Omni Barton Creek Resort - Crenshaw Cliffside Course

It's a resort course. Do I expect certain things on a more expensive course. You bet I do! Honestly, I expect a lot. Did I get it? Mostly.

First off, you get to park in a parking garage. This is a huge plus in the Texas heat when needed. The pro shop is right next to it. We ended up carrying our bags from the garage to the shop. Is that normal? We weren't staying at the resort. We were locals just there to play golf. Were we supposed to drop our bags nearby first? I still don't know. Now while there's a pro shop, I didn't see any kind of clubhouse nor place to grab food/drinks. I guess that's something guests generally get up at the resort/hotel. Makes sense I guess. They had cart attendants who put our bags on the cart ... that were six feet from us ... after we'd already carried the bags from the garage. I mean, what's the point? If you're going to employ the young guys/girls, then make them earn their money. The driving range is a ways up the street on the other side of the hotel. So plan a few extra minutes to get there and back accordingly. It's a nice (downhill) range with plenty of room. I'll bet it gets really busy during nice weather, weekends, etc. And there was only one big putting green there on which you could both chip and putt. Then again, maybe I need to inspect more of the property to see if other options are available.

The course was in great shape. It's a shorter course with a few challenges. Honestly, I'd welcome playing it again now that I know the holes. This isn't some flat links style course where your score will almost always be about the same. With a hill country course, there are some blind shots, some twists/turns that you won't know about until you come up to them. So the first time playing a course like this will likely add a few strokes.

All aspects of this course were perfectly fine and well maintained. I have zero complaints. The greens were a little faster than other courses but I expect (and kind of want that) on a course like this. The bunkers (of which I found three) were all like something you'd see on the PGA with nice fine sand. Water isn't much of an issue on this course. That's typical of hill country courses as it's harder to keep ponds maintained, etc. So they have a little natural creek (run-off) here and there but not much else. Some of the rough is ROUGH ... as in don't even bother walking in because it's too deep with weeds/brush and you may encounter unwelcome wildlife. No sense risking a rattlesnake bite over a golf ball.

The scoring app I use on my phone could not provide any GPS yardage as the AT&T signal was too weak. Luckily, the Club Car carts are equipped with a touch screen that (among other things) shows yardage to whatever point you want. Since there are no hole layout signs at the tee boxes, the cart provides a nice colorful layout of each hole. The monitor also warns you about blind tee shots, proximity warnings based on your location to the green (for example), and more. So many golfers could benefit from these touch screens. Oh, your 120yds from the green? Is that the flag? What's it to the front or back of the green? Well these monitors give you all of that information; very helpful.

The cart also has two (2) USB ports but neither appeared to be working on my cart. I was trying to keep my phone battery up. The carts have rain covers that can fold down over your bags. That's great but really kind of useless here in Austin TX; we rarely get rain and golfers are therefore quick to skip playing those days with so many other sunny days available. Another thing I really like about these particular carts are the ball/club washer on one side and small cooler on the other. And of course, there's a sand bottle attached to the frame post. Saw some divots filled in with the green sand (which I prefer). Our carts, however, had normal sand. All good. But wait, there's more. :) These carts also have small trays up by the roof to keep (whatever) out of the way (e.g. your phone, a towel, etc).

All total, we saw three (3) different beverage carts. While we're not normally ones to buy drinks etc, it's nice to have the option and I'm sure patrons who do use the carts more are happy to see them so often.

There were a couple nice restroom facilities on the course. I didn't go in; I can only assume they have AC. And while we saw several water coolers around the course (and even a trough or two for ice), none were present due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). So, all carts were preloaded with two (2) bottles of water that were iced down. We then grabbed a few more from the starter as he had a bunch on his cart just for that purpose. Well done!

Is it a shorter course? It sure feels like it. I guess I expected something harder. Maybe I'm getting to be a better golfer. Hahaha! Nope, that's not it. I kind of equate a higher priced course with a harder one. Maybe that's just my own (mis)perception. Still, this is a really nice course that's very well maintained. Enjoy!

This was my first experience at Barton Creek and my first Ben Crenshaw course as well and I came away equally pleased with both. I was invited as a Local Advisor to play here but paid for my round.

Barton Creek is an impressive sight as you drive up with the towering hotel and country club buildings. After parking in the first golf course parking garage I’ve encountered in my golf travels (I’ve from Virginia, so perhaps this is common in ATX), I made my way to the pro shop to check in. The staff was very friendly and helpful guiding me through my warmup (the range is around the corner of the country club) and onto the right tee box (see my review for the flashier Fazio Foothills course).

Once on the Crenshaw course, I was able to relax and mellow out a bit as the design of this 18 is more subtle and inviting than its counterpart. I like that this resort has two such contrasting designs that compliment each other very well. The Crenshaw course may not have the photogenic style as Fazio’s rendition, but there’s still plenty of playing strategy to utilize as you make your way around the course. Though there are a couple blind shots on Cliffside, you’re generally able to see everything right out in front of you to plan your attack of the green.

