Texas Golf Insider Magazine (Houston)

TEXAS

Summer/Fall 2015

Golf Insider The Official Guide to Golf in Texas

Three Fabulous Courses

Plus The Falls Resort the Natural Wonder of Texas Golf

Jersey Meadow City Close – Country Quiet!

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

4

Contents 12

Cover Story Kick up your boots in the quaint countryside of Sealy, Texas and enjoy the area’s most scenic golf courses, wineries and much more 6 WELCOME How to contact us, plus download Texas Golf Insider - New App available on Google play or App store

The Falls Resort & Golf Club 12 OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Cover: City of Sealy and Austin County top the list of summer get-a-ways

This Golf Resort is well worth the drive for both corporate tournaments and family vacations.

16 FEATURE COURSES Must Play Courses for this summer & fall

18 SUMMER GOLF CAMP Summer schedule for camps and instruction

MAP & DIRECTORIES 20 GENERAL DIRECTORY 22 MAP 23 ADVERTISER’S DIRECTORY

Follow Us

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Quail Valley Golf Course

REGIONS CENTRAL TEXAS 28 59 76 78 79

LAJITAS- WORLD CLASS RESORT HILL COUNTRY GOLF GENERAL DIRECTORY MAPS ADVERTISER’S DIRECTORY

18 TEXAS

Golf Insider STPGA Junior Golf TheTexasGolfInsider.com

The Official Guide to Golf in Texas

6

FROM FROMTHE THEPUBLISHER EDITOR

Welcome to The Texas Golf Insider Magazine Mike Ratchman Texas Publisher

Texas

GOLF INSIDER P.O. Box 310652 New Braunfels, TX 78130 830-964-2152 FAX 830-964-2153 thetexasgolfinsider.com Mike Ratchman Texas Publisher Office: 830-964-2152 mike@thetexasgolfinsider.com Editor: Ava Blair Contributing Writers: Art Stricklin, Steve Habel Contributing Photographers: Gary Perkins, Mark Lindsay, Carlton Wade Office Manager: Marcede Pullen Production: Pat Gondert CIRCULATION 300,000 per year reaching 750,000 readers.

3 ANNUAL EDITIONS

Welcome to the Texas Golf Insider Here comes the sun! With the wettest month of May ever recorded in Texas history behind us, I hope it’s time to swing away. I would say with all the rain we have had most courses are looking very plush and ready to play. The Texas Golf Insider is your play book to some of the best golf courses and resorts in Texas. So put your clubs in the truck and map out your summer golf plans.

One place I would put on my travel list to start with is Lajitas Golf Resort in Big Bend. The golf course is one of most exciting I have ever played in Texas. And it’s not just me saying that. The Dallas Morning News just voted them the “#1 Golf Course To Play In Texas.” So If you want to break away from the hustle of the big city, isolate yourself at Lajitas Golf Resort.You will not be disappointed that you made the trip.

Another is a drive off the beaten path to The Falls Resort and Golf Club in New Ulm, Texas. You will find resort amenities in this secluded area for your corporate or family event. Plan a BBQ by the villas, fishing at the pavilion, dinner and meetings inside the Clubhouse and top it off with 18 fabulous holes of championship golf. This resort is conveniently located between Austin and Houston.

The city of Jersey Village is another great destination for your next golf outing. Jersey Village has all the conveniences of the big city, and it’s only 20 minutes to downtown Houston’s Theater District. JerseyVillage boasts a well-conditioned 18-hole golf course at Jersey Meadow Golf Course. If you need to fill your time after golf, visit the horse races and shop at the popular Trader’s Village and Houston Premier Outlets.

DISTRIBUTION Throughout Central Texas, Dallas/Ft. Worth and Greater Houston at Golf Courses, Welcome Centers, Golf Shows, Golf Retail Stores and more.

May travels to your next golf destination be safe.

Texas Publisher Mike Ratchman

Copyright ©2014 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.

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

7

Melanie Grafe

Regional publisher for the Texas Golf Insider – Houston, with over 15 years experience in marketing and advertising, and CEO of e-Graphics Marketing and Advertising providing marketing and graphic design services.

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.

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.

TEXAS

Golf Insider The Official Guide to Golf in Texas

DOWNLOAD OUR NEW APP TODAY TheTexasGolfInsider.com

The scenic eleventh hole at Eagle Pointe Golf CLub

The challenging third hole at Eagle Pointe Golf Club

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FEATURE STORY

Life’s True Pleasures The Falls Resort creates

By Steve Habel/Contributing Writer

If you’ve been in south Texas for a while, it’s likely you’ve heard about The Falls Resort, a place where when you get away, you really get away. It’s the home to one of the best kept and most challenging golf courses in the region.

After venturing to The Falls this spring for an overnight trip on which I played, ate, stayed and played some more, I’m happy to report that all the accolades TheTexasGolfInsider.com

heaped on this destination are justified.

It is a fact that The Falls is not the easiest place to get to. But isn’t that part of the appeal? Playing golf in splendid isolation is one of life’s true pleasures.

At The Falls the experience is tranquil and memorable thanks to the property’s f lora and fauna, its demanding tree-lined course,

FEATURE STORY

13

are Hidden Away. lasting memories

picturesque views provided by It has been a constant among the topthe rolling terrain and a heaping ranked courses in the Lone Star State. helping of good old Texas Opened in 1984, the 6,857-yard, par-71 hospitality. track is challenging and rewarding for all The golf course at The Falls was skill levels thanks to its cascading water designed by the team of Jay Riviere, features and elevation changes not readily who was from the area, and Dave seen so close to the Texas Gulf Coast. Eight Marr, who won the 1965 PGA clear-water lakes come into play as they Thee by challenging g third dthe hole e at Championship and is considered follow descending natural terrain and e Pointee Golf f Club many as one of the duo’s finestEagle works. create a series of cascading waterfalls.

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

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FEATURE STORY

“Our course has been the calling card for this community and resort since we opened and it’s never been in better shape than right now,” said Steve Patton, the Falls’ long-time director of golf. “In the years I’ve been here, I’ve seen the course mature into a track that demands excellent shot-making and puts a prime on decision and execution.”

The Falls’ back tees carry a healthy rating of 73.1 and a slope of 140. Five other teeing grounds allow the player to mitigate the difficulty without reducing the test. One of the true tenets of golf course design is that a course is only considered excellent if it’s good from all its tee boxes – in that respect, The Falls makes the grade.

The golf course at The Falls is rated 4½ stars by Golf Digest. It has also garnered notice as the No. 1 scenic course and the top outlying course in the Houston area by the Houston Chronicle and the No. 1 hidden gem by the San Antonio Express-News.

There are no two holes alike and there are several candidates for signature holes.

Water comes into play on half the holes and some of the bunkering and greens complexes are unlike anything you’ll see in the area.

Enjoy perfect fairways and lush greens

The sixth, for example, is a medium length par-4 that doglegs right. The approach is over water to a highly elevated green, protected by tiers of sand and grass bunkers to where the putting surface cannot be seen from the fairway. Take two extra clubs here to get up the hill successfully.

The seventh, the course’s No. 1 handicap hole, follows. With water at the end of the fairway, a large tree hugs the left side of the landing area and narrows the player’s tee shot. The approach shot from the right is completely over water, a real test for the nerves.

Four of the par-3s at The Falls play at 188 yards or more from the tees and as a set might be the best one-shotters in south Texas. The group is highlighted by the 210yard third, which is all carry over a lake and pinches the skinny fairway leading to a green with three bunkers.

Good players will feel like they can attack all four of the course’s par-5s, the longest of which is just 531 yards, but finding the right segment of the putting surface is essential to make birdie.

The Falls’ most demanding hole is likely the 492-yard par-4 17th, which is played through a narrow chute of trees to a landing area with a downhill lie. The Scenic water views are a plenty at The Falls approach is with a hybrid or long

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

Complete new look and feel to

iron over a small creek to an elevated and deep putting surface with bunkers on each side. Riviere and Marr really pulled out all the stops on this hole.

The greens at The Falls were also near perfect. They were smooth, true, cut to the proper speed to challenge all levels of players and they held the ball well. Breaks are very subtle and hard to read and the approach to the correct segment of the medium- to large-sized putting surfaces is paramount.

After playing my first round at The Falls, I walked off feeling I might have left a half-dozen shots out on the course. The second time around my Corporate Trade Show in the Conference Center

play – based on my decisions and a little more course knowledge – was significantly better and more satisfying. Locals say that’s a common trend among those getting familiar with the course.

Course architects often design courses that reveal themselves in stages and multiple rounds – this is surely the case at The Falls. Play it once, you’ll like it. Play it again, you’ll like it even more.

That’s a perfect scenario for The Falls Resort’s stay and play options, which include upgraded and finer than fine villas that have been fully appointed for your whole foursome and no-frills inn rooms that are economical and all a golfer really needs.

FEATURE STORY

15

There are ample and recently expanded practice facilities here and it’s also a good place to work on your game with lessons available from the staff.

The resort’s food and beverage service, highlighted by the Cascades Restaurant, is as good as you’ll find at any resort. Order the ribeye for dinner; it might have been the best cut of meat I’ve had at any price this year.

Because of its lodging options and the versatility of its meeting capabilities, The Falls is a wonderful and all-inclusive place for corporate retreats and events, family reunions, golf buddy trips and tournaments, day groups, parties and weddings and receptions.

The club also offers memberships and has recently unveiled a series of weekday golf specials to the course, which is about an hour and a half from Houston and Austin and two hours from San Antonio but well worth the trip.

For all of 2015, players of any age get on the course for the $40 senior rate

Corporate Events at theVillas

on Mondays, and on Wednesdays and Thursdays golfers can pay for one round and one night’s lodging and receive a second round of golf free.

The Falls is truly a place that area golfers can come to love. Get in your vehicle, get out there and get in the swing – you’ll be glad you did.

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

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COURSES

Public Course

GREATER HOUSTON | TEXAS COAST

MAP #36

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

COURSE FACTS Number of Holes: 27 Architect: Jay Riviere

RATES Call the Pro Shop or visit our website for online specials

COURSE AMENITIES t IPMF HPMG DPVSTF t (PMG "DBEFNZ t -FHFOET 3FTUBVSBOU #BS t 'VMMZ 4UPDLFE 1SP 4IPQ t TFBU QBWJMJPO GPS UPVSOBNFOUT and events t 0OMJOF 4QFDJBMT BOE &$MVC

4554 FM 2351 Friendswood, TX 77546

281-993-1140

timbercreekgolfclub.com

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

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 Club‌Where You Belong.

