Skip to main content Texas Outside Texas Outside
  • CAMPING CAMPING
    DEALS ON CAMPING
    Coupons & Specials
    FIND A CAMPGROUND OR RV PARK
    Locate Parks by City or Name North East Texas Parks Central Texas Parks South Texas Parks West Texas Parks East Texas Parks Panhandle Parks
    TEXAS STATE PARKS
    Reviews & Ratings Top 20 Texas State Parks Texas State Parks With Cabins & Cottages 10 Best Texas State Parks For Biking Texas State Parks with Paddling State Park Activities State Parks With Horseback Riding State Parks With Swimming Holes State Parks With Fishing Texas State Park Hiking Trails
    UNIQUE CAMPING
    Glamping In Texas LCRA Parks RV Park Cottages & Cabins Lake Campgrounds & RV Parks Campgrounds With Golf Courses
    REVIEWS & RATINGS
    Texas Outside's Park Review & Ratings Texas Outside's Top 25 Parks Best Texas RV Parks Best Texas State Parks Featured Park of the Month Out of State Campground Reviews
    RECREATIONAL VEHICLES
    RVing in Texas Texas RV Rentals Travel Trailer Rentals Pop-up Rentals Rent Your RV Mobile RV Detailing Texas RV Dealers Texas RV Rally Locations RV Travel Articles Blog Travels With Grandma Blog Exploring Texas Cities Weekend Adventures Fun Things To See & Do In Texas
  • GOLFING GOLFING
    FIND A GOLF COURSE BY CITY
    Locate by Course Name or City Austin Golf Courses Amarillo Golf Courses Corpus Christi Golf Courses Dallas Golf Courses El Paso Golf Courses Ft. Worth Golf Courses Houston Golf Courses San Antonio Golf Courses
    FIND A GOLF COURSE BY REGION
    Central Texas Golf Courses South East Texas Golf Courses North Texas Golf Courses Panhandle Golf Courses South Texas Golf Courses West Texas Golf Courses
    BEST PRIVATE GOLF COURSES BY CITY
    Best Private Golf Courses in Austin Best Private Golf Courses in Dallas Best Private Golf Courses in Houston Best Private Golf Courses in San Antonio
    BEST OF THE BEST GOLF COURSES
    Best of the Best in Texas Best 9 Hole Courses in Texas Best Texas Public Golf Courses Best Texas Private Golf Courses Best Texas Resort Golf Courses Best Public Golf Courses by City
    GOLF COURSE REVIEWS AND RATINGS
    Golf Course Reviews & Ratings Featured Golf Course of the Month Out of State Golf Course Reviews
    GOLF RESORTS & REVIEWS
    Texas Golf Resort Reviews Best Texas Golf Resorts Out of State Golf Resort Reviews
    UNIQUE GOLF COURSES
    Jack Nicklaus Texas Courses Best Rio Grande Valley Golf Courses Best Golf Destinations Most Scenic Holes World's Best Golf Courses
    GOLF STAY & PLAY PACKAGES
    Texas Outside's Stay & Play Reviews Featured Stay & Play of the Month Stay & Play Packages Camp & Play Golf
    GOLF TRAILS
    Texas Golf Trails Florida Golf Trails New Mexico Golf Trails Louisiana Golf Trail
    TEXAS GOLF COMMUNITIES
    Featured Golf Community Best Texas Golf Communities Texas Golf Communities
    GOLF GOODIES
    Golf Coupons & Specials FootGolf Golf Vacations Golf Tips, Techniques, & Other Information Fun & Informative Golf Stories
  • DESTINATIONS DESTINATIONS
    MAPS OF FUN STUFF
    City Maps Central Texas Destinations East Texas Destinations Gulf Coast Destinations North Texas Destinations Panhandle Destinations South Texas Destinations West Texas Destinations
    RESORTS & VACATION RENTALS
    Texas Resorts & Rental Information Texas Resort Reviews Texas Outside Favorite Resorts Featured Texas Resorts Lake Resorts and Rentals Vacation & Get Away Lodging Waterfront Rentals Best Lake Resorts Out of State Resort Reviews
    WEEKEND ADVENTURES
    Weekend Getaways Texas Scenic Drives Thank God For Weekends Fun Things To Do In Texas Bavarian Hill Country Road Trip Highland Lakes Road Trip
    TEXAS FESTIVALS & EVENTS
    Texas Music Home Page Texas Outside's Favorite Events Music Festival & Event Reviews Upcoming Festivals & Events Fun Vacations Texas Road Trippin'
    TEXAS VENUES
