and then hit the basics of Tee Boxes, Fairways, Hazards, and Greens. And if you're so inclined after reading this lengthy tale, then feel free to click the Helpful button or leave me a comment. Rarely does anyone do that. But at least then I'll know folks are looking. Thanks!

What are the chances we can get them to put a high net along the right side of the driving range to protect the #9 fairway from being littered with balls by all of you slicers? :) Seriously, the berm isn't cutting it; never has. I shouldn't have to play up the left side just to avoid spending 5-10 minutes looking for my ball while hitting 20-30 range balls back over the hill. The driving range has added an improvement (literally .. a structure) since I last visited the course. They've added covered hitting bays with mats and couch seating [picture attached]. There are four (4) seats per bay along with a coffee table. From what I can tell, this is part of Toptracer Range -- something a few courses in the area are adding. And from what I've read elsewhere, you may be able to play famous golf courses and/or compete against friends. So I guess this will be available at certain times for family fun? Something extra to give the members because they don't want to drive to TopGolf and deal with the drunks, the music, the crowds, the parking, and the cost? Oh, yeah, I can see that as a draw (no pun intended) for having a membership. But it's a really small draw ... even for a golfing family including kids, I see this as a bit kitschy; I don't see it being used more than a few times by anyone. I wonder if it'll last. Otherwise, I guess it'll give folks a way to stay dry while hitting balls on a misty/rainy day. Now past all of that, the Falconhead web site mentions the Toptracer app in order to track data on your various shots. Is this built into all of their range balls; are they all chipped? No pun intended. Or do we need to get special balls from them? Is it available all of the time? Can we hit these from the normal range grass? Does it cost anything? I obviously have questions and no answers at this time. This ... this could be useful for a lot of folks looking to figure out their distances, work on tweaks, etc. And I'm sure it'll be useful for those receiving personal ($) instruction/lessons. Perhaps they'll add more detailed information on the web site soon-ish. (hint hint)

While the vast majority of the course was in *fantastic* shape, I definitely noticed (more so on the front 9) a significant number of areas along the cart path with just hard dirt and rock (often roped off accordingly). I hope they're looking to repair them somehow as it's not a good look. Perhaps the course should pour some of those short cart path turnoffs to show golfers where to enter and exit the fairway. Then I'd put up a more permanent form of decent looking barrier (e.g. short moveable fence sections made of cedar) to stop carts from exiting the path from every possible entry point in a span of 100-200 yards. And while I'm on the pseudo topic of accessibility, I *really* think steps/stairs are needed to get up/down from the #10 green. It's always been just a bit too steep. Anytime I see every age of golfer having to be extra careful walking up and down, that means someone's going to slip, blow out a knee, etc. Steps towards the back part of the green (after the bunker) where the vast majority of golfers walk would be very welcome. Are you listening Falconhead? Thanks for listening.

Are there any kind of yardage markers on this course other than the hole signage by the tee box? I know they don't have red-white-blue-yellow painted cart paths markers. They don't have 150 yard polls. I think I remember them in the past ... maybe. And I don't recall seeing sprinkler head markers (but I wasn't exactly looking). Many of us are now using apps for yardage. And they can work quite well. So are courses going to start letting go of yardage markings altogether? I'm okay with that if they put GPS in the carts but that's likely proved too pricey for many courses with subscriptions, updates, maintenance, etc. Otherwise, I think some form of yardage markers need to stay.

There are two (2) bathrooms on the course away from the clubhouse. They look nice from the outside and I can only assume that they're air conditioned. The drink machines, however, could use a little adjustment. The one by #5/6 apparently only takes single $1 bills and nothing else -- no credit cards either. My partner didn't have singles. So, he bought one at the clubhouse for $3.25. Wait, the drinks are $3 in the machine but $0.25 more in the clubhouse ... for the exact same plastic bottle of Dr Pepper!? :) The machine by #13 wouldn't even take my partner's newly acquired $1 bills. So he had to go without his caffeine fix. I did see a number of water jugs on the course. I'm glad to see courses putting these back out after the past 18 months of COVID-19. I'm cautious in general, but I'm fine with having the water back.

