Conroe/The Woodlands

[tab10]

Greetings...

 

I am visiting some family at the end of September. I am looking for a couple courses to play during the middle of the week. Are there any country clubs that are open to the public during the week? What courses do ya'll recommend I hit up?

 

Kind regards.

[snagy2000]

Woodforest

[cjblake09]

Woodforest for sure and it is public.

 

[txeconomist]

Woodforest, High Meadow Ranch and Cypresswood Tradition are all pretty damn good. Woodforest has the best greens in Houston as far as public courses go IMO.

[jrsharp21]

Augusta Pines is another course worth checking out. The courses at the The Woodlands Conference Center, Panther Trail and Oaks, are some other options if you are looking to stay in The Woodlands.

[snagy2000]

Woodforest is 27 holes of a really great public course...Also, High Meadow is a good track as well...Heard Augusta Pines was in bad shape and their Members are all playing Gleannloch and not happy...

[cjblake09]

I would agree with above and stay away from Augusta Pines for now until they get their fairways back in order.

[Zeverson]

I can't recommend Woodforest and Highmeadow enough.

[BestGrips]

Would love to host you out at Walden on Lake Conroe! It's consistently ranked by the Dallas Morning News and has a pretty sick par 5 stretch at the turn.

[bigjohntripod]

As someone who hates Woodforest (Because of a score I posted in a tournament a few months ago), it's a great track with great greens. Fast, very fast. Looking forward to getting up there soon.

[Mikolar]

Not really knowing what Henry is doing to the courses in the area, I'd only second Walden. When it's been in shape, it's a really well designed course with several great stretches of homes that take you between the trees and around the lake.

[Jkellender]

Played walden for the first time last week. Beautiful course and was in great shape. There's a 3 hole stretch where you're right on the lake. Highly recommend. But pretty tough to score. High meadow ranch is rock solid. Also highly recommend tour 18, it's in humble a little south of you but it has a repicla of amen corner and also has #17 at sawgrass (island green). But what am I saying. Houston's gonna be under water for a month. Thanks Harvey.

[tab10]

Well, I bet many of these courses will be flood for a long time and closed.

 

Sending good thoughts to you Houston, folks.

[BestGrips]

Walden drains pretty well. I was out there a few minutes today and it didn't look to bad. Panther Trails in the woodlands on the other hand may lose at least two holes.

[Tbell3]

Played walden for the first time last week. Beautiful course and was in great shape. There's a 3 hole stretch where you're right on the lake. Highly recommend. But pretty tough to score. High meadow ranch is rock solid. Also highly recommend tour 18, it's in humble a little south of you but it has a repicla of amen corner and also has #17 at sawgrass (island green). But what am I saying. Houston's gonna be under water for a month. Thanks Harvey.

 

I played Tour 18 in July and it was in awful shape. Played Cypresswood Traditions course last week and it was in SPECTACULAR shape

[snagy2000]

Played walden for the first time last week. Beautiful course and was in great shape. There's a 3 hole stretch where you're right on the lake. Highly recommend. But pretty tough to score. High meadow ranch is rock solid. Also highly recommend tour 18, it's in humble a little south of you but it has a repicla of amen corner and also has #17 at sawgrass (island green). But what am I saying. Houston's gonna be under water for a month. Thanks Harvey.

 

I played Tour 18 in July and it was in awful shape. Played Cypresswood Traditions course last week and it was in SPECTACULAR shape

 

Not surprising, Tour 18's new owners are cheap.

[Tbell3]

Played walden for the first time last week. Beautiful course and was in great shape. There's a 3 hole stretch where you're right on the lake. Highly recommend. But pretty tough to score. High meadow ranch is rock solid. Also highly recommend tour 18, it's in humble a little south of you but it has a repicla of amen corner and also has #17 at sawgrass (island green). But what am I saying. Houston's gonna be under water for a month. Thanks Harvey.

 

I played Tour 18 in July and it was in awful shape. Played Cypresswood Traditions course last week and it was in SPECTACULAR shape

 

Not surprising, Tour 18's new owners are cheap.

 

 

Its sad to see people purchase a property and then run it into the ground thinking that its the best way to save money.

[tab10]

Updates on the Houston courses?

 

Based on the feedback in this thread, Cypresswood and Woodforest may be worth checking out.

