Texas Golf Insider Fall/Winter 2014

Golf Insider TEXAS

Greater Houston | Texas Coast

The Official Guide to Golf in Texas

The Battleground at Deer Park

“The Birthplace of Texas”

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

Fall/Winter 2013

FROM THE EDITOR

Welcome to the Texas Golf Insider Magazine Texas

GOLF INSIDER P.O. Box 310652 New Braunfels, TX 78130 830-964-2152 FAX 830-964-2153 thetexasgolfinsider.com Mike Ratchman, Texas Publisher Central Texas Area Office: 830-964-2152 mike@thetexasgolfinsider.com Melanie Grafe Houston Regional Publisher: Office: 979-732-1909 melanie@thetexasgolfinsider.com

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Welcome to the All New Texas Golf Insider We are rolling out the Green Carpet for you this fall season to showcase where to stay, golf and dine at the tastiest 19th around. Whether you’re heading down the road to Houston, Conroe or the coast or traveling west to the Hill Country, you’ll find everything you need inside to plan for a true Texas Golf Experience.

Our Feature Cover Story is The Battleground at Deer Park and Republic Grill, under new management by a recognized leader in golf operations, Touchstone Golf.

The Battleground stands true to our Texas history that fills their course on every hole. Dig into their new Southern Style BBQ. This is a grand place that’s more than a memorable golf experience, turn to page 6 for the story.

Our special features include Canongate, Walden on Lake Conroe/Northgate and Jersey Meadow.

Contributing Writers: Art Stricklin, Steve Habel, Ava Blair

Enjoy your time with family and friends on the golf course during these cooler days ahead.

Contributing Photographers: Gary Perkins, Mark Lindsay

We wish you the best of Holiday Golf.

Web Project Manager: Marcede Pullen CIRCULATION 300,000 per year reaching 750,000 readers.

Issue 3 of 3 ANNUAL EDITIONS DISTRIBUTION Throughout Central Texas, Dalls/Ft. Worth and Greater Houston at Golf Courses, Welcome Centers, Golf Shows and more.

Copyright ©2013 Texas Golf Insider. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Golf course rates are subject to change at any time. Texas Golf Insider and its affiliates are not responsible or liable for any errors, omissions or changes in rates or information.

Mike Ratchman Texas Publisher

Melanie Grafe Regional Houston Publisher

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Contents 6

Cover Story

The Battleground at Deer Park - a premier option for tournaments, special events and meetings.

4 WELCOME

Where to contact us plus a QR tag to download the magazine to your smart phone.

FROM THE EDITOR

Visit TheTexasGolfInsider.com to keep up with local news and events.

9 FEATURE COURSES

Great Houston courses to play this season.

14 FEATURE STORY

Cover

The Battleground Golf Course embraces the past, one swing at a time.

Variety and great golf courses make these club memberships unique.

MAPS & DIRECTORIES 20 GENERAL DIRECTORY 22 MAPS 23 COURSE DIRECTORY 23 SHOPPING, DINING, INSTRUCTION DIRECTORY

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REGIONS SAN ANTONIO, HILL COUNTRY & AUSTIN 36 43 53 68 69 70

VA ALER CREEK - REWARD YOURSELF HILL COUNTRY ‘S SPIRIT OF GOLF FORESIGHT’S FAMILY OF GOLF MAPS COURSE DIRECTORY SHOPPING, DINING, INSTRUCTION DIRECTORY

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COVER STORY

the battleground Where the Past Comes Alive One Swing at a Time.

By Steve Habel Photography by Mark Lindsay

T

he Battleground Golf Course at Deer Park is a complete public golfing facility located just 20 minutes from downtown Houston offering impeccable course conditions, phenomenal customer service and an overall golf experience second to none. The Battleground Golf Course and Republic Grill has been voted one of the top businesses in the area by Cumulus Media listeners and is excited to offer the highest quality of service and products to all who come through the doors.

Houston-area golfers have long known the Battleground is a true championship test, not only on the golf course but in challenging your Texas history. Each of the 18 holes has been named after a historic event or person in regards to Texas history. The signature par 3 hole, the Yellow Rose, was named after the legend of Emily Morgan. She is presumed to be the mixed-race beauty that Santa Ana spent his moments with before the attack at San Jacinto. It has a stair step waterfall that accents the edge of a lake that fronts the green. The putting surface is slightly elevated though not very deep, making club selection a top priority. Adding to the challenge is the double green shared with a par 5 named after none other than General Santa Ana himself, which makes the landing area look larger from TheTexasGolfInsider.com

golf course

COVER STORY

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the tee than it actually is. While attacking the pin is always an option, care must be exercised to avoid disaster.

The Battleground Golf Course offers a complete practice facility with a spacious grass tee. The practice facility also has three practice holes, a par 3, par 4 and 5. There is a chipping green with a sand bunker to perfect your chip and sand shots. We now offer new membership programs that include unlimited green fees and twilight greeen fees when a cart is purchased. Call the proshop or log onto our website for details.

Before you get out on the course, be sure to stop by the proshop, we carry all the latest from Taylor Made and Adidas Golf.

Besides being the “place to play� and the place to refresh yourself on your Texas history, the Battleground Golf Course is also the perfect place to host your next golf tournament or corporate outing. Tournament packages include greens fees, cart, range balls and professional services specific to your tournament. In addition to your regular tournament services, the Republic Grill is ready to assist you in all of your food and beverage needs.

With catering services available for up to 200 people, they can provide you with anything you might need.

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COVER STORY

The Republic Grill offers a variety of food on the menu, from our original home smoked Texas bar-b-que featuring hand rubbed and smoked brisket to jalapeĂąo sausage wraps. Daily lunch special from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday through Friday that is sure to please as well as a $5 menu.

If lunch isn’t your thing, then stop in on Friday or Saturday mornings from 7-10 a.m. and enjoy a full service breakfast menu. With made-to-order breakfast tacos, eggs, omelets, bacon, sausage, southern style hash brown potatoes and waffles, this is one breakfast that is sure to get you going before your round of golf.

For more information about the Battleground Golf Course or Republic Grill log on to www.battlegroundgolfcourse.com or contact the pro shop at 281-478-2080.

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

GREATER HOUSTON | TEXAS COAST

Public Course

MAP #36

DIRECTIONS

I-45 S., exit and turn right on FM 2351, turn right at 2nd light.

COURSE FACTS

Number of Holes: 18 Architect: Jay Riviere

RATES

Call the Pro Shop or visit our website for online specials

COURSE AMENITIES

• 27 hole golf course • Golf Academy • Legends Restaurant & Bar • Fully Stocked Pro Shop • 200-seat pavilion for tournaments and events • Online Specials and EClub

4554 FM 2351 Friendswood, TX 77546

281-993-1140

timbercreekgolfclub.com

COURSES

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Friendswood

Timber Creek Golf Club A splendid layout 20 miles from downtown Houston Beneath the towering Oaks and sturdy Pines that permeate Timber Creek Golf Club, golfers are enjoying the game like never before. “People who play here frequently call this their club and have a sense of belonging,” general manager Mike Griswold said. “They don’t pay dues to get that.”

The course’s culture is equaled if not surpassed by the design of Jay Riviere, who incorporated dense woodlands, winding creeks and rock outcroppings. “Our course isn’t target golf, but the fairways are really defined,” Griswold said.

With its classic Clubhouse Pub atmosphere and an eclectic menu that appeals to virtually every taste, the Legends Grill at Timber Creek is the place to meet. The Golf Academy at Timber Creek can custom design a program for beginners, recreational players or highly skilled players who are in need of a tune-up. The Academy also offers Custom Club Fitting, the latest in high-end club-fitting technology.

Bring your group to Timber Creek for an outing or a tournament that provides a country club experience at a public course price. From its outstanding course conditions to its food and beverage facilities, from its fully-stocked golf shop to its legendary service, Timber Creek Golf Club in Friendswood rivals any private club in Texas. Timber Creek Golf Club…Where You Belong.

COURSES

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GREATER HOUSTON | TEXAS COAST

the battleground Where the Past Comes Alive

urse is where history and The Battleground Golf Co at this one-of-a-kind track fun converge. Every hole n ating challenge but a lesso presents not only an invigor like the Yellow Rose and in Texas history. With holes ing for Texas Independence Twin Sisters, it’s like fight you like to let the big dog all over again. So whether are a sharp shooter on the loose on the tee box or you lf Course is the perfect greens, the Battleground Go event easy to plan and experience. We make your . Whether you’re looking thoroughly enjoyable for all an elaborate event, look for a simple golf outing or at Deer Park. towards The Battleground

THE BATTLEGROUND

A T

D E E R

P A R K

281.478.2080 www.battlegroundgolfcourse.com TheTexasGolfInsider.com

• 18 Hole Golf Course • Lessons and Practice Facility • Pro Shop • Full Restaurant & Bar • Snack Bar • Beverage Cart • Banquet & Board Room

GREATER HOUSTON | TEXAS COAST

golf course

COURSES

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One Swing at a Time.

Lunch Menu Monday-Friday 11am - 2pm

Breakfast

Friday & Saturday 7am-11am

281.478.2080

www.battlegroundgolfcourse.com/grill

Catering Available 1600 GEORGIA AVE., DEER PARK, TX

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COURSES

GREATER HOUSTON | TEXAS COAST

Mont Belvieu, TX

(281) 385-6666 www.EaglePointeOnline.com RATES

Mon-Thur Friday Weekend Holiday

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$45 $47 $60 $60

TWLIGHT* $35 $40 $40 $40

*Twilight begins at 1 pm

STATISTICS Par: 71 Black Blue White Red

Yards 7077 6502 5927 5213

Rating 73.2 70.9 68.0 67.4

Slope 128 121 116 113

PERSONNEL

Architect .............................. Rick Forester Director of Golf .......................Jeff Strong Course Record ............. Justin McKay, 62

AMENITIES

• Online Tee Times • Meeting/Banquet Rooms • Outdoor Pavilion • Two Restaurants • Recreation Complex & Wave Pool • Fully Stocked Pro Shop • Memberships Available

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

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vid golfers in the Houston area yearning for a pure golf experience set apart from the city and brimming with secluded, natural surroundings can find that true, undisturbed feeling at Eagle Pointe Golf Club.

The par-71 Rick Forester design located less than 35 minutes from downtown Houston off I-10 in Mont Belvieu, is equal parts peaceful, eye-catching and playable. The course’s distinguishable characteristics are its

GREATER HOUSTON | TEXAS COAST

COURSES

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Exceptional location to host your event

rolling fairways, stunningly tall pines, dramatic elevation changes and an abundance of water.

With no homes on 17 of the 18 holes, golf is what you get at Eagle Pointe.

The trademark of Eagle Pointe is its steeply tilted, undulating greens that will challenge even the most expert players. Strategically speaking, it’s important to place your approach shots below the hole at Eagle Pointe because of the quickness of the putting surfaces.

The facility also offers a state-of-the art fitness center and an 8,000-square-foot tournament pavilion that would be the perfect place for corporate outings, weddings or charity events.

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FEATURE STORY

Variety and great golf courses make Canongate membership unique

By Steve Habel

“Variety is the spice of life.” – a quote from William Cowper, 18th century English poet No one can confirm that Cowper played golf, but if he did and was alive and living in the Greater Houston area in the 21st century, he would likely revel in being a member of the Canongate family of golf clubs.

Canongate operates five private golf and country clubs in the suburbs of the Bayou City: Lake Windcrest in Magnolia, The Oaks and Panther Trail in The Woodlands and South Shore Harbour and Magnolia Creek in League City.

Affiliation in all five of the clubs – encompassing 108 holes of golf – is all included in one, unbeatable, family membership.

With three levels of membership, initiation fees and monthly dues vary, and allow golfers and their families different types of access to tee times and social benefits.

In addition, Canongate members have the opportunity for reciprocal play at more than 450 private clubs around the country via the group’s Playaway program.

Membership extends well beyond the Canongate’s championship golf courses. Additional amenities include access to the Houston area’s best golf instruction, excellent dining and catering opportunities and beautiful clubhouses with all the amenities expected at a top country club.

Let’s take a look at the quintet of courses in Canongate’s Houston area portfolio, moving from north to south

Lake Windcrest is a big-shouldered test

Lake Windcrest is an aesthetic, shotmaker’s course carved out of Magnolia’s surrounding hardwood forests.

