Best Public Golf Courses in Texas

Houston, Texas · Tom Doak (renovation) (1936) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 7,412 yards

Completely reimagined by Tom Doak in 2019, Memorial Park is a world-class municipal course and current host of the Houston Open. The renovation transformed this Depression-era layout into one of America's finest public courses.

San Antonio, Texas · Tom Lehman & Gary Stephenson (2003) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 7,259 yards

A Tom Lehman design south of San Antonio, Briggs Ranch emulates the rugged ranch lands of South Texas with native mesquite, dramatic bunkering, and a links-inspired layout. The championship course has hosted numerous state and regional tournaments.

Austin, Texas · PB Dye (2003) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 7,202 yards

One of Austin's best public options, Falconhead offers a surprisingly challenging PB Dye design in the Lake Travis corridor. The course features bold bunkering, creative green complexes, and excellent conditioning that rivals many private clubs.

Dallas, Texas · A.W. Tillinghast (restored) (1922) · 18 holes · Par 71 · 6,545 yards

A beautifully restored 1920s A.W. Tillinghast design in the heart of Oak Cliff, Stevens Park is a civic treasure and arguably the best municipal golf experience in Texas. The hilly layout offers charming character and downtown skyline views.

Houston, Texas · Rees Jones (2003) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 7,441 yards

Formerly known as Redstone Golf Club, the Golf Club of Houston in Humble hosted the PGA Tour's Shell Houston Open for 17 consecutive years. This Rees Jones and David Toms co-design in unincorporated Harris County delivers a championship-caliber public experience with wide fairways, aggressive bunkering, native wetlands, and a ferocious finishing hole widely considered one of the toughest in the Houston area.

San Antonio, Texas · Keith Foster (1993) · 18 holes · Par 71 · 6,740 yards

Built in an abandoned cement quarry, The Quarry is one of the most visually dramatic public courses in Texas. The back nine descends 100 feet into the quarry floor, surrounded by towering 200-foot limestone walls that create a one-of-a-kind golfing amphitheater.

Austin, Texas · Andy Raugust (2002) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 7,121 yards

A popular north Austin layout, Avery Ranch delivers solid public golf with well-maintained bermuda fairways, challenging water features, and panoramic views of the Texas Hill Country from several elevated tee boxes.

Fort Worth, Texas · Steve Plummer (2000) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 7,304 yards

Consistently rated the top public golf course in Fort Worth, Waterchase stretches to 7,304 yards — one of the longest public tracks in the DFW metroplex. Six tee sets make the course playable for all abilities, while the championship configuration provides a genuine test for scratch players.

Hutto, Texas · Jay Morrish & Roy Bechtol (2001) · 18 holes · Par 71 · 7,017 yards

Carved through rolling Hill Country terrain northeast of Austin, Star Ranch is a championship par-71 layout stretching to 7,017 yards from the tips. The Morrish-Bechtol design weaves through natural creek corridors and mature oak canopies, rewarding precise shot-making over power.

Leander, Texas · Jack Miller (1990) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 6,654 yards

Perched on cedar- and oak-covered ridges in Leander, Crystal Falls is routinely cited as one of the most scenic public courses in Central Texas. Jack Miller's 1990 design threads through dramatic limestone bluffs and seasonal waterfalls, offering panoramic Hill Country views on nearly every hole.

San Antonio, Texas · A.W. Tillinghast (1916) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 6,185 yards

The first public golf course in Texas, Brackenridge Park is an A.W. Tillinghast design along the San Antonio River. This historic municipal course hosted the 1922 Texas Open — the first PGA Tour event played in Texas — and remains a beloved and accessible civic treasure.