OT-Austin Bound (aka Bob Wills Is Still The King)

[Jud_T]

As some who attended last weekend's excellent Midwest Mashie already know, I am moving to Austin for work (this weekend!).  I would love to meet any GCAers who live in or frequent the area for drinks, tacos, and yes perhaps a round of golf.  Also interested in hearing any suggestions about drinks, tacos or golf from anyone with local knowledge.  As I'm essentially a bachelor for the next 9 months till my wife moves down, I'm really just looking for like minded folk to grab a beer with as much as anything.  If I can make half as many good friends and acquaintances in the Lone Star State as I have in Chicago and at Kingsley Club, I will consider myself a lucky man. As for those I leave behind, Austin's lookin' pretty sweet from Thanksgiving to Easter compared to Chicago (some less generous than myself might say Halloween to July 4th ), and as another famous Austin resident once wrote-


'Here we go, on the road again
Like a band of Gypsies we go down the highway
We're the best of friends
Insisting that the world keep turnin' our way
And our way is on the road again'

[JLahrman]

Jud,


Welcome to Austin, I've been here with my family for about six years. You're definitely moving here at the right time of year, should be nine months until the ridiculously hot weather comes back although it's still pretty toasty.


There aren't too many GCAers in Austin but we have a few. Where in Austin are you going to be living?


Grabbing a beer with me is probably more likely to happen than a round of golf as I don't get out on the course much these days due to having Too Many Kids. But there are no shortage of local breweries and fun places to get a drink.


Tacos - at some point this city will reach its taco saturation point but it hasn't happened yet. Under no circumstances should you ever declare that you've found the best tacos in Austin, because someone else will bring up some shithole trailer that you've never heard of that serves even better tacos, and they'll probably be right. But I would start with visits to Torchy's and Tacodeli (both have multiple locations) and go from there.


Golf - when I do play I tend to slum it at the local munis. Morris Williams is my favorite in Austin. Roy Kizer is pretty decent if they could just keep the greens from burning out in the summer. Lions is worth a play just for the experience. Riverside (which used to be Austin CC before they moved to the current location) has some good bones once you get past the first three holes, but it's in pretty ratty condition unfortunately. Some CCFADs and other publics in the area that I've played once but I'm more than happy at the local munis. After 9 months of single life you will undoubtedly have played more golf than I have in six years.


Let's try to meet up some time, and hopefully the Austin guys who actually do play golf will chime in here!

[Jud_T]

JL,

I’m renting a place in Mueller till the wife moves down.  I’ll shoot you a message when I get to town.

[Lou_Duran]

Wolfdancer just east of the airport is one of the best Arthur Hills courses I've played.  None of the high-end daily-fees impressed me.


Some folks like Lions- others believe that it is best suited for student housing, and if the NIMBYs oppose that, more greenbelt.

[Brian Ross]

Jud,


Welcome to Austin. It’s a great town and I’m sure you will love it here. I’m down to grab drinks anytime and possibly play golf on occasion though, like Joel, I don’t play as often as I would like. Feel free to PM me anytime.

[Joe Zucker]

Hi Jud,


I've been in Austin for about 6 months now and survived the summer.  I'm happy to meet up for a drink or golf.  I'm still childless, so I play a fair bit of golf and have seen 15 or so of the courses in the area.  I lived in Chicago for a few years and can confirm the courses here are a good step down from what's available to a public golfer in Chicago, but there are a few I've found that have some interest.


I've met up with Joel and can vouch for him as a bonafide GCAer.  Let me know when you're settled down and interested in meeting up.

[mike_beene]

Do you guys have any idea what has become of Mill Creek in Salado? I think they flooded at some point but used to be a beautiful place to play. Same with Onion Creek. Years ago my uncle developed a place called Lago Vista and had a course or two built there. I assume the development still exists. Coral snakes are pretty but not your friend .

[JLahrman]

Coral snakes are pretty but not your friend .

Red then yellow, kill a fellow
Red then black, venom lack


I learned that one right quick!

[mike_beene]

Or "Friend of Jack".

[JeffTodd]

Jud, I moved to Austin from New Jersey in 2010, welcome to the neighborhood. I work in Houston but live in Austin (long story) so I've played every public course from Fredericksburg to Galveston, and most of the less-exclusive private clubs. I can second a few of the statements so far; Wolfdancer is the best Arthur Hills course I've played and is a very fun round, Morris Williams is also my favorite city operated course, and the quality of the golf is not at the level of the Northeast and (I assume) Chicago.


I happen to like Lions Muny very much and think it's a course where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. I try to get out every Sunday morning before 8am and tend to play a steady rotation of courses. If anyone would like to join, PM me.

Do you guys have any idea what has become of Mill Creek in Salado? I think they flooded at some point but used to be a beautiful place to play. Same with Onion Creek. Years ago my uncle developed a place called Lago Vista and had a course or two built there. I assume the development still exists. Coral snakes are pretty but not your friend .

Mill Creek did flood and some holes were washed out. At one point they were operating a makeshift routing that strung together 18 holes using some from each of the 3 nines. I just checked their website and it looks like all 27 holes are in use. I haven't been there in years.


Onion Creek is still operating all 27 holes as well. The two courses at Lago Vista are also operating, although one closed for ~5+ years and only recently reopened.

[Adam Clayman]

 Tips when moving to a rocky area... Don't buy new irons. Don't play newer irons. And/Or. Carry a rock club*.  *An old club used to extricate when rocky lies are found.

