COURSE REVIEW

New leadership, new attitude revive Austin's Golf Club at Circle C

By Steve Habel,
Contributor

AUSTIN, Texas (Dec. 15, 2006) - For many Central Texas golfers, the Golf Club at Circle C long seemed a waste of a good golf course.

Austin radio host finds passion, career in golf First Tee takes hold in Austin Top five Hill Country courses College towns offer more than just tailgaiting

Opened in 1992 with lofty aspirations in southwest Austin, Circle C was always infinitely playable. The large, undulating greens, tree-lined fairways and well-placed bunkers made this Jay Morrish design challenging and appealing for players of all skill levels.

You just had to look past the poor maintenance, high price and snooty staff.

But things have changed at this off-the-beaten-path track 15 minutes from downtown. Under the ownership of local entrepreneur Wally DeRoeck and the stewardship of PGA Professional Chip Gist, the Golf Club at Circle C has reclaimed its prominent place among Austin's high-end daily-fee courses, with a renovated property and revolutionized service culture.

Gist, the general manager and director of golf, hired Carter Morrish to restore the integrity and aesthetic appeal of the course. The designer's son reworked all 55 bunkers, making them both more playable and more visually pleasing. "The bunkers had really lost their integrity over time," Gist said.

Other projects included repairing the drainage system, doubling the size of the driving range and adding a private teaching area. Two holes, the 11th and 17th, were reworked due to a road easement.

The expanded, Western-themed pro shop now offers club fitting, custom orders and other services, and there's now a full restaurant rather than just a snack bar.

"Our goal was to restore the Golf Club at Circle C to its former standing as one of the finest daily-fee golf courses in Central Texas," said Gist, formerly director of golf operations at Barton Creek Resort, "and we think we are well on the way to doing just that."

The course encompasses about 160 acres of Hill Country, with cedars and live oaks lining the holes and undulating Bermuda greens protected by mounds and bunkers. An abundance of birds and deer reside in the surrounding woods.

The Golf Club at Circle C made Golf Digest's 2004 Best Places to Play list, and won Best Burger honors from Avid Golfer the same year.

You'll want to appreciate the beauty from a cart, though - the jaunts from the clubhouse to the first tee and between many holes are lengthy.

The course plays 6,859 and is rated 72.7 from the back set of four tees. The friendly par-4 first and reachable par-5 second warm you up for No. 4, a longish, dogleg-right par 4 and the No. 1 handicap hole. The tough 542-yard seventh is even tougher when the pin placement is back left, close to a water hazard and over a large mound.

There's more challenge on the back side, which starts with an uphill par 4 with a long, narrow green. Nos. 16 and 17 are toughest holes on the course, a 206-yarder with water on the right and a 447-yard par 4 with a huge, tree-blocked green that makes for a likely three-putt.

The home hole is only listed as the 12th hardest on the course, but water down the right side and out-of-bounds on the left makes it plenty knee-knocking.

The verdict

The Golf Club at Circle C 17401 Highway 45 Austin, TX Tee times: (512) 288-4297 Web: thegolfclubatcirclec.com

If you can control your golf ball and roll it well, you have a chance to score at Circle C. More important, the course's new attitude and attention to detail make it once again one of the top places to play in the Austin area, with service and amenities to match the uniquely appealing property. Get there while you can - before long this is going to be one of the toughest tee times in the region.

Green fees range from $59 to $85, with discounts for twilight, senior, junior walkers and juniors with carts. All charges include green fee, cart rental and range balls.

Stay and play

Circle C is located in a rather remote area of southwest Austin; the nearest lodging is some 15 minutes up the road. The closer you get to downtown, the more plentiful the accommodation options. Call the course for potential packages.

Dining out

Golfers in Austin will find the city replete with a wealth of excellent dining options, from upscale American restaurants to a wide variety of Asian offerings to that most sacred of Texas subjects: Barbecue. Whatever you're in the mood for - a quick bite, a nice wine, an exotic meal - this city has an answer. Use our Austin dining guide to help plan where you might like to eat on your next Texas golf vacation.

Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.