University Of Texas GC
Austin, TX
CyberGolf.com
Burnt-Orange & 'Horns Aplenty at UT Golf Club
By: Steve Habel
It doesn't take a visitor much time to figure out he or she is in Longhorn country once they step foot onto the grounds of University of Texas Golf Club. With all things burnt-orange or bearing the logo of the flagship university of the largest state in the continental United States, this is a place where golfers and 'Horns' fans feel right at home.
Opened for play in 2003 and lengthened and renovated in 2007 to provide more of a challenge for today's collegiate golfer, the UT Golf Club is located in the Texas Hill Country some 15 miles west of the college's campus in Austin.
The course - designed by the now-defunct Austin-based partnership of Roy Bechtol and Randy Russell - overlooks Lake Austin and borders the area's Balcones Natural Wildlife Preserve, offering views that rival the best in the area. The club unites superior golf and club amenities with the traditions embedded in the spirit of the University of Texas.
Most golfers know that the University of Texas has a long and distinguished group of heralded golf alumni, including Tom Kite, Ben Crenshaw, Mark Brooks, Justin Leonard, Harrison Frazar and Omar Uresti. Bechtol and Russell worked with each of these players and others to create their final design.
And the results are outstanding. The UT Golf Club plays to a whopping 7,412 yards and a par of 71, where it carries a rating of 76.7 and a slope of 144. The course hosted the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Regional in May of 2009 and, in 2008, held a NCAA Women's Regional. Club and school officials are hoping that the way the course was showcased in these two events might lead to its hosting the 2012NCAA Championships.
"We designed this course to be a stern, but fair, test of golf for all levels of play, and after the regionals we have the idea that most of the things we did at the UT Golf Club were right on target," Bechtol said.
Indicative of other Bechtol-Russell designs, such as The Club at ConCan in South Texas and ShadowGlen Golf Course in the Austin suburb of Manor, you are allowed to ease into your round at UT Golf Club. The first hole, a 370-yard downhill par-4, is a relatively benign introduction while No. 2, a 194-yard par-3 that plays over a deep canyon, puts a premium on the precise iron play you'll need the rest of the round.
No. 3 - a 493-yard par-4 - features mounding right of the tee that makes it look as if there is no room to miss your drive on that side; in fact, beyond the mounding the right side opens up. On the second shot expect to play a mid-iron to a green that slopes from back to front.
After a bit of a breather on the 375-yard par-4 fourth, things get a lot tougher as Nos. 5-8 are considered the toughest stretch at UT Golf Club. The fifth is a 461-yard par-4 that plays downhill then uphill to a putting surface that cannot be missed on the right. No. 6, a 406-yard par-4, sports a blind and uphill tee shot, then a downhill approach over a chasm to a shallow green bordered by mounding and bunkers. Next up is the picturesque seventh, a 462-yard par-4 that turns right-to-left toward a creek that runs toward you on the entire left side of the hole and circles behind the green.
The eighth is a 237-yard par-3 that can bare its teeth under championship conditions. At the NCAA Men's Regional last year the hole played uphill and into the wind, asking the players to hit a 260-yard drive to a shelf on the back-right of the green.
The front nine concludes with a 605-yard par-5, a hole that features a wide fairway and a chance to pick up a shot if you find the elevated putting surface.
On the back, good tests include the 11th, a grip-it-and-rip-it opportunity with a wide fairway and approach area, and - at 596 yards - a par-5 that most the college golfers will try to reach in two. The 12th, at 190 yards, is the shortest par-3 at UT Golf Club. It's followed by the drivable (363-yard) par-4 13th, which can be reached if successfully circumnavigating a huge pond with a creek along the green's left. No. 14 is another par-5 that can be attacked despite its length (562 yards) and a huge bunker that fronts the raised green.
The final four holes here are its most varied and call on every shot in your repertoire. No. 15, a 472-yard par-4, plays right-to-left around a huge tree before tumbling downhill toward Lake Austin, which can be seen in the near-distance behind the green. The 16th is the longest one-shooter at the course and its 248 yards are almost all carry.