 

 

Edit: Cypresswood is closed UFN

[cjblake09]

Played Panther Creek yesterday and it was in great shape. Green were nice and fast and no bunker issues at all.

[mctrees02]

Played walden for the first time last week. Beautiful course and was in great shape. There's a 3 hole stretch where you're right on the lake. Highly recommend. But pretty tough to score. High meadow ranch is rock solid. Also highly recommend tour 18, it's in humble a little south of you but it has a repicla of amen corner and also has #17 at sawgrass (island green). But what am I saying. Houston's gonna be under water for a month. Thanks Harvey.

 

I played Tour 18 in July and it was in awful shape. Played Cypresswood Traditions course last week and it was in SPECTACULAR shape

 

Not surprising, Tour 18's new owners are cheap.

i wonder if it’s the same ownership group that let Tour 18 in Dallas go to waste.

[snagy2000]

Played walden for the first time last week. Beautiful course and was in great shape. There's a 3 hole stretch where you're right on the lake. Highly recommend. But pretty tough to score. High meadow ranch is rock solid. Also highly recommend tour 18, it's in humble a little south of you but it has a repicla of amen corner and also has #17 at sawgrass (island green). But what am I saying. Houston's gonna be under water for a month. Thanks Harvey.

 

I played Tour 18 in July and it was in awful shape. Played Cypresswood Traditions course last week and it was in SPECTACULAR shape

 

Not surprising, Tour 18's new owners are cheap.

i wonder if it's the same ownership group that let Tour 18 in Dallas go to waste.

 

No, 2 different organizations.

[TravelingGolfSticks]

Played walden for the first time last week. Beautiful course and was in great shape. There's a 3 hole stretch where you're right on the lake. Highly recommend. But pretty tough to score. High meadow ranch is rock solid. Also highly recommend tour 18, it's in humble a little south of you but it has a repicla of amen corner and also has #17 at sawgrass (island green). But what am I saying. Houston's gonna be under water for a month. Thanks Harvey.

 

I played Tour 18 in July and it was in awful shape. Played Cypresswood Traditions course last week and it was in SPECTACULAR shape

 

Not surprising, Tour 18's new owners are cheap.

i wonder if it's the same ownership group that let Tour 18 in Dallas go to waste.

 

 

 

No, not the same owners.

[BigWyoming]

I'm heading to The Woodlands this weekend for a charity scramble at Carlton Woods on Monday. We're also looking to tag some other rounds on in the area. We are booked at Woodforest on Saturday morning and The Woodlands Country Club tournament course Saturday afternoon. Anyone played those recently and could give us a read on conditions? Any other courses in the area that are in good shape we should try out?

 

We understand the challenges of overseeding and also Harvey, but 4 of us are coming down from Wyoming so anything not under 6" of snow sounds pretty good to us about now.

 

Thanks for any info.

[txeconomist]

Played Woodforest last Sunday. It is in good shape and the greens were ridiculously fast. From a conditioning perspective it's probably the best public golf course in Houston outside of Golf Club of Houston around tourney time.

[stevemac]

I regularly play Walden and it is in great shape. High Meadow 2 weeks ago was also in excellent shape. Have fun-nice weather right now-Its our idea of fall!

[Ty-Webb]

Giving this thread a 5 year bump instead of making a similar one

 

I am moving to Houston this year and need advice on golf and where to live:

 

details:

Work for an Airline and looking for a place between Sam Houston Tollway and Conroe in efforts to be closer to IAH and be outside the city. 

late 30's single no kids

 

Just by doing some light research I am leaning towards Kingwood area, but open for other suggestions and would go as far north as Lake Conroe. 

 

The main question is about joining a club. Are all requiring deep initiation fees? Are there any good public, semi private courses or golf passes (multiple courses) available around till I get the lay of the land? I ask as I may be using a good bit of savings down on a house to help offset the rising interest rates. Or I could just rent a place and then I would have the money for an initiation but don't think I could do both at this time. I'll figure that part out eventually. 

 

I currently belong to a municipal that's top notch (one of top public courses in the state) and the rate I got was a steal that included cart. I had that rate locked in prior to the covid boom and they have honored it. I also belong to a resort course that has two 18's but it's a good drive. It's public but limits tee times to the public so resort guests, members have priority. All three courses do get a lot of play but I have been decent at avoiding the crowds when I am a single. I play with 3 different groups and joined a regional 'tour' (used very loosely, it's a golf league that does some travel) 

 

With all that said I have always wanted to join a club but have always held off due to not wanting to limit myself to just one track and also wanted a good feel for the other members before I committed. I can't/won't be apart of some stuffy/keeping up with the Joneses  environment.