Designed by Thomas Walker, who thankfully created wide fairways with generous landing areas, the design offers a good combination of holes with all sorts of doglegs, uphill and downhill lies and both long and short holes. There are ample up-and-down opportunities for par even on stray shots thanks to the course’s bail-out areas around the greens.

The course plays to a par of 72 and at 7,040 from its back set of four tees and allows the golf plenty of options.

Lake Windcrest is characterized by an open, links-style routing look and feel, with thick and challenging roughs, plenty of mounding, strategic bunkering, big fast greens with lots of slope and undulation and constant good conditioning.

The par-5 opening hole, playing at 542-yard with a big pond and bunker along the right side of a heavily contoured fairway, sets the stage for the round and gives golfers a feel for what to expect during your round. The 394-yard par-4 sixth demands focus with a carry over a ditch off an elevated tee box to a large landing zone, followed by a trio of sprawling bunkers leading to a light-bulb shaped green with a lake off the back.

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

FEATURE STORY

On the back-nine, the 520-yard par-5 11th is lined on the right from tee to green by a natural area and sports a fairway that meanders into three different landing areas; a large bunker guards the green at the front and three pot bunkers can come into play at the rear. The 416-yard par-4 closing hole moves left to right off the tee and is narrowed by seven bunkers at the elbow and a treacherous pot bunker that splits the fairway.

Lake Windcrest is fun, fair and demanding; golfers can swing the driver throughout the round but have to be accurate on their approach shots to have a good chance to score. With a rating and slope of 73.8 and 132 from the tips, players must employ some good shotmaking and good putting. Lake Windcrest is a course that members won’t get tired of playing.

Double your pleasure in The Woodlands

Two of Canongate’s five Houston area courses are located at The Woodlands Resort. The oldest of the two, The Oaks, was opened in 1975 after being designed by Joe Lee and the team of Bruce Devlin and Robert von Hagge and was renovated in 1999 by Jay Morrish. The current configuration offers a test for golfers of all skill levels, playing at 7,044 yards from the back tees.

It won’t take golfers long to understand where The Oaks got its name; in addition to the towering oaks, some of which are covered with draping gray moss, players will find excellent conditions from tee to cup, water on 10 holes, large undulating greens, huge greenside bunkers and generous fairways.

The par-5, 535-yard seventh is a blast to play and requires course management and some precise shots since the fairway narrows as it approaches and turns right along a lake.

Another three-shotter, the 573-yard 13th, looks easy until the golfer realizes they need to miss the fairway bunkers and have a very accurate approach shot to stay dry and out of the sand guarding the green.

No. 16, a 581-yard par-5, is fun with a carry over the lake from the back tees, a creek that crosses the fairway and putting surface that has water along the front and right side plus two big bunkers. The par-4, 405-yard closing hole leaves players wanting to play the course again – it’s scenic and de-

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manding with a huge lake from tee to green, trees and bunkers with which to contend.

The Oaks Course is a very traditional 18 holes of golf – there are no trick shots in the challenging but fair routing as the relatively straight-forward layout is a real joy to play.

The rough is thick and challenging to punish wayward shots, but – with four sets of tee boxes golfers can have a relaxing, fun and low scoring round as long as they don’t bite off more than they can chew.

Panther Trail is Canongate’s newer course at The Woodlands and here golfers will find all the ingredients for a superb challenge: deep woods, shining waters and exceptional Bermuda fairways and greens.

The track is rimed with more than 20 acres of Texas wildflowers.

Described as both “demanding and scenic,” the course is highlighted by its 18th hole which received praise as the “Best par-4 in Houston.” Additionally, Panther Trail was recently ranked one of the Top 5 courses to play in the Houston area.

Originally designed by Lee and von Hagge, Panther Trail was completely renovated in 2002 by Roy Case. The redo gave the course new contours and water features (a dozen holes asks golfers to deal with ponds

or streams), plenty of doglegs and pristine conditions. There are also 47 sand bunkers to navigate past.

The 365-yard par-4 first hole sets the stage for the rest of the round at Panther Trail with a carry across a pond to a doglegleft contoured fairway then playing up to a putting surface guarded with two large bunkers. No. 9, a 571-yard par-5, curves

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FEATURE STORY

around a lake on the way to the green; accuracy, course management and some confidence to try and fly the lake to stuff it on the green are required for par.

The back-nine is outstanding as every hole is unique and different and it throws a little of everything at the golfer: doglegs, water, strategically placed bunkers, risk-reward opportunities, forced carries, mounds and raised guarded greens.

Panther Trail’s ultimate test is at the 429-yard par-4 18th on which the usually lengthy approach is to an island green protected even more by two huge bunkers – the hole has been called the “best par-4 in Houston” by the Houston Chronicle.

The newspaper has also voted Panther Trail the No. 3 course in Houston. Even though it plays at the exact yardage (7,044 from the back tee) as its sister course at The Oaks, it is more challenging and demands the golfer’s full attention from first tee to final green.

Two more gems in Galveston County

Heading south toward Galveston County but on the mainland in League City, players can get a taste of what it’s like to play in the British Isles at Magnolia Creek. Offered here are 27-holes of golf designed by Tom Clark and strongly influenced by the courses at St. Andrews, North Berwick and Royal County Down.

Clark was able to fashion his course by moving a lot of dirt to build mounding and recapture the bump-and-run strategy demanded by the site’s often-blustery conditions.

The track’s three courses are called England, Ireland and Scotland nines and TheTexasGolfInsider.com

are characterized by rolling hills, deep entrenched bunkers and native grasses.

It may well be the next best thing to being across the pond. Even the flag poles are wooden like you’ll find across the pond.

Magnolia Creek, in any of its 18-hole configurations, is the longest of the Houston area Canongate courses and perhaps is the most interesting of the quintet.

Closer inland but on the shores of Galveston Bay is South Shore Harbour Country Club, another course that consists of three distinct tracks; the South, Shore and Harbour nines each playing to a par 36. Once known as a links layout void of trees with plenty of sand and a relatively flat track, the course has evolved into a more traditional course with rolling hills, water hazards and nature’s contribution of a steady wind that beats off the bay.

South Shore Harbour was originally designed by Dave Marr and Jay Riviere and renovated and augmented by Jeffery Blume in the late 1990s.

The course’s best holes are its par-5s, as four of the six are reachable with the right wind conditions, while the best stretch of holes is perhaps the closing three on the Harbour nine. Both Nos. 7 and 8 are meaty par-4s and No. 9, a 501-yard par-5, features a small island green that leaves golfers with plenty of opportunity for fame or despair.

South Shore Harbour is fun and demanding, and gives the golfer chances to make up for their mistakes by taking a few chances along the way.

With five private clubs to play with one encompassing membership, Canongate members can “put variety into play.”

GREATER HOUSTON | TEXAS COAST

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Baytown

Public Golf Club

RATES

COURSES

MAP #2

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SENIOR

M-Thur $36 $25.87 Friday Golf & Lunch $45.27

Evergreen Point Golf Club

4 stars in Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play”

TEE INFORMATION

Yardage/Rating/Slope: Champ: 6969 / 73.4 / 138 Regular: 6389 / 70.2 / 133 Senior: 5955 / 68.7 / 126 Forward: 5248 / 71.4 / 123

COURSE FACTS

Number of Holes: 18 Par: 72 Architects: Jay Riviere & Dave Marr Director of Golf: Jeremy Reed

COURSE AMENITIES

• Practice Facilities • Fully-Stocked Pro Shop • Bar and Grill • Corporate Outing Packages • Tournaments Welcome

Public Golf Club

Evergreen Point Golf Club is conveniently located just 30 minutes from downtown Houston. If you want Texas Gulf Coast golf at its best then look no further than Evergreen Point. We offer a challenging 18 hole championship layout set on over 200 acres among tall pine, oak and magnolia trees. Water comes into play on 15 out of 18 holes.

Evergreen Point offers a great value from our daily rates to our corporate outing packages. The Bar and Grill offers great food for breakfast, lunch and dinner with ample seating for larger groups and parties.

1530 Evergreen Road Baytown, TX (281) 837-9000 www.evergreenpointgolf.com

New Mobile App

Spring MAP #38

Cypresswood Golf Club

TEE INFORMATION

Yardage/Rating/Slope: Tradition Course: Black: 7220/74.7/136 Blue: 6638/71.8/130 White: Mens 6162/69.4/118 Ladies 6162/75.5/134 Silver: Mens 5441/66.1/116 Ladies 5441/71.7/125 Cypress Course: Blue: 6906/73.0/134 Forest: 6168/69.8/122 Silver: 5624/67.6/111

COURSE FACTS

Number of Holes: 36 Par: 72

COURSE AMENITIES

• Golf Academy • Fully-Stocked Pro Shop • Online Specials • Tournaments Welcome

The best and closest 36 holes to Intercontinental Airport, Cypresswood’s Tradition and Cypress courses are two of Houston Golfers favorite courses! Terrific layouts for golfers of all levels, beginning golfers to pros enjoy playing at Cypresswood.

And, if you want to improve your game or scratch that competitive itch our Play Better Golf program allows for that, too.

21602 Cypresswood Dr Spring, TX (281) 821-6300 www.cypresswood.com

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REVIEW

Two times the golf challenge at

Walden GC and Northgate CC

by Steve Habel, Special to Texas Golf Insider

Two of the most challenging and indemand county clubs in the Houston area – Walden on Lake Conroe Golf Club in Montgomery and Northgate Country Club in Spring – are now under the same ownership umbrella and offer discriminating golfers the opportunity to get 45 holes of golf and more than twice the fun as when in a single club.

The chance to be affiliated with at both clubs with just one membership came to fruition last summer when Dan McIntyre, owner and operator of Walden on Lake Conroe GC, acquired Northgate Country Club. The friendly purchase added extra value to the members of both clubs; since the acquisition Northgate has added more than 100 new members to its roll.

“The purchase has been nothing but positive for all involved,” said Bill Craig, Northgate CC’s director of golf. “Our members now can play one of the best courses anywhere when they head to Lake Conroe and the new ownership has infused the club here with funds that we used to make a few necessary changes on our Bunkers nine.”

Walden on Lake Conroe GC offers unforgettable tests Walden on Lake Conroe has long been considered the premier golf club on the lake and one of the best and most challenging courses in Texas. The tight layout features fairways cut through the woods, challenging bunkers and several water hazards. Playing at a par of 72 and at just 6,756 yards from its back set of four tees, Walden plays much tougher than its 72.2 rating and 133 slope would suggest.

“There is not really a day you play out here that you think you can attack the course throughout the round,” said Danny Jones, TheTexasGolfInsider.com

Walden’s longtime PGA head golf professional. “Sometimes, if you play it smart and the wind is down, you can go low and score, but most times it’s just a very tough course and you have to pick your spots.”

The highlight of the course is its treacherous and gorgeous “Bermuda Triangle,” which consists of holes 11-13 and plays alongside Lake Conroe. The par-5 11th hole – a 582yard double dogleg – is not only the best par-5 in the state, it has been named by Golf Digest as one of the top 500 holes in the country.

The course was designed by the Houstonbased team of Bruce Devlin and Robert von Hagge, who moved more than 300,000-cubic yards of earth to extend the lakefront property. Von Hagge, who passed away in 2010, said there was purpose behind the team’s attention to the aesthetics that come into play at Walden on Lake Conroe.

“The highest-handicap players only spend 11½ minutes hitting the golf ball during any round of golf, so you have to put golfers in ‘theater’ all the time – Walden does that,” von Hagge said. “The experience should be like a good shower: it’s refreshing. It has to be that way. You have to get inside a player’s soul with what he’s experiencing visually.”

The 11th hole, as the first offering of the three “triangle” holes, is actually the final of three straight par-5s at the stretch and ends the front-nine and begins the back.

“That’s the way the land fell, so it made sense to do it that way,” said Devlin, who captured eight PGA Tour events including the 1972 Houston Open during his storied pro career. “I’ve never seen that before at any course and it certainly makes for an interesting stretch of holes.”

Walden on Lake Conroe is, ultimately, a

REVIEW

shotmaker’s course. Most members play it from the white tees (6,248). There is only one par-5 (the 11th) that plays at more than 550 yards and none of the one-shot holes is longer than 195 yards.

“You play our golf course shot by shot, not just hole by hole,” Jones said. “There’s never the same look, even from round to round.”

Except for just a few holes, the greens are small, averaging about 5,000-square feet each.

