Where Are Austin’s Top Ten Public Golf Courses Located?

.As I pen my blog, tomorrow is Father’s Day and the final round of the U.S. Open at the renowned Pinehurst Resort and Country Club, Pinehurst, North Carolina. I thought, “Why not write about golf? And since I’m a Realtor, why not identify the top Austin golf courses?”

Since 2014, nearly 1,500 golf courses have converted their courses into condos, office parks, or planned mixed-use developments. The reasons are varied but the themes strike a similar chord.

Declining demographics – golf’s gold rush peaked in 2006 – at the apex of the traditionalists' retirement plans, and baby boomer’s discretionary income, just mere months preceding the Great Recession.
Waning interest among millennials seems to parallel the declining trajectory of Tiger Wood’s Sunday celebrations.
Increase land value. In many urban settings, golf courses are the last large tracts of undeveloped real estate.
Inflation. Rising maintenance expenditures, accelerating taxes, and increased salary packages create a monetary hardship some courses cannot overcome.
Aging facilities. Most die-hard players refuse to tolerate mismanagement, amenity shrinkage, or long-overdue remodeling. Their dollars will migrate toward renovated, redesigned, or newly constructed courses and clubhouses.

With this context, allow me to briefly review the Top Ten Public Austin Golf Courses in 2024 as reported in the Austin Business Journal. Course rating and slope data come from the USGA website. At this point, Austin’s golfing community seems to be adding numbers which certainly bodes well for the future of these top ten courses.

#10: Lago Vista Golf Course, Lago Vista, Texas. Stunningly situated on the North shore of Lake Travis, this Hill Country gem offers a link setting surrounded by mature nature, abundant wildlife, and captivating lake views. Rates and fees can be found here.

#9: Plum Creek Golf Club, Kyle, Texas. This public course is cut from the natural beauty of Texas live oaks, limestone, rolling hills, and Texas wildflowers. Need to work on your game? Plum Creek has developed a revolutionary Golf Instruction & Lessons Program to grow the game. The facility also provides a practice facility and driving range. Check out this link for rates and green fees.

#8: Falconhead Golf Club, Austin, Texas. The club, created by experts from the PGA Tour Design Center, opened to the public in 2003. The rolling terrain, strategic streams, and creeks sheltered by generous canopied oaks and cedar provided a classic Hill Country canvas for design. Falconhead’s signature hole, No. 8, features a limestone ledge that cantilevers as much as 30 feet above Friday Creek. Details and fees are found here:

#7: Avery Ranch Golf Club, Cedar Park, Texas. Former Jack Nicklaus Architect, Andy Raugust, synthesized panoramic vistas set in gently rolling hills, oak-lined fairways, and a 60-acre lake to create a diverse and enjoyable golfing experience. Hole #18 was voted “Best Finishing Hole in Central Texas” by Avid Golfer Magazine. Details are available here:

#6: Vaaler Creek Golf Club, Blanco, Texas. Rockin’ J Ranch’s 1000 acres of rolling hill country is home to Vaaler Creek Golf Club. The course opened in 2011 and immediately ranked #19 on Golfweek’s “Best New Courses in the U.S.” Two signature holes provide daunting water challenges. No. 2, par 4, requires two picturesque water crossings before accessing the green, while No. 18, par 4, poses a risky draw between water and sand. Details and amenities can be found here:

#5: Grey Rock Golf and Tennis Club, Austin, Texas. Towering oaks and majestic views serve as the hallmark of the 160-acre complex. The No.7, a par 5, 542-yard hole is the toughest. Hazards include clusters of interfering oaks and strategically placed fairway bunkers with a water trap on the backside of the green. For more information, look here.

#4: Forest Creek Golf Club, Round Rock, Texas. The 7,147-yard golf course has been nationally recognized by Golf Digest naming Forest Creek, “Best Public Golf Course in Central Texas.” Other amenities include a full-service grill, event center, and an outstanding practice range enhanced by a putting green and short-game complex. Check out the course here:

#3: Terravista Golf Club, Round Rock, Texas. The second top-four-rated course calls Round Rock home along with Forest Creek. Recently awarded “Beginner Friendly Course” by the National Golf Course Owners Association, Terravista makes the game fun for newbies and veterans alike. You will find all the necessary details here.

#2: Shadowglen Golf Course, Manor, Texas. The rolling hills and vibrant terrain provide a unique experience for the golfing community of Central Texas. The front nine presents a “links feel” environment complimented by numerous water features. The back nine is secluded by the wandering native terrain that requires constant attention to the sharp elevation changes. Find out more here:

#1: Hyatt Lost Pines Resort, Lost Pines, Texas. The Dallas Morning News and Golfweek both name Lost Pines Golf Club as one of the best golf courses in all of Texas. The golf club features three distinct settings – rolling prairies, wooded ridgelines, and groves of native pecan trees framed by the adjacent Lower Colorado River. For a list of the Hyatt Resort’s activities and attractions, click here:

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