When golfers think of hot-spots around the country, Houston golf often gets over looked. Houston, however, has more to offer than you think, especially for Millennial golfers. Between a vast number of courses surrounding the city, different golf opportunities, and year round access, every golfer needs to start planning their weekend get away to Texas. Soon, Houston golf will be atop every hacker's bucket list.
1). A Variety of Different Courses
The Houston area has 165 courses. Depending on where you live, some may be a lengthy drive, but are certainly worth it. Keeping travel requirements in mind, there are a ton of great public courses surrounding the city as well. Below are some of my favorite courses from the North, South, East and West of the city:
North: Tour 18 Houston, Golf Club of Houston
South: Wildcat Golf Club, Moody Gardens Golf Course
East: Battleground Golf Course at Deer Park
West: Cypress Lakes Golf Club, Memorial Park Golf Course, Blackhorse Golf Course
Moody Gardens Golf Club
Cypress Lakes Golf Club
2). Golf Year Round...Sort of
The weather in Houston allows golfers to play year round, but occasionally the winter days are too cold and the summer days too hot. At the height of the golf season in June, July and August, the temperature averages mid-to-low 90s. When golfing in these conditions you have to make sure to wear sunscreen and drink plenty of water. The winters, however, are somewhat unpredictable for golfers. Houston golf in December can either be played in shorts and a polo one day and the next day you will have to play in pants, jacket and a winter hat. The nice thing though is being able to play year round.
TopGolf Houston-Katy
3). TopGolf
If you like to play golf or have fun, then you have probably heard of TopGolf. The way I like to describe TopGolf is the bowling version of golf. Players of all skill levels have good time. While there is competition for bragging rights, golfers can still enjoy great food, drink and music while enjoying the company of friends. Likewise for those avid golfers, TopGolf is a great place to show off your skills to your friends, coworkers, or even your boss so he picks you for his team in the next golf outing.
4.) PGA Tour Golf Tournaments
Houston is no stranger to PGA Tour events. It is home to the Shell Houston Open every year in April at The Golf Club of Houston. This tournament draw a pretty big crowd, over 150,000 people over the week, with a large majority of them being young professionals. Look for NextGen Houston to have some discount tickets and potentially party bus to and from this event....
5.) It Can be Expensive, but Varies with the Season
Houston golf can get expensive, but that depends heavily on the season. Cheap rounds can be found but they are usually during the twilight hours or during the off-peak season. Since lots of people take advantage twilight rates, the pace of play will be slower than you like. If you don't mind the slow pace or scorching temperatures, make sure to play you trip to Houston in advance!
**Kevin Hamori is the City Leader for Houston. Kevin graduated from The Ohio State University in '14, and former President of the National Collegiate Club Golf Association. You can contact Kevin at nexgenhouston@gmail.com.
