The Bandit Golf Course Stay & Play Review

The Lodges at The Bandit Golf Club

Each of the condo's decor and furnishings can vary based on the individual owners preferences but all of the units are new, clean, and very well furnished with everything you need for a fun weekend golfing. These open concept (island kitchens that are open to a dining and living area) condominiums have:

We stayed in one of the second story three bedroom 3 bathroom units and really enjoyed it. The living room had a soft comfortable ultra suede couch, a couple chairs, and a big screen TV. The kitchen was well stocked and the dining table was big enough for six. The master bedroom was large with a king sized very comfortable bed, dresser, ceiling fan, flat screen TV, and a master bathroom. Upstairs was a bathroom and a bedroom with two doubles and another bedroom with a single bed.

We loved our condo's balcony overlooking the fairway of the 10th hole and the 18th fairway a little further off in the distance. We took bets on which golfer would land in the bunker just in front of our balcony. On a hot day, the pool which is just out the front or back door of the condominiums is perfect. There is also a grill at the pool if you want to do some BBQing.

The Bandit Golf Club

As good as The Lodges are The Bandit golf course is even better. This is a must play course - it's scenic, in very good condition, and a blast to play. Each and every hole is different from the others and each has it's own unique personality and character. And it's no walk in the park - bunkers are everywhere, greens are raised, and Long Creek meanders through the course and comes into play on 9 holes requiring some good course management plus Lake McQueeney can cause some problems on 4 more holes.

All of the holes at The Bandit have names which will give you an idea of what to expect - like the blind downhill approach shot to the green on Blind Date; the 2nd hole that is a 241 yard par 3 named Too Much, Too Soon; if you're playing at dusk you'll see why #8 is named Sunset; Stonewall is named after the rock wall in front of the green on the 155 yard par 3 17th; on Long Creek (the 552 yard 18th hole) the creek runs from just in front of the tee box all the way past the front of the green; and the wind can make the 185 yard carry over Lake McQueeney on #13 (named Lake Breeze) very difficult.

Part of what makes this course fun and demanding are several dog legs, both left and right; some long par 3's; dramatic elevation changes; a good risk reward opportunity; strategically placed bunkers; and sloping, heavily contoured fairways. The Bandit also puts a premium on approach shots - the greens are raised (bump and runs are very difficult) and well guarded and fast with a lot of slope off the sides of the greens into trouble.

We've played The Bandit several times and every time we've played it has been in excellent condition. The fairways are always lush, the rough is in great condition, the bunkers are in good shape (some were recently redone with very soft thick white sand), and the greens are near perfect. Foresight Golf deserves a big round of applause for keeping the course in such good shape and very well maintained. It's not surprising that The Bandit was named in the "Top 10, Public Course in Texas" by Golfweek magazine.

And the rates are very reasonable for such a quality course. The staff is very friendly, the pace of play is good, the Pro Shop has the basics, the practice facilities are good, and the staff has years of teaching experience if you want to take a lesson. The grill has sandwiches, dogs, burgers, and more.

Read our review of The Bandit to learn more about why we rated this course a 9.3.

Fun Things To See and Do Nearby

Another reason to book a stay and play at The Lodges at The Bandit is because you'll be close to lots of other fun things to do in New Braunfels and the surrounding area. Some of our favorites include: