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Balcones Course Score Card and Hole-By-Hole Description

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The Original 9 holes
You will find that the greens on the front nine are generally flat and easy to read. Pay attention to grain on these small putting surfaces.
 
  1. A short, slight dogleg right hole to start the round. Trees guard the left and out-of bounds guard the right. The best play is left of the tree that bisects the fairway. 
  2. This straight par four is not as easy as it looks. The fairway bunker that guards the right edge of the fairway cants be seen from the tee. A great drive holds the left side of the fairway and will release to the middle. Beware the prevailing wind from your left. Approach shots must be judged according to the wind.
  3. This short par four actually plays down hill. A good drive down the right side of the fairway leaves a nice short iron to the green. The bunker guarding the right front of the green is closer than you think.
  4. Big hitters will find this short par five easy pickings, if they can navigate the twin bunkers guarding both sides of the fairway. Short hitters stay in the “neck” and you can still get home in two. Out-of-bounds guards the left side of the hole and trees dominate the right. 
  5. Great par three. The prevailing wind will be at your back helping you here. Club selection is critical, too much and you’ll wind up over the green pitching up the slope to a green that runs away from you.
  6. A good length par four that will leave most players hitting a mid-iron for their approach. Out-of-bounds guards the left side of the hole. Prevailing wind blows from right to left. Big hitters can take their tee shot over the tree in the fairway. Shorter players need to hold their shot down the right hand side and hope for a little help from the wind.
  7. This mid-length par three is a tester. The hole seems to play uphill and into the wind. Beware the bunker that guards the front right portion of the green. Long is not an option here.
  8. Another good par five birdie opportunity. Out-of-bounds guards the left side of this fairway from the 200 yard marker to behind the green. The bunker that appears to guard the green is deceiving from the fairway. There is plenty of room between the bunker and the green. 
  9. This short par three plays uphill and into the prevailing wind, take plenty of club. The large bunker guarding the green is canopied by trees, leaving a difficult exit for many.
The Back 9
 
In general, you will find much more slope in the slightly larger greens on the back nine. You will also take note that every hole on the back is narrower and has out-of-bounds on every hole.
 
  1. A short straight par four with OB on the right. Trees guard the left side of the fairway and guard the right side of the green to create a narrow window for approach shots. 
  2. This hole is a sharp dog leg right that features OB on both sides of the fairway. There is plenty of drama on this hole. The natural terrain features a wash area that leads to the perception that approach shots are uphill. The deep bunker in front of the green swallows short and errant shots.
  3. This short par five gives golfers an opportunity to make a quick birdie before they enter the tightest part of the course. Out-of bounds down both sides of the fairway leave little room for poor shots. However, it doesn’t take tremendous length off the tee to be in position to take a chance at glory.
  4. This short straight par four is tough. Narrow fairway, OB left and right and a tree guarding the right leave players with an intimidating tee shot. However, a good tee shot here will leave a short iron approach to a crowned green that has plenty of slope.
  5. This par four is a short dog leg right that has teeth. OB down both sides of the hole makes tee shots critical. Tee shots can travel through the fairway down the left side. Tee shots that do not wind up OB down the right side of this hole are in a grove of trees. Topping off this difficult hole is a green that slopes back to front. Leave approach shots below the hole!
  6. The Balcones Country Club Signature Hole - This medium length par three is a great test of nerve, skill and club selection. A tee shot with forced carry over water to a green that is guarded in back by bunkers and a deep slope away from the hole make club selection more important than anything. Hit this green and you’ll have an easy two putt par. Miss it and your score could get huge.
  7. This short par four plays back towards the clubhouse. A nice drive down the middle leaves a short iron approach to an elevated green that slopes from back to front. OB left and right should be taken into consideration on the tee. There is more room to the right than appears.
  8. After feeling like you’ve played down a corridor for the last five holes you get a breather with this short par three. This hole plays uphill. Club selection is important here. Short tee shots are in the hazard. Long tee shots are over the green in the bunker.
  9. This dog leg right finishing hole is the longest par on the course. OB guards the right side but plenty of room is available to the left off the tee. Cutting the corner of the trees from the tee will leave a mid iron approach to a green with a false front. Be sure to take enough club for your approach shot.
Spicewood Score Card and Hole-By-Hole Description

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1. Great par four that requires two solid shots to reach the green to begin your round. It’s difficult to judge the second shot here because wind is unpredictable on this part of the course.
2. A good par three with a fairly large green. Anything to the left will most certainly end up in the hazard and makes double bogey very likely. The green is level and gives birdie putts from any distance a chance.
3. A very fun par four with a hazard guarding the left side off the tee that cuts through the fairway in the landing area. Long hitters can carry the hazard off the tee, but must hit a solid shot. Severe upslope to the green makes judging distance on approach shots difficult. Once a player reaches the green, they are left with a tricky put to read.
4. This dogleg left par five requires a tee shot over the left trees to make a shorter approach to the green. Conservative players often lay up there tee shot and rely on there wedge game to make their birdie.
5. A slight dogleg left on this par four with a hazard to the left and trees on the right. A straight drive leaves players with a short approach to this tricky green.
6. A straight par four with a tough tee shot, especially for players who fade the ball. Any shot landing on the backside of the green will most certainly go over.
7. A beautiful hill country view from the tee and a generous landing area make this par four a definite birdie opportunity.
8. A difficult downhill par three with an extremely tough green to putt, due to the back to front slope. Par is a very good score on this hole.
9. A long uphill par five that requires a straight shot off the tee due to trees guarding both sides of the fairway. Trees block most of the green on the left forcing players to lay up on the right. Putts on this green tend to break more then most players will allow for.
10 .This hole is a short dogleg left to begin the back-nine. Out of bounds is very close on the right with trees and more trouble to the left. The perfect shot is 225 yards just to the left of the trees in the fairway, leaving a wedge to the green. This tricky green slopes from left to right and away from the player.
11. Number 11 is a tough par five starting with the tee shot that must carry a deep hazard and avoid the out of bounds on the right and the dense trees on the left. The second shot must be kept left to avoid the sloping fairway that sends many shots out of bounds. This green breaks from left to right sharply and is very difficult to read.
12. Number 12 is a long par three with a very difficult green to hit. The elevated green is wide but narrow. A majority of the shots will end up over the back of the green or land short into the steep hill in front of the green.
13. The tee shot is a hard one for the golfer who has a tendency to slice because of trees to the left of the tee. A good tee shot leaves the golfer a short iron into this fairly level green.
14. This dogleg right par five that is definitely a birdie hole. Long hitters must play a their tee shot to the right side of the fairway for a good look at the green. Shorter hitters need to keep their lay up shot straight to avoid the trees on both sides of the fairway. Any shot to the left or over the green makes for a difficult up and down.
15. A good par three with a small elevated green that is severely sloped from back to front. Par is a good number on this hole.
16. A fun par four with a down hill tee shot and a steep uphill second shot. Getting the correct distance on your second shot is difficult to judge. The green breaks more then most golfers allow for.
17. Straight away par four with out of bounds on the right and trees that line both sides of the fairway. A good drive gives players an opportunity for birdie with a short iron into the green.
18. Number 17 is a fairly long uphill par four from the blue tees, quite a bit shorter from the white tees. The bunker on the left of the green catches many shots and usually leads to bogey or worse.