Golf - Public Course · 18 Holes · Par 71
New Braunfels
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Review and Rating of The Bandit in New Braunfels
Voted "8th Best Golf Course in Texas" by Golf Week Magazine, The Bandit is a fun, challenging, and scenic course at a reasonable price and one of our favorite courses in Texas - it made our list of the Best Public Courses in Texas.
The Bandit is one of those courses that the first time you play it, you'll find the layout very challenging and demanding thanks to:
The Bandit is demanding but it's fair and each hole is different from the others - giving the course lots of character and personality. And the second time you play The Bandit, you should find it a little easier. The marshall will most likely advise you to move up a set of tee boxes the first time you play the course - it plays up to 500 yards longer than the scorecard.
Each of the holes is named and the names represent what you can expect, for example:
The front nine is pretty and most holes require good club selection and course management. Water on 5 holes, natural hazards, and rolling hills add challenge and make this a very fun nine. The Bandit's back nine is outstanding and includes: rolling hills, dramatic elevation changes, some very challenging holes, blind shots, water on 8 holes, and doglegs - they just don't get much better than this nine.
The Bandit also has a great stay and play package. The Lodges at The Bandit has 2 and 3 bedroom nicely appointed and fully equipped condos that overlook the 10th fairway available for a stay and play. Read our review of The Lodges at The Bandit to learn more.
We have played The Bandit several times and it has always been in near perfect condition. The fairways are always in good condition with a rough that is playable. You'll encounter a lot of slope and undulation and ups and downs in the fairways that you need to manage - the mounds can kick you back into the fairway but the fairway slope can take your ball places it doesn't want to go!
The greens are medium to large (32 to 45 deep) and have lots of slope and contour plus tiers and undulation. Most are raised and all are guarded. When we played the greens were running around 9 to 10. The Bandit puts a premium on approach shots and holding the green on the approach shot can be tough and miss the green and you've got a challenging shot back to the pin.
The bunkers range from small deep and steep pot bunkers to some big monsters. Some of the bunkers had been redone with soft light and deep white sand - a joy to hit out of. Some had gritty and thin sand with plans for replacement.
This is a great course and well deserving of its ranking as one of the best in Texas. The Bandit lives up to its motto of "Exceptional Golf" and a "Remarkable Value." This is a must-play.
The Bandit also has a great Stay & Play package with 2 and 3 bedroom condos that overlook the 10th fairway. Read about our Stay & Play at The Bandit to learn more.
Check out this video about The Bandit.
Tee Box | Yardage | Rating | Slope |
---|---|---|---|
Black | 6,909 | 73.7 | 134 |
Blue | 5,847 | 68.6 | 124 |
White | 5,204 | 65.4 | 110 |
Gold | 6,368 | 70.9 | 128 |
Red | 4,408 | 62.7 | 105 |
Approximate Weekend
Rates: $49.00 to $79.00
Service is very good and friendly, the pro shop is very well stocked, and the grill serves a variety of sandwiches, burgers, and more. The practice facility is good.
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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