Plum creek in Kyle, Star Ranch, Grey Rock. All In pretty decent shape.
1 Like
@aarroyave10
Are you in the Austin / San Antonio whatsapp thread yet? If you’re looking to branch out a bit in Central Texas that is the place to be.
4 Likes
I just moved to Austin from Dallas a few months ago. Looking to join the local roost and play some casual rounds with some Nest members. Hit me up if you’re ever looking to play on the weekend.
I’ve done some damage on the local publics, but I’m looking to eventually join a club.
My thoughts on the publics:
Great:
Barton Creek courses (Foothills / Canyons are best, Coore / Crenshaw is short with wicked greens, Palmer course is meh)
Kissing Tree down by San Marcos is one of my favorites to play
Star Ranch
Grey Rock
Wolfdancer is expensive, but I’d like to play it again in the spring
Good:
Avery Ranch
Falconhead
Lions
Forest Creek
Shadow Glen
Roy Kizer - Good value
Crystal Falls - I found out the hard way you should never try to walk this golf course (or play it when it is super windy)
Vaaler Creek - Good, but quite the drive from Austin for the old man’s club.
Meh:
Riverside - I should have known I was in for a day when I saw the practice area was an old mat and a net. First few holes are laughable due to the college campus expansion, but the back nine is good.
Balcones - Seriously looks like something out of Caddyshack era
Teravista - Least nice course of its sister courses (Avery / Falconhead) and has 5 hour rounds
6 Likes
1 Like
Hi guys, new North Star Chapter member here! Myself and a few buddies are traveling to Austin in late April for a long weekend golf trip. Trying to strike a good balance between playing enough golf and experiencing what else Austin has to offer for entertainment. We’re trying to keep it semi- “strapped-esque” as well, so keeping golf under $100/round would definitely be helpful. So far, these are some of the courses we’ve been looking at. If you could only play three or four courses to get a full sense of the Austin golf scene, which tracks would you pick? Also would appreciate any tips on neighborhoods for an Airbnb, bars/restaurants, general entertainment, etc… Thanks in advance!
Grey Rock
Avery Ranch
Jimmy Clay
Kissing Tree
Falconhead
Golf Club at Star Ranch
Wolfdancer
Morris Williams
1 Like
Keep:
Kissing Tree- @XtraStiffWhiff played there recently can give you a run down. But from what I know it’s great.
Jimmy Clay- depending on how the greens are, is a solid muni choice
Grey Rock/MoWillie- best Austin municipal golf options @Jdonelson @chitwood thoughts?
Star-great one for right off the plane. Wide open, greens are always solid. (I am biased towards this one, it’s my home course)
Wolfdancer-is a resort course vibe with a punch in gut difficulty. Good golf.
Falconhead-is a true hill country vibe, but is also known for its difficulty.
Cull:
Avery/teravista- you’ll pay close to $100 for those rounds and want $70 back that night when you want to drink.
I’ll leave your drinks and restaurants to the likes of @SaveMuny @chitwood @Jdonelson @jmg @imsocrabby
2 Likes
such a sick spot. referred there by a friend a couple weeks ago and it was in such good shape. not a super long course (tips out at 6600 i think…) but its plenty challenging and a very pretty course.
restaurants: pinthouse pizza, meanwhile brewery (super close to Clay/Kizer and a great spot to get a beer and food truck goodness), cosmic coffee,
Skip Avery Ranch for Plum Creek in Kyle and swap Falconhead for the fires of hell, it will be more pleasurable.
4 Likes
wait you don’t like Falconhead either?!?!
1 Like
There is no reward for hitting it in the fairway because it’s hard packed dirt. Like playing golf on a parking lot.
And don’t come at me with “oh they play Monday qualifiers there, you don’t like it because it’s hard” bs. It’s a shit golf course in the rich part of town with a gimmicky par 3 over water. Everything else is crap.
5 Likes
Don’t hold back, even the gimmicky par3 over water is crap (I’d argue is the crappiest).
1 is fine, 2 is a great hole, 3-4 are fine, 5 is hard AF but largely fair (true par 4.5), 6 suck, 7 you either love it or hate it, 8 sucks balls, 9-10-11 are fine, 12 is a great hole, 13 sucks, 14 is easy AF (another true par 4.5), 15 sucks sucks sucks, 16 is fine, 17 is love it or hate it (I hate it), and 18 is an unfair finisher with your afore-mentioned hardpack.
So 9 ok-to-good holes, 2 great holes, 2 binary holes, and 5 truly terrible holes. Not a great ratio, bob.
2 Likes
Mo Willy, Star and Kissing Tree. There you go.
3 Likes
For AirBnB look at south congress area or East 6th street. Feel free to post possibilities here to give you insight. And Via 313 for pizza.
Tons of other restaurants, and I love them, but am also an old who is out of touch on newer places. Best restaurant in town is BarleySwine, but not what you are looking for if it is a strapped vibe you are going for.
3 Likes
you trying to get him killed?
2 Likes
as a former East 6th resident, @chitwood is spot on. plenty of great Airbnb’s in that area, or down on Cesar Chavez, and lots of cool spots
now Dirty 6th……that’s another story. Just stay east of i35 and you’re good
2 Likes
Ok, we’re agreeing. “6th street east of I35” is totally fine. “East 6th street” as in “not West 6th street” is a hellscape.
1 Like
It might be a shit golf course compared to all the other shit public courses in Austin, but certainly not shit relatively.
As for things to do: Rainey Street for sure. West 6th is fun. Go to Loro for sure, breakfast tacos at Taco Joint, dinner at Emmer and Rye. Friday lunch at Perry’s and get the pork chop for $19. Will change your life. Drinks at P6 overlooking Lady Bird Lake. East 6th is also fun.
3 Likes
also if you stay on the east side, hit Las Trancas for tacos. my favorite truck in town
1 Like
Grab first sunset/ twilight round. It is worth $80 but not $135.
Did you get what you were looking for?
Also, if you’re from Mn, a plunge in Barton Springs is a must.
A must.
2 Likes
@chitwood really appreciate the assist! We’ve heard that South Lamar can be fun for night life and is a decent neighborhood, or am I getting smoke blown up my ass?
What’s the vibe downtown like? Here in downtown Minneapolis it can go from nice to sketch in the matter of a block or two and curious if it’s similar in Austin.
South Lamar is a good place to go to dinner via Matt’s El Rancho or Loro, but other than Butler Pitch n’ Putt, don’t expect much for ‘going out’. Rainey, West 6th and East 6th are your spots
4 Likes