Moving to Austin

TG313 · September 4, 2014

I am moving to Austin (near Round Rock), sometime in January 2015. My first inclination is to join the Austin Skins game for a few months and get to see all the different golf courses. However, I thought I would check in with the forum and see if you know of any great deals going on or your suggestions for a new town.

I love to walk but the number of courses that allow that on the weekend are few and far between. I am a single digit handicap but have no issues playing with anyone.

golfcarte · September 4, 2014

this post would probably be better served in the groups, partners section, the texas WRX chapter.

RedDevilWheezy · September 4, 2014

[quote name='TG313' timestamp='1409838972' post='10062773']
I am moving to Austin (near Round Rock), sometime in January 2015. My first inclination is to join the Austin Skins game for a few months and get to see all the different golf courses. However, I thought I would check in with the forum and see if you know of any great deals going on or your suggestions for a new town.

I love to walk but the number of courses that allow that on the weekend are few and far between. I am a single digit handicap but have no issues playing with anyone.
[/quote]

There are a ton of courses around here, check out the course and travel forum to get a better idea. FYI - all of the courses I play around here will let you walk whenever you want, weekends included.

I have been thinking long and hard about moving to Georgetown (just north of Round Rock). The Georgetown CC is a shorter course with lots of elevation, and memberships are currently $0 down and $180/month. There are better (more expensive) courses around but I really enjoy the course and it's so cheap for this area, it seems like a steal.

bandrz · September 4, 2014

I live in Round Rock. There are three courses there. Forest Creek, Star Ranch, and Teravista. Star Ranch is the best deal but i don't know their walking policy. they book way too many tee times, too. Fun place if you aren't in a hurry. Teravista is fun and usually in good shape but there are a million houses on the course. Forest Creek is definitely a place you can walk. Tough course with a lot of trees and doglegs.

I like to venture out a bit around here. if you like to walk, Roy Kizer is a must. One of my favorite courses in Austin. Links style muny and its just a blast. You can even bring your dog. Gotta love austin. Grey Rock is another muny just purchased by the city. a little pricy but a lot of fun. The back nine is fantastic. used to have canadian tour events there. Both of these courses are in South Austin

If you have an entire day to kill. Drive to Burnet and play Delaware Springs and then take the extra trip to Llano for Cooper's BBQ. Wont regret it...If you don't want to drive that far, take a saturday and walk 18 at Lions Muny and then go have a beer at the Hula Hut across the street on the lake. enjoy!

bandrz · September 4, 2014

[quote name='RedDevilWheezy' timestamp='1409840909' post='10063003']
[quote name='TG313' timestamp='1409838972' post='10062773']
I am moving to Austin (near Round Rock), sometime in January 2015. My first inclination is to join the Austin Skins game for a few months and get to see all the different golf courses. However, I thought I would check in with the forum and see if you know of any great deals going on or your suggestions for a new town.

I love to walk but the number of courses that allow that on the weekend are few and far between. I am a single digit handicap but have no issues playing with anyone.
[/quote]

There are a ton of courses around here, check out the course and travel forum to get a better idea. FYI - all of the courses I play around here will let you walk whenever you want, weekends included.

I have been thinking long and hard about moving to Georgetown (just north of Round Rock). The Georgetown CC is a shorter course with lots of elevation, and memberships are currently $0 down and $180/month. There are better (more expensive) courses around but I really enjoy the course and it's so cheap for this area, it seems like a steal.
[/quote]

Georgetown CC is fun. Its a little short, but it is different and entertaining. speaking of Georgetown, Cowan Creek in Sun City is a gem! Love that course.
Also forgot to mention a few others that are affordable. Lago Vista is a great golf course. I wouldn't classify it as pristine, but the layout is great and the views are as good as you can get. In Bastrop, Colovista is a great, cheap place to play. It was shut down for a while and recently re-opened. Once again, another back nine that is awesome.
Farther south in New Braunfels, The Bandit is a great layout. There happens to be a Coopers BBQ there too!

I'm not even getting to the resort courses around here: Wolfdancer, Barton Creek, Horseshoe Bay, etc. Lots of options....

RedDevilWheezy · September 4, 2014

[quote name='bandrz' timestamp='1409842471' post='10063181'][quote name='RedDevilWheezy' timestamp='1409840909' post='10063003']
[quote name='TG313' timestamp='1409838972' post='10062773']
I am moving to Austin (near Round Rock), sometime in January 2015. My first inclination is to join the Austin Skins game for a few months and get to see all the different golf courses. However, I thought I would check in with the forum and see if you know of any great deals going on or your suggestions for a new town.

I love to walk but the number of courses that allow that on the weekend are few and far between. I am a single digit handicap but have no issues playing with anyone.
[/quote]

There are a ton of courses around here, check out the course and travel forum to get a better idea. FYI - all of the courses I play around here will let you walk whenever you want, weekends included.

I have been thinking long and hard about moving to Georgetown (just north of Round Rock). The Georgetown CC is a shorter course with lots of elevation, and memberships are currently $0 down and $180/month. There are better (more expensive) courses around but I really enjoy the course and it's so cheap for this area, it seems like a steal.
[/quote]

Georgetown CC is fun. Its a little short, but it is different and entertaining. speaking of Georgetown, Cowan Creek in Sun City is a gem! Love that course.
Also forgot to mention a few others that are affordable. Lago Vista is a great golf course. I wouldn't classify it as pristine, but the layout is great and the views are as good as you can get. In Bastrop, Colovista is a great, cheap place to play. It was shut down for a while and recently re-opened. Once again, another back nine that is awesome.
Farther south in New Braunfels, The Bandit is a great layout. There happens to be a Coopers BBQ there too!