“You really want to stay in the fairways,” Jones said. “With these smaller greens, any chip or pitch shot out of the rough will be tough to stop on the putting surface.”

The real test is in the golfer’s course management on Walden on Lake Conroe GC’s fairways, most of which are simply corridors of 80-foot pine trees and mature oaks and intricately placed hazards.

A prime example is the 379-yard par-4 fifth hole, which doglegs right at almost 90 degrees some 240 yards from the back tees, effectively taking the driver out of the golfer’s hands.

A lake rests through the fairway and skirts the left edge of the hole’s final 100 yards and an approach pulled to left will find a watery grave.

The par-3 12th is a diminutive hole of just 173 yards but the smallish, peninsula green is guarded by water on three sides with two gaping bunkers accounting for the bailout area.

Players tee off on 12 from a peninsula as well.

When the lake water and winds are up, waves splash up over the bulkhead mere feet from the tee markers.

The 430-yard par-4 closer is also a classic, with trees on each side and out of bounds on the right. The fairway peaks at about 200 yards from the tee and then rolls downhill to a lake; the final 100 yards require a carry across the water to another dramatic green that slopes back to the water.

Northgate CC’s 27 holes demand focus Northgate Country Club is the centerpiece of burgeoning community that rests just north of Hwy. 1960 and sports three Devlin-von Hagge-designed nine-hole tracks – the Bridges, the Creek and Bunker – as well as a beautiful clubhouse, eight tennis courts and three swimming pools.

Of the three configurations, the toughest is the Bunkers-to-Creek routing which carries a rating of 73.8 and a slope of 141. Conversely, the Creek-to-Bunkers layout (which was the original 18 holes at Northgate) weighs in at

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72.6 and 141 and while the Bunkers-to-Bridges routing sports a rating of 74.7 (the hardest for the low-handicap golfer) and a 140 slope.

None of the routings even reach 6,900 yards, meaning however it’s attacked, Northgate CC will be a challenge.

“Despite the fact the course is not long by today’s standards, it stands up to the game of the best players because of the von Hagge design and the mostly narrow fairways,” Craig said. “Like most Houston-area courses, there’s not much roll to the site, but it’s a course that cannot be taken lightly.”

While the Bunkers course is named appropriately, featuring loads of sand in the design, some of the bunkers have been recently renovated to make the course more playable and to alleviate some maintenance issues.

The first hole at the Bunkers, a 417-yard par-4 that turns right past a huge bunker and toward the lake, is considered by some players to be the toughest opener in Texas. The tee shot must be perfectly placed and the approach must carry 200 yards over water.

The Bridges course is the most recent addition, featuring wider fairways than the other nines and offering some interesting riskreward decisions. The 427-yard No. 3 stands out because of its tiered fairways.

Four of the first five holes at the Creeks course require carries over water or sand to reach the putting surface. Then on the 549yard par-5 ninth, the approach is blocked by a tree some 70 yards short of the green, making the player decide to go left (over water) or right (over a gulch and past another tree that narrow the aim) – quite a way to finish.

Northgate CC beautifully display the design goals achieved by von Hagge, ultimately that the three courses had to be challenging and compelling as befits a private country club that will host an average of some forty rounds per year for each member.

DIRECTORY

20 COURSE

TYPE

Alvin Golf & CC PUB Augusta Pines SP Babe Zaharias GC PUB Bay Forest GC PUB Bayou Din GC PUB Bayou GC M Beacon Lakes GC PUB Bear Creek Golf World PUB Belle Oaks GC PUB Bellville GC PUB Brenham CC SP Brentwood SP Brock Park GC M Cape Royale GC PUB Chambers County GC M Clear Creek GC PUB Columbia Lakes PUB Columbus GC M Country Place GC SP Cypress Lakes PUB Cypresswood GC PUB Dickinson CC PUB Eagle Pointe GC PUB Evergreen Point GC PUB Fox Creek GC PUB Freeport GC M Gleannloch Pines PUB Glenbrook GC M Goose Creek GC SP Greatwood GC PUB Green Caye GC PUB Gus Wortham GC M Henry Homberg GC M Hermann Park GC PUB Heron Lakes GC PUB High Meadow Ranch GC PUB Houston National GC PUB Idylwild GC PUB Iron Oaks GC PUB Jersey Meadow GC M Kingwood Cove GC PUB La Torretta R Legendary Oaks GC PUB

GREATER HOUSTON | TEXAS COAST LOCATON

PHONE

Alvin Spring Port Arthur La Porte Beaumont Texas City League City Houston Beaumont Bellville Brenham Beaumont Houston Coldspring Anahuac Houston West Columbia Columbus Pearland Cypress Spring Dickinson Mont Belvieu Baytown Hempstead Freeport Spring Houston Baytown Sugar Land Dickinson Houston Beaumont Houston Houston Magnolia Houston Sour Lake Beaumont Jersey Village Kingwood Conroe Hempstead

281-331-4541 832-381-1000 409-796-1327 281-471-4653 409-796-1327 409-739-9622 281-337-1459 281-859-8188 409-796-1311 979-865-9058 979-836-1733 409-840-9440 281-458-1350 936-653-2388 409-267-8235 713-738-8000 979-345-PUTT 979-732-5575 713-436-1533 281-304-8515 281-821-6300 281-337-3031 281-385-6666 281-837-9000 979-826-2131 979-233-8311 281-225-1200 713-649-8089 281-424-5534 281-343-9999 281-337-2021 713-928-4260 409-842-3220 713-526-0077 281-807-0207 281-356-7700 281-304-1400 409-753-2521 409-866-9191 713-896-0900 281-358-1155 936-448-3027 979-826-4001

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

COURSE

TYPE LOCATON

PHONE

Longwood GC PUB Cypress 281-373-4100 Meadowbrook Farms GC PUB Katy 281-693-4653 Melrose GC PUB Houston 281-847-1214 Memorial Park GC M Houston 713-867-0386 Moody’s Gardens GC PUB Galveston 409-683-4653 Newport GC & Conf.Center PUB Crosby 281-328-3576 North Shore CC Semi Portland 361-643-6057 Oakhurst GC PUB Porter 281-354-4653 Pasadena Municipal GC M Houston 281-481-0834 Pecan Lakes GC PUB Navasota 936-870-3889 Pine Crest CC PUB Houston 713-462-4914 Quail Valley GC M Missouri City 281-403-5910 Raven Nest GC PUB Huntsville 936-438-8588 Rayburn Country R Brookeland 409-698-2444 Red Wolf GC PUB Huffman 281-324-1841 Redstone GC PUB/PV Humble 281-459-7800 River Point GC PUB Richmond 281-343-9995 River Ridge GC PUB Sealy 800-553-7517 River Terrace GC PUB Channelview 281-452-2183 Sharpstown GC M Houston 713-988-2099 Sienna Plantation PUB Missouri City 281-778-GOLF Southwyck GC PUB Pearland 713-436-9999 Stephen F. Austin GC SP San Felipe 979-885-2811 Swanson Golf Center Pub Houston 281-440-1308 Texaco GC PUB Houston 713-453-7501 Texas A&M University GC PUB College Station 979-845-1723 Texas National GC PUB Willis 936-856-4233 The Battleground at Deer Park PUB Deer Park 281-478-2080 The Falls Resort & GC SP/R New Ulm 979-992-3123 The Links at West Fork PUB Conroe 936-760-1776 The Village GC PUB Panorama Village 936-856-5531 The Wilderness PUB Lake Jackson 979-297-4653 Timber Creek GC PUB Friendswood 281-993-1140 Tour 18 Houston PUB Humble 281-540-1818 Travis B. Bryan GC M Bryan 979-823-0126 Waller CC PUB Waller 936-931-3335 Wedgewood GC PUB Conroe 936-441-4653 West Brazos Golf Center PUB Brazoria 979-798-4653 Westwood Shores GC PUB Trinity 936-594-9172 Wildcat GC PUB Houston 713-413-3400 WindRose GC PUB Spring 281-370-8900 PUB-Public, M-Municipal, SP-Semi-Private, R-Resort, PV-Private

GREATER HOUSTON | TEXAS COAST

DIRECTORY

21

Brenham Country Club Semi-Private Club

18 Holes $35 / 9 Holes $20 Free Cart Tues-Thurs Weekend Half Cart Fee $12.50 Open Tuesday - Sunday, Closed Monday Call Today For More Information

Memberships Social $50, Swimming $60 / mo. (Initiation Fee $125) Golf $100 / mo. for a one year contract (No Initiation fee) Equity Golf Memberships Available

RETAILER

LOCATION

(979)-836-1733 Brenham, TX

PHONE RETAILER

LOCATION

PHONE

GOLF RETAILERS Big O’s Golf D & J Golf Edwin Watts Golf Games People Play Golf Etc. Golf Etc. Golf Etc. Golf Galaxy Golf Galaxy Golf Galaxy Golf Galaxy Golf USA Golf Warehouse Golf Warehouse II

League City Bryan Houston Beaumont Humble Katy Pearland Houston Houston Sugar Land The Woodlands Houston Houston Houston

281-557-3300 979-776-4653 713-627-2411 409-866 -3883 281-764-1344 281-574-3232 713-436-5001 832-203-1518 832-478-1365 281-491-1888 832-585-0505 281-392-4653 281-443-2828 281-596-9090

Golfsmith Golfsmith GolfSmith Golfsmith Golfsmith GolfTec GolfTec GolfTec GolfTec GolfTec Impact Golf Mulligan’s Golf Sport Shoppe Strictly Golf

979-245-3990 281-488-9753 409-898-7011 979-776-1490 281-863-5820 281-444-6449 936-756-5222 281-360-1065 281-392-2582 281-342-8368 409-737-9830 281-863-1490 281-485-4550 281-463-2204 713-465-8381 713-888-0000 281-348-2217 281-259-2279 281-497-2228 361-729-7311 281-821-0220

Magnolia Creek League City Northgate CC Houston Pebble Creek GC College Station Pecan Grove Plantation CC Richmond Raveneaux CC Spring River Plantation CC Conroe Riverbend CC Sugar Land Royal Oaks CC Houston Shadow Hawk GC Richmond Sugar Creek CC Sugar Land Sweetwater CC Sugar Land The Houstonian GC Richmond The Oaks & Panther Trail The Woodlands Traditions Club Bryan Walden on Lake Conroe Montgomery Walden on Lake Houston Humble Weston Lakes CC Fulshear Westwood GC Houston Whispering Pines GC Trinity Willow Creek GC Spring Willow Fork CC Katy

Katy Spring Galleria Houston Westheimer Houston Woodlands Katy Houston-Upper Kirby Westheimer Houston Webster Galleria Houston Houston Houston Houston Houston

281-398-4669 281-292-2288 713-993-9993 713-334-3334 281-292-2288 281-741-6778 832-426-5650 713-339-2470 281-557-0015 713-850-7555 281-597-8008 281-890-6026 281-879-0929 713-629-4653

PRIVATE COURSES Bay City CC Bay Oaks CC Beaumont CC Briarcrest CC Carlton Woods Champions GC Conroe CC Deerwood Club Falcon Point Fort Bend CC Galveston CC Gary Player Sig. Cour.

Golf Crest CC Hearthstone CC Houston CC Houston Oaks Kingwood CC Lake Windcrest Lakeside CC Live Oak CC Lochinvar GC

Bay City Houston Beaumont Bryan The Woodlands Houston Conroe Kingwood Katy Richmond Galveston The Woodlands Pearland Houston Houston Hockley Kingwood Magnolia Houston Rockport Houston

281-557-0555 281-440-1223 979-690-0990 281-342-9940 281-370-6370 936-273-2276 281-491-2500 281-899-3270 281-494-3533 281-494-9135 281-980-4653 281-494-4244 281-882-3000 979-779-1007 936-448-4668 281-852-3743 281-346-1227 713-774-3011 936-594-4980 281-376-1501 281-579-6611

69

70

36 36

Deer Park

Pasadena

39 18

2

2

5

Mont Belvieu

38

1458

Magnolia

71

41

28

73

68 67

Montgomery

72

7

109

New Ulm

Industry

109

62

8 26

GOLF ACADEMIES / INSTRUCTION Eagle Pointe Player Development Jeff Strong, PGA Golf Academy at Timber Creek David Pilsner, PGA Play Better Golf at Cypresswood Golf Club The Battleground School of Golf Jim Williams REAL ESTATE Texas Star Realty

TYPE Real Estate

WEBSITE www.eaglepointeonline.com www.timbercreekgolfclub.com www.cypresswood.com www.battlegroundgolfcourse.com

LOCATION Columbus. TX

PHONE 281-385-6666 281-993-1140 281-821-6300 281-478-2080

PHONE 979-732-1850

PG. 72

Practice Fac. Food Rental Clubs Pro Shop Lessons Ad on Page

23

Par

Yardage /Rating /Slope

COURSES

Type Hole

Map Number

GREATER HOUSTON

(979) 836-1733 SP 18

72

(281) 823-6300 P 36

72

7220/74.7 6906/73.0

• • • • • 17

Eagle Pointe Golf Club & Recreation Complex (281)385-6666 P 18

71

7077/73.1

• • • • • 12

Type: M=Municipal, PR=Private, P=Public, SP= Semi-Private.

