The natural beauty of the Texas Hill Country is the focus of course architects, Ben Crenshaw and partner, Bill Coore. Rolling hills, natural plateaus, soft contours and native vegetation are harmoniously woven into a playable championship layout that provides a variety of interesting holes to delight members and visitors alike.

Austin’s well known native son, Ben Crenshaw, admits his is an "old-style" philosophy. "We believe the best architect is nature and the best players' courses make good use of the natural terrain. We let the land dictate the routing rather than imposing ourselves on the landscape." Indeed, Crenshaw's course plays across the land quite naturally and most magically, and was rated 38th among the 50 Best Courses in Texas by The Dallas Morning News.

As an ardent student of golf's history, Crenshaw offers a rare taste of a traditional layout in his design. The course features broad, rolling fairways, widely-varied green sizes and is a fitting tribute to the way the game was once played. The large, undulating putting surfaces give golfers their biggest challenge. While the average golfer will attempt to use the natural slopes to aid an approach shot, the low handicap player faces the challenge of positioning the ball at the most advantageous point for an approach putt.

As part of the environmentally sensitive considerations, durable grasses were utilized. Bermuda 419 is used on the fairways and Tifdwarf Bermuda for the greens. These drought and heat tolerant native grasses lessen the need for man's intervention.

The 18th hole is an exciting climax which plays slightly uphill. Approach shots must cross a running creek to land on a low-lying green, which is seemingly etched into the hillside. The Crenshaw Cliffside course is both forgiving for the novice and challenging for the seasoned golfer.