Well, there's only one list for Austin so far, and it's full of private courses that you'll probably never get to play. In lieu of this, here are some Austin courses you can *actually* play, with geographical boundaries extending from Lakeway in the west, Georgetown in the North, Manor/Hwy 290 in the east (but not Bastrop), and Buda/Kyle in the south.
- The Hills - Signature * (Nicklaus)
- Roy Kizer (Russell)
- Falconhead (PGA Tour Design Center)
- Morris Williams (Leon Howard)
- Onion Creek (Demaret, C&C)
- Avery Ranch
- The Hills - Flintrock Falls * (Nicklaus/Nicklaus)
- Bluebonnet Hill (Brauer)
- Legacy Hills (Billy Casper)
- Plum Creek (Bechtol)
* These courses are private, but if you tell them you are a prospective member, they'll set up outings for you on their two Nicklaus courses (and members will buy you drinks).
Of the courses above, I *really* like The Hills - Signature, Kizer, and Mo Willy. Bluebonnet is fun as well and has excellent greens and a back 9 draped over some interesting terrain.
Despite the beatings public courses often take on this site (and the fact that they're generally presumed to be inferior to private clubs) Kizer and Mo Willy are two of the best routings in Austin, period.
Kizer sits on flat, uninteresting terrain, but from an architectural standpoint, it's a gem. The front 9 features 3 excellent holes (3, 5, and 7), and the back is just a fun walk (with holes 11–15 being particularly notable). Kizer is, without question, the most enjoyable municipal course I have ever played (and its conditioning is reliable, too).
Mo Willy occupies some interesting, tumbling acreage just northeast of downtown Austin. Formerly the home of UT golf, the course received a much-needed rework from 2011 to 2013 and now boasts a 7000-yard layout with the most interesting green complexes you'll find on a public course in Austin. For me, holes 2, 3, 11, 13 (split fairways with a distinct, two-tiered green), 16 (with its subdued Biarritz), and 17 are the best the course has to offer, and the supporting cast of holes is generally pretty good. Bottom line: It's great to have easy access to both this course and Roy Kizer.