Pine Forest Golf Club in Bastrop wants golfers to give the Riverside golf course a second look.

Last March, the course offered “pay what you want” green fees on its Facebook page. David Buttross, the owner of the 180-acre golf course, says they might offer the deal again. The idea was to get golfers to check out the improvements made since he purchased the property in 2017.

The 18-hole course in Tahitian Village lacks nothing in beauty. The fairways are lined with a forest of pine and hardwood trees, a few houses peeking from the greenery. Five of the holes and the clubhouse overlook the Colorado River.

The hardest part of the course is avoiding the numerous water hazards and sand traps. The front nine has more open fairways, while the back nine is less forgiving but more scenic. The most picturesque holes are 11 and 12. Number 11 is a par 4, 343-yard dogleg left to a green at the highest point of the course and with an expansive view of the river valley. Number 12 is a par 3, 170-yard shot from 75 feet above the green and across a creek.

PGA players Billy Martindale and Don January designed the course in 1979. Both are native Texans. January won 10 PGA Tour titles, including the 1967 PGA Championship. The pair also built the course at Great Hills Country Club in Austin.

Pine Forest Golf Club is in Bastrop, just under an hour from Austin. Typical green fees with a cart run up to $32 during the week and $42 on weekends and holidays. The course also offers FootGolf and space for outdoor events.

1,445th in a series. Follow “Day Trips & Beyond,” a travel blog, at austinchronicle.com/daily/travel.

This article appears in April 12 • 2019.

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Gerald E. McLeod joined the Chronicle staff in November 1980 as a graphic designer. In April 1991 he began writing the “Day Trips” column. Besides the weekly travel column, he contributed “101 Swimming Holes,” “Guide to Central Texas Barbecue,” and “Guide to the Texas Hill Country.” His first 200 columns have been published in Day Trips Vol. I and Day Trips Vol. II.