toothysaw2

I've played Wolfdancer several times, most recently just a few days ago. The last time I was out there the greens were in pretty rough shape, but I am happy to report they are looking good now. The whole course was in top shape.

This course is a beast. Choose your tee box carefully or you'll struggle to reach a few of the par 4s in two (looking at you 16...).

As you'd expect for Hill Country golf, there are several elevation changes and lots of undulation. I think Wolfdancer uses that to enhance the experience better than most courses. The terrain is used as often to make a shot easier as it is to punish a bad shot... and sometimes both. For example on the dowhill tee shot of #3, any relatively straight drive has a chance to catch the hill and roll out quite a bit, but drift too far right and you fall off the cliff into trouble. On #9, you have to hit a right to left tee shot (which isn't easy for a lot of people) and the terrain helps shape your drive that way even if you miss a little right.

Still, this course is not easy off the tee or anywhere really. Shotmaking is at a premium because the trees get pretty cozy on several shots.

One of my favorite things about this course is that there is a lot of variety. You don't have to hit driver off every tee. Your approach shots will cover a large portion of your bag.

My only negative comment would be the pace of play has not been great most times I've played. This weekend my round was 4hr 45minutes! Several holes had 4 groups on them. The routing doesn't help here as you have multiple combos of par 3/short par 4/par 5 where people are waiting to reach the green (often optimistically).

It appears COVID has had some impact on the practice facilities as the short game area was overgrown, but in general, there are good practice areas. If you factor in the rest of the resort, you really can't lose. Few things are better than a sweaty afternoon of awesome Hill Country golf followed by a beer and a few hours in the lazy river.

Definitely recommend the whole Lost Pines experience if you can, but Wolfdancer alone is worth the drive.

I hadn't played Clay in probably 16-17 years before heading out a few times in the last month.

The course wasn't really anything like I remembered, and in a way, that's kind of the problem with the course... it's not very memorable. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad course and it does have some interesting things going on, but it's a pretty standard old muni.

The front 9 is pretty tight. 1 is a tough tee shot and a tough hole. 3 is one of the cooler holes... a very tight dogleg right... long enough that you don't want to give up too much distance off the tee, but tight enough that driver is risky. 4 and 7 are pretty decent par 5s (the tee shot on 4 is obscured by some trees that are the bane of my existence). 8 is possible the best hole on the front 9, a challenging dogleg left that requires a good drive.

The back 9 opens up a little bit, but also sacrifices some memorability in the process. 10 is a nice hole with a dramatically uphill approach shot... it makes for an interesting decision on your second shot as it's a fairly reachable par 5, but you don't want to get stuck on the hill. After that the back is fairly non-descript until you get to 18, which is one of the hardest tee shots I've encountered in my life... you just have to hit it straight or you're in trouble. Maybe if you have a higher ball-flight than me it's not such an issue... who knows.

Overall, Clay is a good track. The conditions the last month have been solid... greens are sometimes slow, but they are not bad at all. In terms of practice facilities, they are hands down the best available at the muni courses.

I would still choose Morris Williams if I could only play one round, but Clay is worth a visit.

Some friends and I played Waterchase on my way out of DFW. It was my first time, but they play there somewhat regularly.

When you arrive, it's a pretty humble place. The proshop is a double wide. The course that awaits you is a good time and good challenge.

On this particular day, conditions were very nice. Fairways and tee boxes were in good shape, and the greens were smooth and lightning quick. The greens are probably the main defense of this course, they have some pretty intense undulations. On this time around, the grounds crew must've been in a foul mood because almost every pin was set right on a slope or just a few paces from the edge of the green. It was a huge challenge and led to quite a few 3 putts from our group.

Overall, the course is very enjoyable, with par 5s that are good tests of your game. The round isn't cheap, and that's probably my only knock on this course. The layout and conditions probably are nearly inline with the price, but the other amenities are not (clubhouse, practice area, didn't see any beverage carts, etc). I actually don't care about that stuff very much, so I think this place is worth a visit, but if those are things that drive value for you they are worth considering before you book.

