Spotlight

Palmilla Beach Golf Club

Don't get lost in the sand dunes at windy Palmilla Beach Golf Club in Port Aransas

The sand dunes are dramatic at Palmilla Beach Golf Club -- natural, wind-blown and rugged here next to the Gulf of Mexico. David R. Holland has more from Port Aransas.
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Tapatio Springs golf course - no. 2

Hill Country beauty: Tapatio Springs resort near San Antonio

The golf course at Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort & Spa in Boerne boasts a fresh new look in what was already one of the best settings in the state: the Texas Hill Country about a half hour northwest of the Alamo City. With a mixture of short and long holes, lots of twists and turns and plenty of water hazards and some elevation change, accuracy and being able to work the ball is a must.
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Palmilla Beach Golf Club - 6th

Palmilla Beach G.C. in Port Aransas: A rare Texas seaside course

Arnold Palmer Design's Palmilla Beach Golf Club in Port Aransas offers something rare in Texas: ocean views. The course isn't right next to the water but there are several vantage points where you can see the Gulf, and you can certainly feel its effects. Wind is almost always a factor and there's plenty of gorse to gobble up golf balls.
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Texas Golf Destinations

  • Houston

    There's no denying the nation's fourth largest city has plenty to offer in terms of entertainment, restaurants and golf. In addition to three pro sports teams, thriving downtown theater and museum districts, loads of shopping and warm weather year-round, the Houston area boasts about 150 courses, the majority of which are public.

    Houston National Golf Club, located in the northwestern part of the city, definitely follows the old adage that "everything is bigger in Texas." This whopping course stretches to 7,337 yards from the back tees. It is a lengthy golf course no doubt, but it doesn't just favor those who can hit long. The layout has a unique links design, so long hitters will be pleased but they will have to be careful of the numerous pot bunkers and other strategically placed hazards.
    The 9-hole Palmetto Course at Longwood Golf Club in Cypress, TX is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1995. Designed by Harry Yewens and Keith Fergus, Palmetto Course at Longwood Golf Club measures 3240 yards from the longest tees and has 4 sets of tees for different skill levels.
    Architect Roy Case created both courses on this new 36-hole, daily-fee facility that is located only 10 minutes from downtown Houston. In addition to the views of the skyline, Case had at his disposal a touch of Hill Country terrain with dramatic elevation changes, as well as the typical Houston- area prairie lands.
  • San Antonio

    More than 26 million people visit San Antonio each year. And while most of them know that the Alamo City is indeed famous for its nickname mission that has inspired several movies, San Antonio offers so much more when it comes to tourism, not the least of which is its golf. With several first-rate golf resorts in and around the city, San Antonio just might be Texas' best golf destination, especially when you consider all the other things to do.

    The Golf Club is Lee Trevino's only Texas signature course, located in the historic Briggs Ranch and created to be friendly for the average golfer. This open course rolls through a nice Hill Country setting, is loaded with oaks, yuccas, and wildflowers, and features water on eleven holes.
    A piece of San Antonio was beautified in the early 1990s when Keith Foster drew the assignment to convert the old Alamo Cement plant from an abandoned eyesore into one of the most unique courses in Texas.
    Known as one of the best golf values in the San Antonio area, the Alsatian Golf Club offers an outstanding golf experience for a town of 2,700. This well-designed links-style track takes full advantage of the terrain, making use of every possible variation in elevation.
  • The Dallas Metroplex

    The Dallas Metroplex area has never had a problem with attractiveness. The Oil Boom brought great wealth here and Yankees by the multitudes continue to move to Texas to escape the cold winters of the North. The Dallas area is now an amalgamation of classic Texas scenery and attitude with lavish consumerism.

    Traditions has received the most acclaim from the two courses at The Courses at Watters Creek, at one point being ranked by the Dallas Morning News as the No. 1 public course in the state.
    The Fred Couples Signature course is the centerpiece of the Bridges at Preston Crossing. The golf course sprawls across rolling hills that most don't associate with north Texas. Mature trees dot the lush meadows, sliced with ribbons of tall native grasses. The parkland layout has a fair amount of challenges and it is especially tough on a windy day.
    Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay designed the Golf Club at Twin Creeks (named after the two creeks that run through the course) to integrate with five strategically placed lakes that come into play. For the most part, the fairways here are generous, rolling peacefully toward large, undulating greens.
  • West Texas

    As the old saying goes, the harder you have to work for something, the more you appreciate it. This is applicable to West Texas' golf scene. Although miles outside of many of Texas' metropolitan areas, West Texas offers some incredibly attractive golf courses that many casual visitors may overlook.

    Horizon Golf Club (formerly Emerald Springs) is the place where Lee Trevino honed his trade in the big-money El Paso games of the 1960s. The layout winds through a housing community and features wide fairways and large, well-maintained greens.
    Utopia Golf Course is tucked away in the scenic Sabinal Canyon. It is a popular nine-hole course in an idyllic location that served as the inspiration for a book, which then became the movie "Seven Days in Utopia," starring Robert Duvall.
    The 18-hole Rawls Course at Texas Tech in Lubbock, TX is a public golf course that opened in 2003. Designed by Tom Doak, Rawls Course at Texas Tech measures 7349 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 139 and a 75.
  • Austin

    Austin is known for its legendary music scene and beautiful Hill Country terrain and natural resources, like the Colorado River and the lakes that were spawned from it. The topography makes for a great golf canvas, and the city and surrounding area certainly have great places to play, whether it's resort golf, muni or quality daily-fee plays.

    Avery Ranch is one of Austin’s newest courses–it’s part of the Avery Ranch residential community, 20 minutes northwest of town, that was carved and blasted out of the rocky ranchlands along Brushy Creek. This historically significant area was once home to Indians and robbers, who were drawn to this beautiful setting thick with dense oaks, meandering creeks, and abundant wildlife.
    Despite its Hill Country setting, Teravista Golf Club has more of a links feel, with wide-open fairways and casually rolling mounds. About 60-70 white bunkers spot the layout, and water comes into play on 14 holes.