GREATER HOUSTON | TEXAS COAST

Public Course

MAP # 5

RATES

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Mon-Thur Friday Weekend Holiday

$45 $47 $60 $60

TWLIGHT* $32 $40 $40 $40

*Twilight begins at 1 pm

STATISTICS Par: 71 Black Blue White Red

Yards Rating 7077 73.2 6502 70.9 5927 68.0 5213 67.4

Slope 128 121 116 113

PERSONNEL Architect ........................ Rick Forester General Manager ............. Jeff Strong Course Record ........Justin McKay, 62

AMENITIES t Online Tee Times t Meeting/Banquet Rooms t New Enclosed Pavilion t Two Restaurants t Recreation Complex & Wave Pool t Fully Stocked Pro Shop t Memberships Available

Mont Belvieu, TX (281) 385-6666 www.EaglePointeOnline.com

COURSES

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M ONT B ELVIEU

Eagle Pointe Golf Club & Recreation Complex

A

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 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 a new 8,000-square-foot indoor pavilion would be the perfect place for corporate outings, weddings or charity events.

Plan your special event in the new climate controlled pavilion TheTexasGolfInsider.com

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TheTexasGolfInsider.com

SUMMER TIME FUN STARTS WITH JUNIOR GOLF

W

hen the final bell of the school year rings, business around the Southern Texas PGA Junior Golf program goes from zero to a hundred, real quick. Offering hundreds of playing opportunities and tournaments for every level of junior golfer,

the STPGA Summer Series becomes a hot commodity from June ‘til August.

Junior golfers may be out of school, but for ten weeks these aspiring golfers practice, play and work to develop their game.

Special Events Highlight While the summer provides a lot of fun days and fantastic golf, it’s also a great chance to look back on a successful spring. Even though the weather was a little less than cooperative, not even April showers could keep one of the coolest events from happening this year. The Insperity Invitational provided an incredible opportunity for 36 of our deserving STPGA junior golfers to play nine holes with a Champions Tour player. The Woodlands Development Company Junior Pro Am hosted by the Insperity Invitational takes place every year during the Champions Tour annual stop at The Woodlands Country Club – Tournament Course. This year’s professionals included: Fred Funk,

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Hal Sutton, Roger Chapman, Steve Pate, Tom Pernice Jr., Joe Durant, Scott Dunlap, Michael Allen and Kirk Triplett. It was truly a special day for all involved and one that will create lasting memories.

In other news, this past April the STPGA hosted a free clinic for its junior golfers with special guest, Jordan Spieth. The 21-year-old Master’s champion, who was in town prior to his start at the Shell Houston Open, came out to the Kingwood Golf Advantage School to talk about his success on the PGA Tour, the importance of a proper fitness regimen, answer questions and sign autographs…a lot of autographs! With over 250 kids and parents in attendance, if the young Spieth wasn’t already a crowd favorite, he certainly became one after the appearance. It was a great thrill Jordan Spieth for all to have a chance to meet, listen and interact with the Master’s champion.

Besides being one of the biggest junior golf programs in the country and offering numerous unique events and experiences, the STPGA Junior Golf program prides itself on providing the game of golf to all juniors. Offering a wide array of playing opportunities with a majority of tournaments costing less than $40, the STPGA continues to offer financial assistance in hopes of making the game of golf available to everyone, regardless of financial resources.

For more information about the Southern Texas PGA Junior Golf Program, visit www. stpgajuniorgolf.com TheTexasGolfInsider.com

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DIRECTORY

COURSE

TYPE

GREATER HOUSTON | TEXAS COAST LOCATON

PHONE

COURSE

TYPE LOCATON

PHONE

Alvin Golf & CC

PUB

Alvin

281-331-4541

Meadowbrook Farms GC PUB

Katy

Augusta Pines

SP

Spring

832-381-1000

Melrose GC

PUB

Houston

281-847-1214

Babe Zaharias GC

PUB

Port Arthur

409-796-1327

Memorial Park GC

M

Houston

713-867-0386

Bay Forest GC

PUB

La Porte

281-471-4653

Moody’s Gardens GC

Galveston

409-683-4653

Bayou Din GC

PUB

Beaumont

409-796-1327

Newport GC & Conf.Center PUB

Crosby

281-328-3576

M

Texas City

409-739-9622

North Shore CC

Semi

Portland

361-643-6057

PUB

League City

281-337-1459

Oakhurst GC

PUB

Porter

281-354-4653

Bear Creek Golf World

PUB

Houston

281-859-8188

Pasadena Municipal GC M

Houston

281-481-0834

Belle Oaks GC

PUB

Beaumont

409-796-1311

Pearland Golf Club

PUB

Pearland

713-773-9603

Bellville GC

PUB

Bellville

979-865-9058

Pecan Lakes GC

PUB

Navasota

936-870-3889

Brenham CC

SP

Brenham

979-836-1733

Pine Crest CC

PUB

Houston

713-462-4914

Brentwood

SP

Beaumont

409-840-9440

Quail Valley GC

M

Missouri City

281-403-5910

M

Houston

281-458-1350

Raven Nest GC

PUB

Huntsville

936-438-8588

Coldspring

936-653-2388

Rayburn Country

R

Brookeland

409-698-2444

M

Anahuac

409-267-8235

Red Wolf GC

PUB

Huffman

281-324-1841

Clear Creek GC

PUB

Houston

713-738-8000

River Point GC

PUB

Richmond

281-343-9995

Columbia Lakes

PUB

West Columbia

979-345-PUTT

River Ridge GC

PUB

Sealy

800-553-7517

Columbus

979-732-5575

River Terrace GC

PUB

Channelview

281-452-2183

Bayou GC Beacon Lakes GC

Brock Park GC Cape Royale GC Chambers County GC

PUB

PUB

281-693-4653

Columbus GC

M

Cypress Lakes

PUB

Cypress

281-304-8515

Sharpstown GC

Cypresswood GC

PUB

Spring

281-821-6300

Sienna Plantation

PUB

Dickinson CC

PUB

Dickinson

281-337-3031

Southwyck GC

PUB

Pearland

713-436-9999

Eagle Pointe GC

PUB

Mont Belvieu

281-385-6666

Stephen F. Austin GC

SP

San Felipe

979-885-2811 281-440-1308

M

Houston

713-988-2099

Missouri City

281-778-GOLF

Evergreen Point GC

PUB

Baytown

281-837-9000

Swanson Golf Center

Pub

Houston

Faith Bridge Ranch GC

PUB

Hempstead

979-826-2131

Texaco GC

PUB

Houston

713-453-7501

Freeport

979-233-8311

Texas A&M University GC PUB

College Station

979-845-1723

Willis

936-856-4233

Freeport GC

M

Spring

281-225-1200

Texas National GC

Glenbrook GC

M

Houston

713-649-8089

The Battleground at Deer Park PUB

Deer Park

281-478-4653

Goose Creek GC

SP

Baytown

281-424-5534

The Falls Resort & GC

New Ulm

979-992-3123

Greatwood GC

PUB

Sugar Land

281-343-9999

The Golf Club of Houston PUB/PV Humble

Green Caye GC

PUB

Dickinson

281-337-2021

The Village GC

PUB

Panorama Village

936-856-5531

M

Houston

713-928-4260

The Wilderness

PUB

Lake Jackson

979-297-4653

Henry Homberg GC

M

Beaumont

409-842-3220

Timber Creek GC

PUB

Friendswood

281-993-1140

Hermann Park GC

PUB

Houston

713-526-0077

Tour 18 Houston

PUB

Humble

281-540-1818

Heron Lakes GC

PUB

Houston

281-807-0207

Travis B. Bryan GC

Bryan

979-823-0126

High Meadow Ranch GC PUB

Magnolia

281-356-7700

Waller CC

PUB

Waller

936-931-3335

Houston National GC

PUB

Houston

281-304-1400

Wedgewood GC

PUB

Conroe

936-441-4653

Idylwild GC

PUB

Sour Lake

409-753-2521

West Brazos Golf Center PUB

Brazoria

979-798-4653

Iron Oaks GC

PUB

Beaumont

409-866-9191

West Fork Golf and CC

PUB

Conroe

936-760-1776

Jersey Village

713-896-0900

Westwood Shores GC

PUB

Trinity

936-594-9172

Kingwood

281-358-1155

Wildcat GC

PUB

Houston

713-413-3400

WindRose GC

PUB

Spring

281-370-8900

Gleannloch Pines

Gus Wortham GC

PUB

Jersey Meadow GC

M

Kingwood Cove GC

PUB

La Torretta

R

Conroe

936-448-302

Legendary Oaks GC

PUB

Hempstead

979-826-4001

Longwood GC

PUB

Cypress

281-373-4100

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

PUB

SP/R

M

281-459-7800

PUB-Public, M-Municipal, SP-Semi-Private, R-Resort, PV-Private

GREATER HOUSTON | TEXAS COAST

DIRECTORY

21

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RETAIL

LOCATION

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

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

281-557-3300 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

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

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

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

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

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

88 28 56 55

36

Pa Pa assa asa sad adena na

36

Deerr Park Pa k

5 5

Mont Belvieu e vi u

7

46 48 80

50

75

109

26 26 26 New Ulm m

Indust dus us ry y

109

63

51

59

45 52

8

1458

54

Ma agnolia olia a

25 25

41 41

53 Mo Montgomery 53

GOLF ACADEMY/INSTRUCTION

GOLF ACADEMY/INSTRUCTION

Eagle Pointe Player Development | Map # 5, Ad Pg 17

Golf Academy at Timber Creek | Map #36 | Ad Pg 16

Jeff Strong, PGA | www.eaglepointeonline.com | 281-385-6666

David Pilsner, PGA | www.timbercreekgolfclub.com | 281-993-1140

STPGA Junior Golf | www.stpgajuniorgolf.com |Ad Pg 19

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

23

Yardage /Rating /Slope

Eagle Pointe Golf Club & Recreation Complex (281)385-6666 1 5 12440 Eagle Pointe Dr., Mont Belvieu, TX 77580

COURSES

Par

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

Type Hole

Map Number

GREATER HOUSTON | TEXAS COAST

t t t t t

t t t t t

t t t t t

www.eaglepointeonline.com

Jersey Meadow Golf Course (713) 896-0900 .

