Crystal Falls Golf Course
Crystal Falls Golf Course
Written by Mark Collins Friday, 15 August 2008
The city-owned golf club has been transformed into a beautiful, challenging course.
Most golf courses have a signature hole that is challenging and exemplifies the beauty of the entire course. At Crystal Falls Golf Club, it is difficult to narrow it down to a single hole.
“All of our holes are signature holes,” course manager Grant Collyns said. “There is not another course like Crystal Falls. It has a lot of character, and it will either make you better or make you go buy a tennis racquet.”
Whether it is the rocky hillsides cut out of the trees, the wild turkeys that routinely scamper across the fairways or the serenity in the absence of homes and roads, many consider Crystal Falls unique.
The course opened in 1990 and is entirely owned and operated by the city of Leander. The 155 acres were donated by Homer Reed to the city for the purpose of building a golf course, which was funded by bonds and grants. As a municipal course, anyone is welcome to play.
“You get it all — every demographic, every background. We don’t have just one character; we have them all,” Collyns said.
As a result, the staff is ready to assist all players’ personalities.
“We may not have all the bells and whistles of a private club, but we can treat people better than they’ve ever been treated,” Collyns said. “People come out here and save $40 to $50 and still get taken care of.”
Crystal Falls Golf Club has not always been a desirable location to play golf. Poor maintenance once made the course difficult to navigate successfully.
“This golf course did not have a good reputation. It was not player friendly,” Collyns said. “But it has gotten lots of support from Bill Hinckley [Crystal Falls developer], Wayne Watts [Leander city engineer] and the city of Leander. With a lot of hard work, we were able to turn it around.”
City employees trimmed bushes and cut trees down to reveal the beautiful landscape, making the course more playable. The installation of a new pump house and added irrigation lines lead to healthy fairways and luscious greens. A complete renovation of the clubhouse completed the golf course’s Cinderella act.
“It is beautiful property — you just couldn’t see it,” Collyns said.
The course aims to host 35,000 rounds of golf per year, a goal it reached last year and is on pace for again this year.
“Golf is the greatest game ever. It’s just like life,” Collyns said. “Once you finish a hole, you go on to the next one and start a new story.”
Advice from the course manager:
- Leave the driver in the bag. Use a three wood or hybrid.
- If it is your first time playing Crystal Falls, play from the white tees.
- Don’t try to be aggressive. Play it safe.
- Take your time on each hole.
- Be careful on the greens; they are more difficult than they appear.
- Use the “tips” button on the GPS system at each hole.
Crystal Falls Golf Club, 3400 Crystal Falls Parkway, 259-5855, www.crystalfallsgolf.com
Pro shop: 6:30 a.m.-7 p.m.
Range: Sunrise-6 p.m.
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