Golf

Austin is the home of the famous Little Red Book. “Aha!” some might say—at last, proof that Austin politics is decidedly more left-footed than the rest of Texas. No, we are not talking about Chairman Mao’s little book here, but Harvey’s. Harvey Penick was the revered golfing pro and teacher who is credited by some of the best players, both amateur and pro, with helping them better their game and reach inner golfing peace. Penick, who lived from 1904 to 1995, is more than an Austin legend. Long known in US golfing circles, Penick became a worldwide legend in the final three years of his life when his small, succinct, plain-talking books of golf wisdom became international best sellers. In 1992 Austin writer and screenwriter Bud Shrake teamed up with Penick to write the Little Red Book. When it became a runaway hit, they followed with a second little book, And If You Play, You’re My Friend, followed by a third, For All Who Love the Game. They were working on a fourth when the much-loved Penick died.

Two weeks before he died in an Austin hospital, Penick was visited by one of his longtime students, pro golfer Ben Crenshaw, who was having trouble with his putting game. Penick gave him the advice he needed. Also, just days before he died, Penick saw another of his star pupils score a major breakthrough. Davis Love Jr. won the Freeport McMoran Classic in New Orleans and made the cut for the Masters. Penick died before the Masters ended, but Crenshaw and Love battled it out that year—Crenshaw winning, Love coming in second. Crenshaw said he felt Penick was the 15th club in his bag. Penick’s “simple philosophies about golf and life” had helped him win.

Harvey Penick’s life spanned almost a century of golf in Austin. He began as a caddy in 1913 and after high school took a job as the pro at the Austin Country Club (ACC). He taught Crenshaw and Tom Kite at the old ACC, now the Riverside Golf Club, and passed on his quiet knowledge of the game to several generations of golfers. A bronze statue of Penick, shown passing on tips to Tom Kite, stands near the ninth green of the ACC course in the hills of West Austin.

Penick, a religious man, mixed his love of golf with a wonder and praise of nature—easy to do on some of Austin’s attractive golf courses. In addition to having some of the most beautiful and challenging golf courses in the country, Austin is also an egalitarian place. The city maintains several excellent municipal courses that can be played at very reasonable rates.

Overview

This chapter is divided into four parts—Austin Municipal Courses, Daily-Fee Courses, Private Courses, and Driving Ranges. For greens fees and cart rental prices, use the price code chart.

And for the ultimate pampered golf experience, we’ve listed several golf resorts.