Brenham Country Club 62 4107 Hwy. 105, Brenham, TX 77833

6520/72.3/127 • • • • • 21

www.brenhamcc.com

Cypresswood Golf Course

38 21602 Cypresswood Dr., Spring, TX 77373 www.cypresswood.com

5 12440 Eagle Pointe Dr., Mont Belvieu, TX 77580 www.eaglepointeonline.com

Evergreen Point Golf Club

72

6969/73.4/138 • • • • • 17

Jersey Meadow Golf Course (713) 896-0900 M 18 71 41 8502 Rio Grande St., Jersey Village, TX 77040

6660/733/136 • • • • • 55

(281) 837-9000

2 1530 Evergreen Rd., Baytown, TX 77523

P 18

www.evergreenpointgolf.com

www.jerseymeadow.com

Lake Windcrest 71 10941 Clubhouse Circle, Magnolia, TX 77354

(281) 259-2279 PR 18

72

7040

• • • • • 14

(281) 557-0555 PR 27

36 36 36 36 35 35 72

74.7/135

• • • • • 14

www.canongatetexas.com

Magnolia Creek

69 1501 West Bay Area Blvd., League City, TX 77573 www.canongatetexas.com

Northgate Country Club 73 17110 Northgate Forest Dr., Houston, TX 77068

(281) 444-5302 PR 27

www.northgatecountryclub.com

Panther Trail

(281) 882-3000 PR 18

68 2311 North Millbend Dr., The Woodlands, TX 77380

3583/3256/3284 • • • • • 10 7044/73.6/130 • • • • • 14

www.canongatetexas.com

SouthShore Harbour

70 4300 South Shore Blvd., League City, TX 77573

36 3360/3522/3364 • • • • • 14 36 36 (281) 478-2080 P 18 72 6942/73.5/136 • • • • • 6

(281) 334-0525 PR 27

www.canongatetexas.com

The Battleground at Deer Park

18 1600 Georgia Ave., Deer Park, TX 77536 www.battlegroundgolfcourse.com

The Oaks

(281) 882-3000 PR 18

72

7044/73.3/131

P 27

36 36 35 72

3575/3418/3135 • • • • • 9

67 2311 North Millbend Dr., The Woodlands, TX 77380

• • • • • 14

www.canongatetexas.com

Timber Creek Golf Course 36 4554 FM 2351, Friendswood, TX 77546

(281) 993-1140

www.timbercreekgolfclub.com

Walden on Lake Conroe

72 13101 Walden Road, Montgomery, TX 77356

(936) 448-4668 PR 18

6756/72.2/133

• • • • • 18

www.waldengolf.com

MAP SHOPPING/SERVICES

TYPE

LOCATION

PHONE

28

Retail

Houston Galleria

713-627-2411

MAP DINING

TYPE

LOCATION

PHONE

2 36 39

American American American

Evergreen Point Golf Club Timber Creek GC The Battleground at Deer Park

281-420-6008 281-993-1140 281-478-2080

Edwin Watts Evergreen Bar & Grill Legend’s Grill The Republic Grill

PG. 2 PG. 17 9 5

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25

Aruba Offers One Happy Time with Championship Golf, Endless Beaches and Lots of Sun

by Art Stricklan

With endless beaches, daily breezes, constant sunny and warm climates, lavish hotels, including a coming Ritz Carlton, nightlife and casinos, no wonder the small Caribbean nation of Aruba titles itself ‘One Happy Island’.

But with the Robert Trent Jones championship layout, Tierra Del Sol and the 19th annual Aruba International Pro-Am, maybe island promoters can add ‘One Happy Golfing Island’ to that title.

While the tiny island (30 miles off the coast of Venezuela) only has one 18-hole course, there are a couple of 9 holes courses, including one at the Divi Links, but Tierra Del Sol has emerged as one of the most highly ranked courses in the Caribbean.

That was the goal of the Aruba International Pro-Am which began 19 years ago in order to showcase the island’s championship layout

26

FROMTHE THEEDITOR EDITOR FROM

Current head professional Adam Williamson, who came from South Florida six years ago, said the annual summertime tournament draws teams from all over the region including South America, Puerto Rico, Mexico and a handful from the U.S. via a direct international flight from several places on the East Coast.

“We always want to remind people what we have to offer here for great golf in a great location,” Williamson said.

“It’s a showcase for us with the golf and what we have to offer.”

When players arrive to the par 71 Jones layout, which opened in 1995, they will see plenty of scenery, challenge and feel lots of wind. Lots and lots of wind.

Because of Aruba’s location in the Southern Caribbean, it hasn’t had a direct hit from a hurricane since the late 1960s, but its location in the southern jet steam means high temperatures and near constant winds, 20-30 MPH on most days.

The winds offer a natural defense to the course, but it also offers natural air conditioning for players with temperatures TheTexasGolfInsider.com

usually in the high 80s or low 90s during the day.

Sadly, your round doesn’t always get off to a great start because the practice range requires you to hit shots directly into the prevailing wind. The views from the elevated tee are great, but the result can be a bit discouraging.

At least it gets you ready for the normal conditions.

The first three holes play downwind which allows you to get your round off to a sub-par start as the par 5 first hole can be a birdied or even eagled with a couple of good opening shots.

The par 4 second is the same, but ultimately you turn into the breeze and the real battle begins.

Several of the holes at Tierra Del Sol border the ocean including the par 3 17th which seems to back the ocean in a bit of an optical illusion. In fact, the par 3s are among the strengths of the course.

Each offers its own challenge from the large green on the 3rd hole to the short, but scary par 3 7th hole with thick bush on both sides of the fairway. There is plenty of Caribbean sand bunkers along with some dry creeks beds and thick brush with plenty of thorns which discourage you from look for or hitting any balls which exit the

27

Both the par 4 9th and hole 5 18th holes are routed directly uphill and into the prevailing wind which can certainly wreck a round or nine holes for sure. The view from the halfway house is spectacular with the ocean in the background and the large resort beach clearly visible.

The signature large white lighthouse, the inspiration for the club logo, is also clearly visible for several of the holes.

The modern clubhouse offers an indoor workout facility, indoor and outdoor dining along with an inviting pool. It does offer memberships, but is open to most visitors at rates less than $150. There are also stay and play package with homes to rent lining the course.

The island itself offers multiple lodging options from grunge to glam, but the most complete resort is the expansive Divi Resort located across the street from the white sand beach. Along with several different styles of lodging, there is an on-site, day spa, two different kinds of dining, either buffet and lakeside, plus a formal option in the hotel headquarters along with shopping, two pools and the 9-hole Divi Links.

While not confused with the championship 18-hole layout, Divi Links offers a solid test designed around a large lake for those looking for a quick golf fix.

If possible, try to get an upstairs room which features a private roof top Jacuzzi, a perfect way to end your Aruba day.

Most hotels in the tourist corridor are split between the low-rise and high-rise zone. The high-rise hotels are usually large and on the beach, with some including a casino. The two hotel zones are linked by

all manner of dining, shopping and active nightlife.

During the summer months, there are several major concerts held on the beach which can make parking a challenge, but continue the good times late into the night, Not surprising for the windy island, there is all manner of water sports including parasailing and paragliding. You will also see plenty of people flying kites from the beach.

If you are looking for a more quiet and private beach experience, the eastern side of the island, away from the airport and the capital city of Oranjestad, offers secluded beach areas on this Dutch-owned island.

Sun, spray and stunning ocean views with championship Caribbean golf. No wonder most people here on the island seem so happy.

For more information, go to www.aruba. com or www.tierradelsol.com.

San Antonio | Hill Country | Austin

Vaaler Creek Golf Club in Blanco Reward Yourself, Play It!

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

Your first step to a complimentary green fee starts here Download a Golden Ticket online and then book a room this Fall at Horseshoe Bay Resort through this package and you can play any one of our three award-winning Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed layouts with a complimentary green fee. Certain restrictions and blackout dates apply. Call Horseshoe Bay Resort directly at 877-258-4512 for more information or visit us online at hsbresort.com/goldenticket

HORSESHOE BAY RESORT

GOLDEN TICKET COMPLIMENTARY GREEN FEE

ROBERT TRENT JONES SR. COURSES

hsb r e sor t . com / gol de n t i cke t

*No cash value. $25 cart fee not included. Room Stay required in conjunction with this offer. Up to two golden ticket redemptions allowed per room. Validation of golden ticket required at check-in. Valid Sunday through Thursday only after 11 a.m. Offer expires February 28, 2014

All Inclusive Golf Package Green Fee, Cart, Range Balls and Complimentary Hot Breakfast & Lunch Buffets

For Reservations:

(512) 252-Golf (4653) Book Online at :

www.Starranchgolf.com Located just north of Austin off the 130 Toll Road. – 2500 FM 685 Hutto, TX 78634 Now Booking 2013 Golf Outings Call 252-4653 ext. 2 for details.

Call About Our 2014 Group Specials

32

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Art Stricklin

One of the foremost experts on golf history and travel in Texas, Stricklin has written a total of seven books and has personally played at a majority of the state’s 800 golf courses. Stricklin graduated from Baylor in 1983 and then spent more than a decade working for newspapers throughout Texas, including three years as the golf writer for the San Antonio Express-News.

Steve Habel

Steve Habel is a national correspondent for Cybergolf, managing editor for Texas CEO Magazine and works as a contributing editor for Horns Illustrated magazine, a publication focusing on University of Texas sports.

Habel also writes two golf blogs and works as the media coordinator for Hall of Fame player and golf architect Tom Kite, architect Jeff Brauer and the City of Arlington’s golf division. Habel is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America as well as the Texas Golf Writers Association.

Ava Blair

Ava brings a ladies touch to the Golf Insider and will share her travel and leisure experiences as she travels through-out the state of Texas. We know you’re going to enjoy reading her adventures as she makes her stops at some of the Best Golf Getaways in the Lone Star State.

Enjoy Championship Golf in the San Antonio Area!!!

A Premier San Antonio Golf Course & Event Center!

Olympia Hills Golf and Event Center is ideal for weddings, quincenearas, corporate outings, meetings and golf tournaments.

Whether you’re searching for a top of the line golf course with knowledgable staff, or a beautiful location to host your wedding or special event, Olympia Hills offers everything you need to make your visit memorable.

Olympia Hills Golf and Event Center in Universal City, Texas, was rated #1 “Best New Affordable Public Golf Course” in Texas and No. 4 in America for 2001 After golfing one of the best courses around, stop in our pro shop for a great selection of equipment and accessories, then grab a bite to eat or a cold drink in our clubhouse bar & grill.

For Weddings, Tournaments, Banquets & Tee Times Call…

(210) 945-4653

www.olympiahillsgolf.com

35

36

COVER STORY

Vaaler Creek GC keeps reigning in

By Steve Habel, Special to the Texas Golf Insider

Vaaler Creek Golf Club, situated inside Rockin’ J Ranch, carries the ultimate characterization of a “destination” course because of its remote location in the small Central Texas town of Blanco, about a 45-minute drive from downtown San Antonio to the south or from Austin to the west.

Golfers don’t just “happen by” Vaaler Creek GC, but that hasn’t stopped the course from becoming one of the must-play TheTexasGolfInsider.com

tracks in the Texas Hill Country. More than 27,000 rounds were played at Vaaler Creek GC in the past year, a 15 percent increase over the previous year, and the facility continues to reign in players from around the region.

That success can be attributed to the course’s splendid isolation, its flawless conditioning, the club’s growing list of amenities and the staff’s excellent customer service.