I'm not even getting to the resort courses around here: Wolfdancer, Barton Creek, Horseshoe Bay, etc. Lots of options....[/quote]

Good call on Colovista, my favorite course around here.

RedDevilWheezy · September 4, 2014

[quote name='bandrz' timestamp='1409842095' post='10063143']
I live in Round Rock. There are three courses there. Forest Creek, Star Ranch, and Teravista. Star Ranch is the best deal but i don't know their walking policy. they book way too many tee times, too. Fun place if you aren't in a hurry. Teravista is fun and usually in good shape but there are a million houses on the course. Forest Creek is definitely a place you can walk. Tough course with a lot of trees and doglegs.

I like to venture out a bit around here. if you like to walk, Roy Kizer is a must. One of my favorite courses in Austin. Links style muny and its just a blast. You can even bring your dog. Gotta love austin. Grey Rock is another muny just purchased by the city. a little pricy but a lot of fun. The back nine is fantastic. used to have canadian tour events there. Both of these courses are in South Austin

If you have an entire day to kill. Drive to Burnet and play Delaware Springs and then take the extra trip to Llano for Cooper's BBQ. Wont regret it...If you don't want to drive that far, take a saturday and walk 18 at Lions Muny and then go have a beer at the Hula Hut across the street on the lake. enjoy!
[/quote]

I play Kizer and Clay quite a bit, Clay gets a bad rap for the green conditions but its a fun course. Kizer is also a good shout. MY FIL used to be a member at Grey Rock back when it was Circle C, another really fun course. I also really enjoy Falconhead, and Avery Ranch is another nice course in the RR area. So many good choices around here.

I haven;t played the bandit yet, but if you head out that way another fun course is Landa Park, I really enjoy that layout and it's cheap. It's been closed for a year for renovations but is due to reopen in October.

larryw · September 4, 2014

Welcome to Austin, you are going to love being here.

Most of the good courses have been mentioned. It all really depends on when you are going to play (weekday vs. weekend) and how much time/money you want to expend.

As a single digit HC, you will really enjoy Shadow Glen in Manor (not far from Round Rock) It is a tough course but the variations from different tee boxes make it great and it is never too crowded. They have various inexpensive memberships or you can use Golfnow and keep the cost down.

In RR you are going to like Forest Creek the best, great layout, usually in good shape and a fair test of golf skill. Teravista is too long between green and the next tee to walk. Star Ranch is too crowded, too short and open - wind blows a lot. You will probably end up playing a lot of drivers/wedges on that course. It doesn't provide variety to practice all your clubs.

Sun City has three courses (Cowen Creek is one), they provide a lot of variety and are not crowded. You can buy a quantity of rounds (like 50 or 100 tickets to be used when you want) for a very reasonable price. Comes out to something like $25 to $30 per round if I remember right. I don't believe you have to live in Sun City to purchase the prepay rounds.

Avery Ranch is another very good course and is not too crowded (at least on weekdays). They have memberships available about the same price as Forest Creek, Shadow Glen and Falconhead. This year they had a prepay in December that covered golf (including cart) for the whole year for around $3000. I plan on getting in around 175-200 rounds so that comes out to a pretty decent price. Don't know if they will offer the prepay for next year or not. It is a little lower cost without cart and you can walk the course on any days.

These are all just my thoughts, you may find you agree or maybe not.

But one thing for sure - when you get down here make sure you go play Vaaler Creek in Blanco. It is about 50 miles southwest of Austin, but IMO the absolutely best course in the area. Sure do wish it was here in Austin.

ramradhakri · September 9, 2014

If you want to try out the private courses in the area, check out the "players booklet" sold by the First Tee in Austin. You can browse the courses that you can play on the website and also buy the book online. Once I played all the public courses, this was an easy way for me to check out the private courses.. Also don't forget golfnow,com.. you can play for a steal at the suncity courses and other Austin courses (especially if you can play on a weekday).

Join a league.. like austin skins, Austin Golf Association or Central Texas Golf Association if you would like to play in some money games.

farmer · September 9, 2014

I live in the panhandle, a native Texan. Austin, brutally hot, roughly a billion people on the roads all the time, constant construction on said roads. Apparently a lot of good golf, good food, all hard to get to. Spent the longest year of my life there one week in July in 2011.

DL4Golf · September 29, 2014

[quote name='RedDevilWheezy' timestamp='1409840909' post='10063003']
I have been thinking long and hard about moving to Georgetown (just north of Round Rock). The Georgetown CC is a shorter course with lots of elevation, and memberships are currently $0 down and $180/month. There are better (more expensive) courses around but I really enjoy the course and it's so cheap for this area, it seems like a steal.
[/quote]
I played G CC once. Was not impressed. Ok for seniors and family, but not for a serious lower HC golfer. If you're moving, I would go another 20 miles up the road to Mill Creek. Best bang for your bucks within 40 miles of Austin. A very close 2nd would be Delaware Springs and Legends.