For years I've been wanting to try Cowboys. Finally, my buddy scored a deal to get the VIP package for $99. At that price, it's a steal. 18 holes of great golf and food/non-alcohol drinks are included.

On this particular day, there was an hour frost delay so our tee time was an hour late making our chances of finishing before dark pretty slim.

The course is a good blend of challenging and playable. There are some fun short par 4s (always my favorites), and most of the par 5s are nearly reachable. Even if you're not a long hitter you won't be miserable.

The conditions were very good. For the most part, the fairways are welcoming and the rough isn't too bad. The greens are where the challenge comes in. They are fast and slippery. #3 is a beautiful mid-length par 3 over water... the green is wide and has multiple tiers side to side. If you are in the wrong spot, it's an easy 3 putt. I was on the wrong side of the hole and missed a 3 footer for birdie.

Pretty much everything about this place is first class. If you don't get a deal, it is a bit pricey, but if you aren't in Dallas very often I think it's worth it. There are a lot of great courses in the DFW area, but Cowboys is really something special: both the course and the experience.

While on a recent trip to San Fran for work I got out to Presidio to play some golf. I've been on an old course kick lately, and this offered the promise of old style strategic golf in a cool setting. I was not disappointed!

Immediately when you turn into the park it's like entering a new world. It went from being clear and sunny to chilly and foggy quick. For the first several holes it was hard to follow the ball all the way down, but that's to be expected.

I walked to maximize my ability to take in the course. It's a tough walk. Nearly every hole has dramatic elevation changes. However, unlike some other courses, the constant changes in elevation didn't feel forced or gimmicky (looking at you Wolf Creek). The course just felt very natural, using the terrain that existed. The results are several stunning holes. I was particularly fond of holes 2, 4, 9, 10, 12, 13, and 17. That's a lot, but number 12 was my favorite. It's a long par 4 that turns left. Off the tee, you face an elevated shot down to the fairway. There is a reachable bunker on the left side and the right side shortens up in the landing area too as the hole bends to the left... a good strategic drive if ever there was one. For the approach you go back up hill to a narrow green with a severe slope in front. It's a stunning hole, but definitely deserving of its designation as the #1 handicap.

It's also worth noting, this course has some of the best bunkering I've ever seen. The irregular shapes with thick, long grass surrounding look incredible and certainly put some fear in you. Besides just looking great, I found the bunkers to be very playable with a nice amount of sand.

The staff is super friendly. The practice area/driving range is nothing to write home about, but gives you adequate means to warm up.

Long story short, this is a great place to play some golf and to clear your mind with a nice walk. Don't miss out.

I've been trying hard to be stingy with 5 star ratings the last few years, but it's time to give one out!

Had the chance to play this course through Arcis, and I was honestly kind of blown away.

It's a gorgeous property. Very quiet, isolated, and beautiful. Perfect for golf. The course layout has some great elevation changes that provide lovely vistas across the course and surrounding hills. Especially with the trees starting to turn it was quite a sight.

The course itself offers some good challenges, but remains fun for any skill level. There are some short par 3s and 4s (always fun treats) and some long par 3s. Visually the course is more intimidating than it actually plays, but it certainly will keep you on your toes.

I'm not sure how accessible this course is, but if you do get a chance to play here it's fantastic.

I was very excited to play a Donald Ross course for the first time, especially with a trip to Pinehurst coming up next year.

This course did not disappoint! The layout is really fun and sneaky challenging. It's not a long course, so I kind of expected to bomb my way around (i'm not even that long), but I ended up finding about 10 bunkers instead. So it may be short by today's standards, but it is strategic. As a par 70 there are also some long par 4s... including the first hole which is a beast. There are also several little creeks that pop up around the course and make you think twice. Quite lovely.

Holes 17 and 18 are particularly enjoyable for their beauty and layout. The green on 18 was a notable favorite of mine, but many of the greens show the undulations and challenges Donald Ross is famous for. Hole 6 is a tough double dogleg par 5 that'll eat you up if you get lazy... which I did. Number 8 is a long par 3 that's quite beautiful. I could go on about any hole, but you should just go see them yourself.