No. 17, a 400-yard jewel with a narrow, left-listing fairway, requires a precise drive to attack the green, which is toughened with a back-left pin placement. Then the par-4 finisher asks for more brawn to navigate its 517 yards and reach its large, three-tiered green fronted left by a babbling brook. Behind the green to the left is a huge bronze statue of Bevo, UT's beloved mascot, which makes sure you don't forget where you're playing.
While each of the course's holes is named after a player or significant event or award in UT golf history, the club's massive clubhouse can tell a few stories of its own. On the day after Christmas 2007, the under-construction clubhouse burned to the ground after a fire accidentally started on the roof by workers set the structure (about 70 percent complete) ablaze. The building was a complete loss, but no one was injured and quick work by a host of local firefighters kept the fire contained to the construction site.
Just 10 months after the fire, the new 16,400-square foot clubhouse - built at a cost of more than $8 million - enjoyed a lavish, if delayed, opening.
The clubhouse at the UTGC features a full-service dining room as well as private dining areas, men's and women's locker rooms and lounges, a 1,400-square-foot golf shop and outdoor patios overlooking the club's water feature and 18th hole. The club's former clubhouse has since been converted into a fitness center.
"This course and the club are indicative of the University of Texas's drive to always have the best facilities and go first-class across the board," Bechtol said.
We couldn't agree more.
Best Bar, Austin: Austin has been described as a high-tech college town of live music, breakfast burritos, and football obsession (their motto: "Keep Austin weird."). With 500 live acts playing Country, Rock-n-Roll, Blues, and Jazz every weekend, it's hard to dispute Austin's claim as The Live Music Capital Of The World.
Maxim says Austin's best dive bar is Lala's Little Nugget (2207 Justin Lane). There's something magic about drinking while surrounded by Christmas décor, especially if it's mid-July and you're in a Texas strip mall. Welcome to Lala's, home of perpetual holiday greetings since 1972. For tailgating, they recommend starting at Austin’s Scholz Garten—a 143-year-old mecca for beer and brats—then make your way to the teeming tailgate tent city of MLK Boulevard.
Per T&L Golf: The Backyard (13101 Hwy 71W) or Antone's (213 W 5th St) are local faves. Follow the crowd in the club district around 4th & Colorado, and you'll end up at swanky dive The Bitter End Bistro & Brewery (311 Colorado), or the rooftop bar at a prohibition-style hotspot called Speakeasy (412 Congress Ave). The Washington Post says Continental Club (1315 S Congress) is also a hotspot for raw live tunes. Tip: Anywhere local country sensations Reckless Kelly is playing will have a female-to-male ratio through the roof.
Where To Grub: For the best finger-lickin' BBQ and live music in Austin (Stevie Ray Vaughn got his start here), Travel Channel says hit Stubb's (801 Red River, www.stubbsaustin.com). Or, you won't regret the 30 minute drive to The Salt Lick BBQ (18300 Fm Rd 1826, Driftwood). For Tex-Mex, try the roasted-green-chile enchiladas at Chuy's (1728 Barton Springs Rd). Guero's Taco Bar (1412 S Congress Ave) is THE Mexican restaurant in SoCo, frequented by Bill Clinton, with homemade corn tortillas, mole enchiladas, and margaritas. SoCo's Magnolia Cafe (1920 S Congress) is a 24/7 souped-up Denny's, serving gingerbread pancakes and migas (scrambled eggs with tomato, onion, peppers, jalepeno, tortilla chips, cheddar jack & black beans). Maxim digs the burgers at Martin's Kum-Bak Place, and be sure to order them with the sweet grilled onions. T&L Golf likes The Oasis (6500 Commanche Tr) or The Iguana Grill (2900 Ranch Rd 620 N), both just outside of town near Willie Nelson's 9-hole Pedernales (in Spicewood), as a great stop for Margaritas and dinner on the deck overlooking Lake Travis, with a young partae crowd. Also on Lake Travis, try Hudson's On The Bend (3500 Ranch Rd 620 N), maybe the best wild-game restaurant in America. Try the signature "Mixed Grill" with antelope, rabbit, venison sausage, and buffalo, each in it's own distinctive sauce.