41 8502 Rio Grande St., Jersey Village, TX 77040 www.jerseymeadow.com

LaTorretta Lake Resort & Spa (936) 448-4400 41 53 600 LaTorretta Blvd., Montgomery, TX 77356 www.LaTorrettaLakeResort.com

Quail Valley Golf Course 25 2880 La Quinta Dr., Missouri City, TX 77459

(281) 403-5910 1 18

71

6920/73.7/138

t t t t t

(800) 553-7517 1

t t t t t

(979) 885-2811 1

t t t t t

(979) 992-3123 41 3

t t t t t

www.evergreenpointgolf.com

River Ridge Golf Club 7 3133 Brazos Oak Lane, Sealy, TX 77474 www.evergreenpointgolf.com

Stephen F. Austin Golf Club 8 Park Road 38, San Felipe, TX 77474 www.sfaustingc.com

The Falls Resort & Golf Course 26 1750 North Falls Dr., New Ulm, TX 78950 www.thefallsresort.com

Timber Creek Golf Course

(281) 993-1140

36 4554 FM 2351, Friendswood, TX 77546 www.timbercreekgolfclub.com

SHOPPING/SERVICES

1 36 36 35

t t t t t

DINING

San Felipe De Austin State Historic Site | Ad Pg 8

The Bluebonnet Grille at Quail Valley | Map #25 | Ad Pg 18

15945 FM 1458, San Felipe,TX 77473 | www.visitsanfelipedeaustin.com | 979-885-2181

2880 La Quinta Dr., Missouri City, TX | 281-403-5910 The Cascades Restaurant at The Falls | Map #26 | Ad Pg 12 1750 North Falls Dr., New Ulm, TX | 979-992-3123 Cazadores Mexican Restaurant & Cantina | Ad Pg 10 Sealy, TX | 979-885-3211 | Map # 80 Katy, Tx | 281-693-2122 | Map #54 Houston, TX | 713-465-9377 | Map # 55 Houston, TX | 713-682-2404 | Map # 56

Sealy CVB | Map #50 | Ad Pg 8-11 Sealy, TX | visitsealy.com | 979-885-3222 Texas Parks & Wildlife | Map #59 | Ad Page 10 Sealy, TX | www.tpwd.state.tx.us | 979-885-3616

ACCOMODATIONS America’s Best Value Inn | Map #45 | Ad Pg 8 2107 Hwy. 36 South, Sealy, TX 77474 | www.bestwestern.com | 979-885-3707

Legends Grill | Map #36 | Ad Pg 16 4554 FM 2351, Friendswood, TX | 281-993-1140

Best Western The Inn at Brenham | Map #63 | Ad Pg 2

Maribelli Italian Ristorante | Map #52 | Ad Pg 11

1503 Hwy. 290 East, Brenham, TX 77833 | www.bestwestern.com | 979-251-7791

Tony’s Family Restaurant | Map #51 | Ad Pg 11

2352 South Hwy. 36, Sealy, TX | 979-627-7665

City of Jersey Village | Map #81 | Ad Pg 47 Comfort Inn | 713-856-5005 Executive Inn & Suites | 713-896-1000

1629 Meyer, Sealy, TX | www.tonysfamilyrestaurant.com | 979-885-4140

Holiday Inn Express | Map #48 | Ad Pg 11

Coldwell Banker The Ron Brown Company | Map #75

2370 Hwy. 36 South, Sealy, TX 77474 | www.HIExpress.com | 979-877-0700

SUPER 8 | Map #46 | Ad Page 10 Sealy, TX | www.Super8.com | 979-885-2121

The Inn & Villas at The Falls | Map #26 | Ad Pg 12 1750 North Falls Dr., New Ulm, TX 77546 | www.thefallsresort.com | 979-992-3123

REAL ESTATE SERVICES 930 Walnut Street, Columbus, TX 78934| | Ad Pg 21 email: dgraferealtor@gmail.com | 979-732-1850

Galveston Island Real Estate | Map #88 | Ad Pg 83 16602 San Luis Pass Rd., Galveston, TX | email: leedeforkejr@yahoo.com | 409-739-1299 www.leedeforkejr.com

Great Texas Golf

Lajitas Golf Resort Voted # 1 Golf Course To Play In Texas

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 2015 Golf Outings Call 252-4653 ext. 2 for details.

Call About Our 2015 Group Specials

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COVER STORY

Excellence and Luxury in Stark Isolation The Lajitas Resort and its Black Jack’s Crossing Golf Club keep piling up the awards

By Steve Habel Contributing Writer

The Big Bend Region of Texas is a wildly beautiful natural region, with a complex and enthralling history. More than one million acres of public land, including Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park, lie here in the prominent northward bend in the Rio Grande as it passes through the gap between the Chisos Mountains in Texas and the Sierra Madre Oriental in Mexico.

It is about as remote a place as there is in America, set on the southwest corner of the Lone Star State about 300 miles as the crow files from El Paso.

It’s also the site for one of the most secluded – and recently most decorated – golf resorts anywhere in the world: the Lajitas Golf Resort and its awe-inspiring Lanny Watkins-designed Black Jack’s Crossing Golf Course.

The Dallas Morning News recently lauded Black Jack’s Crossing with the top spot in its public course. Ranking TheTexasGolfInsider.com

it as #1 Best Course You Can Play in the state of Texas for the 2nd year in a row. Golf Magazine ranked it the #1 Most Beautiful Golf Course in Texas and Golfweek ranks Black Jack’s Crossing as the #4 Best Course You Can Play in the State.

Black Jack’s Crossing was designed by Lanny Watkins, winner of the 1977 PGA Championship, eight-time member of the United States Ryder Cup team (as well as captain of the team in 1995) and inductee into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

The course takes advantage of both the natural beauty and rugged surroundings of the Texas Badlands, 400 miles west of San Antonio. Playing through the Rio Grande River plateau and presenting awe-inspiring views of the Big Bend Mountains, the course winds through hills and canyons, over cliffs and high-plains desert, and challenges golfers with elevated tees, steeply sloping lies, and strategically located bunkers.

COVER STORY

A choice of four tees allows the course to stretch as long as 7,413 yards (at sea level!) and down to 5,442. Par is 72.

There’s also a complete practice facility with putting green and chipping area.

Expertly maintained, the Platinum Paspalum grass is always lush, allowing the vibrant green hues of the fairways and putting surfaces to glisten in stark contrast to the black buttes and mesas in the distance. The course is nothing less than an oasis in the Texas Desert.

Sweet isolation There is a reason the sprawling 27,000-acre resort and its course are so isolated. The landscape in the Big Bend is glaring and severe and not for the faint of heart or the thin-skinned. Here, in the few places flat enough to pitch a tent, build an adobe house or eventually a grand resort, the land rolls away on both sides of the Rio Grande, and it takes a different attitude to exist, more less thrive.

Comanche once meandered through these passes that separate the Chisos and Davis Mountains. It’s a place where General “Black” Jack Pershing forded the river in search of the infamous Pancho Villa, who led raids across the Rio Grande.

The old Lajitas Trading Post, dating back to the 1800’s, on the site has been converted to a Longhorn Museum and the golf course’s pro shop.

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The Lajitas Resort has a storied history as well, with past lives as a luxury cowboy hotel and an insulated getaway for the uber-rich before the economy clanged to a virtual standstill in 2008. Well-known Texas businessmen Kelcy Warren and John McReynolds now own Lajitas Resort, which is operated by WSB Resorts and Clubs, LLC, and all involved have taken a refreshing new direction, opening the property to visitors from far and wide.

A rocky good time Watkins’ golf course calls out to anyone with enough nerve to tackle its rocky elevation changes, its numerous carries over desert washes and a set of holes that require the best golf game a player can muster. The track combines the historical features of the region, its demanding terrain and the exquisite setting among the Big Bend National and State Parks.

After a devastating flood wiped out a previous Lajitas design that was set on the river’s bank in 2008, Watkins was chosen from an “A” list of architects to fashion the new course on land in the mountain valleys and foothills, away from the chance of repeat disaster.

This is a place where mountains, buttes, mesas and other rock formations (lajitas means flat stones) will wow players of all abilities. The routing takes advantage

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

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COVER STORY

of the dramatic drops from tee to fairways and vistas that stretch as far as the eye can see.

There are no less than seven elevated tee boxes and on a clear day you feel as if you can see the edge of the world in almost every direction. The tee shots are exhilarating – several drop as much as 180 feet from tee to green.

“Kelcy (Warren) and I went hiking in the area around Lajitas and we were knocked out by some of the views we saw from the mountains,” Watkins said.

“We had enough land to do two courses because there was so much to work with, but it was just a matter of getting all the holes to fit together for a spectacular sight that gets better as you go from hole to hole.”

Watkins was given plenty of leeway to fashion the land as he felt best to get the look and feel he wanted. “I like to see what’s in front of me off the tee and not have to guess where I am,” he said. “With the great view corridors at Lajitas, that wasn’t a problem.”

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

Watkins was here, in early 2009, standing on the steps of the resort’s Thirsty Goat saloon, when he got the word of his election into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

The fairways at Black Jack’s Crossing are generous but sometimes seem small due to the elevation changes and the multiple forced carries. The greens are medium in size but challenging and fast with great undulation.

The first three holes of Black Jack’s Crossing play in the Rio Grande valley and then the routing climbs into the mountains and foothills. Five holes bring the river back into view, and each seems to offer another interesting and unique geological formation or a different color into the spectrum.

No two holes are same at Black Jack’s Crossing. Players need to manage huge elevation changes, forced carries, strategically placed bunkers, narrow fairways, water, deep arroyos, rolling fairways and uneven lies, tough approach shots, doglegs and blind shots.

The trip is part of the adventure Lajitas is not exactly around the corner from anywhere but getting there is half the fun. To make a trip like this worthwhile, the golf course and other amenities have to be special – and they are.

The resort is a revived ghost town converted into a classy, Old West-style

COVER STORY

resort community alongside the Rio Grande, which has Old West charm blended with modern-day luxury.

Most of the resort is centered around or adjoining the resort square which includes the Badlands Hotel, Boardwalk Suites, Candellilla Cafe, shops, the bakery,

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new Boardwalk Suites or to the Cowboy bordello interiors of the Badlands Hotel.

“Lajitas and the golf course are memorable because I don’t think there’s another site like this anywhere in the state,” Watkins said.

Getting hitched takes on new meaning at Lajitas The land that makes up Lajitas is naturally romantic, which makes getting married at the resort seem tres apropos (so appropriate). The resort offers six different

meeting rooms, the Agave Spa, Thirsty Goat Saloon, a medical clinic and the Flat Rock Theater Company, an open-air amphitheater for movies.

Four unique buildings offer several lodging choices and a range of prices. The resort offers 103 distinct and unique rooms featuring the cowboy chic of the Cavalry Post or Officers Quarters to the elegance of the

sites for weddings large and small, each with its own charms and individual ambiance.

Perhaps the most striking is the Lajitas Chapel, a beautiful 19th Century historic TheTexasGolfInsider.com

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COVER STORY

landmark with white adobe walls, Saltillo tile and beautiful hand painted artistry.

For outside weddings, there are five great choices – the vine-covered Fireplace Gazebo (set in a landscaped courtyard), the Stargazer Mesa (located under in the shadow of the Chisos Mountains), The Ocotillo (with its beautiful fountain and a view of fabulous sunsets and the Rio Grande), the Bell Tower in the center of the resort with close access to the Pavilion Ballroom and at the golf course’s driving range and putting clock, the largest space at the resort.

Plenty to do outside golf at Lajitas Plan on spending a few days because you will want to play this course twice and there are lots of other fun things to do like: hiking in Big Bend National park, mountain biking, rafting and canoeing the Rio Grande, ATV and Jeep tours, horseback riding, hunting, shooting and more. In addition to all of the activities listed above, a world-class zip line is under construction and is set to open Labor Day weekend in an area called Quiet Canyon. With 9 lines totaling more than 8,000 feet, the Lajitas Zip Line Tour will be an experience like no other in

Texas as the course will take riders from mountain elevations across deep canyons while offering panoramic views that will leave lasting impressions.

