AUSTIN, Texas -- The 2008 edition listing of Texas golf courses by the Dallas Morning News includes in its pages a significant number of tracks designed or routed by noted Austin-based golf architect Roy Bechtol, further illustrating Bechtol’s across-the-board appeal as well as his ability to work on projects of any scope, size or budget.

A total of 15 courses designed or influenced by Bechtol were mentioned in the newspaper’s annual rankings. Seven of those tracks are private, five of the layouts are part of resort properties and three of the courses are open to the public.

Eight of Bechtol’s courses and routings received mention on the list of the Dallas Morning News’ Top 50 Courses in Texas 2008 rankings, which was released Feb. 24. Two of Bechtol’s signature tracks – Comanche Trace at No. 40 and The University of Texas Golf Club at No. 47 – grace the list. Comanche Trace, located in Kerrville, was designed by the Kite-Bechtol-Russell team, while The UT Golf Club in Austin is a collaboration of Bechtol and his former partner Randy Russell.

“I am honored to have my courses and some I have helped design on this prestigious list again,” Bechtol said. “In Texas, we all look at the rankings from the Dallas Morning News as verification that our courses are well regarded by players and kept in top shape by their greenskeepers and maintenance professionals.”

Six more tracks in the Top 50 of the list were routed by Bechtol in his work with other noted architects, including fifth-ranked Vaquero in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb of Westlake (with Tom Fazio); No. 8 Escondido in Horseshoe Bay (with Fazio); the Fazio Foothills course at the Barton Creek Resort in Austin at No. 25 (with Fazio); the 27th-ranked Austin Country Club in Austin (with Pete Dye); the 31st-ranked Fazio Canyons course at the Barton Creek Resort in Austin (with Fazio); and, the No. 41 Hills Course at The Hills of Lakeway in Austin (with Jack Nicklaus).

Five additional courses on the DMN’s list of The Next 50, including the Bechtol signature track (with Lee Trevino and Russell) at The Golf Club of San Antonio at Briggs Ranch, which came in at No. 73. Other courses routed by Bechtol in the second 50 of the list include: the 64th-ranked Resort Course at La Cantera in San Antonio (with Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish); the No. 71 Palmer Course at La Cantera in San Antonio (with Arnold Palmer); the 72nd-ranked Palmer Lakeside Course at the Barton Creek Resort in Austin (with Palmer); and, the No. 78 Flintrock Falls course at The Hills of Lakeway in Austin (with Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II).

Another Bechtol course – The Golf Club at Star Ranch in Hutto (at No. 10) was listed in the DMN’s Top 25 High Priced ($55-75) Public Courses. Star Ranch is a Bechtol-Russell collaboration.

“Having courses on this list that run the gamut from exclusive private tracks to resort courses to public facilities show that our courses are getting a lot of respect in all categories,” Bechtol said. “We are happy that so many of our courses are receiving great reviews, and – of course – we hope that having such notoriety will help us get out the word to anyone in search of a golf course architect for their potential project or development.”

About Bechtol Golf Design
Bechtol Golf Design’s principal, Roy Bechtol has designed more than 50 golf courses throughout the United States either as the lead architect or as a collaborator with other top golf course designers. Bechtol Golf Design (www.bechtolgolfdesign.com) combines cutting-edge technology with creative, traditional design practices to determine the best possible plan for blending golf with real estate.

Upcoming projects include courses in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, in the mountains of Panama, in the Colorado Rocky Mountains near Vail, on the west coast of Mexico, in the hills of western Virginia, in the Texas Hill Country along the upper banks of Lake Travis and on Mustang Island on the Texas coast, as well as various sites in Central Texas.

Bechtol Golf Design’s completed projects, both individually and in conjunction with some of the world’s top designers, include:
The Waterford Club (Smithwick, Texas)
The University of Texas Golf Club (Austin, Texas)
The Golf Club of Texas (San Antonio, Texas)
The Golf Club at Star Ranch (Hutto, Texas)
Black Bear Golf Club (Delhi, Louisiana)
ShadowGlen Golf Club (Manor, Texas)
The Ambush at Lajitas (Lajitas, Texas)
ConCan Country Club (North Uvalde County, Texas)
Great Hills Country Club (Austin, Texas)
El Paso Country Club (El Paso, Texas)
Diamondback Golf Academy (San Antonio, Texas)
The Golf Club at Circle C (Austin, Texas)
Vaquero (Dallas, Texas)
Barton Creek Resort (Austin, Texas)
The Hills of Lakeway (Lakeway, Texas)
Austin Country Club (Austin, Texas)
RiverPlace Country Club (Austin, Texas)
Gaillardia (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

Media Contact:
Steve Habel
512-474-0806 (office)
512-535-6120 (direct)
512-699-2133 (cell)
stevehabel@hotmail.com
shabel@bechtolgolfdesign.com