Today we are going to a big event in Lakeway. The Hills County Club golf course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1981. The course has undergone a major renovation led by the Jack Nicklaus team and is now ready for play. The ribbon-cutting ceremony and the official opening are what we are going to visit. Our brunch is being catered by Le Politique of Austin. Our entertainment is Linda Ronstadt.
Menu
CROQUE MONSIEUR Griddled ham & comté cheese sandwich, sauce mornay, dijon+ add a fried egg
STEAK FRITES 10oz grilled Texas ribeye, red wine herb butter, fries, sauce béarnaise (
SEARED SNAPPER PROVENÇAL Seared tomatoes, niçoise olives, and onions, parsley lemon foam
CHICKEN PAILLARD Breaded chicken, capers, brown butter, lemon, farm lettuce
TROUT ALMONDINE Seared trout, rice pilaf, lemon brown butter, toasted almonds
ROYALE WITH CHEESE Grass-fed beef, caramelized onions, swiss & gruyère cheese, Russian dressing, pickles, fries
OMELETTE Free-range local eggs, Boursin pepper cheese, butter lettuce
PARISIAN GNOCCHI Seared mushrooms, brandy-infused cream sauce
MOULES FRITES Bouchot mussels, white wine broth, crème fraîche, thyme, sourdough
Hop on the bus, and let’s go.
The sky is threatening rain.
The registration desk.
Play Yellow is a children’s charity established by Jack Nicklaus to benefit Dell’s Children’s Medical Center in Austin and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Florida. The Hills Country Club has taken on Play Yellow as its charity.
The ribbon-cutting scissors.
Speeches by the Club President and a video featuring Jack Nicklaus.
Tom Kite, (left) a former US Open winner, will hit the ceremonial first ball off the first tee.
Cutting the ribbon on the first tee. A group of the club officer and Tom Kite.
Tom’s shot. You can see the ball just off the clubhead beginning its rise to the fairway.
Also on the agenda was a putting contest that offered a $25,000 first prize to the winner and $25,000 to Play Yellow for sinking a 150-yard putt. Unfortunately, none of the four finalists made it. The second prize was for closest to the pin.
A photo was taken with a waterfall backdrop back when the course was new. All Masters Tournament winners – Byron Nelson, Jack Nicklaus, Charles Cootie, and Ben Crenshaw.
The waterfall today.
I hope you enjoyed our outing now. Sit back and enjoy the brunch and music. I hope you have a wonderful week.
Fiction Favorites 
Brings back memories of when I used to golf. Wish I had stuck with it.
Thanks for the ride and steak frites, John.
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I wish I coul say I played golf. More like played at golf. Gave up in 1991. 😁
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Dear John,
thanks for taking us to your golf course. We are impressed that Jack Nicklaus seems to be a member of your club. Did he design this golf course?
Wishing you a great coming week
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Yes, he designed this course. He is not a member though. Thanks, Klausbernd. Have a great week. 😁
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As someone who was once an avid golfer before writing took over my free time, I loved this post, John. What a great photo of Byron Nelson, Jack Nicklaus, Charles Cootie, and Ben Crenshaw. The course looks beautiful. Thanks for the tour! Enjoy your Sunday.
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I’m glad you liked it, Jill. I remember how you used to golf. Do you still get to play now and then?
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With my wrist issues, it’s been a while. I do sit on the patio and write, so I get to hear all of the golfer passing by…lots of cussing! 🙂
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Hahaha. Goes with the game. 😁
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Nice coverage of the event, John. Good action shot off the tee. I remember watching those four at various times. My dad was a big golfer and fan of the sport. We were fans of Arnold Palmer, but there was no denying Jack’s prowess. I had the steak frites but those omelettes looked good.
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Thanks, Dan. The Producer found that photo and it is one for the archives. Thanks for sharing. I hope your week is terrific. 😁
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Impressive course, and a very nice reopening. I think it’s good that they’re supporting a children’s charity. Great timing on Tom’s shot! Thanks for steak and the tour, John, with some Linda Ronstadt to wrap it up. 🙂
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I’m glad you enjoyed it, Tim. I was very lucky with the shot.
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I’ve always thought that golfers see the most beautiful stretches of land. The professional courses are all gorgeous — just like The Hills. Imagine spending every day in such beauty. What a gift! Thank you for sharing, John. Your brunch looks amazing. 😊
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The nice thing about my brunches is they are zero calories, zero fat, zero anything. Of course, they rely on memory since they have zero taste. The Hills is a beautiful property. Thanks, Gwen. I hope you have a peaceful Sunday.
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😂 I like zero calories.
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😁
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A lovely performance by Linda Ronstadt! I hadn’t heard that song in years. Have a good week, John!
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I love her rendition. I think I had a crush on her in the early days. This video was my favorite. Have a good week as well, Liz.
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Thank you, John. I will certainly try!
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😁
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That Parisian Gnocchi sounds heavenly. The golf course looks fab and a great charity. Thanks for Linda, love love her. Like, Liz, I haven´t heard this song for a long time. Have a great week ahead, John.