    Coupons & Specials Cabins, Resorts, Tipis & Lodging Bed & Breakfasts Best New or Improved Hotels Brewpubs & Breweries Cabins & Cottage Rentals Corporate Retreat Venues Dance Halls & Honky Tonks Dude Ranches Family & Social Reunion Health & Wellness Spas Honeymoons Nature Preserves Romantic Getaways Safari Tents, Eco Domes & TiPis Spas Vintage Trailers & Railcars Wedding Venues Wineries & Wine Trails Yurts, Tiny Houses, & Treehouses
    EXPLORING TEXAS
    20 Must Places to See The Best Texas Small Towns Bluebonnet Trails Golfing Vacations Fun Things To See & Do In Texas Travels With Grandma Texas Best Natural Wonders Texas Islands to Visit Texas Scenic Drives Exploring Texas Cities Texas Best Swimming Holes Texas Attractions Texas Hill Country Texas Gulf Coast Kids Activities
  • VACATIONS VACATIONS
    Texas Vacations Golfing Vacations Fun Filled Vacations Kids and Family Vacations Weekend Adventures Thank God For Weekends Fun Things To Do In Texas Vacation Lodging
  • LAKES LAKES
    FIND A TEXAS LAKE
    Interactive Lake & River Maps Map of Texas Lakes Central Texas Lakes South Texas Lakes Highland Lakes North Texas Lakes West Texas Lakes East Texas Lakes Panhandle Lakes Best Texas Rivers
    TEXAS MARINAS
    Gulf Coast Marinas Marinas by Lake
    TEXAS LAKE REVIEWS & RATINGS
    Lake Reviews & Favorite Lakes Highland Lakes Vacation Guide Highland Lakes Things To Do Featured Lake Of The Month Boating The Highland Lakes
    FISHING GUIDES
    Lake Fishing Guides Gulf Coast Fishing Guides Kayak Fishing Guides
    CABINS & LODGING
    Lake & River Resorts, Cabins, & Lodges Best Lake Resorts Fishing Cabins & Lodges
    BOAT RENTALS, SAILING, & HOUSEBOATS
    Coupons & Specials Kayaking & Canoeing Rentals & Lessons Stand Up Paddleboard Rentals Boat Rentals, Excursions, Tours, & Charters Pontoon Boat Rentals Jet Ski Rentals Sailing Rentals, Lessons & Clubs Houseboating & Houseboat Rentals Party Boat Rentals Eco Tours
  • FISHING FISHING
    Fishing Cabins & Lodges Fly Fishing in Texas Lake & River Fishing Guides Coastal & Deep Sea Fishing Guides Kayak Fishing Guides Best Kayak Fishing Spots in Texas Texas Lake Reviews & Maps Fishing Guides Coupons
  • HUNTING HUNTING
    Texas Shooting Ranges Texas Clay Shooting Hunting Guides Hunting Leases Hunting Lodges & Leases Coupons & Specials
  • VENUES VENUES
    Corporate Retreat Venues Family & Social Reunion Venues Golf Course Corporate Retreats Wedding Venues
  • REVIEWS REVIEWS
    TEXAS OUTSIDE REVIEWS
    Campground & RV Park Reviews Golf Course Reviews Golf Resort Reviews Golf Stay & Play Reviews Lake Reviews Music & Festival Reviews Resort Reviews Out of State Resort Reviews
    TEXAS OUTSIDE FAVORITES
    Best Campgrounds & RV Parks Best Golf Courses Best Texas Lakes Best Music Festivals & Events Best Texas Resorts Top 10 Fun Things To Do In Texas
  • FUN STUFF FUN STUFF
    BROWSE A-E
    Adventure Parks Airborne Adventures Airsoft Fields Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Aquariums Attractions ATV & Jeep Rentals & Tours ATV Offroad Parks Biking Bird Watching Bubble Ball Cable & Wakeboard Parks Canyons & Gorges Caving Challenge / Rope Courses Climbing Spots Disc Golf Drive-in Movie Theaters Escape Rooms
    BROWSE F-O
    Famous Texas Film Locations Flyboarding Flying Trapeze FootGolf Golfing Hike, Bike, & Horse Trails Hiking Horseback Riding & Lessons Jet Ski Rentals Kayaking & Canoeing Kids Activities Kids Camps & Summer Camps Kitesurfing Mud Runs Museums Nature Preserves Obstacle Course Races Off-Road Parks Outdoor Activity Clubs
    BROWSE P-T
    Paint Ball Racetracks & Speedways Rafting Rock Climbing Safari & Wildlife Parks Scenic Drives Scuba & Snorkeling Segway Tours Stand Up Paddleboard Rentals Surfing Swimming Holes Tank Driving Team Building Activities & Games Texas Lake Reviews & Maps Texas Outdoor Weddings Train Rides Tubing
    BROWSE V-Z
    Vacations Wakeboarding Wakesurfing Waterfalls Waterparks Windsurfing Zip Line Tours Zoos
    DEALS ON ACTIVITIES
    Coupons & Specials
    OUTDOOR WEDDINGS
    Wedding Venues Wedding Invitaitons Wedding Vendors Unique Ideas Real Texas Weddings
    TEXAS MUSIC EVENTS & RESOURCES
    Texas Music Upcoming Festivals & Events Texas Outside's Music Festival Reviews Texas Outside's Favorite Music Festivals
Coupons

