Austin's Top 10 Public Golf Courses

Any list of the best golf in the Austin area has to start with the resort courses at Omni Barton Creek Resort. It’s a tough decision, but the Fazio Canyons, which is the often highest rated of the four courses at Barton Creek, takes our top spot, especially after a recent renovation that makes the course more playable by golfers of all levels. 

The course got new bunkers, tee boxes, some added length, and irrigation improvements, which combined, have brought the course conditions to a new level. It also serves as one of the home courses for the University of Texas golf team, often used to determine who makes the traveling squad.

Like all the courses at Barton Creek, of course, the views never stop coming with elevated tees, limestone cliffs, and plenty of red sycamore and oak trees dotted throughout the layout that meanders along Short Spring Branch Creek. In addition, a Toptracer Range was added to the practice facility, allowing guests and members to analyze their practice or play a number of games on-screen, while seeing their data and perhaps enjoying a beverage or snack.

Again, these top three courses could have gone in any order, but we’re picking the Crenshaw Cliffside Course because it’s a nice change of pace from the Tom Fazio designs and it really is special in its own right. It was also one of the courses in the rotation for the 2022 PGA Club Professional Championship (the other was Fazio Foothills).

Designed by the duo of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, this course, like Gentle Ben himself, really does have a more gentle feel to it, with rolling topography, beautifully sculpted greens that are tough to read, and bunkers that are not only strategic but frame the generous fairways. 

Of course, it’s no pushover, even though it’s just 6,600 yards from the tips. Highlights include a drivable par-4 as well as back-to-back par-5s on the back nine, with each one very different from the other.

Waterfalls and elevated tees – what’s not to love about the Fazio Foothills Course? Many resort guests say this is their favorite (which can be said about the other two top courses, too), which is understandable. 

Foothills has the most elevation change and probably the best views of any of the courses at Barton Creek. It’s also located right next to the Crenshaw Course at the resort, while the Fazio Canyons Course is about a mile or so from the hotel.

There are lots of great holes on this 7,125-yard par-72 layout, the par-5s in particular. The closing hole might be the best on the course. The 528-yard par-5 18th plays uphill over a ravine to the green. There’s also a small cave on the way, which you’ll obviously want to avoid.

Golf Club at Star Ranch has always been one of my personal favorites when I’m up in the Austin area. The layout is forgiving, it's always in great shape (The GM is the former president of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America), and it just feels like an escape from the city. Of course, wind is always a factor there, and there are several holes with water features, so it’s not that easy, but extremely playable.

The signature hole at Star Ranch is probably the par-3 15th, which plays over a pond with a small waterfall in front of a fairly large green. A nice clubhouse and restaurant with patio dining complement the experience.

This formerly run-down municipal was renovated in 2013, and has become a local favorite after it was redesigned and conditions were elevated. A new clubhouse opened as well, and the practice facilities were upgraded. The golf course has significantly larger greens, which means it can handle traffic much better than it did in the past, and it’s far more interesting.

The course, which is located east of downtown and close to where the old Austin airport was located, has a pretty cool history. Named after Morris Williams Jr., a great local player who died in a plane crash during the Korean War, it was home to the University of Texas at Austin golf team when Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite played on the team. Now, at more than 7,000 yards, it’s arguably the best of the city’s munis and the host course of the Austin City Championship. Best of all, you can play it for $30 during the week.

One of Austin’s other quality municipals, Roy Kizer is a wide-open, almost links-style course that’s easy to enjoy. Located in the southeast part of town, the course is built over what used to be a wastewater plant. With more than 35 acres of lakes and 22 acres of wetlands, it’s a haven for waterfowl and wayward shots. Sometimes the water can come up unexpectedly, so you have to pay attention, but again, this course is very manageable, usually well-conditioned with large greens, and super enjoyable.

Kizer is actually right next to Jimmy Clay Golf Course, a more traditional city course with plenty of trees. With very few trees, wind is always a factor at Kizer.

As always, you have to set a radial limit of what courses should be included. While the Omni Barton Creek Resort (which also has a quality fourth course, Lakeside) certainly heads the list, we’d be remiss not to mention another resort that’s slightly farther from Austin, Horseshoe Bay Resort out near Marble Falls. 

Horseshoe Bay Resort, which celebrated its 50th anniversary a couple of years ago, has three outstanding Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed courses that are all special in their own right. If you’re in the area and have some extra time, I highly recommend booking a couple of days at Horseshoe Bay (and maybe even enjoying Lake LBJ while you're out there), taking advantage of the excellent golf offered there. They even have a nifty, all-grass putting course that's right next to a sports bar.

Another great option is Kissing Tree, a wonderful scenic golf course with elevated tees. It’s the centerpiece of a senior community in San Marcos, where you’ll find Texas State University.

And finally, in New Braunfels, which is just south of San Marcos, is Landa Park, a terrific muni, as well as The Bandit, a stunning Keith Foster design with some awesome tee shots and carries that’s enjoyable from start to finish.