Officials break ground on Travis Club’s 18-hole golf course

City leaders, club executives and Lake Travis Chamber of Commerce members gathered April 23 at the historic Covert House to celebrate the groundbreaking of an 18-hole golf course at Travis Club, a 1,500-acre master-planned community under construction in Spicewood.

“This will be a place for spirited regular games, for tournaments, and for family outings that will create lifetime memories,” said Jimmy Terry, Travis Club’s vice president of development.

The details

Scheduled to open in late 2025, the golf course with a par 72 layout will also include a practice facility, comfort stations and the Golf House, a social outlet.

Golf course designer Beau Welling designed the new course, the news release states. Welling is the CEO of Beau Welling Design, a firm focused on golf course design and land planning. The firm is known for innovative solutions for clients, which was especially important in the Travis Club course due to the terrain, according to the news release.

“Our goals with the design were to honor the stunning Hill Country landscape along Lake Travis and create a course that people would enjoy playing time and time again, regardless of their skill level,” Welling said in the release.

BWD has also worked on golf courses such as the Fields Ranch West at Omni PGA Frisco, the Bluejack National course and Dallas National course. Additionally, the firm has done work outside of Texas, such as the Atlanta Country Club and Ocean Forest Golf Club in Georgia.

“Our team and I are excited to have broken ground at the Travis Club and to start working on bringing the design to life,” Welling said. “Travis Club is going to be a truly special addition to the Texas golf scene and anchor to the outstanding Travis Club community.”

The background

Despite the excitement surrounding the golf course and housing development from project officials and the chamber, the road to development approval has had its faults within the local community.

Originally known as "Vizcaya," developers have sought to transform the land for over a decade. A master plan for the project was approved in 2008 by the Lower Colorado River Authority, but the permit application and master plan approval both expired by 2013, according to previous Community Impact reporting.

The plan was brought back before the Travis County Commissioners Court for the first phase of the project in July 2023, having received approval from the LCRA and the Travis County fire marshal. Ultimately Travis County commissioners were powerless to deny Phase 1 of the project since it was compliant with state law, Travis County Commissioner Margaret Gomez said at the July 2023 meeting, per prior Community Impact reporting.

Residents in neighboring areas such as Briarcliff have expressed troubles about increased traffic congestion due to construction and what will eventually be hundreds of new residents utilizing the project's one entrance point, according to previous Community Impact reporting. Concerns have also been raised about how this would affect the ever-growing scarcity of water in the region. Harm to the endangered golden-cheeked warbler was also an area of upset for residents, prior Community Impact reporting shows.

To address some of these concerns, project developers have said they will use reclaimed water for watering golf courses. Additionally, over 50% of the entire project area is dedicated to open spaces, golf or conservation, according to the release, which also states the master plan was created with the intent to preserve the area's natural resources and scenic views.

“We are thrilled to introduce this new lake and golf community on Lake Travis,” Travis Club CEO Leisha Ehlert said. “What sets this project apart are the unique natural beauty and recreational opportunities that Lake Travis offers.”

What’s next

Phase 1 infrastructure construction is underway, which includes 106 homesites and the golf course, according to the release. Homesites range from 0.5 to 2.95 acres, and with predevelopment incentive pricing, start at $800,000. Over half of the homesites have been reserved, according to the release.

At full build-out, the community plans to have 497 homes, with 274 single-family lots and 223 villa units, according to previous Community Impact reporting. The development will also include:

• 10,000 feet of Lake Travis frontage
• 30 miles of private hiking and biking trails
• A lakefront clubhouse with dining
• A private marina, event lawn, pool and racquet center