Tour 18 Houston, Lakeside CC Reviews
A promise is a promise, so here are my reviews of the two golf courses I played in Houston; Tour 18 Houston and Lakeside Country Club.
Tour 18 Houston
Tour 18 is a composite of great holes from great courses. The idea here is that the average amateur can get a taste of what some of pro golf’s most famous and most storied holes are about. The course isn’t ridiculously pricey, which means it gets a lot of play. When I was there in December the big fall golf season in Houston had just ended. The course was in good shape, but you could tell it had been played hard.
First and foremost, this course is fun just for reading the history and stories of each hole on the tee box plaques. If you watch much pro golf, you’ll conjure up your own memories. Each hole is a classic, like the famous island 17th at TPC Sawgrass. It’s a kick just to make up your own scenario – say to go one up on Tiger on Sunday - and see if you can hit the green. I played in a threesome and I can say we all had a great time playing the course while walking down memory lane.
If you’re looking for an exact replica of each hole, you’ll be disappointed. There’s no way a public course can match the quality of the greens for one. But they were all in good enough condition to take nothing away from the round.
The last hole is a replica of the 18th at Doral’s Blue Monster. I checked scorecards and found the back tees to be 26 yards shorter in Houston. Other things that are different; elevation changes, bunkering, some of the water and foliage. Hey, who would even dream of trying to replicate the magnolias at Augusta!
The first hole is a copy of the 18th at Harbour Town. Here again the distance is a bit shorter, the tall pines are missing as well as some of the water surrounding the hole. While the holes aren’t ‘exact’ replicas they are close enough to make for an enjoyable round. The next time I watch a pro event, I’ll have a different perspective for some of the classic holes like Augusta’s 12th. This is a fun course to play at least once, probably more if you live in Houston.
Lakeside Country Club Houston
Lakeside Country Club is a private Houston club and I was fortunate enough to have a friend who is a member there. This club is one of the top four or five private clubs in the Houston Area and is built around a lake/river as the name implies. As you would expect of a private course, the facilities, practice area and course conditions are impeccable. There are lots of tree-lined fairways and plenty of water, sometimes appearing as a lake and at other times a meandering stream.
The greens are first-rate and add a lot of character to the course. I understand that the club is in the process of rebuilding many of their bunkers, but I found most of the existing ones to be good. While the land is flat and definitely park like, the course is very well laid out. You almost always feel separated from the other holes and for a Texas course, the plantings are very lush.
A couple of holes really stood out. If I hadn’t misplaced my scorecard I could tell you what number the par 3 was that is flanked by water on the left and in back, while the narrow green is well protected by traps in the front. This one is a real challenge and plays harder than the replica of Sawgrass’s 17th at Tour 18.
I absolutely loved the last hole. It’s a fairly long par five that turns right from the tee and then slightly back left at the hole. Add to that an elevated green with steep banks and water on the front and left and it’s nearly impossible to reach in two. It’s as interesting an 18th hole as I’ve seen in a long time and must make for some dramatic finishes. I’m sure many a club player has gone down in flames on this one. By yourself a beer if you par it.
Bottom line on Lakeside, it’s a first rate course that has to make no apologies to anyone. With difficult greens, challenging hole layouts, and varying tee boxes this is one you’d be happy to call home. If you’re in Houston and know a member at Lakeside, it’s a must play. If you haven’t played a Tour 18 course, be sure to try one out.
Related posts:
- Hitting The Texas Golf Trail
- Hazeltine National Golf Club Facts
- Scottish Trip Course Rotation
- Pro Tour Starts ‘09 In Lackluster Fashion
- Walk The PGA Tour
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