Horseshoe Bay Resort - Apple Rock Course

I enjoyed Apple Rock the best of the three courses at Horseshoe Bay. You can't go wrong with any of them, but this one had the interaction with Lake LBJ on the back nine that I love. No. 10 overlooks the lake with a stunning view from up high. No. 11 takes you to the shores and the par-3 12th plays over a watery inlet. The rest of the layout is still quite enjoyable with loads of elevation change to be expected from the Texas Hill Country.

In August 2018, Apple Rock will be the last of the three RTJ-designed Horseshoe Bay Resort courses to close for a renovation. I'm excited for that, because in some ways, Apple Rock (the newest of the RTJ trio) is the best layout. It certainly has the flashiest stretch of holes, Nos. 10-12, which play above and ultimately along Lake LBJ. The rest of the layout is quite nice and a little more manageable than Ram Rock for higher handicaps.

But right now the bunkers are a bit red and cakey and the greens have shrunk in size to a considerable degree over the years. That naturally happens to courses over time, but some of the greens are comically small. There is no strategy to them besides staying below the hole and hoping to hit the green.

Having played updated Ram Rock on opening day the following day, I'm very excited to see the finished product of Apple Rock in the spring of 2019. I've always enjoyed RTJ Sr. (and his mentor Stanley Thompson) designs off the tee, and the renovation should make the approach shots exciting once more.

The clubhouse is also currently being built and should open in the first half of 2019 as well. Right now, there is a limited pro shop and food truck. When complete, this resort will be back among the Texas A-list once more.

We had 12 guys, played 4 rounds in 3 days.

Two bedroom Paseo condos were perfect for us - everyone got their own bed and bathroom. Ram Rock was being renovated, so we played Apple and Slick twice each. Courses were in good shape and enjoyed both layouts. I've never seen that many deer in one area. The HB team was outstanding: Golf pro Eric came out to say hello and provided us with group scorecards for each round; Chase was terrific at organizing our weekend and answering any/all questions; thanks to Angelie and Shelley for keeping our rooms and dinner reservations straight. We'll definitely be back.

this was the first HSB course we played on a recent visit. got a great stay and play deal through Deal Caddy.

i'm glad we played Apple Rock first because it was my least favorite of the three courses. The layout is actually pretty interesting, but the conditions were a mixed bag. Unfortunately the greens had been recently punched, but it also seemed like some of the fairways and tee boxes were not in top shape. It certainly wasn't bad by any means.

You do get a few lake views, which is cool. Overall, it is a nice experience, but doesn't feel like a premium course. If you only had one or two rounds to play at HSB, I'd recommend Ram Rock or Slick Rock.

Apple Rock is one of four courses at Horseshoe Bay Resort. The arrival experience is visually stimulating. The pro shop and starting tees are perched upon a high hill in Texas Hill and Lake Country. The views are stunning. My favorite holes are #'s 10 - 12. Starting off high on the hill and you hit it towards Lake LBJ, the first two holes are Par 5. #12 is an incredible par 3 that plays 100 - 140 yards over a cove of the lake to severely sloped green. Wildlife abounds: deer, fox, fowl, and turtles can be seen. The closing hole is an uphill dogleg left to a small green sitting below the club's outdoor Cabana restaurant. Absolutely beautiful! There are challenges on every hole for every level of player. This course is worth the trip. You must be a guest of the resort to have access to this course.