Review of Tapatio Springs Resort - Valley Course
Tapatio Springs Resort - Valley Course ![]()
Texas Outside Rating: 8.5![]()
9 Holes - Golf - Resort Public
Boerne
800 999-3299
Website
Locate This Course
Stay & Play
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Front Nine Rating: 8.5 Stars
Back Nine Rating: Stars
Approximate Weekend Price Range: $35.00 to $50.00
Brief Description:
Tapatio Springs Resort is home to three fantastic nine hole courses, each of which has it's own unique personality, challenges, and characteristics. The Valley and the Lakes nines were the original 18 and they were frequently ranked a "Texas Top Ten" by the Dallas Morning News. The Lakes is the most traditional of the three nines, has water on 7 of nine holes, and is a typical resort course - great conditions, wider fairways, and very golfer friendly. The Valley plays up and down the ridge line and back into the valley which is surrounded by rolling hills dotted with some beautiful homes. The Ridge is the most challenging of the tree courses is it traverses up and down the hills above the Resort taking advantage of the natural rolling and sometimes very steep terrain.
The Valley is not your typical resort course which is usually wide open, pretty flat, and not real challenging. The theory being who wants to be beat up by a course when they are on vacation. Tapatio Spring's Valley course doesn't follow that model - it is a challenging course that has a lot of variety, blind shots, dog legs, elevation changes, a couple risk reward opportunities, narrow approaches, ravines, and creeks. This is a short (3376 yards from the tips) par 37 (three par 5s) fun nine holes of golf where you can score well and have a lot of fun if you use good course management, choose your clubs carefully, and don't try to kill it with your driver.
The first four holes on the Valley are awesome. For example:
- #2 is a scenic, tight, and fun 158 yard uphill par 3 with a carry over the water to a green guarded by a bunker in front
- from a set of staircase elevated tee boxes on #3 you'll need to carry the pond and avoid the fairway bunkers for a dramatic uphill shot to a green protected by three intimidating bunkers
- #4, the second hardest hole, is a sharp dog leg left 559 yard par 5 with a creek crossing the fairway and 8 bunker to avoid
The Valley's greens are average size with minor slope and undulation. The fairways are somewhat tight but fair and were in fair condition. The terrain is very pretty with limestone cliffs, views of the courses, and beautiful homes that are scattered among the hills. This is a memorable nine holes of golf that you'll want to play again.
In June 2010, Tapatio Resort changed hands and Kemper Sports was brought in to manage and revitalize the resort and the golf courses. Prior to Kemper's arrival, the courses had been neglected and suffered the drought of 2009 and according to most people we spoke with the conditions were horrible - the fairways were dirt and weeds and the greens were about gone, and the bunkers were overgrown. Kemper has done an amazing job in bringing the course back and is committed to continued improvement. When we played, we rated the greens and fairways around a 7.5 (several members and staff said that 5 months ago it was a cow pasture and barely playable!).
The greens on the Valley are about average size and were coming back nicely. Just prior to our round the greens had been aerated and sanded and as such they were a little bumpy. They have minor slope and little to no undulation and were easy to read. My guess in that within 4 months they will be in very good condition and a good solid 9. Most of the greenside bunkers had been redone with soft thick fluffy sand and manageable lips. Some bunkers were in need of some work, which is planned.
Tapatio Springs Resort has an excellent Stay & Play package and it's a perfect place to stay for a fun weekend of golf. To learn more, read our review of Tapatio Spring's Stay & Play Package and our review of Tapatio Springs Resort.
The slope and rating are based on playing the Valley and the Ridge course - our two favorites.
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Other Good Information:
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Course Yardage, Slope, and Rating:
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Here's How Texas Outside Determines the Scorecard RatingThe Texas Outside rating scale ranges from 1 to 10 – a perfect 10 course would be something like this: links along a cliff overlooking the Pacific ocean and bordered by tall trees; lush fairways on rolling hills with lots of natural hazards; water (which is crystal clear) on most of the holes; immaculate greens (but they are undulating and tough); lots of variety and character (each hole is completely different and includes blind shots, elevation changes, doglegs, and significant challenges); perfectly manicured traps with the whitest and prettiest sand you’ve ever seen; a nice club house with great food and a 19th hole; a GPS; plenty of beverage carts or your own cooler and ice; and it only costs $40 bucks! What this means is that you probably won’t find any 10s in Texas – try Cabo San Lucas, Pebble Beach, or some of the Hawaii courses!
All of the above determines the overall score for the golf course. In other words, we like courses that are pretty, fun, very challenging with a lot of variety, and fairways and greens in excellent condition – all for $40. We also tend to play the courses that are affordable for the masses, which means in the $30 to $80 range. We rate hard and we haven’t found a 10 in Texas yet – don’t worry we haven’t given up and we’re still looking.
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