COVER STORY

37

players, honors

In fact, Vaaler Creek GC was recently ranked by GolfNow.com voters as the top daily-fee golf course in the Austin area.

All golfers (100 percent) in the GolfNow ratings said they would recommend the course to a friend. Vaaler Creek GC’s attention to detail and overall friendliness help make it a tremendous value and a memorable golf experience.

“We had a plan to make this course the best in the area and we’ve stuck to it,” said

Adam Grosch, Vaaler Creek GC’s Director of Golf. “The course itself has a solid routing and provides different challenges while also being fun. That’s what golf is supposed to be all about, right?”

The course was voted the nation’s No. 19 best new course for 2010-11 by Golf Digest and the word continues to spread about Vaaler Creek GC’s playability and “fun” factor.

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

38

COVER STORY

Plenty to get the golfers attention Vaaler Creek GC opened as a nine-hole track in 2007 and expanded to 18 holes in 2009. Located inside the Rockin’ J Ranch development about five miles south of Blanco, the golf course was designed by Michael Lowry and features well-placed bunkers and a handful of water features to provide a challenging yet relaxing round of golf. Several elevated tee boxes provide panoramic views of the Texas Hill Country.

The course plays up and down the gently rolling hills with tree-lined fairways. Until homes are built on the adjacent golf course lots a round at Vaaler Creek GC is all about golf and nature.

The fairways are ample on most holes even as the par-72, 6,864-yard routing sports a rating of 73.0 and slope of 140 from its back set of four tees. The fairways are edged with a very playable first cut of rough, but if the golfer’s shots are too off-line trees, creeks, ponds and natural areas all come into play.

Grosch, who can really move the ball, helped Lowry design the course by hitting shots from areas that became the back tees. The TheTexasGolfInsider.com

architect then built some bunkers based on where Grosch’s shots landed. Shorter hitters probably can’t reach the trouble as easily as PGA-level pros, and usually find their shots in the course’s wider landing zones.

Lowry routed his course along the rolling scrub brush-filled prairies and worked in all kinds of cool features: ponds, bunkers of all sizes, elevated tee shots and undulating, tree-lined fairways.

Given its length, golfers might think they can overpower Lowry’s course, but finding success at Vaaler Creek is a much more subtle endeavor. The course has a wonderful variety of long and short holes and creates shot values with strategic bunkering and the occasional carry over water.

COVER STORY

The course’s true last-line of defense is its lightning-quick, mounded and segmented putting surfaces, which can turn even the most aggressive player timid and to secondguessing. “The average golfer enjoys the course because it looks more difficult than it is,” Grosch said.

The round at Vaaler Creek begins with two short par-4s, neither of which is as easy as they seem on the scorecard. No. 1, a 343-yarder, has a broad fairway and a wide-open front to its green, but a pinpoint approach is crucial because of its sloping putting surface. The 350-yard second is played over a huge, rock-faced pond to a slightly elevated green – its front- right hole placement is one of the toughest you’ll find anywhere.

The 435-yard par-4 third hole is Vaaler Creek’s No. 1 handicap, moving downhill to a narrowing landing area and then slightly uphill to the green. If you’ve made it through #3 unscathed then you have a great round going.

It’s hard to find a better three-hole finish anywhere than at Vaaler Creek GC. The 515-yard par-5 16th is played downhill and past a pond on the right to an uphill green guarded at front-left by a huge and deep bunker. The green slopes back toward you when you are in the fairway, and – if the pin is at the right front – there’s a backstop that will cause your approach to roll back toward the hole.

The par-4 17th rolls downhill from the tee and plays much shorter than its length (425 yards). The approach is over a babbling stream to an undulating and elevated green, lined on both sides by trees.

Even though the course’s first 17 holes provide is share of thrills and challenges, nothing really prepares you for the 405-yard

39

par-4 18th. The tee shot is best played long and downhill along the left side, but too far to the portside brings a lake into play. The second shot is all carry over the huge lake, finishing at a putting surface in the shadow of the golf shop.

Expert golf instruction is available at Vaaler Creek GC with a practice facility that includes a two-acre driving range with 20 hitting bays and six target greens.

New pavilion adds options After the round, find the time to enjoy a beverage and a little fellowship on the 5,500-square foot, tree-shaded deck. The new pavilion adds even more reasons to hang around Vaaler Creek GC and expands the course’s food-service options thanks to an enclosed kitchen and snack bar.

“With the pavilion, we offer a couple of breakfast options for before the round and multiple choices for food at the turn or after the round,” Grosch said. “We have tables and chairs to sit up to 150 people in the pavilion for events.

“The pavilion allows us to start holding bigger tournaments, weddings, TheTexasGolfInsider.com

40

COVER STORY

receptions and rehearsal dinners,” Grosch added. “There’s a small stage for bands or tournament scoring, and a TV in there for our players to be able to watch after playing while enjoying a little food and a few drinks and to settle their bets.”

Another great option as Vaaler Creek GC is its stay-and-play condo package.

Nights or weekends at the onsite Tuscany Heights Condominiums are a great way to spend a buddy’s weekend and a family reunion, with discounted tee times for guests.

The luxury custom-built condos are set next to the 10th tee box and are tucked away amongst the live oaks and along a creek, There are two- and three-bedroom condos units, each with a fully furnished kitchen, Direct TV service and use of the community swimming pool.

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

As the surrounding community grows, Vaaler Creek GC is sure to be one of the Texas Hill Country’s finest golf experiences.

Those who seek a pleasant escape from the big city will enjoy a day at the course thanks to its satisfying blend of hole variety and playability. And because the accompanying residential component is still in its infancy, few courses are more peaceful.

Call it a home You can’t find more bang for your buck on golf course real estate than inside Rockin’ J Ranch. Almost all of the interior lots have been sold, leaving plenty of the prime golf course frontage lots still available. With a healthy amount of trees and hill-country views that reach out into the distance, what better foreground could you ask for than Vaaler Creek Golf Club?

Each lot comes with a base membership to the golf course and access to the sparkling, junior Olympic size pool. With ownership you have the option to include unlimited golf at very affordable prices. To inquire about viewing the real estate please call: (830) 833-2266.

SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

COURSES

41

830.833.0706

for special weekday and weekend rates go to

www.vaalercreekgolfclub.com

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

FEATURE STORY

43

The Hill Country Golf Trail

By Steve Habel

Horseshoe Bay Resort

Bandera, Concan and Castroville make great stops for hooking up your RV and hitting the links

G

olfers traveling the highways of the exit 13B to State Highway 16N (also known Texas Hill Country via an RV can find as Bandera Road) and head northwest for dozens of places to hook up for the 40 miles, passing through the towns of Leon night, a week or even longer within a short Valley, Helotes and Pipe Creek before reaching distance (and sometimes just across the street) the bustling town of about 900 resident. from courses that are challenging, fun and Bandera bills itself as the “Cowboy Capital of the World” and is a place where one can still economical.

It helps, too, that many of the facilities in see horses tied to downtown hitching posts.

Setting up: Riverside RV Park, situated the area sport other top-notch attractions for Download a Golden online and then book a room Horseshoe through nextthis to Fall the at Medina RiverBayjustResort northeast of this those times off theTicket course, including wineries, town on the way in from San Antonio, is a cool breweries, quaint shopping in charming and package and you can play any one of our three award-winning Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed layouts historical downtown sectors and museums spot to fish, navigate the hiking trail, throw with a complimentary green fee. Certain restrictions and blackout dates apply. Call Horseshoe Bay Resort some horseshoes or simply get to know some with links to Lone Star State history. directly 877-258-4512 for morea information or visitof usthe online at hsbresort.com/goldenticket friendliest people in Texas. RVers get a It’sateasy to put together nice three-day itinerary for an RV trip across the Hill little bit of everything here (www.riversidCountry, beginning and ending in San Antonio ervbandera.com): 78 full-hookup sites, all while making sure that there’s a place to tee with cable TV and Wi-Fi, an onsite coin it up at every one of the stops and plenty of laundry, and a rec hall with kitchen and patio.

O R S E S Hjust O E Bsouth A Y R E Sof O R town T Teeing off:H Head to things to do in the afternoons after the golfing play a round at the Flying L Guest Ranch. is done.

GOLDEN TICKET So let’s gas up the bus, load it up and hit The 18-hole trackC O at M P L The I M E N T A RFlying Y G R E E N FL E E features the road…and the links.

6,646 yards ofR O Bgolf E R T Tfrom R E N T Jthe O N E Slongest S R . C O U tees R S E S for a par of 72. Designed by John Bredemus, the Day 1: Bandera course opened 1972 and has been hsb r einsor t . com / gol de tweaked n t i cke t Getting there: From downtown San several times since to ensure playability and Antonio take I-10 north for about six miles challenge.With its majestic hills as a backdrop, and merge on I-410 W. After two miles, take the course’s remarkable terrain, its carefully

Your first step to a complimentary green fee starts here

*No cash value. $25 cart Golf fee not included.

Room Stay required in conjunction with this offer. Up to two golden ticket redemptions allowed Vaaler Creek Club in Blanco per room. Validation of golden ticket required at check-in. Valid Sunday through Thursday only after 11 a.m. Offer expires February 28, 2014

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FEATURE STORY

Concan Golf Course

placed bunkers and the site’s large oak trees paint each individual hole as a distinct memory.

It carries a rating of 71.0 and a slope of 123 on Bermuda grass. The Flying L Ranch’s golf course features challenging holes that make golfer think, none more than the short par-4 fifth, which turns hard right-to-left off the tee and calls for precision.

Off the course: Bandera became a staging area for the great cattle drives of yesteryear but when ranching fell on hard times in the 1930s, an enterprising rancher decided to take in “dudes” to help him through the depression and an exciting new industry was born. Three such “dude” ranches – the Flying L Guest Ranch, the Mayan Dude Ranch and the Dixie Dude Ranch – are more than 50 years old and are located here. Secluded cabins tucked away in the hills throughout the county are perfect for watching wildlife, listening to the birds and gazing at the stars. At local honky-tonks, the music is lively, the dance floor is full and the beverages are cold.

Setting up: You can’t go wrong at the Parkview Riverside RV Resort (www. parkviewriversiderv.com), which is located right across the Frio River from Garner State Park. The RV resort offers 95 full-hookup sites and has all the modern conveniences, including its own store, short- or long-term storage and a dump station.

Teeing off: Concan has one of the best golf courses anywhere – the fabulous Club at Concan. Designed by Austin-based architect Roy Bechtol in collaboration with Randy Russell, the golf course at The Club at Concan is 7,333-yard, par-72 gem nestled in the valley formed by the Frio River. Hills, with elevations of up to 1,500 feet, surround the course and are a constant presence, adding to a feeling of isolation in a place where the deer, the rabbit and the armadillos far outnumber the human

Day 2: Concan

Getting there: From Bandera, head west on Ranch Road 470 for about 29 miles then turn left on Ranch Road 187 and drive 2½ miles.Then take a right on Ranch to Market Road 1050 and go 15 miles before taking a left on US-83. Concan is eight miles ahead on the left.

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Flying L Ranch Golf Course Delaware Springs Golf Course

FEATURE STORY

population. After playing Concan just one time, golfers are able to vividly remember the layout and spectacular views. Panoramic views of the Hill Country are found on every fairway and premium Zoysia grass under foot will make the course at the Club at Concan one golfer will want to play again and again.

Off the course: The whole Concan experience revolves around the Frio River and perhaps the best way to access the water is from Garner State Park, the most visited state park in the state. Visitors swim in the clear waters of the river, shoot its rapids on inner tubes, rent paddle boats and hike the park’s fascinating nature trails. For fine dining, head to the House Pasture Cattle Company, which is one of the Lone Star State’s iconic spots for great food and country music.

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and they are firm, so precise shots will be rewarded. Water hazards come into play on five holes.

Off the course: Safely nestled within the elbow of the meandering, emerald-green Medina River, the quaint village of Castroville

Day 3: Castroville

Getting there: From Concan, head east on TX-127 S for 21 miles and turn left on Highway 90 E. Drive 36 miles to Castroville, which calls itself the “Little Alsace of Texas.”

Setting up: Perhaps the best place to park an RV in Castroville is the Regional Park, which is located in the southwest part of town on a 126-acre wooded site on the Medina River. The park (www.castroville. com/castroville-regional-park.html) has 40 sites and sports all the trappings visitors need for a great stay.

