The Mission to Save Muny
Lions Municipal Golf Course in Austin, Texas, more popularly known as “Muny,” is one of the oldest courses in Texas. Established in 1924 by Austin Lions Club members, Muny is a course that is home to many amateur tournaments and has been the training grounds for former PGA Tour Golfers and national championship winners at the University of Texas.
In 1910, Colonel George Washington Brackenridge donated just over 500 acres of land along the Colorado River to the University of Texas with hopes that the land would be the original home for the University of Texas campus. However, his hopes did not come to fruition. In 1924, the Lions Club members leased out a 144-acre stretch of land from the city of Austin and created the original nine-hole Lions Municipal Golf Course.
Located in the prestigious Tarrytown neighborhood of Austin, Muny is surrounded by residential and retail areas alike and is a prime location for development. The developmental plans are becoming more and more likely as the city of Austin has granted the golf course only a one-year lease with no long-term plan to keep it as the city decides what to do financially.
This has caused residents who not only frequent the course but also appreciate its historical value to band around the beloved land and fight for its survival. Being the second oldest course in Austin, Muny’s history goes far beyond just its grounds.
As a municipal course, Muny is open to any person that wants play there. Beyond that, Muny has a history of inclusivity. According to Lions Municipal head golf pro Erik Lopez, Muny was the first golf course to voluntarily desegregate south of the Mason-Dixon line.
“You had African Americans driving from all over,” Lopez said. “And that’s a misconceived thing. Some people think we let a couple African Americans play a long time ago. But I’ve seen so many pictures. The heavy weight champion of the world Joe Louis played here many times. Professional athletes, you name it.”
Because of its involvement in the civil rights movement, Muny was just recently recognized by the federal government and is now in the National Registry of Historic Places. It also was just elected into the Texas Golf Hall of Fame.
To this day, Muny challenges itself to be among the most diverse courses in the state of Texas. Golf has a reputation of being a predominantly privileged, white sport. However, Muny proves that it can be anything but.
“A big misconception is that this is a west Austin course,” Lopez said. “But people of all walks of life play out here. This is a municipal. Anybody that plays out here knows that it’s not the highest maintained course. It’s a lot of fun. It’s a lot of history.”
One response that has engulfed followers has been the establishment of a website that explains the history and encourages financial and physical support to help keep the course alive.
For more information about what can be done, visit SaveMuny.com
