Boot Ranch, Hill Country Texas?

[Chip Gaskins]

In Austin this weekend for a family wedding....

Anyone out there play it?  Any feedback? 

I know the topography/land forms in Hill Country are extremely inspiring, but I have not heard much about this new course.  The only time I have been out there is for Willie Nelson's 4th of July Barbecue in Luckenbach...

Chip

PS I may try to take a look around the El Boqueron, the Mike DeVries...Mackenzie, Argentinian course...If I can.

[mike_beene]

Haven't seen Boot Ranch but have heard nice things(actually very nice things).I think Lou likes it a lot,but I may be mistaken.Excellent time of the year.Our golf courses are starting to be good again after the annual august fry.Is El Boqueron under construction?Haven't heard anything about it lately.Tx-Ou weekend Austin should be a ghost town.

[Lou_Duran]

It has been a long time since my only visit, but I think very highly of the course.  Nice scenic site, good variety of holes, natural setting.  Pretty demanding tee to green, but the greens are designed and maintained for scoring.  Biggest drawbacks are the routing and some topography not being walker friendly, and a few people may find the greens a bit tame (not me).  It is a very cool place near a neat rural community.

Last I heard re: El Boqueron is that investors/capital are still being seeked.  I am not aware of any work at the site.

[David_Tepper]

Can anyone compare Boot Ranch vs. Comanche Trace? Which would you rather play on a regular basis?

[Sam Morrow]

Casey Wade can shed some light on this, he played the STPGA Section Championship there about a month ago. He is playing in our Monday Skins game right now but I will see if he can reply before we go to Buffalo Wild Wings later.

[Casey Wade]

I did play 3 days at Boot Ranch.  A very nice piece of property.  Very good golf course.  We played after about 9 inches of rain which they desparately needed!  I liked all the par 3's.  I think they are all very strong.  I believe their only weakness is the par 5's.  #3 is 588 downhill and has a winding creek in front of the green.  Maybe if it wasn't so soft it would be a great risk/reward par 5, but it was a drive, 7 iron, and wedge.

#8 IMO is a bad hole.  There is a creek that separates the fairway from 250-270 yards diagonally.  The play is to hit driver or 3 wood short of the creek, then hit 6 iron to the landing area, and then hit a wedge to an uphill, 2 tiered green that has the creek in front again.

#11 is 600 yards, uphill tee shot that the fairway is wide and starts to traverse right.  Again a layup with a deep bunker left and large bunker right with another creek fronting the green.

#16 is a 600 yard downhill hole which is my favorite of the par 5's.  Bomb and bomb and they have a tree about 85 yards in front of the green to a large, rolling green.

I'll post about the 5 par 3's later.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

Boot Hill over Commanche trace 8 times out of 10

[David_Tepper]

Michael W-P (or anyone else),

How does Riverhill CC in Kerrville compare to Boot Hill and Comanche Trace?

DT   

[erichunter]

I never played the course but never understood how the real estate was going to survive.  I wonder how the foreclosure will affect the course:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/64216552.html

[Greg Tallman]

You might want to send a private message to Jim Lipe. While Sutton's name is on the course Jim did the work.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I believe this course/project has already gone bankrupt or will do so shortly. The money that was spent is staggering.

[Carter Hindes]

You need to get down to Boerne and play Cordillera Ranch.  Really solid course always in great shape. 

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

David..
Still Boot Ranch is the winner, it really is a fun golf course and a shame it is having such financial woes...theidea was good!

[Sam Morrow]

I believe this course/project has already gone bankrupt or will do so shortly. The money that was spent is staggering.

Heard the same thing, I was told from a local club rep that Hal got in a little over his head.

[Lou_Duran]

I hate to say this, but I never did understand "the vision".  There are so many top-end clubs competing for the same relatively few customers.  The day I played it, there was one other couple playing the course, and probably 10 or so employees around the clubhouse.  The course is great fun, the area is fantastic, the improvements (buildings and amenities) are outstanding.  They just need wealthy people to use and pay for them.  Jim Lipe and Hal Sutton did an excellent job.  Funny, Hal's favorite hole, a very short, thight, straight-away par 4 on the backside was my least favorite.  I hope that the vision can be corrected and the club survives.  I may try to get down there before the end of the year for another look.