Teeing off: Accuracy and savvy is the golfers’ ally at the Alsatian Golf Club in Castroville. The course, opened in 1995 and designed by Steve Mrak, plays at 6,436 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 71 and carries a rating of 70.4 and a slope of 122 on Bermuda grass. The terrain on Alsatian’s front-nine is flat and the fairways are lined with young trees. On the other hand, the back nine has large oak trees that can affect your shots and has more mounding than the front nine. The greens are average about 5,000-square feet in size,

Alsatian Golf Course boasts a history as rich and wide as Texas itself.

Founded in 1844 by the famous impresario, Henri Castro, Castroville has comingled its Alsatian heritage of yesteryear with the flare of the American rural west. Slip on your walking shoes, follow the signs, and take a self-guided walking tour featuring over 60 historic dwellings from the mid-19th century.

It’s truly a step back in time as you encounter Alsatian-style cottages and architecture of that era. Castroville is home to one of the oldest structures in Texas, the Steinbach House, built in the 1600s in Wahlbach, France and was relocated and restored here as a gift to the city from the people of Alsace.

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COURSES

SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

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SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

COURSES

Lago Vista G o l f

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C o u r s e s

Lago Vista • 512.267.1170

Lago Vista Golf Course is a par 72 18-hole championship golf course that offers over 6500 yards of fun and challenging play. The course originally opened as a 9-hole facility in 1971 to help promote lot sales in the young, unincorporated neighborhoods that make up the city of Lago Vista today. Shortly thereafter, under the guidance of course designer Leon Howard, the course was renovated and expanded to 18 holes, and operated as a private country club until the mid 1990s.

Today, all golfers are welcome to enjoy the undulating fairways, epic lake views, and abundant wildlife at Lago Vista Golf Course.

Highland Lakes • 512.382.6529 Highland Lakes Golf Course, designed by Leon and Charles Howard and built in 1978, has been newly acquired and improved by the City of Lago Vista. The multi-level, sloping tifdwarf greens provide a demanding, yet uniquely challenging golf experience.

Originally known in the 1970s and 1980s as World of Resorts Country Club, Highland Lakes Golf Course is generally considered the more challenging of the two courses.

Same Day Special!

36 Holes – $52 • $2 Beers

For other offers, tournaments and banquet information call

512.267.1170 or go to

www.lagovistagc.com TheTexasGolfInsider.com

SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

Public Course

RATES

18

MAP #41

9

Twilight

Weekday $ 35 $19 $ 25 Weekend $ 45 $ 23 $ 33

COURSE FACTS

Number of Holes: 18 Par: 72 Architect: Bunker Hill General Manager: Doug Fipps Superindendent: Jason Kelly Course Record: Kyle Jerome,62

TEE INFORMATION

Yardage/Rating/Slope: Black: 6891 / 72.0 / 127 Blue: 6329 / 70.3 / 121 White: 5829 / 68.2 / 110 Red: 4931 / 66.8 / 106

COURSE AMENITIES

• • • • •

Practice Facilities Golf Academy Bar & Grill Fully Stocked Pro Shop Online Specials

COURSES

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Burnet

Delaware Springs Golf Course One of Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play”

R

ated four out of five stars on Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play” list, Delaware Springs Golf Course is a Hill Country classic cradled by a variety of native trees and accented by charming scenery. The beautiful 6,891-yard par-72 track unfolds onto gently rolling hills and offers golfers scenic vistas at every turn, making it as picturesque as it is challenging.

The aesthetic value is just one reason why Delaware Springs has become a Hill Country favorite. Visitors are often impressed by the attitude of the golf course staff, a friendly and courteous crew that makes strangers feel right at home. In addition to the 18-hole championship course, the facility features a well-stocked pro shop, driving range, putting green, snack bar and dining room overlooking the 18th green.

To enjoy Hill Country golf at its finest, come visit Delaware Springs Golf Course, owned and operated by the city of Burnet.

Course designers Dave Akland and Dan Procter named each hole after a local feature, such “Mountain View” and “Roon the Bend” because of it’s sharp dogleg right. Few homes line the holes.

600 Delaware Springs Blvd.

Burnet, TX 78611

512-756-8471

www.delawaresprings.com

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H I L L C O U N T R Y

Beachcomber Park 800-379-3083 lakebuchananrv.com

Galloway-Hammond Parks and Recreation Center 512-756-6180

Big Chief RV Resort 866-922-4433 bigchiefrvresort.com

Granite Rock RV Park 325-388-8900 graniterockrvpark.com

Blanco Settlement Country Cabins & RV Park 830-833-5115 blancosettlement.com

Heart of Texas Lake Resort 512-756-7766 heartoftexaslakeresort.com

Canyon of the Eagles Lodge & Nature Park 800-977-0081 canyonoftheeagles.com Cedar Lodge Waterfront Resort 512-793-2820 cedarlodge.info Dos Rios RV Park 325-347-1713 dosriosrvpark.com Edgewate Resort 512-793-2818 the-edgewater.com Fort Mason City Park 325-347-2064

R V P A R K S

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Hidden Falls Adventure Park 830-798-9820 hiddenfallsadventurepark.com Hi-Line Lake Resort 325-379-1065 hilinelakesresort.com Hofbrau RV Park 830-596-2073 hofbrau-rvpark.com Inks Lake State Park 512-389-8900 tpwd.state.tx.us Krause Springs 830-693-4181 krausesprings.net Llanorado Lodge 325-388-4823 tpwd.state.tx.us Llano River RV Park 325-247-5100 llanoriverrvpark.com Miller Creek RV Park 877-868-2622 millercreekrvresort.com Poppy’s Pointe Resort 512-793-3922 poppyspointe.net Rio Vista Resort 325-388-6331 rio-vista-resort.com Riverview RV Park 830-693-3910 Roadrunner RV Park 830-868-7449 roadrunnerrvparktexas.com Shady Oaks RV Park 512-793-2718 campingfriend.com/shadyoaksrv Sunset Point on Lake LBJ 830-798-8199 sunsetpointlbj.com

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Savor The Hill Country Taste

Alamosa Wine Cellars 325-628-3313 alamosawinecellars.com Becker Vineyards 830-644-2681 beckervineyard.com Bell Mountain Vineyards 830-685-3297 bellmountainwine.com Chisholm Trail Winery 830-990-CORK chisholmtrailwinery.com Duchman Family Winery 512-858-1470 duchmanwines.com Driftwood Estate Winery 512-858-9667 driftwoodwinery.com Dry Comal Creek Vineyards 830-885-4121 drycomalcreek.com Fall Creek Vineyards 325-379-5361 fcv.com Flat Creek Estate Winery 512-267-6310 flatcreekstate.com Fredericksburg Winery 830-990-8747 fbgwinery.com Grape Creek Vineyards 830-990-2710 grapecreek.com McReynolds Winery 830-825-3544 mcreynoldswines.com Pedernales Cellars 830-644-2037 pedernalescellars.com Perissos Vineyards 512-656-8419 perissosvineyards.com Pillar bluff Vineyard 512-556-4078 pillarbluff.com Rancho Ponte Vineyard 830-324-6704 ranchoponte.com

Sister Creek Vineyards 830-990-8555 sistercreekvineyards.com Spicewood Vineyards 830-693-5328 spicewoodvineyards.com Stone House Vineryard 512-264-3630 stonehousevineyard.com Texas Hill Vineyard 830-868-2321 texashillsvineyards.com Texas Legato Winery 512-556-9600 texasslegato.com Torre Di Pietra Vineyards 830-644-2829 texashillcountrywine.com Woodrose Winery 830-644-2539 woodrosewinery.com

H I L L C O U N T R Y

W I N E R I E S

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COURSES

SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

When you look out at a golf course that is well maintained, has lush green grass, maybe the sky is a vibrant blue and there’s a slight breeze that makes the flags on the greens float gently back and forth, do you ever envision the golfer hacking the ball a few feet or wiffing it? No! You imagine a beautiful swing that sends the ball flying in that gorgeous arching path onto the green. That golfer can be you and Foresight Golf is ready to get your game dream-worthy! All of the courses in the Foresight network are prepared to help you improve or even learn the great game of golf.

Let’s review: Plum Creek Golf Course in Kyle partnered with the golf team at Texas State to build an incredible practice facility. Covering about 24 acres, the putting green is just over 10,500 sq. ft; the range has 4 target greens, over 60 hitting stages and a bunker to practice the long sand shots. The shortgame area has 5 target greens with a sand bunker to practice the greenside shots and 20-30 yrd pitch shots.

Several redesigned holes make the course more playable and fun; and the new set of forward tees designed for beginners and seniors are almost complete.

Plum Creek - Suprising those who’ve never played it and amazing those who haven’t played it in a while!

plumcreekgolf.com • 512-262-5555or book tee times online 750 Kohler Crossing - Kyle, TX. 78640

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SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

COURSES

55

The Republic Golf Club in San Antonio is home to our “Play Better Golf” program.

Tom Olson, the San Antonio area Director of Better Golf, can be found on the driving range during the week offering lessons to those wanting to improve and grow in the game. The expansive driving sho game area allow range and short you to work on your game in private or with a group.

The golf course, as always, is the perfect venue for all levels of golfer to hone their skills.

republicgolfclub.com • 210-359-0000 4226 S.E. Military Dr. • San Antonio, TX 78222 TheTexasGolfInsider.com

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COURSES

SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

The Buckhorn Golf Course in Comfort is Tom Olson’s “Satellite Office” on Saturdays.

An incredible practice area with a generous hitting area, a separate short game area complete with practice bunkers and large putting green allows golfers to work on their game in a terrific, relaxed setting.

The course remains a Hill Country favorite for its golfer-friendly design.

Everybody just loves The Buckhorn!

buckhorngolfcourse.com • 830-995-5351 36 FM 473 • Comfort, TX 78013

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SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

COURSES

57

Cypresswood Golf Club in Spring is known for the challenging layout of the Tradition Course and the gentler Cypress Course, but it also is home to “Play Better Golf” under the direction of Tirrel Baymon.

The clinics and tournaments that are held in conjunction with the program are incredibly popular and always a fun departure from the typical round of golf.

Two wonderful layouts that utilize the natural beauty of the East Texas Piney Woods, Cypresswood.

cypresswood.com • 281-821-6300 21602 Cypresswood Dr. • Spring, TX 77373 TheTexasGolfInsider.com

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COURSES

SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

In Corpus Christi, Oso Beach Golf Center and Lozano Golf Center are the latest Foresight Golf courses to offer the “Play Better Golf” program and golfers couldn’t be more excited! Under the leadership of Ira Kramer, golfers will be able to hone their skills, grow in the game and learn how to handle the challenges that come with coastal golf.

Read two of Ira’s tips under the “Play Better Golf” tab on either course’s website, then be sure to stop by and see how Ira can help you!

osobeachgolf.com • 361-826-8010 5601 S. Alameda St Corpus Christi, TX 78412

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lozanogolfcenter.com • 361-826-8016 4401 Old Brownsville Rd Corpus Christi, TX 78405

SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

COURSES

59

The Bandit Golf Club in New Braunfels has an ample driving range and chipping/putting green. The first of the Foresight Courses, The Bandit has always been viewed as the ultimate test of golf. Changes to the course - most recently the redesign of #18 - have made the course a little more friendly and allows golfers to leave on a more upbeat note! As with all Foresight Golf Courses, The Bandit allows the golfer to selct the challenge they want to face - be it length, trouble shots or short game - all of which are critical to getting better and being able to enjoy the great game of golf more.

Come out to your favorite Foresight Golf Course and let us help you enjoy golf more through our “Play Better Golf” programs, the wonderful practice facilities we’ve built for your use and enjoyment, and our skilled teachers. Don’t suffer with a swing that looks like an octopus falling out of a tree. Let us help you get the swing of your dreams!

banditgolfclub.com • 830-609-4665 6019 FM 725 • New Braunfels, TX 78130

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Hassle Free Printing We Take Printing Seriously…Not Ourselves.

Call 210-804-0390 for Special Online Pricing

PLANT TOURS AVAILABLE!

5,000 postcards $149 10,000 flyers $349 1,000 magazines $995 (16 pages, 60# paper)

Visit us at www.shweiki.com CONTACT TRACY TO SCHEDULE YOUR PLANT TOUR 210-804-0390 • Email samplEs@shwEiki for a frEE quotE or call 512-480-0860

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COURSES

SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

The Max A. Mandel Municipal Golf Course in Laredo is a jolt to the visual senses!

