Barton Creek Resort (Palmer Lakeside Golf Course)

Overview: Palmer Lakeside is the hill-country satellite course at Omni Barton Creek Resort, set west of Austin above Lake Travis. The 18-hole, par-72 layout measures 6,550 yards from the back tees and is built around the kind of elevation change that makes a Texas round feel larger than the scorecard suggests. Arnold Palmer designed the course as a playable but energetic resort test: broad views, sloping lies and a few bold carries ask for commitment without turning every hole into a survival exercise. The resort specifically calls the 11th a signature par three, where a cascading waterfall and native vegetation frame the shot. The dogleg par fives at 12 and 13 reward a well-shaped drive, while the hilltop setting brings changing wind and uneven stances into the decision-making.

History: The property was built in 1986 and the resort describes the course as a Palmer design. It is separate from Barton Creek’s main resort courses, so the Lakeside name is important when booking or comparing layouts. The course was renovated in 2024, with NorthBridge Bermuda fairways and Bermuda TifEagle greens listed in the current resort information. That work refreshed the playing surfaces while retaining the routing’s central identity: an expansive, elevated course designed for a resort day rather than a purely private-club rhythm.

Did You Know? Palmer Lakeside is not directly beside the main Barton Creek resort campus: the resort describes it as a satellite course about 45 minutes away. That distance is part of the experience, because the round trades the resort’s close-in limestone setting for a secluded hilltop retreat overlooking the lake. The clubhouse retreat also looks back over the course and lake, making the finish feel more like a destination outing than a quick add-on to an Austin golf itinerary.