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I like Linda too. Thanks, Darlene
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I’ve never played golf (unless you count putt-putt, LOL) but this course looks beautiful. That’s quite a gathering of players in that photo!
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It was a find for sure. Thanks, Joan.
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Nice picture of the guy’s golf shot.
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Thanks
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My husband is a golf fanatic and as a result, I know a lot of the famous golfers. That picture is priceless. For brunch, definitely the mussels! Did you know that croque monsieur with an egg is croque madame?
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I did not know that. Thanks, Noelle. Your husband would like this course.
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Nice golf shot, John. The course looks beautiful.
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Thank you, Denise. 😊
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Looks like a nice outing.
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Yes it was. Thanks, Craig.
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Now THIS is my idea of a fun outing on Sunday, John! Domer is very into golf — plays every chance he gets. I used to play with him (until I hurt my back). That first hole had me salivating for my clubs!
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It was quite a drive by Tom Kite. It hit the rocks and who knows where it went.
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I love golf courses more than I love golf. But I must say, you are the narrator for me when it comes to the game. And those ribbon-cutting scissors, I need me a pair of those.
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Can you imagine walking into a place and announcing “I’m here to cut costs.” I can hear the laughter from here.
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You’ve got me cracking up!
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😁
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🙂
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Buahahaha!
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😊
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It looked like an interesting and beautiful visit today John but are you saying this was a trip in your mind only since you meet up with Zero of the calorific content of the menu? At least you can listen to Linda Ronstadt at any time.
Have a Great New Week
Hugs
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Of the mind, perhaps, David. Thanks.
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Nice looking course. Tom Kite was an excellent golfer. Are you a golfer, John? I never got good enough to take it up seriously. I sliced the driver, hooked the irons, and 10% of the time, I’d hit one pure. Expensive hobby!
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No. I thought I wanted to golf but after lessons I finally admitted that I didn’t enjoy it.
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That was a cool tour, John. Thanks for taking us along on the trip. BTW, the trout almondine was superb 🙂
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I’m glad you liked it. Thanks, Mae.
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It’s quite beautiful, John. I’m not a golfer, but definitely enjoy the greens 🙂
By the way, I didn’t notice any leftie scissors on that table!
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Yeah. Seems they forgot. Look in the photo and see if anyone is using them upside down.
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Lol, that’s what I do 🙂
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😁
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I liked the old photo of the champs, John. What a beautiful course. Almost makes me want to graduate from mini-golf to real golf! 🙂
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I think mini is fun. The other is hard work.
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Me too.
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That was fun, John – thanks for taking me along!
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Thanks for going along, Barbara.
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What a great shot – where we see the ball 😉
Some golf courses are so beautiful. The two I worked at, I never even got a chance to see completely. How nuts is that? I was promised a tour which never came to be… and yeah, I could have played for free, ‘cept I don’t dig on playing…
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That is like working in a chocolate factory and being allergic to chocolate. Thanks, Dale. 😊
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I know, right? I figure I should try again one day. Last time I was all of 19…
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Yeah I quit after a ton of lessons. Never did get the groove.
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I don’t have the patience to chase a little ball across a field… 😉
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I’m with you.
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You and I can hang at the clubhouse with a nice cold one or a glass of wine whilst the others smack away at their balls 😉
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Can we do something other than watch the ball smacking?
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Absolutely! Any ideas?
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Hummm. Maybe play bridge with the oldsters.
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Ummm… Do you play cribbage? I don’t know bridge!
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Back in college.
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🙂
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😊
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What a beautiful course! Bet hubby would love to play that one.
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I think any golfer would, Teri. Thanks for the visit.
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Thanks for a fun tour! What a beautiful golf course!
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It is, Jan
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Excellent coverage of the Opening, John, and most excellent timing on that shot of the ball!!
I’ll take a sampler platter with just a bite of everything please! 😀
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Here is your platter. Thanks for going along, Deborah.
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😀
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😁
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Great tour and menu, John. I won 1st place in a golf tournament when I was 13 years old. Fun times, and the courses are always so beautiful. But tennis appealed to me more as I got older. 🙂
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Yeah I liked tennis too.
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And ping pong? I love it and tend to get a bit competitive. 🙂
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I never got into ping pong. Don’t know why.
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This looks like a lovely opening and day, John. I do enjoy golf courses from an aesthetic point of view, they are usually very beautiful. I have never played.
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Yes they are nice to look at for sure. Thank you, Robbie.
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A great catch of the ball off Tom’s driver. At first sight it looks headed for the rocks but I suppose that is an illusion.
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No he hit the rocks and then said, “Don’t get old.” 😁
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Celebrity tee-off in a golf event must be a scary proposition…
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Of course, he plays better than 100% of those watching him.
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My goodness! This is a big wow, John. I wish all athletes and celebrities were as genuine and as giving as these golfers.
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It would make a difference for sure. Thanks, Jennie.
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Yes! Best to you, John.
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