Texas was already a terrific golf destination with resorts like Barton Creek and Horseshoe Bay, but now a brand-new gem has been added to the top of the list—Fields Ranch, with design by Gil Hanse and Beau Welling.
Now is the time to start making some plans, because it’s already starting to warm up in Austin and April in Dallas-Fort Worth is absolutely perfect with temps in the mid to high 70’s.
Gil Hanse: Fields Ranch East
Our Top 15 Texas Golf Resorts are below, listed by GolfDay Rating. We’ve included links to the Resort Website, as well as direct links for course description and accommodations. We have also provided current USGA course and slope ratings, course architect(s), a practice facility overview, and a link to Google Map and Directions for each location.
Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw recently renovated there wonderful Cliffside course at Barton Creek, that also includes two fantastic Tom Fazio layouts (Canyons and Foothills), as well as the terrific Arnold Palmer Lakeside design.
Horseshoe Bay Resort offers three great layouts by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and Roger Rulewich, who also collaborated to create the iconic courses of the RTJ Golf Trail.
You can also click Texas Public Courses for a comprehensive list of TX courses you can play, listed by GolfDay Rating. To view courses by location, use the GolfDay Search Engineand enter the city where you plan to be.
Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets and Toptracer Technology, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker and 18 hole Putting Course (“The Dance Floor”).
Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. Additional Grass Range with Targets and Short Game facility at Fazio Course.
Practice Facilities: 2 Grass Driving Ranges with Targets, Putting and Chipping Green (Apple Rock/Ram Rock and Slick Rock). 18-Hole Natural Gras Miniature Golf Course.
The GolfDay Resort rating is based on a variety of criteria, including the stature of the architect(s) who did the original design(s), the variety of courses located at the property, updates that have been done on the course(s), USGA Course and Slope Ratings, current local and national rankings by Golf Digest and Golfweek, the quality and diversity of practice facilities, general course conditioning and current reviews, as well as the quality of accommodations and level of service.
Tom Fazio has no peer among modern-day golf course architects when you consider the number of his designs that have received national recognition over a 50 plus year career. Currently, 14 courses originally designed or remodeled by Tom are included in the Golf Digest Top 100 courses in the U.S, and 30 are among the Top 200—by far the most of any course designer.
Shadow Creek: Golf Digest Top 100 Public/#5
Golf was in his blood from an early age, with uncle George Fazio a successful PGA Tour pro in the 1940’s and 50’s. Tom grew up just outside of Philadelphia in Montgomery County, home to iconic Merion Golf Club (and where George finished 3rd in the 1950 U.S. Open behind Ben Hogan).
Tom Fazio: Most Highly Acclaimed Modern Architect
When George Fazio became the first tour pro to try his hand at golf course architecture in the early 60’s, Tom soon joined his firm and gathered hands-on experience as well as intimate knowledge of course construction and architecture. By the early 70’s, Tom had become a full partner in the firm and his career began its meteoric rise.
Pine Valley, NJ: Golf Digest #1—Renovations by Tom Fazio
In addition to his award-winning private club designs, 10 Tom Fazio courses are among the Golf Digest Public Top 100, and award-winning Fazio courses are found in just about every region of the country—from Red Sky Ranch in the mountains of Colorado to Pelican Hill on the Pacific coast and Sea Island Resort in Georgia.
Fazio Course at Sea Island Resort
Tom Fazio designed well over 200 courses throughout his illustrious career, and more than 50 of them are open to public play (Tom Fazio-Public). Below we have assembled the top public golf facilities where Tom Fazio’s amazing work can be enjoyed—and his designs always provide a test for the scratch player while also remaining playable and fun for golfers of every skill level.
If you are looking for great public golf, or planning a vacation, the GolfDay Search Engine makes it easy to find the best courses and a better bang for your buck.
Holes: 76 Holes (3 Eighteen Hole Regulation Courses (Buffalo Ridge Springs/Ozarks National/Payne’s Valley), Thirteen Hole Executive Course (Mountain Top) and Nine Hole Par 3 Course (Top of the Rock). Buffalo Ridge Springs located at 1001 Branson Creek Blvd, Hollister MO 65672/Ozarks National and Payne’s Valley Mountain Top located at 1250 Golf Club Drive, Hollister MO 65672)
Course Architects: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker designed by Arnold Palmer.
Course Architects: Greg Norman/Tad Burnett/Davis Love III/Tom Fazio/Pete Dye
USGA Course/Slope Rating (Fazio): 73.4/144
Practice Facilities: Lighted and Covered Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. Dyer and Greg Norman Golf Academies.
Holes: 63 (3 Eighteen Hole Courses: Atunyote/Kaluhyat/Shenendoah, Nine Hole Regulation Course (Pleasant Knolls) and Nine Hole Par 3 (Sandstone Hollow)
Course Architects: Tom Fazio/Robert Trent Jones, Jr./Ty Butler/Edward Peters/Rick Smith
USGA Course/Slope Rating (Atunyote): 75.7/135
Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets and Fairway Bunker (Atunyote/Shenendoah). Grass Driving Range with Targets (Kaluhyat). Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker (Atunyote/Shanendoah and Kaluhyat). Domed Indoor facility with two-tiered hitting stations, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. Performance Center with Club Fitting and Golf Academy.
Course Architects: Walter Travis/H. S. Colt/C. H. Alison/Robert Trent Jones, Sr./Dick Wilson/Joe Lee/Rocky Roquemore/Tom Fazio/Davis Love III/Mark Love/Rees Jones
USGA Course/Slope Rating (Seaside): 73.8/138
Practice Facilities: Expansive Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers and Performance Center with Club Fitting.
Holes: 70 (3 Eighteen Hole Courses: Wanamaker/Dye/Ryder and 6 Hole Par 3 Course)
Course Architects: Tom Fazio/Pete Dye
USGA Course/Slope Rating (Wanamaker): 75.2/145
Practice Facilities: Extensive including Lighted Grass Range with Targets, Wedge Range, Putting Greens, Chipping Greens with Multiple Bunkers and PGA Golf School.
Course Architects: Ted Robinson, Sr./Tom Fazio/Tim Jackson
USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.4/141
Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. ProV1 Range Balls included with Greens Fee. Public Play from October 18 through June 1.
Practice Facilities: Double Sided Grass Driving Range with Targets, Wedge Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers, Leadbetter Academy and Pelz Golf School.
Course Architects: Tom Fazio/Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw/Arnold Palmer
USGA Course/Slope Rating (Canyons): 74.4/144
Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. Additional Grass Range with Targets and Short Game facility at Fazio Course.
Practice Facilities: 2 Grass Driving Ranges with Targets (Masterpiece and Treetops North), Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers (both facilities). Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
Practice Facilities: Driving Range with Targets (Mats-Monday/Tuesday, Grass Irons only-Wednesday/Thursday, Full Grass Friday-Sunday), Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers (3). Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses: Country Club/Fazio)
Course Architect: Joe Finger/Ken Dye/Baxter Spann/Tom Fazio
USGA Course/Slope Rating (Fazio): 74.2/143
Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker and Indoor Golf Simulator. Fazio Course available to Hotel Guests, Country Club Course is Members Only.
The GolfDay rating is based on a variety of criteria, including the stature of the architect(s) who did the original design(s), updates that have been done on the course(s), USGA Course and Slope Ratings, current local and national rankings by Golf Digest and Golfweek, the quality and diversity of practice facilities, general course conditioning and current reviews. The resort rating also includes a factor for the variety of courses located at the property as well as the quality of accommodations and level of service.
