I played Austin Golf Club today, and thought I'd share some of
my impressions and observations. The design is mostly
Crenshaw, with some help by Bill Coore but not a true
collaboration. This is definitely Crenshaw's club--he was
instrumental in the formation of the club and has had a hand
in everything that goes on there. He was there for much of
the day today. There is a quiet, rustic feel to the place that
fits with the location of the club, and everything is very
much "low-profile".
The course sits on true "Texas Hill Country" terrain, with
plenty of live oaks, cactus, native grasses and scrub. The
clubhouse is on the high point of the property, with the holes
fanning out below on a broad slope with some hills but nothing
overly severe.
Some observations:
1. The course has zoysia grass from the tee through the
green (bent greens).
2. There is no rough around any of the greens. It is all
fairway-cut zoysia, and most of the greens are slightly
elevated, often with "shoulders" that drop off into chipping
areas and into bunkers, some of which are quite steep.
3. On a breezy day under firm conditions, the course would
present some of the same challenges that Pinehurst #2 does,
as the effective green size shrinks and balls get repelled off of
greens and into bunkers and chipping areas.
4. The added challenge here, though, with the zoysia grass
chipping areas is that the grain tends to grow more heavily
down the slopes, and so you could be faced with having to
hit a running pitch or chip up a slope with the grain hard into
you, but the green running away. You must control the spin
just right.
5. The green sizes vary somewhat with the length of the hole
being played. Holes like the 454-yard 5th, and the long
downhill par 4 11th, which stretches to 511 from the back
tee, have larger greens running slightly away from the line of
play. Holes like the 325-yard 2nd, the 366-yard 17th, and
especially the 131-yard 8th, have tiny or narrow greens.
6. There are only 2 par 5's (both over 580 yards, but both
reachable with big hits), and 4 par 3's for a par of 70.
7. The tiny 8th followed by Crenshaw's version of "Hell's Half
Acre" on the 584-yard 9th is reminiscent of the 13th and 14th
at Tillinghast's Baltimore CC, a short par 3 to a small target
followed by a Hell's Half Acre par 5.
8. I liked the set of par 3's and thought there was good
variety there: 187, 131, 238 and 207 yards, running in
different directions although the first two both run slightly up
the hill in a similar direction. The 131-yard 8th with its tiny
green and deep bunkers was excellent, but the best was the
238-yard 10th, slightly downhill across a valley to a super
greensite atop a diagonal ledge.
9. Austin Golf Club is a great walking course. There are short
walks from green to the next tee (with the exception of #9-
#10 across the clubhouse parking lot), and according to the
GM/Head Pro there will never be homes anywhere near the
golf course property.
10. Interesting features include the stone wall lining the left
side of the driving area on the 409-yard 4th; the diagonal
trench bunker on the long par-4 11th, running from about 130
yards out on the left side, crossing in front of the green
about 30 or 40 yards short of the green (split in two by a
grass walkway to the green), and continuing on to the right
side of the green. Reminded me a little of a similar feature on
the 1st at Rustic Canyon, but this trench bunker is much
bigger.
11. There is only one water feature on the course, a spring
lying short left of the 428-yard dogleg right 12th. Most of
the "hazards" are the live oak trees, from the single standing
one on the fairway like on #1 and #15, to thicker clusters of
trees like those lining the 5th, at the corner of the 7th, and
pinching the 12th. Contrary to what I had heard about the
course, a missed fairway is not a lost ball, but it could be a
punch-out if you are stuck in or behind the trees, with lies
ranging from good to "thick".
12. There is good variety to the size, placement and depth of
the greenside bunkers. Some practically eat into the putting
surface; others are set off from the surface but could gather
the ball that rolls just off the green. Some of the bunkers are
quite deep, and many lie well below the surface of the green.
13. The 6th, 9th and 18th holes are all atop the main hill, in
view from the clubhouse, and the 6th green connects with
the putting green next to the first tee, "separated" by a
couple of mounds in the green.
14. The finishing hole is 436 yards to an elevated green with
the flagpole as an aiming point and the clubhouse sitting atop
the hill above left of the green. The hole is named after
Harvey Penick (the 5th hole is named "Take Dead Aim").
15. I imagine that Crenshaw will continue to tinker with the
course over time, as Ross did at Pinehurst #2. Just this month
a new bunker was added to the back right of the 4th green,
and to the front left of the 14th.
Obviously as this was my first round there, these are only my
first impressions of the course. It is certainly a very enjoyable
place to play golf, with some fun shots and some very
demanding shots. It looks like a course (like Pinehurst #2)
that will really show its teeth when it gets firm, fast and
breezy, and it's no surprise that the course was designed by
someone with a superior short game. Looks like you'll really
need it at Austin Golf Club.