Date Played: August 02, 2009
Front Nine Rating: 8.0 Stars
Back Nine Rating: 9.0 Stars
Approximate Weekend Price Range: $99.00 to $160.00
Brief Description:
The fantastic Horseshoe Bay Resort on Lake LBJ is home to three championship Robert Trent Jones, Sr. golf courses which are consistently ranked as some of the best courses in Texas. In fact Horseshoe Bay was named the Best Golf Resorts by Golf Magazine in 2006 and the courses have been listed in the Dallas Morning News "50 Best Courses in Texas" every year since the origin of the annual ranking in 1989.

Each of the three courses, Ram Rock, Slick Rock, and Apple Rock, have their own unique challenges and personality. Ram Rock is the most challenging and one of the toughest courses in Texas and Apple Rock is the most scenic with breathtaking majestic views of Lake LBJ. Here is a link to Texas Outside's review of Ram Rock and the review of Apple Rock.

Common to all three courses are absolutely stunning facilities that blend in perfectly with the surrounding picturesque Hill Country; excellent service; great food; and an outstanding and well equipped pro shop plus good practice facilities. The bad news is that you need to be a member or staying at the Horseshoe Bay Resort to play these courses. The good news is that you'll be staying at one of the best resorts in Texas and playing some of the best courses in Texas. So what are you waiting for, pick up the phone and book a reservation and a tee time.

As you make the turn into the Slick Rock course you cross some creeks, go down the gently rolling terrain, and past some beautifully landscaped grounds, and arrive at the stone clubhouse surrounded by granite boulders, you sense you are in for something special. And you won't be disappointed. Slick Rock was built in 1971 on over 170 acres of lush Texas Hill Country with granite outcroppings, rolling hills, and a variety of native trees including oak, cedar, and persimmon. Sage and other landscaping bring a variety of colors to this meticulously maintained course.

Slick Rock is the most user friendly of the three 18s and James Rolls, Head Golf Professional, says "Slick Rock is hard to par but easy to bogey" - and that sure held true in our foursome's group. Like most resort courses, Slick Rock has wide and forgiving fairways off the tee box, big greens, huge bunkers, and near perfect conditions. At 3390 yards, the front nine is pretty traditional and what you see is what you get - so pull out the driver and let it rip but don't get overconfident because the approach shots can be challenging because of the trees and green-side bunkers. On this nine you'll encounter water on 4 holes, 33 fairway and green-side bunkers, two great par 3's, and homes lining both sides of the fairways. Number 8 is a fun and scenic par 3 requiring a 170 yard carry of the water to hit the front of the green. The 3rd hole, a 575 yard par 5 is a fun hole with water along three fourths of the right side and the dog leg right approach is narrow with traps, trees, and water leading to the green.

The back nine is fantastic with some fun, challenging and very scenic holes, including the infamous "million dollar waterfall" number 14 - probably one of the most scenic and dramatic holes in Texas. On this nine you need to deploy better course management and club selection to avoid the numerous bunkers, water on five holes, and dog legs. Number 12 is a good example - 530 yard par 5 which is wide off the fairway but the landing zone is tight with a bunker on one side and a tree on the other side right where your ball wants to land. Survive that and its decision time - can you make it across the water crossing the fairway about 110 yards out from the green? Get your camera ready for the Kodak moment at #14 - it's easy to want to stop and have a picnic on this breathtaking beautiful hole. And 18 is a great finishing hole with an uphill tee shot to the dogleg right heading down and back up to the elevated very well protected green. Great nine.

The facilities and service are second to none - the grill and restaurant are excellent, the grounds are beautiful with plenty of colorful landscaping and granite boulders; the practice facilities are very good; and the pro shop has everything you need. For example, when nature called and I walked into one of the restrooms on the course, a loud Wow popped out of my mouth! What a great restroom - granite counter tops, beautiful stone tiled floors and walls, and it even smelled refreshing - unique to any other golf course restroom facilities.

Slick Rock, like both of its sister courses, is in excellent condition - the fairways are near perfect, the rough was cut playable, the landscaping is beautiful, and everything is immaculate. The Bentgrass greens were large, very true with gentle slope, extremely soft, and fast - but they are deceivingly tough to one put, at least for our group.