subject: Staying on Course in Texas Hill Country [print this page] Staying on Course in Texas Hill Country Staying on Course in Texas Hill Country
With more than 300 days of sunshine each year and mild, dry winters, the city of Austin, Texas, offers an ideal climate for outdoor sports and recreation. For golf lovers in particular, this means a countless array of championship courses to choose from.
When it comes to world-class golf, Texas Hill Country residents have it all, right in their own back yards. Home to some of the finest putting greens in all of Texas, West Austins rolling hills create the perfect terrain for golfing enthusiasts around the country, who descend on the area's spectacular fairways. Meandering streams, scattered oaks and undulating land features present a more challenging, exciting game.
Several public and private premier golf courses, all situated within a few miles apart in Hill Country, offer the same tournament-quality layouts and links preferred by the pros. These include Lakeway, Flintrock Falls, FalconHead and Barton Creek Resort, to name a few.
Lakeway Golf Club's 72 holes consist of an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, an 18-hole Nicklaus co-design and another 36 holes of golf on two distinct yet equally challenging courses Live Oak and Yaupon. A 3-hole practice facility, with par 3, 4 and 5 practice holes, as well as multiple driving ranges and putting greens, top off the club's vast array of golf amenities.
The 18-hole Flintrock Falls course at the The Hills Country Club features 7,051 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, the course rating is 74.1, with a slope rating of 140 on Bermuda grass.
FalconHead, a public daily-fee course, was designed by the PGA Tour Design architects so that every inch of the layout measures up to the exacting PGA standards to offer the same kind of quality golf that the pros experience.
The 18-hole course at the Spanish Oaks Golf Club facility features 6,930 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. Designed by Robert Weed, it offers golfers some unique and challenging layouts.
Another great place to tee off is at Barton Creek Resort a two-time, Golf magazine Silver Medal Resort Award winner. Also named a "Top 75 Golf Resort" by Golf Digest and listed among Golf magazine's "2008 Top 100 Courses You Can Play," Barton Creek offers four 18-hole golf courses designed by Tom Fazio, Arnold Palmer and the team of Bill Coore-Ben Crenshaw. These four exquisite, 18-hole courses draw discerning players from around the world to the rolling turf of Texas Hill Country.
Home to the Chuck Cook Gold Academy, the Barton Creek facility also offers tournament programs, professional club fittings and private lessons.
After a round of golf, visit the 11,000-square-foot health and fitness center. Then relax at either an indoor or outdoor pool, take a leisurely stroll of the nature trail, or test your stroke on the miniature golf course just for fun.
Austin's fine golf courses also serve as the setting for some renowned tournaments. Barton Creek hosts the annual National Elite Gymnastics Golf Tournament, whose proceeds benefit the NEG team one of the top gymnastic teams in Texas. Other golf events include the Triton Financial Classic - Champions Tour, the Hill Country Amateur Golf Championship and the Annual HBA Golf Tournament.
For outdoor recreation, Texas Hill Country is the ideal destination for golf and just about every other kind of sport. And, when it comes to golf, Austin may be considered Texas' best kept secret. Combining diverse topography, big- name golf course designers and a beautiful selection of courses, Austin is the perfect setting for your next golf trip.