The Falls Golf Resort Stay & Play Review

Wow, has one of the best Texas Stay & Play packages with a very impressive golf course, excellent lodging options, and reasonable rates! The tag line for The Falls describes it well - "A rare find in today's golf world. The best drive of your life!" The Falls Golf Resort in New Ulm is clearly one of the best golf resorts in Texas and a perfect place to spend a weekend golfing with your golf buddies or family and it is well worth the drive to get there. Located about an 70 minutes north west of Houston, 80 minutes south of College Station, and 90 minutes east of Austin, The Falls offers a true getaway from it all - a very peaceful, relaxing, and tranquil atmosphere in picturesque rolling hills loaded with lots of wildlife, sparkling ponds, cascading waterfalls, and towering hardwoods. Besides the birds and squirrels, the only other noise you may hear is your golf ball ricocheting off one of those hardwoods!

a golf hole at The Falls ResortThe pool at the Falls Resort

Golfing at The Falls Resort

One of the cascading waterfalls at The FallsThe Falls championship golf course was designed by Jay Riviere and Dave Marr and opened in 1984. The layout is spectacular as it twists and turns up and down the gently rolling hills, through the trees, past lots of wildlife, and some stunning homes - it reminded me of playing some of the Hill Country courses. Eight clearwater lakes can come into play as they follow the descending natural terrain creating a series of cascading waterfalls, which the course is named after. It's a stunning course that is well maintained and typically in near perfect condition and The Falls Golf Resort is well deserving of all the accolades and awards that it has won over the years, some of which include:

  • Houston Chronicle listed them as the "#1 Most Scenic," "#1 Best Outlying Course," and "#3 Course If Money and Distance Were No Object" for 2010
  • San Antonio Express News ranked The Falls as the "#1 Hidden Gem"
  • Houston Golfer's Guide ranked the course #6
  • #8 in the Dallas Morning News "Best Golf Resorts"
  • Four Star Award Winner in Golf Digest's “Places to Play”

