Sweetwater vs. Riverbend

maroonandwhite · June 19, 2007

Can anyone compare/contrast?

Can any of you guys compare these two courses/clubs for me? I'm new to the Sugar Land area, and looking to join a club. I'm hoping some of you knowledgeable locals can give me some helpful info!

Thanks,

Curt

MKGolfer · June 19, 2007

Hey Curt,

I'm a member over at SWCC, but I've never been to Riverbend, so I can only tell you what I know about SW.

36 holes = more variety

Cypress course - shorter distance, but requires precise shot making. Par 71

Pecan course - longer from the tips, but have some tricky holes as well. Par 72

I prefer playing Pecan most of the time, as it's a little more forgiving for my grip it and rip it style. I've had good days and horrible days on both courses, but most of the time, I'm damning things by the 8th hole of Cypress.

Within the last year, they really beefed up memebership. I think there are only 2 memberships left before it goes on waiting list status. Most of the new members know nothing about golf, but decide to play since they're paying for it. This equals slow play, more unrepaired ball marks on the greens, and a lower quality of service. For the initiation fee and reasonable monthly dues, it's still not too bad, though.

They have a fitness facility that will get you by if needed, to save another $100 on joining a gym. Tennis courts are nice too if you can play.

All in all, the service is acceptable, even though the "Personal" service from when I joined 2 years ago has practically disappeared. Nobody knows you by your name anymore. Only the starters know you nowadays. For a private club, you would expect people to call you by Mr. _____. Oh yeah, Habib in the locker room knows everybody, and still represents the quality of service that SW once had.

If you're a weekend golfer, you might want to check both courses before you join. You can contact Carol over at SW and she'll let you play a round for free (if you ask). If you mostly play during the week (like me), SW is a good escape, where you can always get a tee time, even if you call that day.

Good luck, and welcome to Sugar Land.

Mike

taylormadefan · June 19, 2007

Can any of you guys compare these two courses/clubs for me? I'm new to the Sugar Land area, and looking to join a club. I'm hoping some of you knowledgeable locals can give me some helpful info!

Thanks,

Curt

Curt,

Riverbend GC is a golfer's DREAM IMHO. If I was a few years older and a few K richer, I'd be a member there in a heart beat.

It's a fantastic old style golf course lined with large oaks and has a great mix of holes, long, short, wide open, narrow, doglegs. The course is very well maintained, and the members know golf etiquette. When I was considering joining I played on a busy Saturday as a single. Each golfer I came up on politely allowed me to play through until I reached the log jam at 12 and a twosome invited me to play with them in. Everyone I met was incredibly polite and friendly. The membership ranges from old to young and all points in between. It's also a very walkable course.

The facilites are not up to par with Sweetwater's, but their clubhouse may be one of the best in Houston.

They are making a big push to increase their membership, so I'd give them a call, chances are very good they'll have a decent deal going, especially if you're in the 23-35 range.

Sweetwater's great too, facilities are incredible especially if you like to play tennis and have a family that will be using the rest of it, but as MK mentioned their membership has gotten so large its lost some of its country club feel.

bopper53 · June 20, 2007

Both are great.

But if I had to choose one on just the course alone, I choose Riverbend ($3500.00 + to join). Just an awesome 18 hole layout. If you are a single digit player there, then you can play anywhere.

Sweetwater ($5000.00 +) has great benefits, like the pool, member parties like martini night, excellent service and trophy wives for viewing.

I belong to FortBend CC ($1500.00), which is a small old club, cheap to belong, but it is a shorter course about 6400 yds. There are great guys to play with and we have great fun. You can own your own cart there and we have no tee times.

The Houstonian is the high end course in the area, about $35000.00 to join.

Glynn

CooGAR · June 20, 2007

Don't forget to check out Sugar Creek CC too.....Houston's only Robert Trent Jones course.

Bronco6060 · June 20, 2007

I know for a fact that riverbend has lost their greens. they are however coming back. Riverbend is a course that is member owned so I am sure they are hurrying to get the greens back to where they were. Riverbend is also set up not as much as a "members course" they have higher rough and had faster greens. Sweetwater is ok, but way to many people. they don't charge for range balls, so the range is chewed up all the time. The pecan course is by far more enjoyable. they used to ave a LPGA tornament stop there when I was a little kid. Cypress .... well it is a shotmakers course. you will use every club in your bag. Sweetwater also has Tues., Wed., Thurs. guest fees for only $35 so find a buddy and get him to take you out there and get a feel before you decide to join. And they do only hae 2 memberships left. Quail Valley CC is in missouri city and is a really cheap, average condition course. I think you can join for $300 down and $150 a month.

taylormadefan · June 20, 2007

Don't forget to check out Sugar Creek CC too.....Houston's only Robert Trent Jones course.

Sugar Creek is where I take my lessons, and have played it a few times. It's worth a look, but personally, I'd much rather join River Bend since they're about the same price. Sugar Creek is short, they just flooded it with a bunch of new members and the bunkers are borderline dangerous to play out of. Not to mention that the nine that's furthest out rarely sees any maintenance work, I think there are far better options for the money.

Play them all, decide for yourself, and let us know where you can get us on as a guest :D

MKGolfer · June 20, 2007

Just an idea, there are plenty of good daily fee courses in Houston, and many aren't but a 30 minute drive away from Sugar Land. For the money that you'll spend joining, you can play practically any other course in Houston 2-3 times a week, and pay the same.

Some of my local favorites are Memorial Park ($37 to walk on weekends) and Clear Creek ($10 to walk anytime if you join PDP for $55 a mo.). There are a few more nicer courses up North like Cypresswood, Redstone, and Blackhorse if you can drive a little farther. If I were you, I would think hard before joining a private club here. It may make you regret when your buddies ask you to play somewhere else.

Good luck!

MKGolfer · June 20, 2007

Forgot to add, if you can join Houstonian, you'll have a few new best friends before you know it. :D

maroonandwhite · June 21, 2007

Thanks for all the great info everyone-- this has been very helpful!

achu28 · June 21, 2007

I really like both courses at Sweetwater and the descriptions of them above are right on. Large country club with lots of amenities, very nice!

Riverbend has a really great course (except for those few holes where you have to avoid the power lines), but I would get tired of playing the same one all the time. Smaller country club, but I'm sure it has the "close-knit" feeling of which Sweetwater has lost after getting so big.

Sugar Creek has a pretty nice course too, but the membership is getting quite old....so it's hard to find a game if you're younger than 40.

If you have a family, I would definitely choose Sweetwater...plus you've got quite a few Wrx'ers that belong out there.....some of us are the biggest club 'ho's I've ever seen!

One other thing is that after your round at Sweetwater, you could have a drink at taylormadefan's palacial estate! :D