Fazio Canyons, Par 72, 7,153 yards

Anybody who says there are no successful second acts in life or golf certainly has not seen the Barton Creek Fazio layout.  Just as he did with his original Barton Creek design more than a decade earlier, Fazio returned with the second Barton Creek design which opened in 1999 to lift the standard of golf in Austin and all of Texas even higher. The Canyons course is two miles away from the Barton Creek Resort & Spa, and takes full advantage of the spectacular Hill Country scenery. Dozens of native Live Oaks, stately Red Oaks and Sycamore trees dot the property which features views of the West Austin and Barton Creek Scenery and with the Madrone Tree, a 10,000 year old tree species also in abundance.
Among Fazio’s best holes are the par 4 9th hole which plays uphill with a rushing creek all the way down the right side of the fairway. The par 4 10th seems to tilt from left to right with woods and a creek on the right side which also cuts in front of the green on the dogleg right hole. Beauty and danger never existed more pleasingly together. 

The par 4 15th provides a distant view of the Texas State Capital looking backward from the tips and presents much of trouble when you’re facing forward. Fazio’s closing challenge is a grand finish to a fitting display. Golfers must cross the water of Short Springs Branch Creek not once, but twice to reach the narrow green in a climax which can swing any match from victory to victim.
Locals like to say the original Fazio Foothills may have more dramatic golf holes, but the Fazio Canyons is an overall better layout. Either way you look at it, the Canyons is proof the old architectural master has not lost any of his new tricks.
Fazio Canyons, which has its own clubhouse and snack bar, is also home to the highly-acclaimed Chuck Cook Golf Academy where golfers of all shapes, sizes and skill levels can learn first-hand from one of golf’s top-ranked teachers and his hand-picked staff in specially constructed practice facilities.

No. 1, Par 4, 401 yards (back tees)
This is a fairly tame beginning to a wild golfing ride. The hole begins with a straight away tee shot with a generous fairway that has a large bunker on the right side of the fairway and another one closer to the good-sized green. Trees line the left side, but this is a good chance to hole your round with a positive score.

No. 2, Par 4, 385 yards
An elevated tee shot makes this dogleg right hole play much shorter to a fairway with bunkers all along the right side and water along the left. More bunkers guard both sides of the putting surface with a small creek behind the green causing lots of trouble for anyone overshooting the green.

No. 3, Par 3, 173 yards
A difficult par 3 which serves as the first stern test of the Canyons course. It plays 173 from the back tees, but the wind and nerves makes a big test early in the round. Very wide green, which is critical to hit on the correct side of a large ridge which divides the putting surface. A creek which sits well below the green on the right side awaits any stray tee shots.

No. 4, Par 4, 330 yards
A gentle but menacing par 4 with bunkers lining the left side of the fairway as the hole bends in that direction, with a drop-off down the left side. Provided you’ve placed your drive on the right side of the fairway, you still face a stern approach shot with bunkers on both sides of this narrow green.

No. 5, Par 5, 596 yards
This is a long dogleg par 5 which bends to the left and follows a creek running down the left side of the fairway. Two good shots are needed for the chance to approach the green in regulation. The green bends even further left with three bunkers on the left side of the large three club deep putting surface.

No. 6, Par 4, 449 yards
Long uphill par 4 which will challenge golfers by rewarding accuracy off the tee. The fairway slopes left from the middle of the fairway with a single bunker on the left side to catch any tee shots heading for the brush. The approach to the green is typically long to a deep green framed by trees on both sides.

No. 7, Par 5, 543 yards
A downhill par five with a tee shot that must lay up to a creek dissecting the hole. Longer hitters will have a chance to reach this elevated green, but there is plenty of trouble short left with a deep bunker and dense brush. Caution on the second shot is key to successfully playing this hole.

No. 8, Par 3, 212 yards
One of the most interesting par 3s on the Fazio Canyons course. Golfers tee off on a greatly elevated tee. Any shot short can find a large bunker which guards the front of the green or can be lost in the hazard left of the green.

No. 9, Par 4, 457 yards
One of the toughest and best holes on the Canyons course. The tee shot is uphill with a large cascading creek which runs downhill from green to tee all the way down the right side of the hole. Trees are on the left with the 457-yard length from the back tees making this a number one handicap hole for a good reason. The rushing water on the right side of the approach can make many players nervous and cause them to end their front nine on a watery note.

No. 10, Par 4, 442 yards
A great beginning to the back nine and one of the signature holes at Barton Creek. This severe dogleg right requires players to play their drives to the left side of the fairway. Provided they achieve their first goal, there is still a very small green which appears from a distant to be sliding into the rushing creek which guards the putting surface. Anything right of the fairway will be lost in the brush and the big hitters can drive it through the fairway into the trees on the left.

No. 11, Par 3, 192 yards
There is no rest for the weary after playing the 10th hole. Golfers hitting off the tee must avoid the left side which is a drop-off full of brush and native rock. Provided you can find the right side of the hole, you still have a large undulated green to navigate for par or better.

No. 12, Par 4, 392 yards
A slightly uphill but shorter par 4 dogleg left with a trio of bunkers guarding the bend in the fairway. Fazio cleared away even more brush to expose the native rock facing golfers on the right. The second shot is slightly uphill as well testing club selection.

No. 13, Par 4, 357 yards
This is a short but tough dogleg par four with a small creek splitting the middle of the fairway. A creek runs along the left side with a large bunker also on the left before running toward the narrow but deep multi-level green. This is a good chance to three putt if you come up short on this large green. The 13th is a beautiful hole with the rock face bordering the right side approach.

No. 14, Par 5, 545 yards
The first par five of the back nine is long and straight. There is no water on this hole, but plenty of sand, brush and trees. Bunkers are placed strategically on both sides of the landing area to catch any wayward drives. An aggressive tee shot can give the player a chance to hit this green in two with a downhill second shot. The kidney shaped green is the final hurdle on this tough layout.

No. 15, Par 4, 457 yards
The fantastic four hole finish to the Fazio canyons begins with a sharp downhill par 4 with brushy woods covering back sides. Walk to the back of the championship tee box and you can catch a peek of the Texas State Capital. The hole descends to a narrow looking fairway and a deep creek beginning on the approach and bordering along with right of the green, sending any wayward approach shots to watery disaster.

No. 16, Par 4, 452 yards
Another long but interesting par 4 commands a player’s attention with a down hill tee shot but then an uphill approach to the green. The fairway gently slopes from right to left toward heavy brush and trees. The approach is a very challenging uphill shot to a green that has a false front with the remainder hidden. A very deep, almost 4 club green.

No. 17, Par 3, 209 yards
A very demanding par three with a green perched with a small green. This hole is void of water, but has plenty of sand and natural brush behind the green to snare a poor tee shot. The small, circle-shaped green is very undulating with putting a key to walk away from here with birdie, bogey or worse.

No. 18, Par 5, 561 yards
Water crosses the fairway not once, but twice here on this final hole. More than one match or lead has changed hands on this highly strategic piece of real estate. The hole is downhill from the start, with golfers having to choose twice for the best place to lay up in front of the water. The second stream cuts directly in front of the narrow green, meaning watery disaster or green grass victory awaits each player. To reach the green on the approach, the player must carry a large live oak tree just short front left of the green.

written by Art Stricklin

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