Morris Williams Golf Course

About
The “Mo Willie,” Austin’s third municipal course, has some character: it served as the home of Harvey Penick’s legendary golf teams, two of which won NCAA Championships back when Tom Kite and Ben Crenshaw graced the fairways. And it’s named after Morris Williams, Jr., one of the best golfers to ever come out of the city. Now Austin’s airport has moved south, and this difficult Leon Howard design is a bit more peaceful.
Howard’s layout requires all types of shots, and is known for its small, slightly elevated greens. The best hole on the front is the dogleg left, 540-yard No. 2, even though some would argue that the 187-yard No. 3 is one of Austin’s all-time best. It drops 50 feet from tee to green over a pond. The back side is highlighted by water holes 11-14, with both 11 and 12 requiring approaches over the wet stuff.
Getting there : From the Austin Airport, turn left on Manor Road and the clubhouse is 100 yards down the street. The entrance is on the right.
Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
---|---|---|---|---|
Black | 72 | 7023 yards | 73.0 | 124 |
Blue | 72 | 6607 yards | 70.9 | 121 |
White | 72 | 5975 yards | 68.3 | 119 |
Green (W) | 72 | 5243 yards | 70.3 | 111 |
Green | 72 | 5243 yards | 65.2 | 109 |
Red (W) | 72 | 4973 yards | 68.5 | 112 |
Red | 72 | 4973 yards | 64.3 | 106 |
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Black M: 74.1/132 W: 82.1/142 | 377 | 573 | 218 | 391 | 531 | 427 | 422 | 190 | 431 | 3560 | 411 | 526 | 192 | 348 | 201 | 409 | 412 | 551 | 431 | 3481 | 7041 |
Blue M: 71.9/128 W: 79.5/134 | 345 | 555 | 191 | 380 | 512 | 392 | 404 | 178 | 380 | 3337 | 390 | 505 | 181 | 330 | 141 | 367 | 390 | 522 | 405 | 3231 | 6568 |
White M: 69.2/122 W: 76.2/129 | 325 | 503 | 182 | 361 | 498 | 357 | 384 | 154 | 340 | 3104 | 343 | 466 | 130 | 296 | 129 | 328 | 325 | 486 | 362 | 2865 | 5969 |
Green M: 66.4/117 W: 72.7/123 | 293 | 455 | 145 | 323 | 425 | 337 | 354 | 136 | 319 | 2787 | 313 | 456 | 125 | 273 | 101 | 278 | 322 | 395 | 292 | 2555 | 5342 |
Red M: 64.6/114 W: 70.7/118 | 287 | 447 | 110 | 248 | 415 | 315 | 344 | 125 | 308 | 2599 | 294 | 389 | 118 | 265 | 96 | 270 | 275 | 381 | 286 | 2374 | 4973 |
Handicap | 15 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 11 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 12 | 16 | |||
Par | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Policies
Available Facilities
ClubhouseReviews
Reviewer Photos
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Photo submitted by MxRuiz on 09/22/2024
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View from the fairway on #5. Photo submitted by batboygareth on 07/04/2023
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Photo submitted by 2022Flyosu on 12/28/2022
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Photo submitted by BrandonTuckerGA on 08/30/2019
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Photo submitted by BrandonTuckerGA on 08/30/2019
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Photo submitted by BrandonTuckerGA on 08/30/2019
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Photo submitted by BrandonTuckerGA on 08/30/2019
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Photo submitted by BrandonTuckerGA on 09/27/2018
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Photo submitted by BrandonTuckerGA on 09/27/2018
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The 13th hole. Not my favorite...but made par. Photo submitted by BrandonTuckerGA on 10/30/2017
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the green on #5 Photo submitted by Notoriousbigb on 09/01/2015
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Photo submitted by GordonATX on 09/01/2014
Horrible greens, horrible staff
This course has lost their greens, horrible shape, basically pointless to put on. Super bumpy and missing grass, bad news. Also the staff inside is not friendly at all.
Avoid playing this course unless you like to put on horrible greens and watching your ball bounce all over the place while attempting to roll.
A Favorite, But It's Been a Tough Winter
Love to play Mo Willy, but it's been a harsh dry winter and the course has been beat down with traffic. The greens unfortunately are also suffering from outbreaks of some non-favorable "broccoli" looking stuff that impact the roll of the ball. Still, with Roy Kizer out of commission with repair work, if I'm going to play a Muni Morris Williams is my first choice!
Greens
The greens need to be improved. My putting has been sound but the bumps and damages is throwing off my game.
Not in good shape
I haven't played here since Fall of last year and this course is not in great shape compared to other courses. Tee boxes are bad due to no overseeding for winter and greens are slow and bumpy. No grass around the greens to chip, lots of muddy areas.
Great Track, Go Play It
Winds picked up as the day went along. No fault of anyone, it just made three or four holes on the back nine a lot more challenging to get through.
Mo Willy!
Magical day to walk....60 degrees and sunny. Course was in great shape. Perfect day.
Back at Mo' Willy, After a Decade Away!
So, after not playing Morris Williams, a City of Austin municipal course, for just over ten years, I found a reasonable price and a convenient tee time, and decided to enjoy a nostalgic trip back into my golfing past. I made an early morning tee time on a weekday through GolfNow, and expected to be paired with others. But, when I arrived at the course, I learned that I was playing solo, which suited me. The weather was perfect, and the greens and fairways seemed to be in much better condition than I remembered from my distant past. I only encountered one foursome during the entire round, and they quickly waved me through - I finished 18 holes in 3 hours and 7 minutes, which was ideal. Why did I stay away for ten years? I'll be back soon....