For those with RVs, Lajitas offers its Maverick Ranch RV Park. Set near Big Bend National Park, the 101-slot park sports full hook-ups, wireless Internet

Alejandro Escovedo access, clean bathrooms with private showers, laundry facilities, a general store and a swimming pool. A community center is available for group gatherings and pool parties.

In addition, 18 “primitive wilderness campsites” are available for those interested in a true tent-camping experience.

More information can be attained and tee times can be booked online at www.

LajitasGolfResort.com. Rates for guests of the Lajitas Resort include a golf cart with GPS, use of the practice range and bottled water. photographer: matchlessphotography.com

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

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INSTRUCTION

PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS

Corey Pavin - a perfect example of a player who maximized his strengths to win big

How many times have you finished your round and wondered why in the world you tried some of the shots you hit that day? We have all done it. If you had only laid up and hit that wedge or 9 iron into the green instead of trying a shot Arnold Palmer would think twice about hitting.

Too many times we take unnecessary chances that end up costing us in the end. Instead of playing to our strengths, we try a shot we don’t have confidence in and very rarely ever practice. The single most important factor in avoiding these mistakes is to play to your strengths.

Here are some things that can help you make smarter decisions on the course.

1. WRITE DOWN YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES Everyone has strengths and weaknesses on the golf course. In order to maximize your strengths and minimize your weaknesses, you must first identify both.

To do this, write down on a piece of paper a column for your strengths and one for your weaknesses. When you write things down, you are more likely TheTexasGolfInsider.com

to remember them. It makes you think more about each. Make sure you are honest with yourself when writing them down. If you end up having a little longer list in the “weaknesses” column, don’t get discouraged, you are normal. Part of the goal here is to make your “strengths” column longer than your “weaknesses” column eventually. You might be a strong wedge player and a weak putter. Maybe you hit a lot of fairways off the tee, but struggle with your bunker game. Don’t leave anything out.

2. SPEND MORE THAN HALF OF YOUR PRACTICE TIME ON YOUR WEAKNESSES It’s one thing to identify your weaknesses, but that’s only half the battle. You must then work to make them strengths. This is an important step in not only making your “weaknesses” column smaller, but making your “strengths” column larger.

Eliminating something as a weakness and making it a strength gives you more options on the golf course when it comes to deciding what shot to hit.

This doesn’t mean, however, that you should ignore a strength just because it’s a strength. Spend at least some of your practice time working on your strengths. This will help insure that the shots you have labeled as strengths stay in that column.

INSTRUCTION 3. CHART YOUR ROUND After finishing your round, take a few minutes and chart your shots. Here, you should have a column for “mental mistakes” and one for “loose swings” or “miss hits” as well as how many greens in regulation you hit, putts you had, fairways you hit, etc. This will give you a good idea if you are beating yourself with mental mistakes or Zach Johnson knows the importance you need of knowing his strengths and to work on technique. using them to his advantage.

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relied heavily on one of the best short games the P.G.A. Tour has ever seen.

Another major championship winner you could put in this category would be Zach Johnson. When Zach won the 2007 Masters, he laid up on every par 5 and played to his strength, which is his wedge game. Both players capable of shooting low scores and winning big tournaments because they relied on their strengths and, in most cases, stayed away from their weaknesses.

Be smart and treat your golf game like most other areas of your life...play to your strengths and eliminate your weaknesses.

3. PUT YOUR RESEARCH TO WORK ON THE GOLF COURSE The third step is to put into action what you have learned through your “investigative work”. For example, if you are a strong wedge player, consider laying up to a yardage in which you feel most comfortable instead of going for the green with that 3 wood you didn’t have as much confidence with in the first place. If you consider yourself a good putter, play for the center of the green a little more and rely on your “strength” more often.

Remember, being aggressive doesn’t always mean being a long hitter or trying the impossible shot.

A perfect example of this is Corey Pavin.

Always known as a short hitter, Pavin TheTexasGolfInsider.com

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TheTexasGolfInsider.com

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38

REVIEW

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR PLAY Fort Sam Houston GC’s solid design provides top golf experience

By Steve Habel/Contributing Writer

S

an Antonio golf is defined by its past and the contributions from a number of the world’s greatest course designers. Both those attributes come into play at the excellent pair of courses at Fort Sam Houston, on the Alamo City’s near-Northside, where history is a player with every foursome.

The two 18-hole tracks – La Loma and Salado Del Rio – feature holes from the base’s original routing as drawn up and put to work

by Golden Age golf architect A.W. Tillinghast.

Tilly’s original course (opened in 1937) was the host site for the Texas Open in the 1950s and 60s; Fort Sam Houston GC is the still the only military track to host a PGA Tour event.

A 1976 redesign that added another 18 holes to the installation’s facility split Tillinghast’s work into two separate routings. Some of the original holes were lengthened to be more of challenge to the modern player and his new-fangled equipment and balls and both courses have undergone significant refreshenings by the Kevin Tucker Design Group.

Despite the Tillinghast pedigree, La Loma and Salado Del Rio have their own character and quirks.

Both also are defined by a series of tough par-4s, an aspect that is always the heart of the best golf courses.

Eleven of the original Tillinghast-designed holes (Nos. 1-10 and 18) are now the backbone of the La Loma course; the other seven are among the holes on Salado Del Rio TheTexasGolfInsider.com

and make up holes 1 and 13-18 on that layout.

The Tillinghast-designed holes are mostly straight and long, with rolling fairways made more challenging by numerous knolls and small mounds. Their putting surfaces, which roll true but can be difficult due to their subtle breaks, are protected by round sand bunkers.

The newer holes on La Loma are routed through a tree-filled, low-lying area and have more movement and changes in elevation.

La Loma plays to a par of 71 and at 6,819 yards from its back set of four tees. It carries a rating of 73.0 and a slope of 126 but is considerably tougher when the wind kicks up and forces the golfer to make calculated choices.

Salado Del Rio’s main feature is thick wetlands that define the course’s edges and occasionally encroach into play. Most of the fairways are lined with mature trees, adding to the experience, and the holes along the Salado Creek are a perfect balance of scenery and shot making requirement.

Tillinghast’s holes are the standouts on Salado Del Rio as well, which plays to a par of 72 and at 6,857 yards. The course is rated at 72.6 and sloped at 126 from its back set of four tees.

There has never been a question about the challenges and playability of the two courses, and the condition, the layout, the location and the affordable cost to play the tracks at Fort Sam Houston make them even more of a must play.

SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN Open to The Public

COURSES

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

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

40

REVIEW

TY ROBERTS HONES HIS SKILL ON HIS HOME COURSE, NORTHCLIFFE GOLF CLUB, WITH AN EYE ON FUTURE CHAMPIONSHIPS The start of life long friendships, college scholarships, and for some a journey to become a touring professional on the PGA or LPGA Tours all start with Junior Golf.

For the likes of Jordan Speith, Stacey Lewis,Tiger Woods, and San Antonio’s own Jimmy Walker, playing golf on the local, regional and national level as a junior help spring board them to successful careers on their prospective tours.

In the shadow of Jimmy, comes one of the areas hottest junior golfers, Ty Roberts. Only 12 years old, Ty has won an amazing 32 times since 2011 in the STPGA’s Lil Linkster Program. In April, Roberts capped a phenomenal run with a one-stroke victory in the South Texas PGA Spring Championships. With this win, it fulfilled a promise he made to himself after finishing dead last in the championships in 2010. Ty is currently vying for a spot on the Texas Jr. Cup, which is a Ryder Cup style competition between North Texas and South Texas Juniors.

Growing up around courses his entire life, Ty picked up the game when he was 4 years old. It was the challenge of getting the little white ball in the hole that kept him on the range and putting green for hours at a time. Roberts has spent more time on the course than in front of the TV playing video games. His dream is to become a PGA Tour Professional and win the Texas Open as well as the Masters.

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

Currently at his home course, Northcliffe Golf Club, members are now remarking of how Ty reminds them of when Jimmy Walker roamed the fairways and was the talk of Junior Golf in the Hill Country.

Following in Walker’s footsteps,Ty is currently in the Comal School District where he will play on the Canyon Golf Team next spring.

After high school Roberts would like to attend UT, Baylor, Texas A & M, or one of the other powerhouse golfing colleges before he turns professional. He knows that not only his golfing skills, but also his academics are the key to securing a scholarship. With the guidance of his parents, Ty is currently on the A –B honor roll and looks to get to all A’s in the coming year. He understands that he has to have a “Plan B” if “Plan A” doesn’t work out.

What the future holds for Roberts is up to him. With exceptional talent for his age, the gift of gab, and good grades in school, the possibilities for success is unlimited. No matter what path Ty chooses, it will take hard work and determination for him to meet his goals. As Ty once said “ Winners will do what others won’t.”

SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

Public Course

MAP #29

RATES Monday-Friday $32 Seniors and Military $26 Saturday, Sunday and $38 Holidays Twilight at noon everyday (Green Fee, Cart & Tax Included)

COURSE FACTS Number of Holes: 18 Par: 72 Director of Golf: Dave Roberts Superintendent: 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 $24 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 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 5’s and 5 par 3’s that wind through the course with no major elevation changes. Now open at Northcliffe Golf Club is the New “America’s first drift fry restaurant” Shifu’s 41 and a 1000 sq.ft. deck surrounding the pro shop.

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

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

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FEATURE STORY

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

FEATURE STORY

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City Close — Country Quiet!!!

P

erhaps the best indication of the success of a golf course is the list of players lining its tee sheet and the attitude of those golfers when they’re done with their respective rounds.

A full complement of smiling players is the norm at Jersey Meadow Golf Course, set in the northwest Houston suburb of Jersey Village. Here you’ll find municipal golf at its finest – and a course that provides as much challenge as the golfer is willing to take on.

It’s easy to be deceived into thinking that – at just 6,671 yards from its back tees – Jersey Meadow GC will be a walk in the park.

That idea can be dispelled by a serious look at the scorecard; playing the par-71 course all the way back brings a 73.3 rating and a stout slope of 136, numbers that rank in the top 25 percent of all courses in the United States.

“Our course is tough enough but it is not impossibly tough – it’s certainly no pushover,” Jersey Meadow Golf Course head golf professional Lynn Parker said. “The course demands careful ball placement,

especially off the tee. In many places there is just no room to miss because water, trees or bunkers and even out of bounds comes into play.”

Located on part of what was once a 1,236-acre ranch owned by Clark W. Henry, Jersey Meadow Golf Course is nestled among mature live oak groves.

The ranch was originally home to the F & M Dairy and one of the world’s largest and best herds of Jersey dairy TheTexasGolfInsider.com

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FEATURE STORY

cattle. Henry and Leroy Kennedy began a joint land venture that took the old ranch and laid the groundwork for what would become the City of Jersey Village.

In the late 1950s, a parcel of land of the original ranch was earmarked for an employee-only course for Cameron Iron Works. That course would eventually become Jersey Meadow Golf Course, and in 1984 golf architect Carlton Gipson redesigned the track.

Gipson’s course was tweaked in the 1990s by Jay Riviere, helping to make it the outstanding test of golf it is today.