Tee boxes ... were alright but many were a bit overplayed. I can't really fault the course much though. This semi-private (because they have membership) course is in a nice neighborhood and the folks are a little more comfortable financially than a lot of the surrounding metro area. So they're apparently able to come over way too often while 'working' from home. :) I did notice that hole # 4 has two (2) sets of tee boxes. I swear that I've never seen that in my previous rounds at this course over the past 17 years (since I first played it). Anyway, the set we were on was likely on its last day of play (I hope) -- dry and beat the heck.

Fairways ... were really all in excellent shape. Green, lush, rolling, and nicely cut. And the rough was forgiving more or less. There's a lot of natural plant life in the rough etc. They likely didn't have to bring in much of anything to complete the 'landscaping' of this course. For that reason, you can get a mixture of tall grasses, trees with spreading roots, broadleaf weeds and clover, as well as just good hard dirt (under some of the trees). It can test you in more ways than one.

Hazards -- mostly just bunkers with only a minimal amount of water. The bunkers were all in fine shape for the most part. Of the ones I found, one was a bit hard and compact. But the others had nice soft sand. Sometimes that's good; sometimes not. It just depends on your style of play and what you're used to finding. As for water, #2 has a barely wet crick below the green due to recent rains or a busted sprinkler head. #8 has the pond below the par-3 of course. It's the only real water you have to worry about on the course. And #15 has a pond to one side of the fairway before you get to the green but it's certainly not a carry; it even disappears off to where it'd be OB +/-.

Greens ... only one or two with a small-ish burned up spot today. Otherwise, these were all rolling very consistently. On occasion, the uneven terrain surrounding a particular hole can trick you into seeing a break that is or isn't there ... or just throw you off completely. Not complaining -- just pointing it out.

*** I highly recommend playing this course! It's a great track and has never disappointed me. ***

Conditions Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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Commented on 11/05/2021

Because you say no one leaves a comment, I thought I would. Actually just a question. Coming to Austin for the weekend in two weeks, probably will only get to play one course. My choices are Falconhead, Star Ranch, and Wolfdancher, which do you recommend? Or is there another one that I'm missing. Thanks in advance. Ken

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Commented on 10/25/2021

Hello. Thanks so much for your review. We're so glad you enjoyed your round at Falconhead Golf Club. That's what we like to hear! We hope to see you again soon!

The Bandit Golf Club

Played On 08/12/2021
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart

The Bandit stole a couple balls, but I'll be back for them.

This was my first time playing this course. Now that I know the layout, I'll be ready to go back and give it another try. I certainly don't mind an hour of driving to get to a different course that's worth playing.

I didn't get to see the clubhouse other than stepping inside to pay. But they had a little bit of everything you might need. The limited staff we encountered were laid back and easy going. If you're not paying attention, you'll miss the small, old graveyard of a half dozen or so tombstones under the trees between the clubhouse and the #10 tee box. That's just something you'll see now and then on old country property that used to be someone's farm or ranch.

The carts are electric and you don't have to mash the brake to lock it. You could just drive up, stop, and get out. I like that far more than I realized. The carts have USB ports for those that need to charge a device, play music, etc. And I like having the four (4) larger drink holders to accommodate various sizes. The carts had club/ball washers on one side and space for a cooler on the other. My cart did not have a cooler attached so I assume you might need to ask for one (as needed).

I believe I saw two (2) restrooms on the course.(#5 & #13). Along with water, the course also provided a cooler with ice water scented towels at each restroom (and at the clubhouse). I believe it was lavender; not sure. I could probably do without the scented part. Still, it's a nice touch and welcome on a hot day. Water jugs were also available on a few other holes. We saw the beverage cart as we were on the #1 fairway around 4:00pm on this Thursday round. We didn't see it again. I imagine they just didn't have that many players on the course to keep it running; I don't blame them. I was kind of surprised to see one at all.

