Lago Vista Golf Course

I was visiting from out of town and knew I was going to have a free day so I booked this course sight unseen. Photos here and on their website looked great but, a lot of the course was under renovation, having new irrigation system installed, and even completely closed the #8 hole. There was no mention of this until I got there. Made the round pretty disappointing.

First, the good part. No crowds and I got started on time. It was sunny and warm. The greens were in good condition with the exception of large swaths of sand on some of them. I am a once a week golfer with a 14 handicap to give you perspective. The greens were fast, and readable, allowing some long putts to drop in. I’d give the greens a solid 8/10. More if there was no sand or damage present.

Now the rest. You can only play 16 holes. 7 and 8 are under repair. They don’t tell you anything on the site, on GolfNow at all. They make like it just started yesterday and they didn’t get a chance to let you know. I’m told it’s been going on for quite a while. It is evidenced by the heavy equipment on the golf course. Backhoes and trenchers don’t just show up.

I spent a few minutes looking for the tee box. You see, there isn’t one. It’s a patch of dirt with flat markers stuck in the ground. Difficult to find. I got used to looking for the dirt spot with the markers after a few holes. The course actually looks like a cardiac patient after a quintuple bypass. There are exposed pipes and wires all over the course. There are open trenches on a number of holes. There are trackhoe ruts across many of the fairways. One of the members told me that you’re allowed to move your ball to where there is grass to hit off of. Also, in the rock hard traps, you are allowed to use your rake to scratch up a couple of inches of dirt (sand) and place your ball in it to play from.

Again, I’m only a 14 handicap, so I don’t know if this is normal play at Lago Vista. I counted 4 times that I had to move my ball out of a rut made by an industrial vehicle tire in the fairway. The rest of the time, I just figured I’d hit off the hard dirt and few tufts of grass that were there. Since the fairways have little to no grass, there was no strategy of where to hit in the fairway. Slopes right, everything rolled across the fairway to the right, and vs versa. I only lost 2 balls. One from an errant shot that went deep in the woods next to the “water treatment plant”. It’s really a septic treatment plant. The other was a great drive on #9 that went straight over the tree in the center of the fairway. Since it is over a hill and blind on the other side, as the hole moved right, I guess the ball just kept rolling and rolling and we never found it.

There’s the course in a nutshell.

This course is being rebuilt and will take months before it is playable.

The golf course was absolutely in terrible shape. I understand they are putting new irrigation in, but the course should be closed until then. When I say zero grass on the fairways it’s an understatement. Several good shots rolled out of bounds or 150 yards backwards until a rock finally stopped it. To make matters worse the twosome we got paired with found a coupon on Groupon for half of what we paid. Half of what we paid might have made the experience almost tolerable. Great layout and course design, but would recommend not going near it until sprinkler systems are fixed.

I’ve played here probably 10 times in the past and it is usually in okay shape with the greens being nice. Current conditions are horrible. Every fairway has a 3 foot trench as they are working on irrigation lines.

We gave up after 9 hole (paid for 18) and called it a day.

Probably the worst golf experience I’ve had in terms of course condition. This course has a lot of potential and they are clearly investing in irrigation. But this course is currently unplayable. 3 holes were closed due to active construction, pretty much every hole has some level of construction going on and lots of bobcats and noise and dust. The fairways are unplayable. The greens are ok in spots but also not really golf. The staff was friendly but this really shouldn’t be an open golf course at the moment.

This was my first time coming out to this course.

Nowhere does it state the shape it is in, not on their official website or when booking. I arrived and was told “it looks like WW2 out there”. Trench lines are dug up with mounds on every hole. Almost every green has large portions torn up. There are bulldozers out kicking up dirt across multiple holes. You can’t place a tee in the ground on any of the back 9.

I understand renovations, letting people be charged to come out there to play is just unacceptable.

Fairways were pretty brown sure helped drives role greens were okay

For the cost course was worth playing

The cost should be discounted at this time. They are replacing all water and irrigation lines on this course. Trenches, large holes,dirt piles, pipes, and heavy equipment are all over this course. It is clear they haven't watered in awhile. The ground was as hard as concrete, greens are brown and hard. Fairways barely have grass in them. Had I known this, I would not have booked a tee time. There was no warning at booking.

Save your money. This course is at least a couple of years from what I would consider playable. Staff should have mentioned that the course was basically/ entirely under construction .

S

2nd time in 2 weeks I have played here. It used to be my home course when I first started playing almost 14 years ago at 53 until it fell into disrepair. After going back 2 weeks ago I was very impressed with the condition of the greens compared to the last time I played there. They are also putting in all new irrigation system which unfortunately has the fairways so hard they are impossible to hit a good shot off the hard pan on some of the holes. I can't wait to see how well the new system brings the fairways back.

The course is getting dry. Irrigation is going in now so lots of ground is torn up. Still a bargain

Course is in good shape but the sprinkler system is not installed yet so lots of trenches and dirt piles sometimes interferes with your play.