Hopefully you can tell I loved this course, but a few minor negatives to point out.

1. no driving range. putting green is small but well kept.
2. no tee times for singles. i had to wait 2 hours to get paired up. it was worth it.
3. there are some areas marked GUR where grass has died. mostly it's in the fairways and out of the way, but a few greens also had some crud. never in the playing area though. generally conditions are very, very good (especially compared to texas in the summer), but don't expect pristine conditions.

At the end of the day, this was a super fun and enjoyable golf course. Any skill level can have a good time, and it certainly was a welcome addition to my golden age architecture experience. I'd go back in a heartbeat, and you should too.

This was the 5th and final stop on our group's trip.

For a muni, this is a great track. The practice area is super nice. The staff was very friendly and they were very accommodating about setting up our group outing.

The course itself is a challenging and fun layout. It's pretty linksy... not a ton of trees, lots of bunkers, fescue lining each hole. The rough is intense! You're gonna want to drive it well or you're gonna have a bad time.

You're playing target golf a lot of the day as the holes are pretty tight. Number 9 is probably my favorite hole. Potentially it's a drivable par 4 (only 255), but to do so you have to carry a ravine at about 220 yds. The green is tucked in between water and bunkers, so you have to hit it straight. Even trying to layup you have to choose a target carefully or you can hit a fairway bunker and/or have a very tough shot in cause the layup leaves you with water right behind the green.

The par 3s on this course are no joke. They are all pretty long and unforgiving. 17 is particularly tough, playing 230 the day we played.

We'd heard a lot about how difficult this course was as we researched our trip. It wasn't quite as bad as we were led to believe, but it's definitely a challenge. I liked the course a lot, and definitely think it's worth your time. It makes a great option if you need to get to the airport afterward.

This course was the 4th stop on our group's Denver trip.

The first thing to say is that the staff was extremely friendly, both in the pro shop and in the restaurant. Our group (and me personally) is always seeking out Troon courses wherever we play, and yet again we were not disappointed.

The conditions were superior. The one criticism would be that the greens were so firm they would not hold anything. Even when hitting a perfectly flush gap wedge off the fairway, the ball would bounce and roll out 30-40 ft past the landing spot. This made approaches and chips very difficult. This was frustrating on the downhill par 3s on the back 9. On the flip side, the greens were a great speed and rolled very true..

The layout is challenging and pretty fun. There are some opportunities to hit things besides driver off the tee, which I always appreciate. While I enjoyed the course very much, I can't say any particular holes stood out to me. #10 is super tough off the tee... like driving down a bowling lane.

In general, the scenery is lovely, but there are a good number of houses surrounding the course. That didn't really bother me, but I know for some people it ruins the experience.

This is a very nice course and worth playing when you're in town.

This was the 3rd course of my group's Colorado trip. It was a serious favorite.

The course was in great shape; very lush and greens rolling true. Right off the bat it's a unique course, with a sweeping dogleg left par 5 starting with a massive elevation drop. On the second shot you see a tower that's right in the middle of the lower fairway. It's cool!

From there, the front 9 continues as a winding and tight adventure with trees, bunkers and waste areas a frequent challenge. You get a little bit of everything from a 90 yd par 3 (#5) to a 650 yd par 5 (#9). I really enjoyed the variety. Number 7 was a particular favorite.

Then you turn to the back, and things change. There's a little more water to deal with, and somehow things get even tighter. You also descend into an old quarry (I assume) with rock outcroppings popping up in fairways and old equipment scattered about the property. It's incredibly unique. #11 is a really fun, but tight par 3. #12 is on of the most unique par 5s I've ever played with rock outcroppings dotting the 100 yds or so leading up to the green, which is surrounded by high rock cliffs. It looks awesome!

You end with a really tough par 5... especially if you catch an afternoon storm like we did where the wind was right into our face.

This course is awesome. Very challenging off the tee, but very rewarding of good shots.