The tees were all in pretty good shape. Every now and then some of them had seen a little more action by those of you who haven't figured out that using a tee is likely to your advantage. I don't recall any of them being rounded or uneven -- so that's nice.

The fairways were all in good shape as well. There was an occasional burned out area but even those had consistent grass off of which to hit. The terrain rolls left/right at times so it helps to hit the high side to have the ball roll towards center. There's certainly a little up/down and right/left to make you work out your game a little. Make any necessary adjustments and choose your clubs wisely.

The rough was on the deeper side. The grass was just fine but was cut a little higher and therefore a little more of a challenge to find your sunken ball and then get a clean hit. All good though. The areas of vegetation around the various water hazards were definitely on the thick side. Maybe the extra rain and lower temperatures this summer had something to do with it. That, or maybe that's just how they keep it on this course. It made it much more difficult (if not impossible) to find an errant ball or two. I guess I'll send the course my mailing address so that they can reimburse me accordingly. :) The bunkers were all in good shape. And there were plenty of them (just enough really) spread around the course. The sand was soft/fluffy and void of rocks. They could use a little more maintenance around some of the edges -- to keep the grass out and the sand in.

The greens had recently been aerated so we may have lost a stroke or two due to the bumps etc. But that's just part of the game. They were fairly soft and receptive. I saw a few burned out areas but nothing over the top. We also likely anticipated too much break on a number of them as most were rolling pretty straight.

All in all I'm very glad that I was able to finally get out to The Bandit and try it out. It'll now be in the list of courses that we try to play when our respective schedules can make it happen. Maybe one day we'll skip the immediate drive (no pun intended) back and just do a stay-n-play since they have condos available. Hmmm....

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Moderate

Plum Creek Golf Club

Played On 06/15/2021
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Good to play but dealing with a few issues presently

I'm going to put this first since it may be the only thing you read: WATCH FOR POISON IVY! We saw **LOTS** of poison ivy in the rough/rough under the bushes and trees. Let that ball go; it's not worth it. Don't even beat around in there with your club or you can transfer the oil from it to your hand etc.

Another special note is that kids play free (at this time). That makes it a great time to get your kids into the game without breaking the bank. Kudos to the course for offering this!!!

The course was in fine shape with a few exceptions. Not looking to write a negative review. So re-read that first sentence and think positively ... and then note the issues below. :)

The rough was certainly deep and it's often the grass that just pulls the ball down and then almost covers it up. Sometimes we had to be within a few feet of the ball before we could see any part of it. Note to self -- play from the fairway.

A few of the tee boxes could use a little work -- too uneven, too beat up, maybe too small for the amount of play they get, etc.

They've had some issues with keeping the greens in shape. On this outing, three (3) of the greens were under complete renovation. So they'd cut small 'greens' at the end of the fairway and put in oversized holes. It's obviously necessary but not anything we golfers like to encounter. On several other greens, there were decent sized areas of pure sand. They've obviously had some issues and it therefore limits hole placement and can affect putting. It happens. But with all the rain our area received over the last couple of months, it can't be from burning up in the heat. So what is it? Fungus? I understand things happen, but that's what maintenance is for ... so I always feel like a course isn't doing their job with these things happen. I'm sure I'm wrong for that at times since I have no personal greens experience. But I'm pretty sure some staff just don't get the job done too.

