BARTON CREEK GOLF RESORT (512-329-4000) Fazio Canyons Course
Texas Golf Coursde Review
Overview
Barton Creek Resort & Spa sets the standard of excellence and beauty for Texas golf, with the # 1 and # 2 rated courses in all of Texas. The four exquisitely manicured championship courses that highlight this property are designed by Tom Fazio, Arnold Palmer and Ben Crenshaw on the unique Hill Country terrain in Austin. Guests of this luxurious resort can also enjoy instruction on one of the nation's top golf vacation schools - the Barton Creek Golf Academy, with group classes and private lessons available.
The resort offers unmatched beauty and luxury in a variety of accommodations, with amenities worthy of a world-class property. Guests can enjoy a full service spa, indoor and outdoor pools, fitness center, tennis, a kids club, ample meeting/conference facilities, plus a variety of casual and fine dining options - all in a luxurious setting on 4000 secluded acres of rolling hills. . For more info, visit our page for the resort, with direct link to their website by clicking here.
The Fazio Foothills and Crenshaw Cliffside courses are on resort property; the Fazio Canyons is a few miles away and the Lakeside Course is located About ½ hour from the resort. Each course has its own clubhouse and practice facility. Uniquely - each of the four courses provide pin placement sheets on all carts, indicating the distance the hole is located from the center of the green.
FAZIO CANYONS COURSE
The Fazio Canyons Course is recognized as the NUMBER ONE Course in Texas by Travel & Leisure Golf Magazine! Located just 3 miles from the resort hotel (with free shuttle service available), The Canyon Course has a temporary clubhouse with small pro shop plus a halfway house that serves sandwiches, snacks and beverages. There is a beautiful, targeted grass range, short game area with sand bunker, and putting green.
Most players claim the Canyons to be their favorite of the Barton Creek courses - and we would have to agree. This is a gorgeous layout, highlighted by a hilly terrain that provides some significant elevation changes from tee to green. There are numerous elevated tees and raised fairways, and approach shots often play either uphill or down. Uniquely, the tee areas and borders greenside are landscaped much like a typical desert layout, providing additional aesthetic beauty.
Five sets of tees play to distances and slopes measuring 7153 yards/138 slope, 6745 yards/133 slope, 6405 yards/128 slope, 6002 yards/126 slope for men and 137 for women, and 5098 yards with a slope of 121 from the forward tees. On course yardage blocks are posted at 100, 150 and 200 yards (and 250 on par fives) and all par threes also have posted yardages at each tee area. Sprinkler heads on the fairways are also measured to the center of the green. Color coded flags on the greens indicate front, middle or back hole locations.
Ravine carries are a part of this design, particularly on the front side where golfers have to navigate deep crevices on both the par four second (off the tee) and par five 7th (which virtually dissects the hole). These hazards are basically out of play however, for women playing from the forward tee areas. The par 8th is one of the most memorable holes on the course, a long par three (212 from the tips) that begins from a significantly elevated tee.
There are approximately 54 sand bunkers situated greenside or along the landing zones on the manicured fairways and water comes into play on 6 holes, mostly in the form of creeks that zigzag throughout the layout. Players will encounter fairly generous landing zones off the tee, and medium size mildly undulating green complexes that often slope from back to front. This is a gorgeous golf course, and a highly recommended experience. For more info, visit our page for the course, with direct link to their website by clicking here.
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