I'd consider this a must play!

This course was the second stop on my group's trip to Denver. As the cheapest course on our itinerary we weren't sure how the course would stack up, but it proved to be a very nice value.

Conditions were lush. The rough here was among the thickest on the trip. The greens rolled incredibly true, but were a little slow compared to other courses in the area.

The meadow 9 was very pretty, with cool elevation changes. Lots of water in play! The drivable 3rd was a group favorite.

The links 9 was less popular. A few of the holes are a little strange if you aren't familiar with the course. In particular numbers 16 and 17 (or 7/8) are interesting.

Overall, the 2 nines we played were enjoyable and the course was in such good shape. As a Texan, I can only dream of grass that lush on a city course. What a treat.

Bear Dance was the first stop on my group's annual trip (held in Denver this year obviously).

For once we arrived well in advance of our tee time and had time to take advantage of the very nice practice facilities. Nice range, good chipping area, and the fastest practice green this side of the Mississippi.

The course is a nice collection of holes. Most are fairly tight, with trees defending one or both sides. However, there is good variety; with a few short par 4s and plenty of tee shots where you have options besides driver off the tee. The par 3s are all beautiful and enjoyable as well. Conditions this day were great. Everything was lush. The real greens were not nearly as a fast as the practice green... but were still challenging.

#6 is the signature hole. It's a fun short par 4. You can go for the green, but if you miss in the paw print bunker, be prepared for a tough par.

At $100, this was the most expensive round of our trip. In that context, I think it's just a decent value as the other courses were also very nice. But in a larger context, $100 for a quality round of golf isn't outrageous.

I'd definitely recommend adding this course to your itinierary if you're in the area. It was a favorite of many of the folks on our trip.

This was my second time playing Tangle Ridge, and it's one of my buddy's favorite courses. I understand why! You can get some really good deals on tee times, and the course is super fun. Combine that with good conditions and a friendly staff and you can't beat it.

The most notable thing to me about this course is the par 5s. They are pretty tough for what is otherwise a pretty friendly course. #5 is a tough tee shot that will set the tone for the rest of the hole. #8 presents you with 3 tough shots to reach the green. #13 requires a good tee shot, and a careful second. #18 is definitely no picnic either.

These are balanced out by some fun short par 4s. I always love having a few nearly driveable holes for variety. 3, 6, and 11 are all in that category, but each require you to hit the right shot shape. You are punished if you fail . (and I did twice!).

For a great value on a nice round of golf, this is the place to be. I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could.

Had the opportunity to play Old American, which hosts an LPGA event. I didn't know much about the course except that it was designed by Justin Leonard (hook 'em!) and that it's right next to The Tribute, which I had played before.

The first thing to call out is the extremely welcoming and friendly staff. Very professional and treated me kindly despite not being a member. The members in the clubhouse were also very friendly, and warned us it was going to be a tough day if the wind kept up.

Well... it did. All day the winds were in the high teens with gusts well into the 20s. It was brutal.

This is an interesting course. It's difficult. There are bunkers and water in play on just about every hole. Many of the drives are intimidating and force you to choose which hazard you're most afraid of. The greens are also well protected, and many of them are small. Of course none of that was any easier with crazy wind.

The front nine winds around and several of the holes are lined by houses, but as you turn to the back many of the holes are right up against Lake Lewisville. It's very scenic, but it seems to make every hole play right into the wind.

For me the highlights were holes 5,7,9,12,13, and 16. 12 is a cool par 3 right against the lake.and 13 is a tight, but shorter par 4.

Hole 14 is a unique hole. It's a double dogleg par 5, which is an abosolute monster into the wind. I'm excited to watch this hole the next the the LPGA rolls through to see how pros handle it.

Long story short, this is a great facility and a good and challenging course. Unfortunately, the greens had been punched (maybe the whole course) recently, but it's clear this is a place that takes care of their course and I'm sure it'll be back to pristine in no time.

