Lake Travis Golf Course

Review and Rating of Highland Lakes Golf Course in Lago Vista Texas

This review is old and dated and we believe the course has changed hands and is now Lake Travis Golf Course

Highland Lakes Golf Course and its sister course, Lago Vista Golf Course (which is just down the road from Highland Lakes) were both designed by Leon Howard and opened in the 1970s and they are both currently owned by the City of Lago Vista.  Here is a link to our review and rating of Lago Vista Golf Course.

Here are just some of the reasons why we love Highland Lakes Golf Course:t

• the layout leverages the natural rolling hill country terrain providing golfers with scenic views of the hill country and Lake Travis and creating some interesting shot making opportunitiest
• the deer are everywhere and some are friendly enough to walk up and ask for something to eat out of your hand
• you’ll find a little bit of everything that makes golf fun, frustrating, and challenging – elevation changes, carries, ravines, bunkers, dog legs, risk reward opportunities, and more
• the course requires some shot making and good course management if you want to turn in a good scorer
• reasonable rates for such a fun course

The front nine is a blast and the first hole sets the stage for what you can expect:

• #1 is a 370 yard par 4 which a big downhill slope on a fairly tight fairway leading to the green with some mounding and a couple bunkers  – long hitters might try to go for the green but if you’re short you may end up against a rock retaining wall at 60 yards out from the green
• #2 gives you your first glimpse of  the gleaming blue water of beautiful Lake Travis and you’ll see the lake several more times during your round
• #7 is a fun 521 yard par 5 with a tight fairway from tee to green, a dog right and then a downhill shot to a small green with two bunkers at the bottom of the hill

We liked the back nine even more than the front thanks to a wide variety of interesting and challenging holes like:

• #10 is a 360 yard downhill shot over a three tiered fairway leading to the green with a left and right and back bunker plus a steep drop off the back of the green – big accurate hitters can go for the green just don’t be long
• #14 is the #1 handicap – 374 yards with an elevated tee shot to the dog left tight fairway, a creek along the entire left side, a big tree and bunker that can cause your drive a problem, and a rocky hill along the right side
• #7 is a beautiful par 3 with a downhill shot over “Copperhead Canyon” to a small elevated sloping green guarded by three bunkers
• #17 is really fun – a 519 yard par 5 with a wide open fairway off the tee, a dog left and tighter tapering fairway that enters a valley, and 5 bunkers and a rock retaining wall to avoid on the way to the deep two tiered green

The fairways weren’t in the best of condition – dry and thin with some weeds and bare spots.  Same with the rough and if you miss the rough you’re in the trees and lost or in a back yard.  Most of the fairways are tight and you need to manage the extra roll, wind, and elevation changes. 

The greens at Highland Lakes Golf Course are small to average size, several have one or more tiers and significant slope toward the front of the green.   Pin placement can be a killer as you watch your ball roll toward the pin and then back down the green past where you started the putt.  They were firm, dry, and fast when we played, and playable but not in the best condition.   The greens have at least one and up to five bunkers guarding them. 

There are 77 bunkers to worry about plus some small mounding/swales around the greens.  The bunkers need some TLC – the sand is gritty and thin and weeds are encroaching around the sides.  The bunkers range from small pot bunkers to about average size.  The lips also range in height so you might get lucky and bounce out or tall enough that making for a tough bunker shot. 

Bottom line – not the best of conditions but well worth playing because it’s fun, scenic, challenging, and home to some excellent holes.