
Lions Course
Lions Municipal Golf Course

About this course
Lions Municipal Golf Course sits in northwest Austin, serving as one of the city's accessible public facilities since its opening in 1924. The course was designed by Perry Maxwell, the Oklahoma-based architect whose work includes Prairie Dunes and contributions to Augusta National. Maxwell routed the course across rolling Hill Country terrain, incorporating the natural limestone outcroppings and live oak groves characteristic of the region. The layout measures modest by modern standards but presents a straightforward test of golf shaped by the land's movement and native vegetation. The course occupies a compact property where elevation changes and doglegs create variety within a traditional out-and-back routing. Several holes play along ridgelines or drop into draws, requiring golfers to manage uneven lies and judge distances across sloping ground. The greens are relatively small, and the bunkering follows Maxwell's economical style, placed to challenge approach angles rather than overwhelm visually. Mature trees frame many fairways, narrowing landing areas and demanding accuracy from the tee. Lions Municipal has served generations of Austin golfers as an affordable option for daily play. The facility maintains a straightforward municipal character, focused on providing accessible golf rather than elaborate amenities. Its location within the city limits and its connection to Maxwell's design legacy give it historical significance among Texas public courses, particularly as Austin has grown substantially around it over the past century.
Rankings
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Best in USA
Best in TX
Quick facts
- Location
- Austin, TX, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1928
- Holes
- 18
- Par
- 71
- Length
- 6,001 yards
- Difficulty
- 70.4/117
- Course Vaults score
- 6.5
Getting there
The journey to Lions Municipal Golf Course begins at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), situated roughly 15 miles southeast of the city center, followed by a straightforward 25-minute drive northwest through Austin's rolling terrain toward the course's location in the heart of the Texas Hill Country transition zone. Private aviators will find Austin Executive Airport (AUS-nearby alternative for general aviation) equally convenient for a more direct arrival. The final approach winds through Austin's established neighborhoods and parkland, trading airport corridors for tree-lined local roads that open onto the course itself - a municipal gem that has anchored the city's public golf heritage since its opening, offering immediate access to one of Texas's most accessible yet architecturally significant layouts without the gatekeeping of private membership.

FAQ
Common questions about Lions
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Lions has a Course Vaults score of 6.5 out of 10 based on 24 logged golfers.
Yes. Lions is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Lions is 71.
Lions plays 6,001 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Lions is 117.
Lions is a 18-hole course.



