Loraloma
Spicewood, Texas, USA
7,412 Yards / Par-72
75.1 Course Rating / 142 Slope
Architect: David McLay Kidd
Opened: October 2025
Birdie+

The name David McLay Kidd was relatively unknown to many throughout the broader golf community prior to the rocket-like ascension of his design at Bandon Dunes in 1999. However, his foundation in golf started from its earliest days as the son of a man who was the long-time superintendent for the renowned Gleneagles in Scotland.

Fast forward now a quarter of a century later and David McLay Kidd has become one of the leading golf course architects on the planet.

The Scotsman’s philosophy mirrors from his earliest days when growing up and playing the sport in Scotland. The central theme? Packaging spacious fairways with various internal movements in tandem with engaging angles of attack for approaches to targets that both accept and repel shots. Promoting playability for the widest array of golfers and ensuring the blending of aerial and ground game skills are consistently called upon for golfers to demonstrate the highest degree of dexterity.

The Kidd profile has included a range of courses scattered about. He was the first designer of a new course at St. Andrews in nearly 100 years when his Castle Course opened for play along the North Sea. His work includes Mammoth Dunes at the multi-layout Sand Valley in Wisconsin, Gamble Sands in Washington, Graybull in Nebraska, Nanea in Hawaii, to name just a few that have garnered serious acclaim. He is now based in Bend, Oregon with his family.

The greater Austin area is one of the hotbeds for golf course development in the United States. Several new courses have either opened or planned to come forward in the near term. There have also been numerous updatings of various existing courses.

Loraloma is Kidd’s first foray in the Lone Star State. The development — called Thomas Ranch — encompasses over 2,200+ acres and located roughly 30 minutes from the core downtown area of Austin. The development by Areté Collective will provide for a comprehensive community that provides for fitness, wellness, culinary arts, equestrian, nature-based encounters, to name just a few of the added amenities. The 18-hole layout serves as the central part of the total offerings provided.

Kidd’s philosophy for Loraloma harkens to his Scottish roots. “Golf is a sport that relies on nature for the field of play. The more compelling the landscape the golf course sits within, the more golfers enjoy their game. At Loraloma, my hope is that in a short space of time, Mother Nature will adopt the course, make it her own, and the line between what I created and what existed before will disappear almost completely.”

The course itself is situated on less than 120 acres and provides for eight holes located along cliffs above the adjoining Pedernales River which eventually runs into nearby Lake Travis.

Zoysia was used as the turf of choice and getting daily / sufficient firmness will be the major emphasis point. Establishing a meaningful bond between aerial and ground golf shots is the key goal for maxing out the premise of the design. A future return visit will be scheduled to see how well matters have evolved on this essential tenet.

Loraloma features holes split into two areas with a narrow land bridge connecting them together. Kidd’s routing is done well — maxing out the most in hole variety and overall challenge. There is a main road forming the property boundary to the north and the aforementioned river bracketing the southern perimeter.

Real estate will be included — a total of 89 houses are to be located near to the golf property but without being intrusive in taking away what the golf experience seeks to maximize.

The versatility of the design comes from the five various teeing areas offered to players. The layout can be played for the shortest yardage of 4,559 to a maximum of 7,412 yards from the Loraloma tees.

The opening hole plays 438 yards and allows players to stretch the muscles. The par-4 requirements are fairly straightforward but you find quickly how the design pushes back when an approach is pushed too far right. The 2nd reverses direction and while only 368 yards the back teeing area provides for a diagonal tee shot. One must pay particular attention as any hapless play venturing too far right will find a dead-end gulch that provides for no return.

The long two-shot hole at the 3rd is well crafted. Covering 468 yards, the golfer faces a blind approach to the putting surface. There are various ways to play the hole and being conscious in marrying sufficient length and proper trajectory are essential elements here.

The frontal mounding is complimented by a green possessing a number of internal riddles to answer. If ever a hole was fashioned with vintage Scottish golf dynamics – the 3rd at Loraloma encapsulates it superbly.

