Imagine Muny Gala Raises $1M for Austin's Lions Municipal

By Staff Writer

September 17, 2026

2 min read

The fairway at Lions Municipal Golf Course in Austin, the muny at the center of a $1 million fundraising gala.

Key takeaways

The Imagine Muny 5 gala surpassed its $1 million fundraising goal for the Save Muny Conservancy.
Lions Municipal has operated since 1936 on 140 acres leased from the University of Texas, with the city paying roughly $500,000 a year.
The course is recognized as the first fully desegregated municipal golf course in the South.
Korn Ferry Tour rookie Tommy Morrison holed a par-4 in one shot while playing the course in flip-flops, according to conservancy co-founder Scotty Sayers.
Headliner Tanya Tucker performed alongside Jack Ingram, Wade Bowen and Asleep at the Wheel.

The Save Muny Conservancy raised more than $1 million for Lions Municipal Golf Course at its Imagine Muny 5 gala, held at Austin City Limits' Moody Theater and headlined by country singer Tanya Tucker.

Why is Lions Municipal significant?

Lions Municipal, known locally as "Muny," has been in continuous play since 1924 and has operated since 1936 on 140 acres leased from the University of Texas, with the city of Austin paying roughly $500,000 annually for the arrangement. The course sits on the university's 500-acre Brackenridge Tract and is recognized as the first fully desegregated municipal golf course in the South. Two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw and longtime business partner Scotty Sayers have led the conservancy's effort to secure the course's long-term future, shifting in recent years from a bid to purchase the land outright toward closer collaboration with the university on maintenance and lease negotiations.

What happened with Tommy Morrison's shot?

Sayers used the gala to share a story about Tommy Morrison, who turned pro out of the University of Texas this year and has already won once and finished runner-up twice in his first eight Korn Ferry Tour starts. According to Sayers, Morrison played Lions for the first time this year, walking the course in flip-flops, and holed out for a 1 on the par-4 ninth hole — a double eagle.

The gala's concert lineup also featured surprise sets from Dale Watson and Austin's The Copa Kings, with bidding led by Brittany Franklin during a live auction.

Tucker said she wants the course preserved "for our great-great-great grandkids."

What's next for the conservancy?

The conservancy continues to push for a long-term lease agreement with the University of Texas as land values in Austin have climbed, a shift from its earlier goal of buying the property outright. Organizers have not announced a date for the next Imagine Muny gala.