New Posts Coming

New posts will be coming next week for The Austin Golfer. The cold and rain of the past few days have delayed this week's adventure, but we will catch up next week. 

Be sure to also see what is happening in Austin and Austin Real Estate at: 

Austin Real Estate Secrets

River Place Country Club, Golf Course and Community

In Austin, we don't normally call it a River--it's Lake Austin, but River Place is the exception to this and many rules. Located on a large tract of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve on the Colorado River, aka Lake Austin, this stretch of land is arguably where the Texas Hill Country begins. Rolling hills. Running streams. Beautiful trees and a wonderful community built in the middle of natural beauty. And this golf course is one of the crown jewels in this community--taking advantage of all that the area has to offer. Designed by Architect Jay Morrish and Austin's own US Open Champion--Tom Kite.

When you play River Place, there are many pieces of the topography to take in. Deep contours. Elevated and de-elevated greens. Rock walls. Streams. Trees on both sides of the fairway. Small "ponds". Well groomed sand traps. Beautifully cultivated greens. Even at this writing, in the dead of winter, the greens are rich and groomed as if it is summer outside. Just incredible.

On most tees boxes you will not be able to see the flag stick from the tee box. It is a challenge the first couple of times you go out. And if you run into the Head PGA Pro, Chris de Keratry, on your way out, you will get one word of advise: "Lay up." It's good advise. Take it and run. This is a course full of surprises and adventure each time you load up your sticks.

River Place is fortunate to have one of Austin's best PGA professionals on staff. The Head Golf Pro, Chris De Keratry, is one of the brightest and best that you will find. A student of the Hank Haney School of Golf, I can personally testify that Chris is one of the best teachers in the business. (Confession time). I have taken lessons from lots of great golfers, but Chris is more than a great golfer--Chris is a great golf instructor. He understands how to teach a sport that requires the brain to execute a very complex set of hand-to-eye-to-brain events all at one time. Many golfer can make the difficult look simple, but Chris makes the difficult feel simple and understandable. He is truly gifted and a nice guy on top of it all.

Exercise. My doctor told me a few years ago that I needed to exercise more. "Does golf count?"--"Yes, if you are walking--not ridding." Well, my MD has never played this golf course. This is the Texas Hill Country. Take a cart and live to play another day. There is enough exercise involved in this course even when you are ridding. And you will love every minutes of it. (Click on photos for a bigger image and better view!).

Of course, River Place is not just a wonderful golf course and country club. River Place is one of North West Austin's finest master planned communities. When you walk the golf course you are surrounded by beautiful custom homes. On the peak of the hills--looking down onto the golf course. And in the valley along side of the course. Nicely framed outside of the line of a stray ball, but ever present reminders of families who live and love River Place. Homes in River Place range from the low ~$300's to $MM homes and Lake Austin water front property on Big View Drive. A community, not defined by it's homes, but by its neighbors.

If you are interested in finding out more about this community, homes in River Place or you would like for me to personally introduce you to the good people of River Place, give me a call. Let's Talk.

Austin Golf and Harvey Penick

Austin has some amazing Golf history--possibly the most famous of which may be the story of Harvey Penick. You don't have to tell a golfer who Harvey Penick was--probably the most famous golf coach of the past century and considered by many to be the father of golf instruction. What you may not know about Harvey Penick is that he started his golf career here in Austin--as a caddy at Hancock Golf Course in Austin. Yep. That's where this amazing story starts--at Central Texas' first golf course. Penick went on to be the Coach of the UT Golf Team and the Head Golf Professional at The Austin Country Club. But in the end, Harvey Penick will best be remembered as the Father of Golf Instruction--with his Little Red Book of golf instruction. Mr. Penick also mentored two Austin PGA Golf legends: Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite--who later honored Mr. Penick by opening the Harvey Penick Golf training Course for students in the Austin area, also known as Austin's First Tee. The course was designed for "students" of all ages and it is one of the best short game courses you will find. But these two were not the only PGA Golf professionals who Penick coached. In fact, Harvey Penick's students account for over 200 tour titles and the honor role includes names such as Ed White, Betty Jameson, Morris Williams Jr., Betsy Rawls, Mickey Wright, Kathy Whitworth, and Sandra Palmer. A legacy of greatness. Bestowed on many.

If you are are looking for golf--Wow! Austin has golf. Regardless of your level of play, up to and including the make-ready courses for the amateur tour, you can find plenty of places to get your cleats dirty in Austin. Over 30 public and semi-private courses, plus 15 wonderful private club courses. 

Public Semi-Private
Avery Ranch	10500 Avery Club Dr	Austin
Blackhawk	2714 Kelly Ln	Pflugerville
Bluebonnet Hills	9100 Decker Lane	Austin
Butler Park P+P	201 Lee-Barton Dr	Austin
ColoVista CC	100 Country Club Dr	Bastrop
Falconhead	15201 Falconhead	Austin
Forest Creek	99 Twin Ridge Pkwy	Round Rock
Golf at Circle C	7401 Texas 45	Austin
Golf at Crystal Falls	3400 Crystal Falls	Leander
Golf at Star Ranch	2500 FM 685	Hutto
Harvey Penick	5501 Ed Bluestein	Austin
Highland Lakes	20552 Highland Lake	Lago Vista
Hills of Lago Vista	8116 Chestnut Cove	Lago Vista
Kurth-Landrum	Southwestern Univ.	Georgetown
Lago Vista	4616 Rimrock Dr	Lago Vista
Legacy Hills	301 Del Webb Blvd	Georgetown
Live Oaks	Lakeway Blvd	Lakeway
Lost Pines	Loop 150 + TX 21	Bastrop
Mustang Creek	1100 Beech St	Taylor
Pine Forest	636 Riverside Dr	Bastrop
Plum Creek	750 Kohler's Crossing	Kyle
Point Venture	422 Venture Blvd S	Point Venture
Riverside Golf	1020 Grove Blvd	Austin
Shadow Glen	U.S. 290 + Manor Rd	Manor
Teravista	4333 Teravista Club	Round Rock
White Wing	151 Dove Hollow Trl	Georgetown
Yaupon	Lakeway Blvd	Lakeway
Austin Municipal Courses:
Hancock Park	811 East 51st St	Austin
Jimmy Clay	5400 Jimmy Clay Dr	Austin
Lions Municipal	2901 Enfield Rd	Austin
Morris Williams	4300 Manor Rd	Austin
Roy Kizer	5400 Jimmy Clay Dr	Austin
Private/Resort Courses:
Austin CC	4408 Long Champ Dr	Austin
Balcones CC	8600 Balcones Club	Austin
Barton Creek Resort	8212 Barton Club Dr	Austin
Berry Creek CC	30500 Berry Creek Dr	Georgetown
Cimarron Hills CC	102 West Morrow	Georgetown
Flintrock Falls	401 Jack Nicklaus Dr	Lakeway
Georgetown CC	1500 Country Club	Georgetown
Great Hills CC	5914 Lost Horizon Dr	Austin
The Hills CC	26 Club Estates Pkwy	Lakeway
Lost Creek CC	2612 Lost Creek Blvd	Austin
Onion Creek CC	2510 Onion Creek Pk	Austin
*River Place CC	4207 River Place Bld	Austin
Spanish Oaks	13001 Spanish Oaks	Bee Cave
Twin Creeks CC	3201 Twin Creeks	Austin
University of Texas	4232 N. Quinlan Park	Austin