Berry Creek Country Club Review

Berry Creek Country Club Review

Review of Berry Creek Country Club, Georgetown, Texas

Berry Creek Country Club is home to an excellent private 18-hole championship golf course, tennis courts, fitness center, swimming pool, clubhouse with dining and social events, and some beautiful homes.  The golf course covers 115 acres, opened in 1987, and was designed by noted architect and Georgetown resident, Carl Doering.

Named as the "Best of Georgetown" by the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, Berry Creek is a fairly traditional and straightforward course that's a tad short by today's standards (4 sets of tee boxes with yardages from 5017 to 6600) but somewhat challenging as it plays through the trees and homes showcasing the neighborhood and terrain.  

Here's some of what we really liked about Berry Creek Country Club and why you should consider becoming a member:

• the layout is great with good variety, fun holes, and some challenges to keep you focused on your game
• yardages are marked on the cart path which saves time
• you'll need to manage water on 8 holes and avoid 35 bunkers and stay out of a ravine that crosses in front of the green on #18
• you best practice putting before you head out because the greens have minor undulation and plenty of slope and some breaks that can be hard to read
• thanks to tight tree-lined fairways, you need to be very accurate off the tee box
• the approach shots can be challenging because the greens are guarded by some nasty bunkers and some of the greens are raised with significant false fronts and slope off the sides
• you'll encounter a lot that will test your game including doglegs left and right, tight fairways, hazards, forced carries, risk-reward opportunities, and challenging green complexes
• the conditions are very good from tee box to the pin and service is friendly and prompt
• the facilities are good with and members seem outgoing and friendly and the pace of play is great

Each of the nines is a little different and the back is a little tighter and 3 strokes harder - both nines are fun and put a premium of accuracy off the tee as well as the approach shot.  Without some prior knowledge of the course, you'll encounter some surprises and the second time you play it you'll have a better knowledge of where to place the ball.  All of the holes are fun and a little different and some of the holes that we really liked included:

• #7 is a 544 yard par 5 shaped like a hockey stick (the tee box is at the handle) and it requires some accuracy to stay out of the trees, avoid the 4 bunkers, and be in position for a shot at the green
• #8 is a beautiful 175-yard par 3 with an elevated tee shot to a green sitting in what was a quarry - you need to carry the lake, avoid the bunker on the left, and try not to be long or right or you'll be bouncing off the limestone walls 
• #9 requires some study before you tee off, some shot-making, and good course management - from the two back tees you've got an intimidating long carry over the lake that needs to be deadly accurate to hit the landing zone, avoid two fairway bunkers and not overshoot the fairway and land in the other lake and then you've got to avoid the lake on the right leading to the green with two bunkers guarding it - off the back tees you've got a great risk-reward shot to try and carry the hill and get closer to the green

The greens at Berry Creek Country Club were in very good condition, ran true, and held the ball well.  They are huge with some slope and very minor undulation and most are raised with false fronts that will take you back down to the fairway or off the side or back of the green.  #5's green is raised 30 to 50 feet above the fairway and I didn't like watching my ball roll back down the front then off the back of this huge green. When we played they were running at a good speed of 10 or so.  It seemed fairly easy to read the breaks, most of which were subtle.  

The fairways were also in good shape, as was the rough which was a little thick but playable.  The fairways range from a tight and tree-lined to ample off the tee and on the approach.  On several holes, the pin is straight ahead and you can see what you're up against.  On other holes, you'll find a hidden lake, some surprising bunkers, and might have a challenge in knowing where the fairway turns.  Some beautiful homes sit back off the fairways and can come into play if you really spray the ball.

The bunkers were in very good condition with soft fluffy sand.  They range in size and most are guarding the front of the green.  Lips are manageable and we found the bunkers relatively easy to avoid - a found a few of them on the back nine.