Lighthouse Country Club

Review and Rating of Lighthouse Country Club in Kingsland

Lighthouse Country Club, formally known as Packsaddle Country Club, was initially built in 1968 but was completely redone and re-routed by Jerry Slack and Leon Howard and reopened in 2007 for play and with an upgraded clubhouse and pro shop.  The course renovation included new greens, fairways, and bunkers making Lighthouse Country Club a fun, challenging, and excellent 18 holes of golf – plus reasonable fees and superb conditions.

Lighthouse Country Club is one of those sleeper courses that are pleasant surprises and hidden gems.  Some of the reasons we love this course and what makes it fun as well as demanding include:

• very challenging greens that will test your approach shots as well as your putting skills
• elevation changes with plenty of gentle uphill as well as downhill shots
• lots of variety with no two holes the same and few that are traditional and straightforward
• several dog legs left as well as right and a few of which offer some risk-reward opportunities to try and shorten the hole
• blind shots, forced carries, water, strategically placed bunkers, natural areas, and more to test your game, club selection, and course management skills

All that plus an excellent value, very friendly staff, marshals that keep the pace of play good, and a restaurant with some tasty food. 

In addition to all of that, Lighthouse Country Club is home to some very fun, unique, demanding, and interesting holes, some examples include:

• #3 is a short 300-yard dog leg right that you might be tempted to try to drive the green, but if you miss you've got trees, water, or a ravine problem – best leave the big dog in the bag and go for accuracy on the drive as well as the approach shot
• #5 is a dog leg left 412-yard par 4 that offers a great risk-reward shot if you think you can carry the water and trees for an easier approach shot
• #6 is our favorite hole – a dog leg left 534 yard par 5 with a fairway split by  a granite outcropping and some nasty cactus at 150 yards from a small green surrounded by a bunker and granite – accuracy from tee to green is required and if you miss and you'll watch the ball ricocheting off the granite, trees, and cactus
• the last three on the back will make you want to come back and play Lighthouse Country Club again

The Lighthouse Country Club fairways range from tight to fairly open, they are rolling and contoured, and all are lined with trees, some ponds, or natural areas that will cause significant problems if you spray the ball.  When we played the fairways were in near perfect condition – green, thick, and somewhat lush – all of which are hard to achieve during a hot Texas summer.  The superintendent should be congratulated for such a good job and it's not surprising that he won Central Texas Superintendent of the year in 2017.

You best practice putting before you head out for your round – the Lighthouse Country Club greens are very demanding.  They range in size from small to about average and most have a bunker or two guarding them and if you miss you've got a tough chip shot or you may be lost in the natural area.  Once you're on the green you'll find plenty of contour, slope, undulation, tiers, ridges, and more – none of which is severe but it's enough to cause a three-putt.  The greens were running a very fast 11 and if you can read the breaks they run true.  Like the fairways, they were near perfect and a pleasure to putt on!

The bunkers range in size and shape with lips that are 2 to 4 inches or more.  A few of the bunkers are steep and deep and challenging to get out of.  The sand is firm and thick and a little gritty.  Overall they are in good condition. 

Lighthouse Country Club offers a great stay and play package with 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, fully furnished condos between the 17th and 18th hole.  If you've got an RV, you can do a camp and play golf in their RV park overlooking the 13th and 14th hole.

Bottom line – a hidden gem that's fun, challenging but fair, in excellent condition, and a superb value.