Butler Park Pitch & Putt Golf Course
Rating Snapshot
About
Austinite Douglas Kinser approached the city in the late 1940s about improving the poor condition of the land occupied by the former Butler Brick Company. His wish was granted, and from the former clay mine he created a lush little 9-hole course that now graces a serene, landscaped setting just south of Town Lake. You can still see where the mine walls dropped down, as holes 1 and 2 play down into the mine bottom. The design is simple and most of the holes require only a wedge. This includes the signature No. 7, which involves a pitch shot over a pond that fronts the green.
The central location of the course is ideal, making it the perfect place to kill some time on one of those outstanding spring days in Austin. Barton Springs, South Lamar, and downtown are all within a few minutes driving distance, so you definitely have plenty of post-round entertainment options. The green fee is $6, and the historic old clubhouse boasts a Hole-in-One Wall of Fame, old clubs in case you need to borrow a wedge and putter, and remnants of a shady murder that occurred in the shop in 1951.
Getting there From downtown Austin, take I-35 to Riverside Drive and go right. Turn left on Lee Barton Drive. The course is 3 miles down on your left.
| Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | 27 | 805 yards | 35.5 | 113 |
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mens M: 53.9/96 | 61 | 67 | 66 | 81 | 97 | 62 | 101 | 96 | 72 | 703 | 1406 |
| Ladies W: 55.1/98 | 61 | 67 | 66 | 81 | 97 | 62 | 101 | 96 | 72 | 703 | 1406 |
| Handicap | 15 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 13 | ||
| Par | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 27 | 54 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
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Food & Beverage
SnacksAvailable Facilities
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Reviews
Downtown ATX Gem
Great little course in the heart of downtown Austin. All holes are under 100 yards. Not too challenging. But a great place to work on the short game with your pals.
They have put some money into it to improve the place. The tee boxes are much improved and the greens are improving with each and every passing day.
Great for short game work.
Very small 9 hole par 3 course to work on your short game. All you really need for clubs is a pitching wedge for some of the longer tee shots, a 54-56 degree wedge and your putter. Not the best up-kept course but when you are in the middle of downtown Austin and just want to work on your short game, its good enough.
An urban gem in Austin
This course deserves 5 stars for its significance to Austin's downtown appeal but 1 star for its actual design and upkeep, so I settled on 3 stars in my overall rating.
This little piece of Auditorium Shores is casual, imperfect and glorious. It's BYOB, golfers (sometimes 8-somes) are smoking all sorts of substances, wildlife ranges from rogue dogs to bums under the bridge to an eagle who calls the course home. I play here a few times a year and finally shooting par for 9 holes is one of my great adult golf achievements. Hopefully one day I can join Wesley Short up on the clubhouse walls for getting a hole-in-one.
If this course is ever closed for urban development - aka condos - Austin will have lost its soul forever in my mind.
Just go with the flow.
While not a serious course, this is an old school gem near the heart of Austin and one that you really need to check off of your list of courses if for nothing else than to be able to say that you played it. Do not expect good course conditions -- it can really vary and it's not a true course afterall. Come to this course on a nice weather day with a putter, a pitching wedge and maybe a 7-iron. Heck, one of their rules is actually "All players must have a putter and one other club." Walking is the only option and you don't really want to be that guy carrying around your entire bag. Wear whatever you like -- golf shoes, tennis shoes, flip-flops, barefoot. Bring your own BEvERages *no glass* if you like. You'll see all sorts of folks on this little course including small kids and maybe even pets *on leashes*. Again, it's a tradition kind of place -- very old school and laid back. This is a day when you just really shouldn't take golf nor anything else very seriously.
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