Holes 4-8 up the ante considerably. The 4th is a long two-shot hole — 515 yards — and it provides a stunning backdrop with the Pedernales River in the nearby distance.

Credit Kidd in including a long par-3 in the design at hole 5. Playing 242 yards, there is an alleyway that permits players to bounce an approach onto the green from the left side.

The par-5 6th generally provides for a favorable wind direction. Playing 553 yards, strong players will have an opportunity to reach the green in two shots. The putting surface features a spine providing for an upper left area and one below. A birdie opportunity is possible — just not an absolute given.

The two holes that follow take you as close as possible to the river overlook on the outward nine. The long 7th — 455 yards — plays as a stout dog-leg right. Strong players can play boldly but need sound execution to secure the ample reward. The par-5 8th at 600 yards reverses direction and runs parallel to the cliff. Generally, this hole plays into the prevailing wind. The internal fairway bunkering is well-positioned and players will need to approach the elusive target with great skill to the imaginatively shaped green. If the pin is in the deep left corner, be thoroughly prepared for the challenge provided.

The front side closes out with a non-descript short par-3 at 146 yards. It’s fine to have such holes in the mix provided the architecture adds something. The 9th is merely a bystander.

The 10th and 11th are sufficient but hardly noteworthy. Each requires careful placement off the tee though. Hole 10 is 400 yards and moves slightly to the right in the drive zone. Hole 11 is the shortest of the two-shot holes at 338 yards and entices the golfer to go full throttle off the tee. The smart play is to secure position off the tee and set-up a short pitch to the green. In many routings you need holes transitioning from one part of a property to the other. Holes 9-11 do that.

The round reignites with the 12th. The 434-yard par-4 has a center-placed bunker to avoid on this downhill hole. The green presents a spine within it and players have to land approaches on the correct side.

Hole 13 is the best of the quartet of par-3 holes. The green is shared with the 2nd hole and the view from the teeing area is quite engaging. Playing 221 yards players will often encounter cross wind conditions. The green hugs a major drop-off to the left so when the pin is cut near to that side, the operative word is showing respect and caution on one’s play from the tee.

The main downside after concluding play at hole 13 is the excessive cart ride one must take to arrive at the 14th. As was previously stated, Loraloma features a split piece of property with a narrow connector.

Hole 14 plays generally into the prevailing wind and Kidd saw fit not to include bunkers on the 472-yard hole. The desire to go with “less” actually provides for a “more” impactful situation.

Kidd did provide for a catch-up hole at the 15th. The par-5 moves to the left on the drive and a nearby pond is within reach for those erring too far to that side.

The final trio of holes is a split between a par-4, par-3 and closing par-5 holes. The two-shot 16th plays 453 yards and even though it plays generally with the prevailing wind, the approach must be cognizant of a green that features a rib and when the pin is cut in the left side can present a clear challenge to leave the hole in par.

The penultimate hole is the last of the par-3s at 182 yards. Unfortunately, the hole lacks anything of design note.

From the max tees, the 18th plays 593 yards. Generally, the prevailing wind assists play and the ample fairway landing area invites the big drive. The hole comes alive on the second shot. The hole moves right for the last 175 yards and encounters a diagonal landing area with a steep drop-off to the right.

Players have to decide how much of the corner they wish to cut off. Those risking a more aggressive line of attack can reap the bounty in either reaching the green or having a very short simple pitch shot. The closing hole ends the round in fitting fashion. Those opting to play down the left side for total safety will then have to hit a far longer shot into the green. The closing hole showcases the connection between Mother Nature and golf as the twisting turns of the Pedernales River are within full view when putting.

Loraloma is a clear step up in the rapidly expanding golf portfolio in greater Austin. Kidd has created a design that dovetails on how he sees golf architecture connecting to the broadest array of players. How does the layout compare to the other quality courses Kidd has created? It’s among his better results although his upper echelon provides for a more complete design with little to no drop-off in hole quality.

All images courtesy of Evan Schiller

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