Livin' large at Horseshoe Bay (golf) Resort near Austin, Texas

When you think of Texas golf resorts, Barton Creek in Austin is probably the first place that comes to mind. But the folks at Horseshoe Bay Resort, which overlooks Lake LBJ in the Texas Hill Country, could be making headway in their quest for recognition, and for good reason.

Over the past couple of years, a new team has come on board, and the improvements have been rapid fire. Under COO and president G. Michael Thomas, more than $20 million has been spent on improvements to the golf courses, one of clubhouses and all around the resort. More improvements are on the way.

A fourth course, a signature design by Jack Nicklaus, is also back in the works with a possible completion date by the end of 2010.

That would bring the total number of courses to four, which includes the always-difficult Ram Rock Course. Combine that with the Whitewater Putting Course, and Horseshoe Bay has a golf offering that few can match.

But the resort is about so much more than golf, as members of the Texas Golf Writers Association are finding out. For the past couple of days, the TGWA has been conducting its annual meeting and golf championship here. Beside the terrific hospitality, which you would expect, the accommodations and meals have been outstanding.

The 385-room Marriott hotel and spa is world class. The food we were served has been out of this world.

The Marriott may have the best breakfast buffet I’ve ever sampled, and that would include most anything in Las Vegas. How about filet mignon for breakfast? Talk about your steak and eggs.

Our outing ended with a dinner at the Yacht Club Gazebo Deck. The menu included oysters, lobster, jalapeno-bacon wrapped quail, ribeye and something I had never tried before, a beerita. That’s a Margarita made with beer and Patron, and it’s really good.