And with the grand opening of the new clubhouse in August, The Max is primed to be the best course in South Texas. Overlooking the Rio Grande, a fact that is further appreciated when standing on the balcony of the clubhouse, the views are fantastic. The powerful river, beautiful terrain the course fits into, and the peaceful atmosphere all heighten your senses of how wonderful the game of golf is.

Named to Golfweek’s “Best of Municipal Courses” after being open only 7 months and debuting higher than any course in the history of that list, The Max rolls and flows through 18 distinctive and beautiful holes. A vast practice area makes practiceing something you want to spend more time doing!

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SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

The Max Laredo’s newest reason to celebrate and entertain.

COURSES

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if you enjoy eating, you’ll want to plan a meal or two at the course!

The talents of the food & beverage staff are superb! While it may be typical “19th hole fare”, the quality and flavor is unmatched anywhere! And, if you really want a sample of what they can do, host a party in the beautiful banquet room upstairs!

Overall, you’ll be hard-pressed to limit yourself to just an occasional round - you’ll want to play often! An easy down-And-Back day trip, Laredo is much closer than it used to be. But, if you want to play more than one round that means a Stay-And-Play arrangement and hotels are plentiful. Visit our website to pick the hotel that best suits your needs and plan on a weekend (or Week!) getaway soon.

themaxlaredo.com • 956-726-2000 27700 FM 1472 • Laredo, TX 78045

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COURSES Open to The Public

SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN San Antonio MAP #85

TEE INFORMATION

Yardage/Rating/Slope: Blue: 6819 / 70+8 / 124 White: 6412 / 68.3 / 117 Gold: 5552 / 72.0 / 118 Red: 5235 / 72+0 / 118

Fort Sam Houston Golf Club Salado Del Rio

COURSE FACTS

Number of Holes: 18 Par: 72 Architect: Kevin Tucker Director of Golf: Joseph Mendez Superintendent: Tim Blanchard

COURSE AMENITIES

• Open to the Public • Banquet Room seats 300 • Practice Area • Full Service Pro Shop • Grill • League Play Available • Tournaments Welcomed

Open to The Public

Salado Del Rio was lengthened to more than 6,500 yards, and thanks to additional mounding, renovated bunkering and an improved drainage system, it will be far more enjoyable to play more days of the year.

Salado Del Rio is a scenic course with its tree-lined fairways, additional mounding around the greens and forced carries over hazards. Some you can play out of, some you can’t. The stretch of holes from the fourth through the eighth is particularly breathtaking as they play along and across Salado Creek, offering more pronounced doglegs and dramatic elevation changes.

1050 Harry Wurzbach Rd San Antonio, TX 78209-6443 210-222-9386 www.ftsammwr.com/recreation/golf.html

San Antonio MAP #85

TEE INFORMATION

Yardage/Rating/Slope: Blue: 6857 / 72.8 / 128 White: 6527 / 71.2 / 123 Gold: 5620 / 66.9 / 109 Red: 4989 / 68.6 / 113

Fort Sam Houston Golf Club La Loma Grande

COURSE FACTS

Number of Holes: 18 Par: 72 Architect: Kevin Tucker Director of Golf: Joseph Mendez Superintendent: Tim Blanchard

COURSE AMENITIES

• Open to the Public • Banquet Room seats 300 • Practice Area • Full Service Pro Shop • Grill • League Play Available • Tournaments Welcomed

The La Loma Grande Course, originally developed by the legendary A.W. Tillinghast, was built by the soldiers themselves in the early 1930s. It is the only military golf course to host a PGA Tour event — two Texas Opens that were won by hall of famers Arnold Palmer and Gene Littler. Now it has been returned to the dream of Tillinghast’s original design. La Loma Grande has always been the flatter of the two layouts, but most regular players also consider it the more difficult course with its pushed-up greens, particularly on the back nine, and its diabolical bunkering and mounding around the greens.

1050 Harry Wurzbach Rd | San Antonio, TX 78209-6443 210-222-9386 | www.ftsammwr.com/recreation/golf.html

Advertisements do not express or imply endorsement by any part of the Federal Government, and media involved are neither paid for nor sponsored by any part of the Federal Government

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SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

Public Course

MAP #29

RATES

Monday-Friday $ 30 Seniors and Military $24.50 Saturday and Sunday $ 39.50 (Tax Included)

COURSE FACTS

Number of Holes: 18 Par: 72 Director of Golf: Dave Roberts Superindendent: James Fillpot

TEE INFORMATION

Yardage/Rating/Slope: Blue: 6550 / 71.0 / 125 White: 6080 / 65.5 / 119 Gold: 5339 / 66.4 / 118 Red: 4815 / 64.0 / 113

DIRECTIONS

From I-35 north, take Exit 178 and turn right onto Country Club Drive. The entrance to the course is on the right side of the street.

COURSES

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Cibolo

Northcliffe Golf Club Home of the Noon Twilight Rate - Mon-Fri Just $22 Northcliffe Golf Club is one of the most beautiful and well-maintained golf courses in the San Antonio and New Braunfels area. The par 72 course is enjoyable for the average golfer, yet a challenge to the low-handicap players. Our rates are hands-down some of the most competitive around as we offer a great value to locals and visiting players alike.

Northcliffe Golf Club is the the Home of “Twilight at Noon Seven Days A Week” Originally designed in 1979 by Joe Finger, the links-style design features generous fairways and leaves the golfer several options to play each hole. Northcliffe also has the unique design with 5 par fives and 5 par 3’s that wind through the course with no major elevation changes. Coming soon to Northcliffe Golf Club is a brand new 1000 square foot patio deck and a new restaurant “Shifu’s 41” With a friendly informal atmosphere and customer service that is dedicated to making your golf experience exciting and enjoyable, Northcliffe is easily one of the “best kept secrets” around. We invite you to come relax, take it easy, and have a great round.

5301 Country Club Blvd.

Cibolo, TX 77546

830-606-7351

www.northcliffegolfcourse.com

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GENERAL DIRECTORY

COURSE

TYPE

AUSTIN: Avery Ranch Semi-Private Bluebonnet Hill Golf Course Public Falconhead Semi-Private Hancock Park Golf Course Municipal Jimmy Clay/Roy Kizer Golf CourseMunicipal Lions Municipal Golf Course Municipal Morris Williams Golf Course Municipal Riverside Golf Club Public BANDERA: Flying L Ranch Golf Course Resort BASTROP: Colovista Golf Club Semi-Private Hyatt, Wolfdancer Resort Lost Pines Golf Course Public Pine Forest Golf Club Public BLANCO: Vaaler Creek Golf Club Semi-Private BOERNE: Tapatio Springs Resort BURNET: Delaware Springs Golf Course Municipal CANYON LAKE: Canyon Lake Golf Club Public CASTROVILLE: Alsatian Golf Course Public CIBOLO: Northcliffe Golf & Country Club Semi-Private COMFORT: Buckhorn Golf Course Public CONCAN: Club at ConCan Resort DEVINE: Devine Golf Course Public FLORESVILLE: River Bend Golf Club Public FREDERICKSBURG: Lady Bird Johnson Golf Course Municipal GEORGETOWN: Cowan Creek Golf Club Semi-Private Legacy Hill Golf Club Semi-Private White Wing Golf Club Semi-Private HARPER: Hidden Springs Golf Course Public HORSESHOE BAY: Horseshoe Bay Resort Resort Apple Rock Resort Ram Rock Resort Slick Rock Resort KERRVILLE: Scott Schreiner Municipal GC Municipal KILLEEN: The Course of Clear Creek Public City of Killeen Municipal Copperas Cove Golf Course Municipal KINGSLAND: Legends Golf Course Public Lighthouse Country Club Public KYLE: Plum Creek Golf Course Public LAGO VISTA: Lago Vista Semi-Private Highland Lakes Public

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PHONE COURSE (512) 248-2442 (512) 272-4228 (512) 402-1558 (512) 453-0276 (512) 444-0999 (512) 477-6963 (512) 926-1298 (512) 386-7077 (800) 646-5407 (512) 629-4585 (512) 308-9653 (512) 321-2327 (512) 321-1181 (830) 833-0706 (830) 537-4197 (512) 756-8471 (830) 899-3301 (830) 931-3100 (830) 606-7351 (830) 995-5351 (830) 232-4471 (830) 665-9943 (830) 216-2800 (830) 997-4010 (512) 864-1244 (512) 864-1222 (512) 864-1244 (830) 990-9500 (830) 598-8600 (830) 598-8600 (830) 598-8600 (830) 598-8600 (830) 257-4982 (254) 287-4130 (254) 699-6034 (254) 547-2606 (325) 388-8888 (325) 388-6660 (512) 262-5555 (512) 267-1170 (512) 267-1170

TYPE

LAMPASAS: Public Hancock Park Golf Course LARADO: Public The Max LEANDER: The Golf Club at Crystal Falls Municipal LLANO: Llano Golf Club Municipal MANOR: Shadow Glen Semi-Private MARBLE FALLS: Hidden Falls Golf Club Semi-Private NEW BRAUNFELS: The Bandit Golf Course Public Landa Park Golf Course Municipal PLEASANTON: Pleasanton Country Club Semi-Private PFLUGERVILLE: Blackhawk Golf Club Public ROUND ROCK: Forest Creek Golf Club Public The Golf Club of Star Ranch Semi-Private TeraVista Golf Club Semi-Private SALADO: Mill Creek Inn & Country Club Semi-Private SAN MARCOS: Quail Creek Country Club Semi-Private SAN SABA: San Saba River GC Municipal SEGUIN: Golf Club of Seguin Semi-Private Starcke Park Golf Course Municipal SPICEWOOD: Pedernales Golf Course Public SPRING BRANCH: River Crossing Club Private SAN ANTONIO: Alamo Golf Club Public Brackenridge Park Golf Course Municipal Canyon Springs Golf Course Public Cedar Creek Golf Course Municipal Golf Club of Texas Public Hyatt Hill Country Resort Resort La Cantera Golf Club Public La Loma Grande Public Mission Del Lago Golf Course Municipal Olmos Basin Golf Course Municipal Riverside Golf Course Municipal Salado Del Rio Public Silverhorn Public The Palmer Course Public The Republic Golf Course Public TPC San Antonio Resort Windcrest Golf Course Semi-private Willow Springs Golf Course Municipal Woodlake Country Club Semi-Private UNIVERSAL CITY: Olympia Hills Golf & Conference Center Public UTOPIA: Utopia Golf Course Public WIMBERLEY: Public Quicksand at Woodcreek

PHONE (512) 556-3202 (956) 726-2000 (512) 259-5855 (325) 247-5100 (512) 327-8089 (830) 693-3300 (830) 609-4665 (830) 221-4340 (830) 281-3486 (512) 251-9000 (512) 388-2874 (512) 252-GOLF (512) 651-9850 (254) 947-5698 (512) 353-1665 (325) 372-3212 (830) 303-0669 (830) 401-2490 (512) 264-1489 (830) 904-4653 (210) 696-4000 (210) 226-5612 (210) 497-1770 (210) 695-5050 (210) 677-0027 (210) 647-1234 (210) 558-4653 (210) 222-9386 (210) 627-2522 (210) 826-4041 (210) 533-8371 (210) 222-9386 (210) 545-5300 (210) 558-2365 (210) 359-0000 (210) 491-5800 (210) 655-1421 (210) 226-6721 (210) 661-6124 (210) 945-4653 (830) 966-5577 (512) 847-9700

