The Hills Country Club Flintrock Falls Course Review
Introduction
The Hills Country Club has two courses, both located in Lakeway, Texas, a suburb of Austin, near Lake Travis. They have the original Signature course where the main clubhouse is, and they have the newer Flintrock Falls course. Flintrock Falls was designed by Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II. It is one of my favorites in the Austin area.
Measuring just over 7,00 yards at 7,051, it is long enough really test better golfers. As for me, it does me in every time! At a staggering 74.5 rating with a slope of 145 from the tips, you can see why this course plays so tough.
Make sure you always take note of the pin locations, as these greens can cause a lot of 3-putts if you are in the wrong location.
Pro Shop and Practice Area at The Hills Country Club Flintrock Falls course
The pro shop is location just off the left side of the clubhouse. The pro shop is on the smaller end of the scale. The staff is very inviting and will help you with anything or questions you may have.
As far as practice facilities, the main range and practice facility is over at the Signature Course. At the Flintrock Falls course, there are 4 practice nets you can warm up in. There is also a good size putting green just down the hill from the nets. There is no chipping green with a bunker here.
Course Conditions
I have played here on 2 other occasions. The fairways and tee boxes have always been in great shape. In the past, the greens were also in great shape. This year they were not. They had large areas, typically about a foot or so from the edge of the green that had little to no grass. Not exactly sure what happened, but to say I was disappointing would be an understatement.
Other than the greens, everything else was in great shape, especially with all the rain they had recently received. Hopefully they can get their greens back in shape before the heat of late summer hits.
The Front 9 at the Hills Country Club Flintrock Falls Course
Hole 1 is a par 4 that has a tee shot playing slightly down hill. This will introduce one of Jack’s signature themes on the course, and that is having to navigate trees. Keep your tee shot to the right of the tree. This is a long narrow green. Keep any misses to the right. If the pin is in the back, and you miss left, you can kiss your ball goodbye.
Hole 2 is a par 3 and my favorite hole. It look more intimidating than it is. Just keep any misses out to the left and you will be fine.
Hole 3 is rated the toughest on the course, but not in my opinion. It is a 551 par 5. Any really long hitters may need to step it down to a 3 wood off the tee. You can take a shot at the green in 2, but you won’t be hitting into much room. Lay up just in front of the trees that are on the left. With the approach, just make sure you clear the penalty area (it’s 2019 so no longer a hazard I guess). Just long will be an easy up and down.
Hole 4 is a par 4, turning ever so slightly to the right. Keep your tee shot just short of the bunkers on the left. More aggressive players can play to the right of them but there’s a lot less room for error there. Left is the really only decent miss here.
Hole 5 is a downhill par 4. Long hitters might want to take a 3 wood here. If you want to be aggressive, you can try and fly it over the tree. For the smart players, just land it just left of the bunkers. You will have a longer approach, but it is downhill. Just short or left are the best misses. Anything right could take a bad bounce and go into the penalty area. It shouldn’t bounce that hard, but I found out the hard way (no pun intended).
Hole 6 is an uphill par 3. Anything just long is fine here. The bunker isn’t too bad either really. To the right of the bunker is an area with rocks. Go into here and it could bounce in any direction, or you could be damaging a club if you elect to hit it from there.
Hole 7 is a par 4 with a blind tee shot. The line is directly over the tree. You will want to stay left of the bunkers you see on the hill. I like to play left of the tree and fade it back into the fairway (might be more of a slice but still). Just in front of the green, or in front of the right bunker is fine. Anything over the bunker or green may be on the next tee box.
Hole 8 is my favorite par 5. Keep it out of the left bunkers. You can advance it just fine from the right one. Going for it in two here is a possibility. Coming up a bit short is fine, especially if the pin is in the back. The front right bunker still has plenty of room to work a shot. If laying up, hit is just past the tree. To the right has a better look at the green then left. The back left of the green is much lower than the rest. Unless the pint is back there, than avoid this area.
Hole 9 is the toughest on the course in my opinion. A par 4 that forces you to lay up with a long approach. If you can carry it over 300 than you might be able to go for the fairway across the creek. For us weekend guys, we will need to lay up. On your approach, short or left misses are fine. This may be why this hole isn’t rated tougher than it is.
The Back 9 at The Hills Country Club Flintrock Course
Hole 10 is a down hill par 4, with a creek between the end of the fairway and green. I like to play a fairway wood here to get a flatter lie. You can hit it down to the bottom but I don’t like down hill lies. To the left/back of the green is the best spot to miss. Short can roll back a ways.
Hole 11 is a par 4 that turns to the left. Just land your tee shot to the left of the fairway bunkers. On your approach, anything to the right of the bunker is fine, or just a touch long.
Hole 12 is the toughest, and longest par 3. We played it into the wind, and we both had to hit 3 woods off the tee. Not your ideal club for a par 3. Right is the best miss, just keep it out of the bunkers over there. If the pin is in the back, than just long is fine as well.
Hole 13 is a fun par 5. Longer hitters can go up the right over the bunkers to have a clean look at the green. It’s not worth it to me though. Keep it just left of the bunkers. If you decide to go for it in two, keep it just left of the last fairway bunker.
Hole 14 is a fun and interesting par 4. You need to land your tee shot just right of the bunkers. The green is down hill. If you get aggressive and try to go over the bunkers or try and get one long, you will likely have trees in your way. It’s still just a short 130 yards or so down hill. This green is tough on an approach. If the pin is in the back, just make sure you clear the front edge. If it’s in the front, long is fine. Just don’t end up on the short side of the pin, especially long on a back pin.
Hole 15 is a tough par 3. I still haven’t managed to hit the right club. Anything short is disaster. Long will still allow you to find your ball. I think the trick may not to club down that much, or maybe I just decelerate too much since it’s down hill.
Hole 16 is another fun par 5 with a beautiful tee shot (in so much awe, I forgot to get a picture). Just stay just left of the bunkers that are on the right side of the fairway. If you decide to go for the green in two, the front part is a great location. Might have a somewhat difficult chip, but a good location to be from long out. The lay up is what I hate about this hole. It’s definitely and awkward shot. Basically you need to be left and just long of the tree in the middle of the fairway. Anything too far, and especially right will give you some tree trouble. Anything short here I like better. I prefer anytime to chip uphill rather than down hill.
Hole 17 is surprisingly only the second longest par 3 on the course coming in at 215 yards. But unlike the other long par 3 that plays uphill, this one is down hill. Middle left is the play here. A deep pin in the back right, a touch long is fine.
Hole 18 is a dog leg right par 5, and the longest hole on the course. Long hitters can try to cut the corner over the right bunker. For the rest of us, just keep it between the bunkers. Even if you cut the corner, this one may be too far to reach. Hit your lay up a touch short of the trap on the left to stay out of any trouble. This will leave you about 110 yards out. You need to dial in this green if at all possible. The front right isn’t a bad miss, especially if you need to run it up close from the trees. Just left of the back right bunker is also ok. Anything left is a goner and the front bunker is not your friend.
Conclusion
The Hills Country Club Flintrock Falls course is one of the more challenging courses I have played in the Austin area. I enjoy the scenary, and the little bit of elevation change they have (nothing really overly dramatic, just enough to be interesting). The course is usually in great shape. I really hope they are able to fix the greens though. If you want a challeneging but still relatively fun course, then check out the Flintrock Falls course at the Hills Country Club.
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