In the summer of 2004, the greens were resodded with Champions Bermuda and the clubhouse and driving range were renovated and updated.

Water comes into play on 13 holes and the routing offers a handful of forced carries, including the need to cross the water twice on the final hole. The course is carded with four sets of tees; the most popular are the whites (6,161 yards) and the golds (5,764 yards) to square the challenge across all spectrums of skill level.

The course offers a pleasant round of golf in the traditional sense. There’s TheTexasGolfInsider.com

a good mix of long and short par-4s at Jersey Meadow GC to help keep the player’s focus and interest. Five of the two-shotters (including the 444-yard second hole and the better-get-it-rightor-pay 434-yard 10th) are more than 415 yards from the back tees.

That difficulty is balanced by the fact that all three of the par-5 holes on the course (the 473-yard No. 1, the 519-yard seventh and the 513-yard 13th) can be reached in two shots and can relinquish birdies if played with a little moxie.

Jersey Meadow GC’s par-3s are never a bargain – at 165 yards, the sixth is the shortest, but its long and narrow green is well protected, so it is no easy par.

The par-5 first hole plays to a treelined fairway (get used to that) and moves left to right. A well-struck and wellpositioned drive will leave a mid-to-longiron approach to the elevated green with a few devious hole placements.

No. 2 is Jersey Meadow GC’s longest par-4 and has one of the tightest fairways on the course. The 415-yard third is also a devilishly difficult par-4, as bunkers left and trees right off the tee narrows the hole

FEATURE STORY

and an elevated green fronted on the right by a pond.

The 383-yard par-4 fifth hole challenges players to hit an accurate drive, as two lakes skirt the right side of the fairway and a large fairway bunker guards the left side.

No.8, at 416 yards from the back tees, doglegs left and over water and is one of the most thought-provoking holes on the course. A lake cuts through the fairway about 150 yards from the green, so any well-struck tee balls that veer left could find a home with the fishes in the reed-filled water.

The back-nine begins with a 434-yard hole that demands accuracy, as the par-4 has out-of bounds on the right from tee to green and a green that can be as much as three clubs difference depending on wind and hole placement.

The three-hole stretch that includes holes 13-15 asks the player for his or her best game but also provides a real possibility to score. The 513-yard par-5 13th usually plays downwind and is reachable in two with a good drive. Beware the lake that runs up the left side as well as the three bunkers that surround the elevated putting surface.

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No.14 comes back the opposite direction, so the 394-yard par-4 often plays into the wind. It plays tight off the tee with a tree and houses on the right.

Drives hit too far left will find the lake, which continues to be a factor all the way to the green. The 15th – again playing downwind and long at 416 yards – is a real chance to grip it and rip it, but stay away from the out of bounds on the right side.

The closing hole at Jersey Meadow GC is one of its toughest. The 399-yard par-4 plays straight toward the clubhouse on the horizon and has forced-carries over water on both the tee shot and on the approach. A 240-yard carry is needed from the back tees to traverse a wide creek that slices across the fairway. A pond fronts the putting surface about 65 yards short of the elevated green, which is the most shallow on the course and sandwiched with bunkers on either side.

Jersey Meadow GC has the largest senior golf association in the Houston area with TheTexasGolfInsider.com

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FEATURE STORY

more than 500 members. The group is very active, and its twice-monthly tournaments regularly fill to full-field capacity. Events are handicapped and flighted.

The course also has two ladies associations. And its men’s association plays twice per month and uses a variety of formats – some team, some individual.

“People like our course because it’s just a really comfortable place to play and practice,” Parker said. “We take care of our golfers and our course. We are very proud of what we can offer and how it’s been received over the years.”

In addition to golf, Jersey City offers a cornucopia of activities to keep one busy.

Great accommodations TheTexasGolfInsider.com

and dining, a lively Theater District and a good old fashioned horse race await the golfer who ventures off the greens.

The Houston Premier Outlets offer a shopping experience that will delight all with 145 stores.

Traders Village not only offers great shopping but there’s always something fun happening at the market. Festivals and special events are planned year-round: Chili & BBQ Cookoffs, Auto Swap Meet, Bayou Cajun Festival, Halloween Boo Bash, Native American Indian Pow Wow and so much more!

A short trip down Hwy 290 and you’re at the Houston Theater District and Zoo. Fun for all ages. Jersey Meadow is the ultimate Stay, Play, Shop and Live experience.

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FEATURE STORY

Hobbs’ Rockwind Community Links is municipal golf done the right way

Hobbs’ Rockwind Community Links is

By Steve Habel/ContributingWriter

By Steve Habel/Contributing Writer

Most people, even true Texans, might have a hard time locating Hobbs, New Mexico on a map without a bit of ruminating and chin-scratching.

But for golfers and those that have a real interest in learning how to establish and grow the game in today’s set of challenges, one need look no further than this city of some 45,000 citizens on the eastern Texas/New Mexico border and hour and half northwest of Midland.

Mid-May’s opening of the city-owned and operated Rockwind Community Links was more than just the debut of a totally new golf course on the bones of one that was old and outdated – it’s also one of the few TheTexasGolfInsider.com

new courses coming on line anywhere in the United States. This course is nothing less than a template of how the game of golf, under the correct stewardship, can be used as both as asset to a town’s residents and as a draw for tourism.

“We’re investing in quality of life, and we’re telling the world we want people to come and live and prosper here,” Hobbs mayor Sam Cobb said. “We believe Rockwind will be the focus of our community and we’re investing heavily in golf for our youth.”

Built on the site of the former Ocotillo Park Golf Course, Rockwind Community Links was designed by Scottsdale-based architect Andy Staples. Staples’ work has

FEATURE STORY

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municipal golf done the right way

produced a 27-hole golf facility that includes a 7,102-yard regulation 18-hole track and a nine-hole beginners’ course, nicknamed “Li’l Rock,” with holes ranging in length from 35 to 185 yards.The main course offers five sets of tees.

The $12 million renovation was paid for in cash, meaning the facility will have a leg up on earning its keep rather than paying off debt.

Both courses have been designed to embrace the flat nature of the southeastern New Mexico landscape, keeping irrigation to a minimum and the turf fast and firm.

Surrounding the course is an expansive walking and bicycle trail and a municipal park, two key aspects of Staples’ Community Links

initiative.The program, which Staples hopes to expand to other municipalities, looks to create a shift in the way a golf course is viewed within its community and focuses on how a golf facility can be more utilized as a valuable asset.

“Community Links looks to explore possible alternative revenue streams other than green fees and golf related activities for golf courses and expands facility benefits to increase facility use by non-golfers,” Staples explained. “We also look to maximize our precious resources with the efficient use of water, energy and fuel.”

City Manager JJ Murphy says he loves how Rockwind Community Links is bringing his town and its citizens together.

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FEATURE STORY

“When we heard the vision that Andy had for how our golf course could be transformed into an asset for the entire community, we immediately became intrigued,” Murphy said. “Now that we’ve had a chance to see the vision here and providing all we hoped it would, there’s an excitement for this course I have not seen before.”

Staples dredged out a 5.3-acre irrigation lake at the course’s center (which holds 13.5 million gallons of effluent water) and used the dirt from the excavation to add elevation change to the almost-flat original site. There are berms and mounds throughout the new course and plenty of elevated and putting surfaces, many of which are segmented by ridges that add spice and challenge.

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The fairways at Rockwind Community Links are wide and inviting, but the real tests begin if one’s approach shot is not played to the proper section of the greens.

Rock walls built from native caliche line some of the holes, including across the fairway at the 484-yard par-5 16th and a stream fed by the irrigation lake makes frequent appearances through the course.

Staples kept hundreds of mature trees planted in 1955 on the site, which gives Rockwind Community Links the feel of a much older course, as well as some needed shade and aiming points for players. The designer has incorporated characteristics typically found on courses along the eastern seaboard of the U.S. built during the turn of the 20th century and provides challenging features such as disguised bunkers and interesting ground contours.

The nine-hole “Li’l Rock” is meant to complement the facility’s expanded practice

FEATURE STORY

range and short game area. It was built to facilitate walking, families, beginner golfers and kids.

The focus of the entire project was to link the golf course to the fabric of life in Hobbs. Rockwind Community Links provides a welcoming environment to bring families, kids and new golfers of all ages together via the game of golf. The facility also participates as a member of The First Tee of Southeastern New Mexico.

A round at Rockwind Community Links offers up a little bit of everything; Staples designed the course to reveal itself over multiple rounds, and it might take players two or three trips around the track to understand its nuisances.

The front-nine sports back-to-back par-5s at the fourth and fifth holes, the latter of which is dotted with deep grass craters left by Staples from the era when the site was used for practice bombing runs by the nearby Army Air Force base.

The back-nine is in a nifty 3-3-3 combination of par-3s, 4s and 5s and includes one of the most difficult one-shotters (the 245-yard 15th hole) that I’ve ever played. The

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round concludes with a 591-yard par-5 (the longest hole at Rockwind Community Links) and in the shadow of the facility’s gleaming new clubhouse.

Rockwind Community Links will play a key role in changing how the city views itself. It has already drawn kudos for its design and playability from PGA Tour pro Fred Couples, who participated in the course’s official opening, and LPGA Tour pro Natalie Gulbis, World Golf Hall of Famer Lee Trevino and Champions Tour standout Jim Colbert.

You owe it to yourself to get out a map and find your way to eastern New Mexico, to Hobbs and to Rockwind Community Links. Afterward you’re likely to go home to your local city-owned course and tell the operators there that you’ve found a place where golf is being done the right way. Spread the word, folks.

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Quartet of courses at Horseshoe Bay Resort create one of Texas’ best golf getaways

By Steve Habel Contributing Writer

W

ith four of Texas’ best golf courses and a luxurious, right-on- the-water hotel, there’s no better place to get away from it all and work on your game than the Horseshoe Bay Resort. It’s just a conversation or two away from Austin and San Antonio on the south shores of Lake LBJ in the heart of the Texas Hill Country.

Established in 1971 near the bustling town of Marble Falls, the years have been kind to Horseshoe Bay and especially the resort’s three championship Robert Trent Jones golf courses.

Horseshoe Bay Resort is home to the largest golf complex personally designed by Jones, whose hand has influenced the shape of 10 former US Open venues.

The golf ante was upped in 2012 with the opening of the resort’s fourth course, the Jack Nicklaus-designed Summit Rock, which was named the Dallas Morning News’ top new course upon its debut and is currently ranked as the 21st best golf course in Texas.

The resort’s Slick Rock course was the first built and opened for play in 1972. It embodies

the Jones philosophy of “hard par, easy bogey,” with a front-nine routed through colorful outcroppings of granite and a magnificent mixture of native oak, cedar, persimmon and eldarica pine trees and a back-nine more open and gently rolling.

Slick Rock’s most famous hole is the 14th, called “The Million Dollar Hole”, which was added to the course in 1990. The hole sports a winding cart path that takes golfers on a ride through a waterfall that spans more than 35 yards and dumps more than 8,000 gallons of water into Slick Rock creek each minute. Don’t worry, you won’t get wet as long as you stay in your cart.

Slick Rock is considered the easiest and most forgiving of Horseshoe Bay’s trio of Jones-designed courses and was chosen as one of the six best inland resort golf courses in the book “America's Greatest Golfing Resorts.”

If Slick Rock is the sheep of the three courses at Horseshoe Bay, then Ram Rock is the cougar.

The course, which opened in 1981, has earned respect for its toughness and as one of the stoutest

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REVIEW

tests of championship golf in the United States.

Ram Rock has been named the hardest 18-hole layout in the state of Texas and singled out as one of the nation’s outstanding golf courses by various publications and golf journals.

With narrow fairways, natural streams, plenty of water and sand, rock gardens, granite outcroppings, blind tee shots and all manners of trees, bushes and plants, Jones held nothing back to challenge golfers on Ram Rock. This is a roller-coaster ride of a course – you are constantly going up and down and from side to side – and sometimes just survival of the 18 holes seems like an accomplishment.

A combination, challenge-wise, of the two other Jones-designed courses is Apple Rock, which was named “Best New Resort Course in America” by Golf Digest when it opened in 1985.The track is situated in high, rocky terrain with magnificent views of Lake LBJ. Using some of Horseshoe Bay's most elevated and scenic land, Jones employed the natural ebb and flow of the landscape along the hills and draws of the edge of the lake, framing the holes with native oak, elm and persimmon trees.

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The back-side at Apple Rock features back-to-back scenic par-5s, with the tee box on the 567-yard downhill 10th marking one of the highest points in the region.The course features 56 bunkers, but water hazards lie on only five holes, with the 179-yard par-3 No. 12 playing over a spit of Lake LBJ. It’s a real knee knocker of a tee shot, considering there is no escape and execution is a must. Apple Rock’s 379-yard par-4 16th features a canyon at the optimum landing area and is narrow and tree-lined.

As Horseshoe Bay Resort’s newest sibling, Summit Rock offers a mix of daring holes throughout its solid, challenging routing, which uses about 200 acres of the property.The course is marked by rock ledges and outcroppings and plays past, and occasionally over, ravines and box canyons. It moves from holes lined by mesquites, oaks and native grasses up to a ridge that offers long-reaching vistas of the rolling Hill Country and Lake LBJ. Elevation is about 1,700 feet at the course’s highest point, and once you get to the ridge you play back down to the long and demanding finishing holes.

The 7,000 acre-luxury resort includes the 385-room Horseshoe Bay Resort hotel that boasts 117 suites, the adjacent and recently renovated Paseo villas and 50 luxury lakefront condominiums available for rent at The Waters at Horseshoe Bay Resort. There are also seven dining facilities, 16 adult tennis courts, three USTA-sponsored Andy Roddick Kids’ Tennis Courts and two fitness facilities, plus a private airport and jet center with a 6,000-foot runway.

The “wow” factor at Horseshoe Bay is matched only by its luxury and the professionalism of its award-winning staff. There is something for everyone here.The Horseshoe Bay Resort is a real load of fun whatever your specific tastes are or the shape of your golf game.

King of the Lake JUMP INTO FUN ON FULL-LEVEL LAKE LBJ THROUGH THIS WONDERFUL RESORT PACKAGE THAT PUTS YOU RIGHT ON THE WATER! CHOOSE BETWEEN A ONE-HOUR JET SKI RENTAL OR A ONE-HOUR PONTOON BOAT RENTAL DURING YOUR STAY. FOR THE KIDS, THIS PACKAGE ALSO INCLUDES ONE COMPLIMENTARY SHARK RIDE ON LAKE LBJ. DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO PLAY ON THE WATER DURING YOUR VACATION. THE KING OF THE LAKE PACKAGE INCLUDES: • Classic Guest Accommodations • Daily Breakfast Buffet at Lantana Restaurant • Choice of one-hour jet ski rental or one-hour pontoon boat rental • One shark ride

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REVIEW

Vaaler Creek Golf Club

a great place for weddings, too

By Steve Habel/Contributing Writer

It’s a cool spring afternoon and the scene being played out on the expansive deck at Vaaler Creek Golf Club is one to file into your memory. Two people, obviously deeply in love, proclaim their vows of marriage to an assembled throng as the deep, green fairway and trees of the golf course loom in the distance just beyond a huge, gleaming lake.

This is a scene that’s been played out dozens of times in the past few years at Vaaler Creek. Initially recognized as “the little course that could” in Blanco, before it established itself as one of the South Texas area’s most satisfying and challenging tracks and into a must-play destination, Vaaler Creek is now considered a red-letter facility for weddings and receptions, big and small.

Vaaler Creek’s deck overlooks the lake that must be traversed on the way to the

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green of the closing hole and has been the site for photo ops and “look at me” selfies since the course opened in 2007. It’s big enough to accommodate large groups, all under the shade of a pair of huge oak trees, while the nuptials are rendered under an arch at the water’s edge.

After the ceremony is done, families and wedding guests can continue the party in Vaaler Creek’s large covered pavilion. It provides a bandstand, a permanent bar for drink service, flat-screen televisions for videos and games that can’t be missed and plenty of space that can be set up in almost any configuration.

The pavilion is surrounded by large grassy lawns, the perfect place to set up temporary barbecue pits, catering stations and alternate drink stations as well as quiet nooks to get away from the crowd if the din under the cover gets a little too loud.

REVIEW

Wedding participants and guests can stay overnight at Vaaler Creek’s famous Tuscany Heights Condominiums.

Located right next to the course’s 10th tee and a short walk up the cart path from the wedding festivities, the two-, three- and four-bedroom condos are tucked away amongst the live oaks and along a creek and are the perfect getaway location to enjoy time before and after the wedding, on a peaceful weekend or for a week-long family vacation.

Each condo has a fully furnished kitchen with plates, silverware and cooking utensils. Other amenities include Direct TV service and use of the community swimming pool. Discounted rates for golf are also available during your stay, and discounted nightly rates are also available for stays of four nights or longer.

As for the golf – and you know you want to play, even if it’s just a quick round on the afternoon before the ceremony -- Vaaler Creek GC was recently ranked by GolfNow.com voters as the top daily-fee golf course in the Austin area.

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Golfers don’t just “happen by” Vaaler Creek GC, but that hasn’t affected the fact that more than 27,000 rounds of golf have been played there in the past year, a 15-percent increase over the previous year, as the facility continues to reign in players from around the region.

The course’s success can be attributed to its splendid isolation, its flawless conditioning, the club’s growing list of amenities and the staff’s excellent customer service. 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 general manager. “The course itself is a solid routing and provides different challenges while also being fun. That’s what golf is supposed to be all about, right?”

For more information about weddings, condo rentals and golf at Vaaler Creek Golf Club, see the facility’s website at www. vaalercreekgolfclub.com.

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830.833.0706

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SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

COURSES

63

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COURSE FACTS

Number of Holes: 18 Par: 71 Golf Professional: Katie Dillard Superintendent: Jarrett Eledge

TEE INFORMATION Yardage/Rating/Slope: Gold: 6485 / 72.4 / 129 Blue: 5873 / 69.8 / 121 White: 5424 / 68.1 / 116 Red: 4810 / 70.9 / 118

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Kingsland, Texas

Lighthouse Country Club

G

olfers looking for the ideal place for an unhurried weekday round or all the trappings of a dead-solidperfect weekend getaway should pencil in the Lighthouse Country Club in Kingsland, Texas.

Lighthouse CC is just 15 minutes west of Marble Falls near where the Colorado River widens to form the massive Lake LBJ in the fringes of the Texas Hill Country and in the shadow of the Packsaddle Mountains.

North Point Landing RV Park, Now Open Our brand new RV Park is located at the 13th Green, overlooking panoramic views of Packsaddle Mountain.

All site rentals include free Wi-Fi, water, sewer and electric.

(35 & 50 amp available). Daily, Weekly or Monthly Rentals are available. For more information or bookings call J. Travis Adams at 325.423.1201 or email at lovetogolf325@gmail.com.

STAY & PLAY for TWO Stay at the new luxury development,The Lighthouse Landing (2/2 condominium, two car garage, washer/dryer, internet & cable) for 1 night, 2 days and 2 rounds of golf for $149.95* per person.

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325-388-6660

For more information or bookings call J.Travis Adams at 325.423.1201 or email at lovetogolf325@gmail.com

Lighthousecountryclub.com

(*does not include taxes and surcharges)

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FEATURE STORY

Facilities allow Golf Club of Texas to make the most of its waiting time

By Steve Habel/Contributing Writer

When Tom Petty warbled in his famous song from 1985 that “the waiting was the hardest part” he probably wasn’t thinking about the extended time it’s taken to hit the first shot and play a round of golf at the newly renovated Golf Club of Texas in southwest San Antonio.

Record rainfall this spring has pushed back the official re-opening of the golf course to the fall, but once play is allowed golfers will experience a course that’s unlike any other in America – with every grass playing surface (even the greens) turfed with different types of Zoysia.

In the meantime the Golf Club of Texas’ expansive practice area, with hitting areas at either end of a wide driving range, and its dual putting greens are open and enjoying brisk activity.

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The facility’s unique “wedge world,” visible from Hwy 211, is a perfect place to dial in a golfer’s short games with targets 25 yards apart up to 100 yards from the teeing ground. It’s an enticing spot for a few betting and bragging games.

The wedge world is the brainchild of the Golf Club of Texas’ original designer, Austin-based Roy Bechtol, who also oversaw the renovation and nearly total reconstruction of the current course.

The Golf Club of Texas is located in a relatively isolated – but rapidly growing – area of the Alamo City. When it opened in 1999, the course quickly became a destination and a place to get away from it all on San Antonio’s farflung city limits.

That burgeoning growth has created a greater demand for a quality place to dine

FEATURE STORY

for lunch or dinner, to have a beer or an adult beverage in a upscale, sport-bar atmosphere and, sooner than later, to play golf and hone the skills needed in the game. The Golf Club of Texas combines all those aspects into the total package.

As the population has grown out toward the Golf Club of Texas, the course retains its secluded feel thanks to Bechtol’s routing that has holes four-wide across the site’s broad plain and no encroaching housing in the facility’s interior.

The Golf Club of Texas is offering a player development program for golfers that has brought more than 200 members to the facility as the course is readied for its reopening. For $45 a month, golfers have unlimited range, putting green and wedge world use and free access to the three clinics per week that are offered by the course’s top-drawer teaching staff.

The course is also marketing pre-opening annual passes.

For a $100 one-time fee, a 12-month minimum commitment and monthly dues for individuals or families, golfers can play Bechtol’s award-winning course for just a $15 cart fee anytime on weekdays and after noon on weekends and holidays.

For golfers from the San Antonio area, a player’s pass is also offered. For an

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automatically renewed annual fee of $99, pass holders pay just $39 green fees on weekday and $49 to play on weekends and holidays.

A recent trip to the Golf Club of Texas showed how much the public is clamoring for the facility to open in earnest. There were a dozen golfers on the driving range working on their swings, several more on the putting greens and the restaurant was doing a brisk business with the lunchtime crowd.