Subtle is not a good description of this course. It's got some flair... elevation changes, undulation, ample bunkering, water, and of course waterfalls. It's a fun course.

This course is pretty tough as there are trees lining most holes, but at its heart it's still a resort course. Many of the holes set up looking very narrow, but open up 150 or so yards from the tee. I certainly found that way more of my drives stayed playable when I was sure they were goners. This keeps the course more playable for all skill levels.

Still ,there are some challenging shots. A couple of par 3s over water to smaller greens, and the brutal uphill par 5 18th.

You should still bring your A game, but this course is very enjoyable. The conditions are as good as any place I've played in town, and the staff were very friendly and professional.

Definitely not a course for walkers though!

For months, I've been looking forward to finally playing Kissing Tree because 1) it's a new course less than an hour from home and 2) it's a Troon property and every Troon course I've played so far has been outstanding. Admittedly, I was bit skeptical of the courses length and location in a 55+ community... but still had to go!

So let's get this out of the way... on this particular day, it was 60ish degrees with sustained winds in the high teens and even angrier gusts. Not ideal. Also, the course warned us that conditions were not up to their standards when we booked the tee time. In fact, they told us the course would be closing for all of April to recover.

I'm not holding any of that against them. I have full faith they'll get the green back in great shape.

The good:
- very friendly staff
- nice practice area
- nice property in general

The less good:
- despite being a short course, it's not walkable

The layout of the course is extremely fun. There are a handful of short par 4s that force you to make a decision beyond just trying to bomb one down to the green. Number 9 is an especially fun hole, with bunkers and trees on the left and water hugging the right side and back of the green. An accurate tee shot is required.

The longer par 4s and par 5s have interesting elevation and terrain typical of hill country golf. This provides welcome variety throughout the round.

This course has a lot of promise, and I can't wait to try again when it's better weather and better conditions. Four stars is a little strong, but three seems too negative for a course that I definitely think is worth your time. So 4 it is.

Let's start with a confession: I don't love this course. I wish I did, but I don't.

I hadn't played Lions since college (about 15 years). Back then I played it regularly. Not much has changed. I always think about it, but it's reputation for slow play is hard to overcome. The course conditions and even the layout don't justify a 5 hr round.

I also must admit that I left after a full serving of humble pie. It may be short, but it's tight. The greens are tiny. When it's dry, everything runs out another 5 yards. Trouble is waiting for you. Don't try to overpower this place.

You can't fight the history of the course though. Whatever the shortcomings, the course is charming and it feels special to play here. There is a sense of community you don't find at most courses... lots of walkers, lots of folks in jeans, great players, beginners, old folks, young folks. It's unique, and it's GREAT! Few golf courses are as welcoming.

Everyone should experience this place, and everyone should go now! The course as it currently is might not be much to write home about, but if it could be saved and renovated it could be! My first move would be to clean up a lot of the brushy areas and trees. Opening up a little more space would make the course more playable. As it stands, if you miss by just a little bit you likely won't have an opportunity for a recovery shot. That's a shame. I think there's a classic parkland course lying dormant, and bringing it back to life would be a benefit for all golfers in Austin. Save Muny!

A year after visiting Streamsong for the first time (to play Red and Blue), I returned to play all three!

The Black Course certainly stands apart from the other two, both physically and architecturally. Having it's own clubhouse is a nice touch to getting a different experience.

It's a course full of unique challenges. Surely if you've done any other research on the course, the thing that comes up most often is the greens. They are no joke! They are huge and they are wild. Tetherow is the only course I recall playing with such severely contoured greens. That being said, most them had reasonable pin positions and putting on them was challenging, but not impossible.

The second hole is interesting. It's a short par 4, but the green is absolutely diabolical. The uphill slope hides the green from view... having no course knowledge our group had no idea that anything past the flag was dead. It was surprising and a little frustrating, but would have been a fun challenge if we knew what to expect. The lack of pinsheets is a bummer.

The ninth hole is probably most famous for its punchbowl green. It's certainly a novelty, that is sure to be polarizing for any group. I appreciated it, but do wish it wasn't a blind shot into it. My buddies hated it.

