Featured Course
GSA.Net Ratings
Course Conditions 
Difficulty Level Practice Facilities Pro Shop/Restaurant Value for Money Location
GSA.Net Ratings
| Course Conditions | |
| Difficulty Level | |
| Practice Facilities | |
| Pro Shop/Restaurant | |
| Value for Money | |
| Location | |
(Updated) Vaaler Creek Golf Club
Course Categories:* All Courses *, *** - (3 Star Rated), $ All Courses $, $$$ - ($30 to $60), Featured
The course is a 6,864 yard (from the tips) design from Michael Lowry and JR Newman. Being on the verge of the hill country allows for some well placed elevation changes through out the course. They have 4 sets of tees that are available to set your challenge level, although 6,864 from the tips will find the longer players leaving the driver in the bag on more than a few holes. There are several stand out features, such as the #10 split fairway and the #18 160 yard force approach to the green. I have seen the course at both ends of the spectrum in regards to conditions. I have the feeling that if a bit more time was spent they would be on par with some of the best courses in town, being that far out of town the budget may not be there for such aspirations. Perhaps as the housing community fills, they will step it up. The greens typically run between 7-8 on the Stimp meter.
The practice facilities at Vaaler are some of the best in town. They have a full range with approximately 20 hitting spots and the turf has always been in excellent condition. They have chairs and club cleaning equipment on the range. There is a large chipping and short game area located adjacent to the range. There is also a fairly large putting green located next to the club house, equipped with a bunker for some sand work.
The clubhouse is on the smallish side, but you can get a shirt, cap or beverages. There is no kitchen on site, but they do fairly regularly cook burgers and hot dogs on the deck.
The staff has never been anything but courteous and professional every time we have visited.
Updated (10/15/2011) We visited Vaaler Creek once again and found everything just as we left it. Very decent condition and the range was still going strong. Didn’t notice any new housing but they must be able to keep the lights on 
Reviewer | GSA
I am the creator, owner and lead reviewer for Golf San Antonio.Net. I play in San Antonio and around the world year round. I split my time between family, work and golf. My handicap floats right around 3-6. I play in most local amateur events. I have caddied for local pros at professional tournaments. My family, friends and most my acquaintances play golf, when it's raining we watch golf, this is what we do :) 
Have you played this course before?? Scroll down to our comments section and give your review of the course. There you will find the GSA.Net readers reviews and discussions on this course.
Played it for the first time and I am very pleased with the layout. Dont pass this one up if you are in Austin or San Antonio, it is worth the trip. Also, if you normally play the blue tees… move up the tips on this course, you will be happy you did.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
This course is a diamond in the rough. As you drive past the entrance to the development you would never know that such a great course would be waiting inside. Number 18 is an amazing finishing hole and when they build the clubhouse behind that green, it’s going to be a great spot to drink a beer and watch other groups come in. There is a huge deck built over the pond near the pro shop–very cool. They just went down to winter rates and it’s really worth the money.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
As I walked off the 2nd green I thought to myself that whoever built this course…they never built a golf course before. I can””t find info online to confirm this, but it has to be true. I won””t even get into the routing, which winds all over and relies on roadsigns to get you to some of the tees. The dead giveaway is the greens, which, in many cases, have almost no pin-able locations. I”ve never seen such drastic falloffs, internally, on greens in my life, and definitely not on greens as fast as these (and I”ve played some of the top ranked courses in the USA). On the second hole I dropped a ball on the middle of the green, from shoulder height, and it rolled off the green like most of my shots did.
The course is pinched in all the wrong places, the greens are over the top, and it””s really just a very tricked up golf course that appears (true or not) to have been build by an amateur golf course architect. The upside is that no one seemed to be playing, so I got around in about 2.5 hours on a Sunday morning. The sad thing is that the land is decent, and there really should be a good course there; but there isn”t.
Like or Dislike:
0 
1
Excellent course!!! I have played this course 2 times and it is definately one of the top courses around. Yes it is in Blanco which is a pretty good drive from Austin or SA but well worth it. Fairways are GREAT…greens are FAST and water on a bunch of holes (uncommon for courses in south TX). Very reasonable rates and well worth the time!!!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
A goat farm Greens are lunar landscapes. The guys working around the greens and mowing will not let you play through. The signs are a joke. It is too easy to get lost trying to find the tee box. Do not try and walk this nightmare. The pro shop says tee off on 10 and the greens super comes and says the back is closed. What a terrible waste of time and money.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Great Track-Worth the Money! First class golf at bargain prices! Great greens, fairways are perfect. Interesting layout with lots of features – water, traps, hills and valleys – fun! Well marked for distances too. Brand new (and fast) carts, smooth cart paths and NO HOUSES. Not because they didn’ want them. It’s The economy stupid Play it now before they all are built out. Missing one star because there is no club house. Well there is a small pro shop. Nice deck overlooking a pond is a great place to have your 19th hole drink. No food or booze though. Stop off at the Shade Tree on 281 for lunch or a drink on the way home. Fun funky place.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I found this to be a pretty tricked up course with some really outrageous internal contours on the greens that really made them not very fun to play. Many greens are so severe, and fast, that there really are not any legitimately pin-able locations. I’m sure I sound like a wuss, but I’ve played some of the most difficult courses in the USA (Pine Valley, Winged Foot, Bethpage Black, PGA West, Sawgrass, Kiawah), but they’re all playable and come by their difficultly honestly. Any hack can build a green with five feet of relief from back to front (common at Vaaler Creek), stick a flag in the middle, and watch people three putt all day. It’s amateur golf architecture from start to finish at this course, and I suspect that the designers may actually be amateurs, or rookies; take your pick.
I drove from Austin on a Sunday morning to play here and was very disappointed. The only upside was that the course was pretty empty, so I was around in well under 3 hours.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Golfnj this seems to be the consensus in regards to the course. I know a few that love the course, but I have many of the same feelings that you do. Glad to have you around
Like or Dislike:
0 
0