The restaurant has also enjoyed plenty of patrons in the evening thanks to a full menu of sumptuous cuisine at a fair price.

On our 2-Fore-1 Burger Night, which is each Wednesday, and Steak Night, which is held each Friday, every table has been full for the past month. The course also has dining specials for player development pass participants and annual and player’s pass members.

Now owned and operated by the OutLaw Golf Group, the Golf Club of Texas will be one of San Antonio’s must-play courses and a shoe-in for national awards and international acclaim for its renovation. It’s already the place to be and be seen in the southwest part of the city, and things are only going to get bigger and better from here.

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REVIEW

Delaware Springs GC just makes me love golf even more

By Mike Ratchman/Publisher

As publisher, I’ve got a few things to scramble through and I like to leave the writing to the talents of our stable of award-winning journalists. To be honest, I have never written a story for my magazine in the nearly 20 years I have been its publisher.

With that understood up front, this story may, understandably, be a little ragged in places.

But once I sat down and put my mind to it, it was easier – but not easy for me – to find a way to get out the message to all of our readers about the one thing that makes Delaware Springs GC one of my favorite places to play golf.The course and its people just make me love the game.

I’m not going to walk you through hole by hole about the course or give you special quotes from the golf pro or director of golf. Though I should bring up one hole at Delaware Springs golfers will really enjoy playing. It’s their famous 17th hole, a reachable par-4 that’s been called “one of the holes golfers must play before they die.” Now I have never reached it, but twisted my ankle trying one time. If you have a little game you can reach the green, but you still have to make a putt. More than anything, I like the course’s mix of friendly and challenging holes that make you think, or in my case, overthink during my round.

Everything always falls into place when you have a great staff and a good person to lead them. The city could not have selected a better guy to head up Delaware Springs GC operations other than Doug Fipps, a fella I have known long before he landed this position. He’s paid his

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dues moving up the ladder and he sets the tone for everything that goes on at Delaware Springs – of course Doug would say his staff deserves a lot of credit for the experience golfers enjoy there.

And if you want to know where to stay, grab a cold adult beverage or maybe do some two-steppin’, talk to most anyone at the club and they will steer you in the right direction.

And there’s no place finer to hang out after your round for a couple of brews and one of the best burgers around than Delaware Springs’ clubhouse.

I don’t get to Delaware Springs as often as I’d like, but I always find time to make a call and catch up with the boys. We’ve even enjoyed chatting a few times on our radio show and talking about the course’s special events throughout the year.

Delaware Springs has always been one of the best maintained municipal golf courses in Central Texas. I know many of you have made the trip to Burnet to play the course over the years, and if you haven’t, stop on by if you’re traveling to the Hill Country for business or pleasure.

You surely won’t be disappointed by the golf course or the hospitality from the time you walk through the door to pay your green fee to the time you load your clubs back into your truck to head home.

Put Delaware Springs GC on your list – I can assure you that you will drive away feeling pretty good about making the trip.

www.delawaresprings.com Owned and Operated by the City of Burnet

Delaware Springs “Bring Your Best”

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July 18th & 19th, 2015 (Saturday & Sunday)

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Time:

1:30 pm Shotgun -both days

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3 Person Scramble (One Flight, All Players play Black Tees)

Entry Fee:

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CASH PRIZES Players Pool both days For more Information call 512-756-8471

Come and Enjoy the Competition!!!

SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

COURSES

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Lago Vista G o l f

C o u r s e s

-BHP 7JTUB t 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.

)JHIMBOE -BLFT t 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 multilevel, 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.

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Play A Round.

Then Play Around.

Alles in Fredericksburg!

Serious golfers will find it “all in Fredericksburg.” At Lady Bird Johnson Golf Course, you’ll play on contoured fairways built to USGA standards with 48 challenging bunkers, water in-play on over half the holes, lush Champion Ultra Dwarf underfoot and spectacular Hill Country views. Your fleet of four-wheeled “chariots” awaits at the clubhouse, featuring the Red Bird Grill and Golf Shop. Plus, your 19th hole is historic Fredericksburg—where you’ll find wineries, spas, gourmet cuisine, shopping, live music and so much more! As far as getaways go, it’s your ace in the hole.

GolfFredericksburg.com

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REVIEW

Texas Golf Hall of Fame Sets New Managing Organization, Nominations Open for ‘15 The Texas Golf Hall of Fame, based at historic Brackenridge Park in San Antonio, is making some exciting announcements as it

heads into its 2015 nomination and induction season with the naming of a new managing organization, 2 new members to the Board

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of Directors and the opening of nominations for 2015 inductees.

The Texas Golf Hall of Fame has signed an agreement with Golf San Antonio to manage the Texas Golf Hall of Fame. Executive Director of Golf San Antonio, Mary Carriker, will be the new Managing Director for the largest state golf hall of fame in the country.

The Texas Golf Hall of Fame web site is now open for nominations at www. texasgolfhof.org for the Class of 2015 inductees. There are already 82 inductees.

Any person in the state can nominate a person or a historic course for 2015 via the website only. The deadline for nominations is Tuesday, June 30.

The 2015 golf tournament and induction dinner will be held October 12th at Brackenridge Park Golf Course and San Antonio Country Club.

For this year’s induction, there will be five categories; Amateur Player, Professional Player, Golf Professional/ Teacher, Distinguished Service, and the Texas Registry of Historic Golf Courses.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to get someone with Mary’s longtime San Antonio

REVIEW

golf knowledge, along with the combined resources of Golf San Antonio and its connections, to carry out the strong and important work at the Texas Golf Hall of Fame,” said TGHOF Board Chairman Buddy Cook.

Carriker has worked in the San Antonio golf industry for over 24 years and has been with Golf San Antonio for 13 years. Golf San Antonio operates The First Tee of Greater San Antonio, Greater San Antonio Amateur Golf, GSA Rules of Golf Group, Polo Field Golf Center and GSA Event Management.

“It’s a great honor and privilege to be able to help this great game of golf in the Lone Star State and its most prominent shrine to Texas Golf heroes,” Carriker said.

“Living in San Antonio, I’ve been fortunate to see the great progress the Texas Golf Hall of Fame at Brackenridge Park and the historic Borglum Studio has made, thanks to the hard work of so many.”

“It is a great mission to be able to spotlight our great heroes of the past, the present and the future to new levels of honor and knowledge for golfers from around the state

73

and around the world who can come and experience this living shrine.”

A new addition to the TGHOF Board this year is Dave Altemus, the General Manager of the Royal Oaks Golf Club and the 2014 Southern Texas Professional of the Year.

“I’m thrilled to be able to have this chance to help build the work of the Texas Golf Hall of Fame,” Altemus said.

Carriker will also be on the board as a non-voting member. Former executive director Reid Meyers will also remain on the TGHOF Board of Directors.

The Texas Golf Hall of Fame is located at the Brackenridge Park Golf Course clubhouse and a historic building adjacent to the clubhouse, the Borglum Studio.

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

74

H I L L C O U N T R Y R V P A R K S

Beachcomber Park 800-379-3083 lakebuchananrv.com

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

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

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

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

Hidden Falls Adventure Park 830-798-9820 hiddenfallsadventurepark.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 Edgewater Resort 512-793-2818 the-edgewater.com Fort Mason City Park 325-347-2064 Galloway-Hammond Parks and Recreation Center 512-756-6180

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

118 Club Circle Kingsland, TX

325-388-6660

LighthouseCountryClub.com

Northpoint Landing RV Park NOW OPEN

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Rio Vista Resort 325-388-6331 rio-vista-resort.com Riverview RV Park 830-693-3910 Roadrunner RV Park 830-868-7449 roadrunnerrvparktexas.com San Saba River GC & RV Park 325-372-3212 golfsansaba.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 flatcreekestate.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 Vineyard 512-264-3630 stonehousevineyard.com Texas Hills Vineyard 830-868-2321 texashillsvineyards.com Texas Legato Winery 512-556-9600 texaslegato.com Torre Di Pietra Vineyards 830-644-2829 torredipietra.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

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

76

GENERAL DIRECTORY

COURSE

TYPE

AUSTIN: Avery Ranch Semi-Private 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: Lakeside 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 HORSESHOE BAY: Horseshoe Bay Resort Resort Apple Rock Resort Ram Rock Resort Slick Rock Resort KERRVILLE: Scott Schreiner Municipal GC 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 LAMPASAS: Hancock Park Golf Course Public LEANDER: The Golf Club at Crystal Falls Municipal

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

PHONE COURSE (512) 248-2442 (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) 598-8600 (830) 598-8600 (830) 598-8600 (830) 598-8600 (830) 257-4982 (325) 388-8888 (325) 388-6660 (512) 262-5555 (512) 267-1170 (512) 267-1170 (512) 556-3202 (512) 259-5855

TYPE

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 The Club at Rebecca Creek Semi-Private SAN ANTONIO: Alamo Golf Club Public Brackenridge Park Golf Course Municipal Canyon Springs Golf Course Public Cedar Creek Golf Course Municipal Gateway Hills Golf Course Military 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 Randolf Oaks Golf Course Military 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 UNIVERSAL CITY: Olympia Hills Golf & Conference Center Public UTOPIA: Utopia Golf Course Public WIMBERLEY: Quicksand at Woodcreek Public

PHONE (325) 247-5100 (512) 278-1304 (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 (830) 885-5168 (210) 696-4000 (210) 226-5612 (210) 497-1770 (210) 695-5050 (210) 671-3466 (210) 504-2550 (210) 647-1234 (210) 558-4653 (210) 222-9386 (210) 627-2522 (210) 826-4041 (210) 652-4570 (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) 945-4653 (830) 966-5577 (512) 847-9700

THE PERFECT DRIVE

77

THE COAST COURSE

TYPE

Alice Municipal Golf Course Brownsville Golf Center Buccaneer Bay Public GC Colony Creek Country Club Corpus Christi Country Club Cottonwood Creek Golf Course Edinburg Municipal Golf Course El Campo County Club Fort Brown Municipal Golf Course Ganado Golf and Country Club Goliad Country Recreation Assoc.