In fact, we rated the front nine a perfect 10, which less than a handful of Texas courses we've played have received. And the rating for all 18 is a 9.7 out of 10 putting The Falls as one of our Top Rated Resort Courses. When you play The Falls don't let the peace and quiet and the beauty of the course distract you from focusing on your game - The Falls is no walk in the park! Looking at the scorecard and noting that it has 5 tee boxes with yardages of 4654 to only 6765 from tips, you start to think "piece of cake." But then you see that the rating is 119 to 140 and you get a little suspicious. Turns out The Falls is very fair, but very demanding and plays a lot longer than they yardage card states because of all the uphill shots. Plus the tree lined fairways are a little tight, the greens are undulating and challenging, water comes into play on 12 of the 18 holes, and you'll need to avoid 56 bunkers on you way to the pin. In addition, there are several dog legs, some risk reward opportunities, trees pinching the fairway and blocking approach shots, and nine forced carries. But don't let that scare you - it's fair, favors accuracy over distance (leave the big dog in the bag on some holes), and requires you to study the yardage card before hitting. And it's a blast to play with some very fun, unique, and memorable holes. Make sure you spend some time warming up on the driving range and on the putting and chipping green, and trying to get out of the practice bunkers - you'll need your best game to score well on The Falls. Read our review of The Falls Golf Course to learn more about why we gave it a 9.7.

Golf Course Hole at The Falls Golf ResortGolf Course Hole at The Falls Golf ResortGolf Course Hole at The Falls Golf ResortGolf Course Hole at The Falls Golf Resort

Troon Golf took over management of The Falls in May 2011and has done an excellent job in course maintenance, despite the harsh winter, severe drought, and record heat. They have also made a number of positive changes like improving the turf quality and edging and reshaping the bunkers as a part of there continuous improvement program. Troon Golf's goal is "to create extraordinary guest and member experiences through personalized service, consistency, and uncompromising attention to detail. We want to exceed your expectations every time you're our guest." And they have clearly met and exceeded their goal and our expectations for The Falls - great conditions and excellent service.. Troon manages a portfolio of fantastic courses throughout the United States, four of which are in Texas - two of the best resort courses at The Westin La Cantera in San Antonio, The Golf Club at Champion's Circle in Fort Worth, and The Rawls Course at Texas Tech in Lubbock.

Staying at The Falls Resort

When you are considering The Falls Golf Stay & Play offering, you have a couple choices for lodging - the Inn which is more like motel rooms or the Villas which sleep four to to six people. The Villas are a 300 yard par 4 or a 500 par 5 away from the pro shop and restaurant and chip shot to the pool. There are 5 Villa duplexes that are in a circle under the tall trees and clustered around a small playground and 4 more are spaced out under the trees with a view of the pool or overlooking the 10th fairway. All of the Villas have been recently renovated or are in the process of being renovated and upgraded. The Villas are broken into three types:

  • Standard Villas which are 670 square feet with two bedrooms, a bathroom, living and dining room, furnished kitchen, towels, bedding, and pillows and will sleep four to six guests
  • Deluxe Villas are 750 square feet for up to four people and they have all of the above plus a jacuzzi bathtub, washer and dryer, and a fireplace
  • the 900 square feet Grand Villas have two bedrooms, two bathrooms, jacuzzi bathtub, washer and dryer, fireplace, and a patio and they can sleep up to six guests
The Villas at The Falls Golf Resort

The kitchens in each of the Villas have everything you need to cook and serve a gourmet meal - refrigerator, microwave, blender, stove, oven, coffee pot, toaster, a variety of pots and pans, utensils, dishwasher, and place settings of plates, bowls, cups, and glasses for four. Spread throughout the Villa area are community grills and picnic tables.

