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.

    Sienna Plantation Country Club
    The Arthur Hills/Mike Dasher-designed Sienna Plantation is a flat, wooded course that has been enhanced to provide elevation changes. The result is a challenging track that rolls between lakes, creeks, and the native hardwoods that dominate the landscape.
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    Palmetto Course at Longwood Golf Club
    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.
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    Houston National Golf Club
    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.
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  • 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.

    Forest Creek Golf Club
    Designed by Dick Phelps, Forest Creek Golf Club has been named "Best Public Golf Course in Central Texas" by Golf Digest as well as "Golf Club of the Year" by Club Corporation of America. Phelps' design features plush, narrow fairways, and its namesake Forest Creek that comes into play on 11 holes.
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    Wolfdancer Golf Club
    The 18-hole Wolfdancer Golf Club in Lost Pines, TX is a public golf course that opened in 2006. Designed by Arthur Hills and Steve Forrest & Associates, Wolfdancer Golf Club measures 7205 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 141 and a 75.
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    ShadowGlen Golf Club
    Located just 15 minutes northeast of downtown Austin, ShadowGlen Golf Course is considered by locals to be one of the area's hidden gems. At 7,174 yards from the back tees, it is a long, tough course that will test even the most seasoned players. Some consider it to be the most difficult public golf course in Texas.
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  • 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.

    Hawks Creek Golf Course
    Hawks Creek Golf Club is located just four miles from downtown Fort Worth in Westworth Village. The course originally opened in 1923 but underwent a major renovation in 2002 that replaced many of the tee boxes and greens. After the makeover, it's more playable while at the same time offering more challenges.
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    The Bridges Golf Club
    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.
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    Country View Golf Course
    Ron Garl came to Lancaster, Texas in 1989 to build Country View G.C., a truly unique course. No. 7 is the most difficult hole -- a long dogleg right with water in play off the tee and in the fairway.
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  • 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
    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.
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    Sammy Baugh at Western Texas College Golf Course
    Western Texas has been the municipal course of Snyder since the late 1970s. This 9-hole course, located on the grounds of Western Texas College, allows you to take full advantage of the West Texas winds, as most holes seem to play downwind.
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    Utopia Golf Course
    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.
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  • 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.

    Alsatian Golf Club
    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.
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    The Quarry Golf Course
    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.
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    Vaaler Creek Golf Club
    Located inside the Rockin' J Ranch community deep in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, Vaaler Creek Golf Club is a Michael Lowry/J.R. Newman design that features breath-taking vistas of the rolling countryside and live oaks. Golfers who book tee times at Vaaler Creek G.C. can expect beautiful water features and expertly placed bunkers.
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