FoodNetwork.com recommendations:
Huts
Good burgers near Waterloo Records
807 W. 6th St.
(512) 472-0693
Dirty's
An Austin institution
2808 Guadalupe
(512) 477-3173
Pappadeaux's
A chain restaurant that's good
6319 N I-35
(512) 452-9363
Stubbs BBQ
Listen to tunes while eating BBQ
801 Red River St.
(512) 480-8341
Rudy's BBQ [Fat Guy Note: Quite probably my personal favorite BBQ sauce on the market.]
Part of a gas station
11570 Research Blvd.
(512) 418-9898
Ruby's Barbeque
Try their organic beef
512 W. 29th St.
(512) 477-1651
Iron Works BBQ
Traditional Texas BBQ
100 Red River St.
(512) 478-4855
Trulucks
Where crab reigns supreme
400 Colorado
(512) 482-9000
Driskill Grill
Elegant dining in a traditional atmosphere
604 Brazos St.
(512) 391-7126
Vespaio
Italian eats south of the river
1610 S. Congress
(512) 441-6100
Maudie's
Margaritas are a must here
2608 W. 7th St.
(512) 473-3740
Guero's Taco Bar
The place to be seen
1412 S. Congress
(512) 447-7688
Matt's El Rancho
An Austin establishment serving Tex-Mex
2613 S. Lamar
(512) 462-9333
Trudy's
A favorite among UT students
8820 Burnett
(512) 454-1474
Juan in a Million
Don't miss their $2 breakfast
2300 E Cesar Chavez
(512) 472-3872
Kenichi
Have sushi before hitting some bars
419 Colorado St.
(512) 320-8883
Hoovers
Great southern soul food
2002 Manor Road
(512) 479-5006
Where To Stay: Barton Creek's courses are reserved exclusively for resort guests, so book a room ($250-$1300 per night). Expanded rooms, new pool, and several restaurants on-premisis. Golf Digest Senior Travel Editor named Barton Creek as his #2 Most "Affordable" Golf Hotel in the country for 2010 [apparently his definition differs from mine]. "I Ambushed there a few months ago and I couldn’t believe the deal those guys were getting. The resort is so nice it hardly looks or feels “affordable.” There are two Fazio courses that get a lot of publicity, but they also have a Crenshaw and a Palmer, which aren’t bad either. And be sure to take advantage of the shuttle service to downtown Austin for a slab of beef and some live music. Best deal (based on double occupancy): 'Guys Golf Getaway' is $351 per person on weekends for the month of April and the first two weeks of June 2010 (prices go down for the month of May). The package includes lodging, breakfast, unlimited golf on any of the four courses, cart fee, range balls and day of arrival golf at twilight rate ($84-$135 on weekends, prices vary depending on the course)."
Or, in the heart of the nightlife (and to keep the budget down after checking out of Barton Creek), Travel Channel says book a stay at the way-hip, spartan chic Hotel San Jose (1316 S Congress, $75-$225/night, www.sanjosehotel.com), where '50's Austin meets the postmodern martini crowd. The cement floors only add to the colorful industrial feel, with top notch linens, wireless internet throughout, and a cozy outdoor cafe/bar kicks out non-guests at 10:30. Hit next door Jo's Cafe for breakfast, or beers on nights where the featured band plays a few tunes then picks a movie for everyone to watch from lawn chairs on a big screen TV in the parking lot. Or, crash at the ultra-hip Austin Motel (S Congress), who's slogan is, "So close, yet so far out."
Where To Shop: For unique vintage, antique, and boutique shops head for South Congress Ave aka SoCo, South Austin. Check out Mi Casa (20 rooms of furniture and folk art), Off The Wall (don't-realize-you-need-it-til-you-see-it kitsch), Tinhorn Traders (a study in random), New Bohemia (purest retro), Allen's Boots (Stetsons & cowboy wear), Uncommon Objects (for junk lovers; "We had this exact [fill in the blank] when I was growing up!"), or Lucy In Disguise With Diamonds (Halloween acid trip costume shop).
Further Diversions: Comedy Central's Insomniac Dave Atell named the Bad Girl/Good Girl roller derby at Playland Skate Center (512-452-1901) as "Best Hottie Wheels" in the country.