We stayed in one of the recently renovated Grand Villas and absolutely loved it. 900 square feet tucked under the trees with two baths and two bedrooms each of which had ceiling fans, flat screen TVs, and comfy beds - a double and a queen. The master bedroom had a private bathroom with a shower and a jacuzzi bathtub that helped soak away some of the kinks from golf. The rest of our Villa was a great room with an open cathedral ceiling with a country feel. The Villa included a well equipped kitchen, small dining table and chairs that was perfect for games, and a cozy living area with a flat screen, fireplace, and terrific view of the golf course through floor to ceiling windows. Step out the sliding glass door and you're on a wood deck under the trees where you can sip a cup of coffee or a cocktail and watch the golfers go by, some of which will most likely leave sprayed balls by your door step!

Deck at The Falls VillaBedroom at The Falls VillaVilla Kitchen at The VillasLiving room in a Delux Villa at The Falls

The Inn includes three clusters of 16 single rooms that overlook the pool, the range, or the 10th hole. They rooms are clean and functional, but a little dated. They are a tad larger than a standard hotel room. Each room has a king or two doubles, TV, dresser, night stands, some artwork, work desk, coffee pot, and bathroom. In some of the rooms you can walk out your front door and fall in the pool if you're not careful, others are closer to the tennis courts, pro shop, driving range, or putting green.

The Inn at The Falls Pool area between the Villas and InnThe Inn at The Falls Resort

Dining at The Falls Resort

Cascades Dining Room at The Falls Resort

The Clubhouse is home to a couple meeting rooms, a well stocked pro shop, and the Cascades Restaurant & Bar with a patio overlooking the 10th hole. Unfortunately, the Cascades Restaurant & Bar at The Falls was closed when we arrived, but I did check out the menu and it looks outstanding with appetizers like Tri Color Tortellini, several soups and salads, steaks and chops, chicken dishes like herb crusted chicken, weekly specials (smoked duck gumbo during our visit), and several seafood entrees including shrimp scampi, whole stuffed founder, seared Mahi-Mahi, and red snapper almondine! A couple members that I talked to verified that the chef does an excellent job and everything is delicious.

Since the restaurant at The Falls was closed, after a couple games of dominos we headed out to Columbus, about 12 miles south, for a superb Mexican dinner at Los Cabos - wow, everything we tasted was delicious.

Pro Shop at The Falls

We did enjoy a good breakfast burrito and scrumptious lunch at the snack bar at the turn. The snack bar that serves some breakfast items and several choices for lunch - a delicious and huge cheeseburger (yumm), hot dogs, sandwiches, and more plus very tasty fries.

Playing at The Falls Resort

After all that good food you'll need some exercise, so make sure you bring your tennis racquet for some competitive tennis on one of the four lighted tennis courts which were recently totally resurfaced. Follow the sets of tennis with a dip in the pool or some basketball.

The pool area is between the Inn and the Villas and has two beautiful swimming pools and a children's wading pool in a well landscaped and rock patio area. If you like fishing, there is a well stocked pond within walking distance of the Villas - who knows maybe you can catch enough for dinner in the Villas! .

Tennis Courts at The Falls ResortPool at The Falls Resort

Bottom Line - not the easiest place to get to but its a scenic drive and well worth it once you get there. A fantastic course that's about as good as it gets in Texas, great lodging, good food, very friendly service, and extremely reasonable rates. What are you waiting for? Call your golfing buddies and then pick up the phone and book a room and tee time before The Falls gets too well known and pricey!

Texas Outside Newsletter

Texas Outside
Texas Outside
Texas Outside
Texas Outside
Texas Outside
social-media-facebook social-media-twitter social-pinterest professional-network-linkedin

Company

  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Work With Us

Links

  • Coupons & Specials
  • What's New
  • Cool Links
  • Link To Our Site
Privacy Policy | Site Map
arrow-button-up-1
© 1996-2021 Texas Outside