Difficulty Fairly Easy

Lions Municipal Golf Course

Played On 04/15/2021
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
Previously Played
Used cart

Everybody plays it .. some just more than others

This will be one of my shorter reviews and not so overly detailed. The tee boxes were in rough shape. They're getting so much play -- have been for the last (COVID-19) year. But how exactly does a par-5 box get so beat up? Are y'all not hitting drivers off of a tee? Of course, the boxes are almost always like this. Much more and the course might have to consider putting in mats to hit off of. Or maybe they could have them part grass and part mat so that it'd be a hybrid (pun intended). The fairways were in nice shape. They're still on the harder side, but they'll always be that way. Some bunkers were just fine while at least one had way too many rocks in it. The greens were quite good. On this outing (and most) they were slow and receptive. But they weren't too hard as I actually had to repair several ball marks for a change. All water hazards had lots of pond scum as always ... makes it impossible to retrieve one with a get-r-outer (for those that carry and call it that like my playing partner this day). That's really about it. It's spring in Austin so it's a good time to play Lions. The heat will be here soon enough.

Pace Good
Difficulty Moderate

The Golf Club Star Ranch

Played On 10/12/2020
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Worth your time if the price sounds good

As always, the range, chipping green, and putting green are all very adequate. Funny, I never see anyone on the flat chipping green. It's tucked off to the side wherein you just kind of forget about it until you're coming up to tee off on #1.

Overall, the course was in great shape. We've had another (normal) dry summer but they've done well at keeping everything looking good. Even with the high number of players coming out during the pandemic (because folks are 'working' from home), I found no evidence of it being over-played etc. Water -- wet -- found it once. The bunkers had nice dry, fine sand in all of them; I unfortunately found way too many of these on this particular round. If I'm being picky, I do prefer a little moisture in the sand as that's just what I seem to find elsewhere. Today, I hit one straight into the wind only to be showered with a wall of fine sand.

I'm still left wanting more yardage markings. I personally use an app for yardage and scoring. But the guys I'm playing with don't so they're always asking me for yardage as if I'm their personal caddie. This kind of interrupts my game, my concentration, and runs down my battery quicker. It would just be nice if the course had more visual clues. The 150 yard pole isn't enough. Again, I'm a fan of big yellow/blue/white/red painted stripes on the cart path. That or get GPS on the carts. Pretty sure paint would be a lot cheaper though. :)

We did have an issue while playing #2 and #3. It appears some jackhole lives in the apartments next to the #3 tee box. They think it's funny to use one of those baby bullhorns that has little siren chirps etc. They opted to do it while we putted, teed off, and hit second shots. They're going to tick off the wrong golfer someday and that wrought iron fence won't keep anyone from jumping over it for an in-your-face 'conversation.' I hope it doesn't come to that. But karma just shouldn't be tested sometimes. Anyway, I called the pro shop from the #4 tee box to report the harassment because a) I want it stopped if possible, b) I don't want other players to have to deal with it, and c) I don't want someone ending up hurt and on the news because of such jackholery. The pro shop said they'd send someone out to do what they could. Who decides to live in a decent apartment complex way out in this neck of the woods, gets a unit facing the golf course (for scenery) etc, and then decides to mess with the players? Really!? REALLY!?

Oh, and the housing construction continues .. mostly along #12 & #13. I'm sure it'll all be filled in by the next round I play here. And of course you can hear the traffic on the SH130 toll road. Sorry, just feeling slightly bummed that one of my local 'country' courses is now urban. Still, I do enjoy the layout of this course and the amenities they offer. Hopefully the all-Inclusive package (golf with buffet breakfast/lunch) comes back soon. Go away COVID-19!

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate

Falconhead Golf Club

Played On 07/27/2020
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 250 Contributor
Austin Advisor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

"Still Picturesque ... Still Challenging"

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.

Conditions Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
cb73a1b8-2a8a-5477-a49f-e8bbc4cd36a5
Commented on 07/30/2020

Forgot to include a few additional comments. The gas carts have plenty of storage in the dashboard. Along with the two big pockets down below, there are four cup holders, places for balls and tees, and several additional holders of varying size for your other stuff. Our cart also had two USB ports -- one on either side. Two sand refill jugs were onboard but neither had much in it for this round. I do wish they'd use some sort of sand etc that has nutrients in it for the soil. But this was plain old sand. On the other side was a good sized cooler with ice.

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