All of the par 3s and par 5s are pretty fun, and very playable for any skill level.

Overall, this course was sneaky hard. It's fairly open, but bad shots get punished. The greens make getting shots close pretty difficult. It's a fantastic course, but I'd put it just behind the other two. Blue remains my favorite.

Outside the clubhouse there is an 18 hole putting course that is ridiculously fun. Grab a drink and play it until dark!

Streamsong is a must visit golf destination. The resort is top notch, and the staff are all super friendly. Most importantly, all three courses are unique and fun.

This was our final round of our Wisconsin adventure, following Erin Hills, both courses at Whistling Straits, and Meadow Valleys. This course was right at home in that lofty company. In some ways, it may have been my favorite.

As with all of those courses, the facilities were superb and welcoming. The restaurant was good. The staff was friendly. There was even a nice shower so that we could all clean up before heading to the airport. My only criticism is about the constant marshalling about pace of play even though we weren't really out of position and the group behind us was even further behind. I get it's important to keep things moving, but it's a tough course and a bad hole can kill you. Not a huge issue.

This course is pretty similar to Meadow Valleys, but a little more dramatic. More split fairways, more forced carries, and (as you might expect) more water.

Knowing where to place your tee shot is a key skill on this course. You need to be in position to have a chance of hitting good approaches. Hole 8 is a really cool drive through a chute that then leaves you with a tough call on how much to challenge the green on your second shot, but if you hit a bad drive it's a lot tougher. #11 is similarly beguiling in that a misplaced tee shot will force you into a longer third than you'd expect or want. Hole 12 is a highlight both for the tee shot and the second shot.

My least favorite hole on the course is #13. Much like #17 on Meadow Valley, the tee shot is obstructed by a huge tree. Being a long par 3, with the river to the right, it's a lot to ask to hit a 4i over that tree or to expect someone to start a draw over the water and let it come back. I did not care for the hole.

However, 14-18 is one of the strongest stretches of holes in the Destination Kohler package. I'd nearly put it up there with 14-18 on the Straits course. You get some good scoring opportunities on 14, 15, and 16 and then some tough closers in 17 and 18.

This is a super course, well worth the praise it receives. The conditions are ideal, with greens that are speedy, but true. Get yourself to Wisconsin and check it out.

Well this is it isn't it? The gem in the Wisconsin golf crown? Host of tons of golf history situated on the shore of a great lake? Indeed.

Visually, this course is just what you'd expect based on TV. It's beautiful, and just a little scary. OK... A LOT scary!

This is a walking only course and you have to take a caddie. You'll want one. Fortunately, the walk is very reasonable, just a touch over 6 miles and not too hilly. Pace of play is a bit sluggish. One of the marshals told me average is a touch over 5 hours.

No sugar coating... this course is hard. Like, maybe the hardest course I've ever played. There is trouble everywhere, at all times. Bunkers, lakes, taller bunkers, deeper bunkers, cliffs, fescue. Bring your best golf swing. Certainly if it's windy, don't hesitate to move up a tee box or two.

The par 3s are the real show stealers here. Each nestled along the lake with fantastic hills, bunkers, and cliffs. They are breathtaking to look at and leave you lightheaded when you have to take a shot.

Normally I'd highlight some holes I really liked, but it's tough here. It was so tough it was hard to take in the holes... too focused on just battling to get a score. I will say that 13 was one of the craziest holes. It's a midlength par 4 that runs down towards the lake. The whole green runs away from the fairway, creating an insanely difficult 2nd shot. Looking back, I almost wish I'd just putted a hybrid for my second shot from 110. 18 is a real stunner of a hole. Very cool tee shot and intimidating approach.

Overall, this course is incredible. It's quite obvious why this is a great venue for a major championship. If I'm honest though, I'd rather watch someone else play this course. It's difficult to the point I just don't think I'm good enough. I have a hard time imagining a 15-20+ handicap player enjoying themselves, but it's STILL worth it because it's WHISTLING STRAITS!