Grande Caribbean at Dune Crest Harlingen Country Club L.E. Ramey Golf Course Lorenzo Golf Center Oso Beach Municipal GC Padre Isles Country Club Palm View Golf Course Palmilla Beach Golf Club Rio Colorado Golf Course South Padre Island Golf Club The Victoria Country Club Tierra Del Sol Golf Club Tierra Santa Golf Club Treasure Hills Country Club Village Executive Golf Course Valley International Country Club

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

PHONE (361) 664-7033 (956) 541-2582 (361) 790-7513 (361) 576-0018 (361) 991-2811 (956) 428-7758 (956) 381-1244 (409) 543-6592 (956) 542-9861 (361) 771-2424 (361) 645-2144 (361) 749-1974 (956) 412-4110 (361) 592-1101 (361) 826-8017 (361) 826-8010 (361) 949-8056 (956) 687-9591 (361) 749-4653 (979) 244-2955 (956) 943-5678 (361) 573-3712 (956) 702-2320 (956) 973-1811 (956) 365-3100 (956) 968-5331 (956) 546-5331

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 The MAX Golf Course 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 Public

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) 726-2000 (956) 216-5970

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

0

ntonio

118

Alpine

to SanA

170

16

127

ConCan

15 15

95 Lajitas 95

Harper

Terlingua

Utopia

Castroville

27 1604

47

Comfort

53

473

56 56 20

1431

46

85 1604

35

29 725

73

87 87 Spring Brand

Kingsland 84

Kyle

80

25

620

Leander

67 67 68 Falls 41 2342 68 Marble

3

130 1825

2

2

Black Jack’s Crossing 95 HC70 Clay Henry Blvd., Lajitas, TX 79852

(432) 424-5080 S1

79

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

Yardage /Rating /Slope

Par

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

Type Hole

Map Number

SAN ANTONIO |HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN COURSES

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www.blackjackscrossing.com

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

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www.delawaresprings.com

Highland Lakes Golf Course

1

t t t t t

(830) 598-6561 S1

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t t t t t

(512) 382-6529

20 20552 Highland Lake Dr., Lago Vista, TX 78645 www.lagovistagc.com/highland-lakes.html

Horseshoe Bay - Apple Rock

56 2622 Bay W. Blvd., Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657 www.hsbresort.com

Horseshoe Bay - Ram Rock

(830) 598-6561 S1

56 2622 Bay W. Blvd., Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657 www.hsbresort.com

Horseshoe Bay - Slick Rock

(830) 598-6561 S1

56 2622 Bay W. Blvd., Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657 www.hsbresort.com

Horseshoe Bay - Summit Rock

(830) 598-6561 S1

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56 2622 Bay W. Blvd., Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657 www.hsbresort.com

Jersey Meadow Golf Course

(713) 896-0900

1

t t t t t

(830) 997-4010

S1

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

1

t t t t t

(512) 267-1170

.

t t t t t

(877) 525-4827

S1

t t t t

(830) 221-4340

M

t t t t t

(325) 388-6660

1

t t t t t

Northcliffe Golf Club (830) 606-7351 29 5301 Country Club Blvd., Cibolo, TX 77546

S1

t t t t t

1

t t t t t

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

Lady Bird Johnson Golf Course

t t

t t

53 341 Golfers Loop, Fredericksburg, TX 78624 www.golffredericksburg.com

www.ftsammwr.com /recreation/golf.html

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

Lajitas Golf Resort & Spa 95 100 Main Street, Lajitas, TX 79852 www.lajitasgolfresort.com

Landa Park Golf Course

73 180 Golf Course Rd., New Braunfels, TX 78130 www.landaparkgolfcourse.com

Lighthouse Country Club 68 118 Club Circle, Kingsland, TX 78639 www.lighthousecountryclub.com

www.northcliffegolfcourse.com

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

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

Salado Del Rio Golf Course (210) 222-9386 85 1050 Harry Wurzbach, San Antonio, TX 78209

1

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

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

Par

Map on page 78

Yardage /Rating /Slope

COURSES SAN ANTONIO | HILL COUNTRY | AUSTIN

Type Hole

Map Number

80

t t t t t

www.ftsammwr.com/recreation/golf.html

Star Ranch Golf Club

(512) 252-4653

S1

t t t t

(830) 232-4471

1

t t t t t

(210) 504-2550

1

t t t t t

27 13600 Briggs Ranch, San Antonio, TX 78245 The Legends Golf Club (325) 388-8888 67 105 Range Way Circle, Kingsland, TX 78639

41

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S1

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3

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

The Club at Concan 55 520 Mountain Valley, Concan, TX 78838 www.concangolf.com

The Golf Club of Texas

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www.legendsgolftx.com

Vaaler Creek Golf Club

(830) 833-0706

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

SHOPPING/SERVICES | ACCOMMODATIONS/DINING | TOURNAMENTS/INSTRUCTION ACCOMODATIONS/ DINING

SHOPPING/SERVICES

Coushatta Casino | Ad Page 82 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder, LA | www.CoushattaCasinoResort.com | 800-584-7263

Boerne CVB | Map # 47 | Ad Page 26 1050 NE Loop 410, San Antonio,TX | www.visitboerne.org | 830-249-7277

Horseshoe Bay | Map# 56 | Ad Page 53 2622 Bay W Blvd Horseshoe Bay, TX | www.hsbresort.com | 830-598-6561

ESPN ‘Texas Golf Insider’ | Ad Page 24 1250 AM | Saturdays 8-9 am | www.espnsa.com

Jersey Meadow Village | Map# 2 | Ad Page 42 8502 Rio Grande, Jersey Village, TX 77040 | www.jerseymeadow.com | 713-896-0900

Galveston Island Real Estate | Ad Pg 83 16602 San Luis Pass Rd., Galveston, TX | www.leedeforkejr.com | 409-739-1299

Lajitas Golf Resort | Map# 95 | Ad Page 28 100 Main Street, Lajitas, TX 79852 | www.LajitasGolfResort.com | 877-525-4827

Leupold Rangefinder | Ad Page 70 golf.leupold.com |

Lighthouse Country Club | Map# 68 | Ad Page 63 118 Club Circle, Kingsland, TX 78639 | www.lighthousecountryclub.com | 325-388-6660 The Club at ConCan | Map# 15 | 520 Mountain Valley, Concan, TX 78838 | www.concangolf.com | 830-232-4471 The Legends Golf Club | Map# 67 | Ad Page 68 105 Range Way Circle, Kingsland, TX 78639 | www.legendsgolftx.com | 325-388-8888 Vaaler Creek Golf Club | Map# 87 | Ad Page 60 228 Jeff Vaughn, Blanco, TX 78606 | www.vaalercreekgolfclub.com | 830-833-0706 Zia Park Casino | Ad Page 52 3901 West Miller Dr., Hobbs, NM 88240 | www.ziaparkcasino.com | 888-ZIA-PARK

TheTexasGolfInsider.com

The Academy of Golf Dynamics | Map # 25 | Ad Pg 34 Club Estates Parkway, Austin, TX | www.golfdynamics.com | 800-879-2008 The Golf Club | Map #80 | Ad Page 81 1315 W. Ben White Blvd., Austin, TX 78704 | www.teegolfclub.com | 512-916-GOLF(4653) The Golf Ranch | Map #84 | Ad Page 7 Wolf Ranch Shopping Center, Georgetown, TX | www.golfranchshop.com | 512-863-4573

TOURNAMENTS Cash fore Cancer | Ad Page 77 www.cashforecancer.org |

Ping G-30 gets you swinging like Bubba

81

Get the newest technology at the best prices at The Golf Club

By Steve Habel/ContributingWriter

www.teegolfclub.com

There’s no one on the PGA Tour that improvises his golf swing as much as the 1315 W. Ben White Blvd. freewheeling Bubba Watson, and a major Austin, TX 78704 part of Watson’s game is his belief in the performance of his equipment. He’s 512-916-GOLF (4653) unabashedly married to Ping as his driver, metal woods and irons of choice and there’s a reason – they work.

Players of regular abilities can see a benefit from using what Bubba does as well. The new Ping G30 line is one of the most awarded sets of clubs available. Head to The Golf Club, the only Austin-area retailer south of the Colorado River dedicated strictly to golf, to try out and pick up the latest from Ping and the industry’s other top manufacturers.

With the G30, the seventh incarnation of the line that started with the market-leading Ping 2 driver six years ago, Ping has had to again wrestle with the issue of improving one of the bestselling drivers in the market, the G25.

The standout feature of the G30 driver visually and technically is the Turbulators that sit on the crown of the club.

These are aerodynamic fins that smooth the airflow over the club during the swing to increase the clubhead speed. The other major change from the G25 is the driver’s adjustable hosel that has double the number of loft options.

The G30 irons are game-improvement clubs. This means they are designed to promote a higher launch angle, increase distance, and maximize forgiveness – everything most regular golfers are looking for in an iron.

The 4- through 7-irons have slightly longer blade lengths and are slightly stronger than their G25 counterparts. Their faces are thinner to generate faster ball speeds.

At The Golf Club, golfers of all still levels can test the popular Ping lines and find a way to get even more fun out of the game.

The store has two dedicated hitting bays encompassing nearly 1,000-square feet and featuring the nFlight golf club fitting system to optimize the golfer’s game to the nth degree.

Located in its convenient stand-alone facility on Ben White Blvd. nearly equidistant between MoPac and IH-35,The Golf Club maintains the unmatched attention to detail and fair pricing that have drawn area golfers to the store for the past decade.

“Who wouldn’t want to swing it like Bubba?” said John Rowsey, The Golf Club’s founder and owner. “Our store provides golfers the cutting-edge products that they want at a reasonable price. We’ve been doing things the right way since 2003, and Find us online @ we’re able to pass our savings along to our customers.”

NEW & USED

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

Scan for Special Offers

www.teegolfclub.com

#VZ t 4FMM t 5SBEF

83

Jack Nicklaus was quoted as saying “I’m a firm believer in the theory that people only do their best at things they truly enjoy. It is difficult to excel at something you don’t enjoy.”

I find this statement to be true regarding both sports and business. I discovered a passion for golf and the more I play, the more I enjoy the game, and the more I play!

Likewise, with over 10 years of real estate experience and owning over a dozen rental homes, my enthusiasm for entrepreneurship naturally leads me to excel in the real estate business.

Being born and raised on Galveston Island, I have a lifetime of experience with the coastal lifestyle. If you have questions about buying coastal real estate, whether for a second home or a rental property, call me. Would a second home be a good choice for you and your family? Should you diversify your investments into real estate?

The market has soared with short and long term rentals.

This is a unique time in the mortgage industry with low interest rates for both the primary buyer as well as a second-home or investment buyer. Let me assist you with questions about the Gulf Coast, Galveston or just general real estate.

Come visit and see our beautiful island for yourself—an incredible place for families to enjoy everything from miles of beaches, fishing and boating, to water parks, restaurants, historic strand shopping, links style golfing and so much more.

Lee DeForke Jr, Broker/Agent, Galveston Island Real Estate

OUT OF THE BLUE, T H E P E R F E C T S TAY I S I N F U L L S W I N G .

Grab your clubs and hit the links for free when you enjoy a relaxing overnight stay at La Torretta. Tee up your next round today!

ห STAY & GOLF FREE PACK AGE INCLUDES ยง L U X U R I O U S S U I T E AC C O M M O DAT I O N S 2 ROUNDS OF GOLF

V i s i t L AT O R R E T TA L A K E R E S O R T. C O M t o b o o k y o u r s t a y

A T E X A S R E T R E AT

6 0 0 L A TO R R E T TA B O U L E VA R D

|

M O N TG O M E R Y, T E X A S 7 7 3 5 6

Valid for tee times after 1:00pm. Advance reservations with the Golf Proshop recommended. Other terms and conditions may apply. See website for details. Please contact the Proshop at 936.448.3022 to schedule your tee time.