THE PERFECT DRIVE

67

THE COAST COURSE

TYPE

PHONE

Public

(361) 664-7033

Brownsville Golf Center

Public

(956) 541-2582

Buccaneer Bay Public GC

Public

(361) 790-7513

Colony Creek Country Club

Semi-Private

(361) 576-0018

Corpus Christi Country Club

Private

(361) 991-2811

Cottonwood Creek Golf Course

Public

(956) 428-7758

Edinburg Municipal Golf Course

Public

(956) 381-1244

El Campo County Club

Private

(409) 543-6592

Alice Municipal Golf Course

Fort Brown Municipal Golf Course Public

(956) 542-9861

Ganado Golf and Country Club

(361) 771-2424

Public

Goliad Country Recreation Assoc. Public

(361) 645-2144

Grande Caribbean at Dune Crest Public

(361) 749-1974

Harlingen Country Club

Private

(956) 412-4110

L.E. Ramey Golf Course

Public

(361) 592-1101

Newport Dunes

Semi-Private

(361) 749-4653

Padre Isles Country Club

Private

(361) 949-8056

Palm View Golf Course

Public

(956) 687-9591

Rio Colorado Golf Course

Public

(979) 244-2955

South Padre Island Golf Club

Public

(956) 943-5678

The Victoria Country Club

Semi-Private

(361) 573-3712

Tierra Del Sol Golf Club

Public

(956) 702-2320

Tierra Santa Golf Club

Public

(956) 973-1811

Treasure Hills Country Club

Semi-Private

(956) 365-3100

Village Executive Golf Course

Public

Valley International Country Club Semi-Private

RIO GRANDE VALLEY COURSE

Adobe Wells Country Club Alamo Country Club Brownsville Municipal GC Cimarron Cottonwood 21 Ebony Hills Golf Course Fair Winds G.C & Practice Range Fort Brown Memorial GC Harlingen Country Club Jim Paul Golf Course Llano Grande Golf Course Los Lagos Golf Club Martin Valley Ranches Golf Course McAllen Country Club Meadow Creek Golf Club Palacio Real Golf Course Palm View Golf Course Rancho Viejo Country Club Raymondville Municipal Course River Bend Resort Shary Municipal Golf Course South Padre Island Golf Club Tony Butler Municiapal GC

TYPE

Private Private Public Private Semi-Private Public Public Public Private Public Public Public Public Private Public Semi-Private Public Semi-Private Public Semi-Private Public Public Public

(956) 968-5331 (956) 546-5331

PHONE (956) 686-8801 (956) 787-0910 (956) 541-2582 (956) 581-7408 (956) 428-0766 (956) 381-1244 (956) 423-2010 (956) 541-0394 (956) 412-4110 (956) 943-7520 (956) 565-3351 (956) 316-0444 (956) 585-6330 (956) 928-0440 (956) 581-6267 (956) 381-0964 (956) 687-9591 (956) 350-4000 (956) 689-9904 (956) 548-0191 (956) 580-8770 (956) 943-5678 (956) 216-5970

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

16

Utopia

17

Castroville

1604

7

Comfort

66

2

473

46

85

3 64 1604

35

29 725

Spring Brand

87

201431

65

98

80

Kyle

620

84

3

130 1825

37

Robstown

io

99

127

ConCan

Harper

41

Marble Falls Leander

n

Refugio

Portland

2

83286 358

44

77 97 96Corpus Christi

Sinton

sto ou To H

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Port Aransas

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An

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an

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S To

Practice Fac. Restaurant Banquet Fac. Pro Shop Instructions Ad on Page

Yardage /Rating /Slope

69

Par

See Map on Page 68

COURSES

Type Hole

Map Number

SAN ANTONIO |HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

Bandit Golf Club 65 6019 FM 725, New Braunfels, TX 78130

(830) 609-4665 SP 18

71

5905/72.7/130 • • • • • 59

Buckhorn Golf Course 66 36 FM 473, Comfort, TX 78013

(830) 995-5351

P 18

71

6155/72.0/126 • • • • • 56

(281) 821-6300 SP 18

72

6906/72.8/127 •

Delaware Springs Golf Course (512) 756-8471 SP 18 41 600 Delaware Springs Blvd., Burnet, TX 78611

72

Highland Lakes Golf Course (512) 382-6529 20 20552 Highland Lake Dr., Lago Vista, TX 78645

P 18

72

6529/72.2/137 • • • • • 47

Horseshoe Bay - Apple Rock (830) 598-6561 SP 18 64 2622 Bay W. Blvd., Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657

72

6999/75.4/136 • • • • • 30

(830) 598-6561 SP 18

71

6926/75.6/137 • • • • • 30

Horseshoe Bay - Slick Rock (830) 598-6561 SP 18 64 2622 Bay W. Blvd., Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657

72

6834/72.8/131 • • • • • 30

Horseshoe Bay - Summit Rock (830) 598-6561 PR 18 64 2622 Bay W. Blvd., Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657

72

7258/76.0/145 • • • • • 30

Type: M=Municipal, PR=Private, P=Public, SP= Semi-Private.

www.banditgolfclub.com

www.buckhorngolfcourse.com

Cypresswood Golf Club

21602 Cypresswood Drive, Spring, TX 77373 www.cypresswood.com

6891/72/127

• • 57

• • • • • 49

www.delawaresprings.com

www.lagovistagc.com/highland-lakes.html

www.hsbresort.com

Horseshoe Bay - Ram Rock

64 2622 Bay W. Blvd., Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657 www.hsbresort.com

www.hsbresort.com

www.hsbresort.com

Jersey Meadow Golf Course

(713) 896-0900

P 18

72

6357/73.3/ 136 • • • • • 61

LaLoma Grande Golf Club (210) 222-9386 85 1050 Harry Wurzbach, San Antonio, TX 78209

P 18

72

6774/72.5/124 • • • • • 64

(512) 267-1170

M 18

72

6579/70.0/118 • • • • • 47

(325) 388-6660

P 18

72

(361) 826-8016

P 18

72

7027/73.9/125 • •

(830) 606-7351

SP 36

72

6550/72/125

Olympia Hills Golf and Conference Center (210) 945-4653 35 12900 Mount Olympus, Universal City, TX 78148

P 18

72

6923/74.1/139 • • • • • 33

M 18

70

6223/69.9/119 • • • • • 58

2 8502 Rio Grande, Jersey Village, TX 77040 www.jerseymeadow.com

www.fortsammwr.com /recreation/golf.html

Lago Vista Golf Course

20 4616 Rimrock Dr., Lago Vista, TX 78645 www.lagovistagc.com

Lighthouse Country Club

68 118 Club Circle, Kingsland, TX 78639

6855

• • • • • 48

www.lighthousecountryclub.com

Lozano Golf Center

96 4401 Old Brownsville, Corpus Christi, TX 78405

• • 58

www.lozanogolfcenter.com

Northcliffe Golf Club

29 5301 Country Club Blvd., Cibolo, TX 77546

• • • • • 65

www.northcliffegolfcourse.com

www.olympiahillsgolf.com

Oso Beach Municipal Golf Course

(361) 826-8010

97 5601 S. Alameda St., Corpus Christi, TX 78412 www.osobeachgolf.com

Par

See Map on Page 68

Practice Fac. Restaurant Banquet Fac. Pro Shop Instructions Ad on Page

SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN Yardage /Rating /Slope

COURSES

Type Hole

Map Number

70

(512) 262-5555

SP 18

71

6210/69.8/118 • • • • • 54

Republic Golf Club (210) 359-0000 64 4226 S.E. Military Dr., San Antonio, TX 78222

P 18

71

6142/73.5/131 • • • • • 55

P 18 72

6819/70.8/124 • • • • • 64

Type: M=Municipal, PR=Private, P=Public, SP= Semi-Private.

Plum Creek Golf Course 98 750 Kohler Crossing, Kyle, TX 78640 www.plumcreekgolf.com

www.republicgolfclub.com

Salado Del Rio Golf Course (210) 222-9386 85 1050 Harry Wurzbach, San Antonio, TX 78209 www.fortsammwr.com/recreation/golf.html

Scott Schreiner Golf Course

17 1 Country Club Lane, Kerrville, TX 78028

(830) 257-4982 M 18

70

6453/71.6/ 126 •

• • 18

(512) 252-4653

SP 18

71

7030/71.0/117 • • • • 31

(956) 726-2000

P 18

72

6211/74.5/132 • • • • • 62

(830) 833-0706

SP 18

72

6864/73.0/140 • • • • 36

www.golfkerrville.com

3

Star Ranch Golf Club

2500 FM 685, Hutto, TX 78634 www.starranchgolf.com

The Max 99 27700 FM 1472, Laredo, TX 78045 www.themaxlaredo.com

Vaaler Creek Golf Club

87 228 Jeff Vaughn, Blanco, TX 78606 www.vaalercreekgolfclub.com

SHOPPING/SERVICES | ACCOMODATIONS/DINING | TOURNAMENTS/INSTRUCTION ACCOMODATIONS/ DINING ESPN ‘Texas Golf Insider’ Coushatta Casino 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder, LA 70648 | www.CoushattaCasinoResort.com | 800-584-7263 Ad Page 28

Horseshoe Bay 2622 Bay W Blvd Horseshoe Bay, TX | www.hsbresort.com | 830-598-6561 | Map# 56, Ad Page 30

Tierra Del Sol Resort Spa & Country Club Caya di Solo 10, Aruba | www.tierradelsol.com | +297 (0)586 78 00 | See Page 25-27

SHOPPING/SERVICES Edwin Watts Golf

1250 AM | Saturdays 8-9 am | www.espnsa.com | Ad Page 42

Henslee Productions

115 Industrial Dr., Boerne, TX 78006 | www.hensleetv.com | 210-274-5380| Ad Page 46

Mac Wylie Golf 24200 IH 10 West #114, San Antonio, TX 78257| www.macwyliegolf.com | 210-698-2244 | Map # 7, Ad Page 67

The Golf Club 1315 W. Ben White Blvd., Austin, TX 78704 | www.teegolfclub.com | 512-916-GOLF(4653)| Map #80, Ad Page 71

The Golf Ranch

1050 NE Loop 410, San Antonio,TX | www.edwatts.com | 210-822-4060 | Map # 3

Wolf Ranch Shopping Center, Georgetown, TX | www.golfranchshop.com | 512-863-4573 | Map #84, Ad Page 32

Edwin Watts Golf

Mizuno

9360 I H 10 West, San Antonio,TX | www.edwatts.com | 210-349-7575 | Map # 2

www.mizunogolf.com | 713-303-5892 |Ad Page 42

Wolff Golf Gloves

Edwin Watts Golf

www.wolffgolfgloves.com |

4526 South Padre Island Dr., Corpus Christie,TX | www.edwatts.com | 361-852-0358 | Map # 83

800-329-7929 |

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

HEAD TO THE GOLF CLUB FOR THE NEW FOURTH-GENERATION

AP1 AND AP2 TITLEIST IRONS

www.teegolfclub.com

By Steve Habel

The Golf Club, the only Austin-area retailer south of the Colorado River dedicated strictly to golf, is the place to get the best and newest in golf equipment technology, including the justreleased fourth generation of Titleist’s AP1 and AP2 irons.

The new AP1s and AP2s are the most forgiving irons in the game at the head sizes and blade lengths preferred by serious golfers. Weighting in the long and mid irons help produce higher MOI, increasing the speed on miss-hits to provide consistent distance without sacrificing workability or shot control.

Precise iron play requires both distance and control, hitting shots that fly the desired distance with the proper trajectory to softly land the ball near the pin.

Every player can benefit from added forgiveness but when it comes to iron play, distance without the ability to stop your shot is meaningless. You have to hit the ball far enough to reach the green, but also have the proper ball flight to stop it near the hole.

Advanced CG height progression, precisely designed into both models, creates higher launching long irons and flatter launching short irons for more carry distance with outstanding control to help players stop the ball on the green and closer to the hole.

The irons debuted on the PGA Tour this summer and two instant converters to the new AP2 models quickly earned breakthrough victories. Texas-born phenom Jordan Spieth won his first-career PGA Tour title at the John Deere Classic with new AP2 irons in the bag just two weeks after the clubs launched on tour. Soon after, Jason Dufner played new AP2s in winning the PGA Championship for his first major title.

The Golf Club maintains the same attention to detail, customer loyalty and fair pricing that has enticed golfers to the store for the past decade and is THE place to get the new Titleist irons.

For more information on The Golf Club call (888) 453-0102 or log on to www.teegolfclub.com.

The Golf Club

Scan for Special Offers

1315 W. Ben White Blvd.

Austin, TX 78704 512-916-GOLF (4653)

NEW & USED Find us online @ www.teegolfclub.com

Buy • Sell • Trade

TURNING REALTY TO REALITY

Residential l Farm and Ranch l Commercial Golf Course Lots Available

Texas Star Realty can help you find your country home, business or farm & ranch property west of Houston. Listings are centrally located between Houston, Austin and San Antonio. Online Brochures and slide shows are available, call for more information.

Darrel l Grafe, Realtor

(979) 732-1850

darrell@TexasStarRealty.com

Historic

Office Located in Downtown

Columbus

40 miles West of Katy off IH-10/Hwy 90