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Take along the golf clubs. Houston’s public golf courses rank at the top of the leader board for being welcoming and affordable. With mild winters and plenty of sunshine year-round, the area’s courses offer challenging play and layouts, along with eye-catching views, designed by marquee names including two-time British Open winner Greg Norman and golf architect Keith Foster.
CYPRESSWOOD
Foster’s creation, the Tradition course at Cypresswood sports thick forests and rolling fairways in nearby Spring — only 20 minutes from Bush Intercontinental Airport. The 7,220-yard, par-72 course hosts one of four qualifiers for the PGA Tour’s Shell Houston Open.
21602 Cypresswood Drive, Spring, Texas. (281) 821-6300.
MEADOWBROOK FARMS
The masterfully designed Greg Norman golf course at Meadowbrook Farms renovated its greenside and fairway bunkers last year to heighten the par-72, 7,100-yard experience in Katy, west of Houston. Players enjoy an environment full of hardwood trees, creeks, lakes, and wetlands enveloped by native prairie grass and beautiful wildflowers.
23230 Meadowbrook Farms Club Drive, Katy, Texas. (281) 693-4653.
TOUR 18
For players who want to experience the most storied holes on the PGA Tour without the grind of qualifying school, Tour 18 is the best bet for duffers. Each hole is a loving tribute to the courses where history occurs, such as Amen Corner, Sawgrass, or Doral. The 6,782-yard, par-72 course allows golfers to play on the courses seen only on TV.
3102 FM 1960, Humble. (281) 540-1818.
MEMORIAL PARK
One of the nation’s best municipal courses, Memorial Park Golf Course welcomes more than 60,000 patrons each year — for good reason: fine layouts and vivid scenery on a 600-acre area. In 1995, the 7,164-yard, par- 72 course was renovated and reopened with a lighted driving range, putting and chipping greens, a new clubhouse facility, and a golf museum.
1001 E. Memorial Loop. (713) 862-4033.
BAY FOREST
In nearby La Porte, Bay Forest is ranked among Texas’ top public courses. The 6768-yard, par-72 course winds through a natural setting of trees and bayou-fed waterways. 201 Bay Forest Drive, La Porte. (281) 471-4653.