[JLahrman]

Damn fellas, maybe we do have a decent Austin contingent after all!

[Joe Zucker]

Do you guys have any idea what has become of Mill Creek in Salado? I think they flooded at some point but used to be a beautiful place to play. Same with Onion Creek. Years ago my uncle developed a place called Lago Vista and had a course or two built there. I assume the development still exists. Coral snakes are pretty but not your friend .

I played Mill Creek in March.  They had all 27 holes open and the course was in playable shape, but not great.  A few decent holes out there and it was cheap.  If I'm remembering correctly, something like $25 to walk 18. 

[Brad Payne]

Hey Jud, welcome to Austin!  Always up to play a round whenever you'd like.  One suggestion I'd make is to join Austin Skins (http://www.austinskins.com)...it's a weekly skins game at 5-6 courses around Austin and there's several hundred guys that play frequently.  It's a great way to meet people.


I would 2nd a few guys on here that I really enjoy Lions.  Morris Willams is also good.  Kizer and Clay, especially Kizer, are a ton of fun when they don't lose the greens like they did this summer.  Wolfdancer is a good track and would also add Avery Ranch is pretty fun and Falconhead is decent as well.  And Vaaler Creek is a bit out of town, but has a ton of cool architectural features, but the routing is a bit kooky, especially if you want to walk.


Hit me up in DMs if you want to play sometime.

[Jud_T]

Thanks everyone for the responses.  Glad there are a few GCA locals. Finally made it to town after an uneventful 16 hour drive (aside from when the double trailer in front of me started fishtailing wildly!).  Lets find a day when we can all meet up and beers are on me.

[PCCraig]

Good luck with the move, Jud!


If I make it down to Austin for some reason or another I will let you know.

[Luke Sutton]

Jud,

Welcome to Austin. You tired of the heat yet? I’d love to meet up with you guys for golf/beers. Let’s plan something. Below I’ve attached my list of favorites I send to people new to Austin. Please don’t judge my over simplicity and lack of architectural knowledge. I’m a newbie as far as that’s concerned.

Luke
luke.sutton@hotmail.com

Best Golf Austin

Public
1. Barton Creek Resort (Crenshaw, Fazio Foothills, Palmer Lakeside, Fazio Canyons) - big time resort. Must stay at hotel to access
2. Wolfdancer - secluded resort, half an hour from town. Good mix of prairie and river bottom terrain. Arthur Hills
3. Valler Creek - far out but cool public track. Michael Lowery designed
4. Avery Ranch - best housing development course. Andy Ragust
5. Riverside GC - must overlook condition and butchered first couple holes the university has built building on. Was ACC at one time. Press and Perry Maxwell

Private
1. AGC - secluded natural cattle ranch. Best Golf Club. Crenshaw’s hangout
2. Spanish Oaks - nice layout, great amenities. Bobby Weed
3. Acc - hill country style and penal with rock outcroppings everywhere and forced carries. Old money club. Pete Dye
4. UT - nice layout. Hill country style with canyons but fair. Bechtol Russel design
5. Lakecliff - acc managed Palmer by the lake. Fun, fair, easy

Also worth seeing...

Escondido - best at LbJ, Fazio
Boot Ranch - high end private in Fredricksburg, Hal Sutton designed

[John Handley]

Welcome to Austin.  Another GCA'er here.  I have been back in Austin almost 6 years and play out at Spanish Oaks GC.

[Jud_T]

Gents- I will be buying beers for any of you who are free to swing by next Friday 10/25 at Easy Tiger on 6th Street starting at 5.  I also have an extra ticket for Sixteen Deluxe if anyone wants to go deep.  Perfect hall pass excuse for the wife “Honey, this golf dork is new in town, I kinda have to at least make an appearance as a local good samaritan...”

[JLahrman]

Wow, that's a great offer for anyone who can get downtown that time of day. No promises but I'll try, let me check my schedule.


Hoping we can put together a golf outing for all these Austin GCAers that I didn't even know we had!


And I think the 100 degree temps are FINALLY gone for the year.

[JLahrman]

Hey folks, not sure if any of y'all have met up. My wife got me a gift certificate for six rounds of golf at Austin muni courses, was going to use it this spring but with this dang COVID we've got going on I have only played once and the card expires July 1. So I might actually be playing a decent bit of golf in June, likely trying to sneak out to either Kizer or Mo Willie on weekend mornings. If anyone is interested in meeting up to play, give me a holler. WARNING: I'm honestly not sure if I'm going to be able to get the ball airborne.

[Joe Zucker]

Hey folks, not sure if any of y'all have met up. My wife got me a gift certificate for six rounds of golf at Austin muni courses, was going to use it this spring but with this dang COVID we've got going on I have only played once and the card expires July 1. So I might actually be playing a decent bit of golf in June, likely trying to sneak out to either Kizer or Mo Willie on weekend mornings. If anyone is interested in meeting up to play, give me a holler. WARNING: I'm honestly not sure if I'm going to be able to get the ball airborne.

Joel, I'm around to play.  It's been really tough to get weekend tee times recently.  You pretty much have to book something right when tee times open to get a morning time before it gets hot.  Also, Mo Willie was in awful shape a month or so back.  Greens were completely unplayable... so hopefully they've improved.  All that said, let me know when you want to play!

[JLahrman]

No more BYOB??? What's next, are they going to make us wear shoes?


https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/city-of-austin-phasing-out-byob-policy-on-municipal-golf-courses/269-3b45cb83-79cc-40d6-94e0-dc6a588d9554