AUSTIN, Texas (Feb. 21, 2006) --Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas has been awarded the 2005 Gold Circle of Excellence by ClubCorp, the world leader in delivering premier golf, private club, and resort experiences. The Gold Circle of Excellence is ClubCorp’s most prestigious performance recognition award and was presented this year to only 24 of the company’s nearly 170 clubs and resorts.

ClubCorp CEO and President Mr. John Beckert presented the award to G. Michael Thomas, President and COO of Barton Creek Resort & Spa, Tuesday, February 21, in Austin. ClubCorp awards the Gold Circle of Excellence annually to clubs based upon achievement of specific objectives and performance goals. The Gold Circle of Excellence criteria focuses on key business initiatives, including membership, member retention, operating profits, and efficiency.

“We are thrilled to receive this award and I credit our employees,” said G. Michael Thomas. “The staff has gone above and beyond, working hard as a team, throughout the year to achieve the club's goals.”

Barton Creek Resort & Spa is a one-of-a-kind resort nestled in Austin within 4,000 spectacular acres of the Texas Hill Country. The resort is home to the No. 1 and No. 2 rated resort golf courses in Texas, and some of golf’s biggest names are the visionaries behind the resort’s four 18-hole championship courses – Fazio Foothills, Fazio Canyons, Crenshaw Cliffside and Palmer Lakeside. Barton Creek Resort & Spa combines luxury and impeccable service with a casual elegance found only in Austin. The resort earned the AAA Four Diamond rating for the 10th year, and it offers superior dining experiences, a host of recreation options, some of the industry’s finest meeting facilities, and a full-service spa. The 300 guestrooms are furnished in a richly textured style that defines Texas chic.

Located in Austin, Barton Creek Resort & Spa combines impeccable service with its classic brand of Austin casual elegance set in luxurious surroundings. Featuring 300 beautifully appointed rooms, Barton Creek has something for everyone and offers superior dining experiences, 72 holes of nationally acclaimed championship golf, the industry’s finest meeting facilities and a full-service spa, including a unique line of Texas-themed services. The resort is owned and operated ClubCorp.

Founded in 1957, Dallas-based ClubCorp is the world leader in delivering premier golf, private club, and resort experiences. Internationally, ClubCorp's affiliates own or operate nearly 170 golf courses, country clubs, private business and sports clubs, and resorts. ClubCorp has more than $1.5 billion in assets. Among the company’s nationally recognized golf properties are Pinehurst in the Village of Pinehurst, North Carolina (North America’s largest golf resort, home to the 1999 and 2005 U.S. Opens); Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio (site of the World Golf Championships – Bridgestone Invitational); Vista Vallarta in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (site of the 2006 Champions Tour Puerto Vallarta Golf Classic); Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California (home of the Kraft Nabisco Championship); and The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia (America’s first resort founded in 1766). The more than 60 business clubs and business and sports clubs include the Boston College Club; City Club on Bunker Hill in Los Angeles; Columbia Tower Club in Seattle; Metropolitan Club in Chicago; and the City Club of Washington, D.C. The company’s 18,000 employees serve the nearly 200,000 member households and 200,000 guests who visit ClubCorp properties each year.

For more information on Barton Creek Resort & Spa, call 1-800-336-6158 or 512-329-4000 or visit www.bartoncreek.com. Visit www.clubcorp.com for additional company information.

Patricia Faust
Public Relations Manager
Barton Creek Resort & Spa
8212 Barton Club Drive
Austin, TX 78735
Direct Phone: 512-329-4517
Fax: 512-329-4520
Resort Phone: 512-329-4000
http://www.bartoncreek.com