Speaking of the greens, they are quite large and not overly sculpted, making your GIR stats happy. That said, I was almost immediately struck by the similarity of this course's design with what I’ve witnessed on TV of Austin CC when the pros play their match play event there each year. In particular, the steep drop off and plentiful hazards that surround the sides and backs of the greens add a subtle level of intimidation that will focus your approach skills (or suffer the consequences).

Course conditions are exactly what you’d expect from a premiere resort like Barton Creek. From tee to green, every surface is well maintained and in great shape. Bunkers are groomed, greens roll smooth, true, and relatively quick, and fairways a lush. I’m sure this isn’t the cheapest place in town to play, but you certainly get your money’s worth out on the course.

Perhaps the best aspect of the Crenshaw Cliffside course is the seeming lower play count when compared to Fazio Foothills, so if time or pace of play is more important to you, I’d definitely recommend this course.

The resort’s amenities are pretty impressive as well with a grass range, separate chipping and putting greens, and a very nice clubhouse. Two minor complaints: the chipping green by the range is also meant to be for putting but can get crowded and awkward if you have multiple players trying to accomplish both tasks. Also, the 19th hole bar is only open during certain hours and a lack of signage can make it difficult to determine where said bar is and where to go to grab a bite/drink if that bar is closed (there’s a poolside restaurant a little further down).

For my first ATX golf experience, I think Barton Creek was a great choice and I look forward to returning there on my next trip to Texas!

The day has finally come for this Austin Muni Kid to get her day in the sun and play Barton Creek! I got the elusive invite to play the Coore-Crenshaw Cliffside course and I will be floating on cloud 9 for a loooong time.

I did not play the course prior to its recent renovations, so I cannot compare the new conditions with the old; however, this course did not disappoint. It is a true Texas Hill Country course with perfectly manicured rolling fairways and views for days from the tee boxes. The large greens were a harsh reminder that I need to practice my putting, but a small price to pay for glorious golf.

A few things of note: bag drop off and parking for Cliffside is not clear for those driving into the resort just for golf (bag drop off designated by orange cones blocking the driveway to the proshop). I am assuming since everything is still pretty new, better signage will come along with time. Also, the 19th hole (Crenshaw Bar and Eatery) is not easy to find either, but worth the hunt with great views of the Fazio Foothills course from the patio.

The two Fazio courses at Barton Creek have more bells and whistles, but the Coore-Crenshaw Cliffside, recently renovated, is a lot of fun and has a great, walkable routing (that said, resort guests are discouraged from doing so). Fairways are forgiving and greens are large. The recent renovation rebuilt the bunkers and the turf quality is excellent.

I'd probably play this course the most if I was a member. If you're a resort guest, play this first before the Foothills, which is definitely tougher.

Better players may balk at the back-tee yardage of just 6,600 yards, and I don't love the little par-3 17th hole, which felt wedged in. But besides that it's just a very comfortable course to play in a gorgeous part of the Hill Country.

Since the resort was renovated and expanded, there is a new pro shop separate from the members. It's tough to figure out where you can have a drink afterwards to be honest. More of a climactic and natural finish on Foothills.

If you are in the Barton Creek area (Stay at the Omni Barton Creek) the Coore Crenshaw is a good place to play. As expected, the course was wide open but the greens were very tight and undulated. If you want to full review, go to my blog: www.birdiesandbliss.com. It was a bit pricey for what the course was, in my opinion.

This course was recently redeveloped and it shows. The greens were rolling very nicely and the fairways were perfect. There are a few difficult drives and a few easy drives. You need to take advantage of your approach shots and be able to putt well. The greens are large and sometimes deceiving, but that's the challenge of this course.

Course in great shape. Greens are fast, which I'm not use to. Beautiful layout, deer are a common sight. Played from senior tees and, for a non long ball hitter, was VERY enjoyable. Plan on returning for the other two courses at this resort.

I first played this course about 15 years ago when I was first learning the game and finally made a trip back out there in December to see if it had changed. This course continues to have the best playing conditions of any of the courses on property and it possesses a simple, yet challenging golf experience.

I played from the tips and still felt the course plays a little short, but the narrowness of some of the fairways certainly factors in. I hit more irons off the tee than drivers, but when I needed to pull driver because of the hole length, I found a much wider fairway. Really well designed course, lots of ups and downs, doglegs both left and right, and a great mix of par 3s. I found myself hitting 4, 7, 8, 9 and GW on the par 3s which presented a good variety for a player.

Will certainly come back and I consider this and the Palmer Course to be tied for the best "value" yet "quality" courses when it comes to the Austin area.

Barton Creek overall needs a to-do. Showing signs of age.

This was a very beautiful golf course. The greens are large and have a lot of undulation. There was a lot of sand on the greens that had to be swept out of the way before putting. This occurred on several of the greens and slowed pace of play. Overall, I would recommend this course to everyone.