The Firecracker Open has been running at Lions Municipal every Fourth of July weekend since 1945 — 81 years of amateur golf on Austin's oldest public course. This is the tournament where Crenshaw, Kite, and Uresti all cut their teeth before turning pro. 54 holes, no cut, and a field that mixes college stars with 60-year-old regulars who know every break on every green.
The Muny itself opened in 1924 as nine holes cut through the oaks on Enfield Road. In 1950, it quietly became the first desegregated public course south of the Mason-Dixon line. The Muny Conservancy is overseeing ongoing renovations, including a new 8,000-square-foot putting green. The 2026 Firecracker runs July 3-5. If you've never watched it, this is the year.