 

Any help, advice will be appreciated and hopefully reciprocated in form of beers one day. 

[snagy2000]

3 hours ago, Ty-Webb said:

Giving this thread a 5 year bump instead of making a similar one

 

I am moving to Houston this year and need advice on golf and where to live:

 

details:

Work for an Airline and looking for a place between Sam Houston Tollway and Conroe in efforts to be closer to IAH and be outside the city. 

late 30's single no kids

 

Just by doing some light research I am leaning towards Kingwood area, but open for other suggestions and would go as far north as Lake Conroe. 

 

The main question is about joining a club. Are all requiring deep initiation fees? Are there any good public, semi private courses or golf passes (multiple courses) available around till I get the lay of the land? I ask as I may be using a good bit of savings down on a house to help offset the rising interest rates. Or I could just rent a place and then I would have the money for an initiation but don't think I could do both at this time. I'll figure that part out eventually. 

 

I currently belong to a municipal that's top notch (one of top public courses in the state) and the rate I got was a steal that included cart. I had that rate locked in prior to the covid boom and they have honored it. I also belong to a resort course that has two 18's but it's a good drive. It's public but limits tee times to the public so resort guests, members have priority. All three courses do get a lot of play but I have been decent at avoiding the crowds when I am a single. I play with 3 different groups and joined a regional 'tour' (used very loosely, it's a golf league that does some travel) 

 

With all that said I have always wanted to join a club but have always held off due to not wanting to limit myself to just one track and also wanted a good feel for the other members before I committed. I can't/won't be apart of some stuffy/keeping up with the Joneses  environment.

 

Any help, advice will be appreciated and hopefully reciprocated in form of beers one day. 

Kingwood has a variety of courses near it, the Clubs of Kingwood (private), Cypresswood, Tour 18 and Walden Lake Houston. The last 2 were just put up for sale a few weeks back by it's owners who are divesting all their club golf properties in Texas. This is a good thing, as I don't think another company can run them any worse then the current regime.

 

There's a new semi-private course about in Porter just north of Kingwood named Highland Pines, have no idea what it's like since I haven't played it yet, but I hear they soft opened in November. 

 

Spring/Woodlands/Conroe areas have nice courses but most are private. High Meadow Ranch is probably the best public available course in the area. You'd also have quick access to Cypresswood as well. 

 

Personally, I prefer the Spring/Woodlands area over the Kingwood area.

[Ty-Webb]

@snagy 

 

Any insight to clubs with multiple 9's or 18's? Or clubs that give reciprocal play at other tracks? The more I look into Woodforest the more that sounds ideal. 

 

And thanks for the feedback on location - I am digging the Spring/Woodlands/Egypt area more now that you recommended. 

[cjblake09]

13 minutes ago, Ty-Webb said:

@snagy 

 

Any insight to clubs with multiple 9's or 18's? Or clubs that give reciprocal play at other tracks? The more I look into Woodforest the more that sounds ideal. 

 

And thanks for the feedback on location - I am digging the Spring/Woodlands/Egypt area more now that you recommended. 

If you join Highland Pines you can also play at Augusta Pines, and Gleannloch Pines as well.  Most budget friendly. 

 

Last i heard Woodforest was full and the line to get it was a little tricky but that could have changed.   Not sure your budget either but The Woodlands has 5 courses depending on the level of membership you are. 

[SnowbirdTom]

Retired and wintering in an apartment off the NW corner of IAH myself (Westfield).  Renting or buying?  Go a bit further north for nicer places. Shenandoah or Humble/Atascocita isn’t horrible and the commute reasonable.  Traffic is heavy round here.
 

Cypresswood is semi-private and offers “memberships”.  I took them up as a budget conscious senior.

 

https://www.cypresswood.com/golf/membership

 

High Meadow Ranch is beautiful, but getting rather pricy.  The country club$ in this area mostly have reciprocals with at least one other local course.  Call around for pricing and be seated when ya do.  Most of the regular courses offer some form of membership also.