Austin’s well-known native son Ben Crenshaw admits his is an “old-style” philosophy.  “We believe the best architect is nature and the best players’ courses make good use of the natural terrain.  We let the land dictate the routing rather then imposing ourselves on the landscape."  Indeed, Crenshaw’s course plays across the land quite naturally and most magically, and was rated 38th among the “50 Best Courses in Texas” by Dallas Morning News.

As an ardent student of golf’s history, Crenshaw offers a rare taste of a traditional layout in his design.  The course features broad, rolling fairways; widely-varied green sized and is a fitting tribute to the way the game was once played.  The large, undulating putting surfaces five golfers their biggest challenge.  While the average golfer will attempt to use the natural slopes to aid an approach shot, the low handicap player faces the challenge of positioning the ball at the most advantageous point for an approach putt.

Lakeside’s extraordinary championship golf course, designed by King of Golf Arnold Palmer, opened for play in 1986.  Palmer’s course is fun for proficient players and quite manageable for novices- offering exceptional enjoyment for every class of golfer.

Prowess with the driver is a plus for a good round of golf, as Palmer’s course is a big-hitter’s delight.  Professional golfers rate Palmer’s design among the “Top Ten Texas Courses” and consider Lakeside to have the best Champions Bermuda greens in the State.  A cascading waterfall and native flora highlight Lakeside’s signature 11th hole, a magnificent par-three.  Indeed, the Dallas Morning News ranks it among the “18 Most Beautiful in Texas”.  The par-five 12th and par-four 13th holes are both doglegs left with sloping fairways that reward any player who can “turn the ball over and take it deep.”

Guests enjoy the quiet refuge of Lakeside’s clubhouse retreat which overlooks the golf course and affords a lake view that is nothing short of spectacular. 

The course offers numerous scenic holes lined with stately Red Oaks and Sycamore trees and features spectacular Hill Country views of Short Springs Branch, a beautiful limestone bed creek which meanders throughout the course.  The 561-yard, par-5 finishing hold is tremendous and by all accounts rivals Barton Creek’s existing #18 hole on the Foothills course. 

Additionally, the design and construction of the new course embody a Fazio trademark of protecting and preserving the environment.  The Fazio Canyons course is among the first courses in the country with the Signature designation in the Certified Audubon Sanctuary System.  Fazio Canyons course continues to receive recognition and high ratings among several publications.

Tom Fazio puts a premium on long, accurate drives down the Hybrid TIFSport Bermuda fairways.  The small, TiffEagle Bermuda greens with undulating aprons and grass bunkers make the Fazio Foothills course a shot-maker’s paradise.  The five different sets of tee boxes appeal to a wide variety of skill levels.

The Foothills golf course was upgraded in 2004 to continue challenging players and evolve with the changing game of golf.  Representatives of course designer, Tom Fazio, were consulted on where to best add yardage and tees to improve play and continue to challenge players.  Foothills received new fairway and tee grass and gained nearly 200 yards, making the total yardage on this par 72 course 7,125 yards.  The result is a better-looking, better-playing grass that “greens-up” earlier in the season and stays green later into the fall, creating a more consistent and dense playing surface.

The Fazio Foothills course, established in 1986, ranks at the top of all experts’ lists.  Golfweek Magazine rates the Foothills #4 among America’s 50 Best Resort Courses.  The course is also named the Best Resort Course in Texas and has the distinction of consistently having several holes listed among the State’s Best or Most Beautiful Holes (holes #12, 4, 9, 16, 10, 18) recognized by the Dallas Morning News.