Anyone here played Austin GC?

[David Miller]

Living in Austin the last three years, I've become intrigued by Austin GC.  Given Crenshaw's involvement and its exclusivity, I assume it's a quality layout, yet it doesn't show up even on Golf Digest's Texas rankings (maybe by its own design, i.e., lack of access), and virtually no information can be found about it on the net.

My roommate, a semi-serious golfer, played it a few years back but could only recall that the greens were quite difficult. Could anyone here, particularly someone who's played the course, offer anything more in depth?

[Paul Carey]

Bump....anyone have any opinions?  Thanks.

[Bill_McBride]

I played last year and found it a very good course on nice terrain.  The clubhouse sits on a hill in the center and the ninth and 18th are uphill.  Otherwise it's on pretty level ground.   The main defense, in typical C&C fashion, lies in the beautiful and varied greens.  Most are fairly narrow and deeply hunkered on the sides, leading to numerous opportunities to go back and forth across the greens.   I would place it behind Friars Head and Bandon Trails, but right there with Cuscowilla and other C&C courses.

[Tom_Doak]

I did not play it, but my son and I got a guided tour of it from Ben, three years ago.

It's a very good course, and a very understated design ... not as many bunkers as they normally build, and not as flashy-looking.  It's more about the greens and the wind, and there are a few small trees that intrude into play as well.  The greens looked challenging, but there were only a couple that looked severe by my standards, where you would have a putt that you worried about putting off the green.

My impression was that it is probably the one course in the Coore & Crenshaw portfolio that is more Ben's than Bill's.

The course is about 30-40 minutes from Ben's house, and I asked him on the way out how often he goes out there when he is home.  His response was "just about every day".

[Bart Bradley]

Paul:

I played there a few years back.  The club has a wonderful atmosphere for a true golf experience:  no housing, caddies, easily walkable.  The course played exceptionally firm and fast and had interesting, generally pushed up greens.  The fairways had respectable width but there was very little rough before the high grass.  It was easy to lose balls with a poor shot.  I remember that I found the course to fun, strategic and quite challenging.  Among the C and C courses I have seen, I'd put it behind Sand Hills, Bandon Trails, Dormie and Chechessee but ahead of Sugarloaf and Barton Creek.

If you have access and are anywhere in the area, I'd highly recommend a visit.  You'll have a wonderful experience on a very good golf course.

Bart

[Sam Morrow]

Austin Golf Club is very good, if I could be a member at any club in Texas I would probably choose it. Like others have said it's more understated but is the kind of place I think a person would enjoy playing every day. It's a very generous golf course off the tee but like others have said it's defense are the greens and wind. Amongst the tops in Texas it's very different than Dallas National and Whispering Pines but is a really cool place that screams golf. It also doesn't hurt that it's outside one of the coolest cities you will ever visit.