Tag: Memorial Park

Top 25 Public Courses–Texas 2025

Memorial Park

There are some fantastic Golf Resorts in the state of Texas, including Barton Creek, Horseshoe Bay and the brand-new courses at Fields Ranch–but there are a whole lot of terrific daily fee public courses in TX as well.

You always want to look for a good deal, but its key to find one at a solid track so you don’t end up wasting a precious day on the links. For a head start on that, we’ve compiled a list of our 25 highest rated TX public daily fee courses—with details including a link to the course website, course descriptions, paractice facility detail, and google maps for location and directions.

Texas native Jeff Brauer designed 4 of our Top-25, including The Bridges (#5–with Fred Couples), The Wilderness (#6), Tempest Golf Club (#15) and Tangle Ridge (#22).

Keith Foster, renowned for his work restoring and renovating classic courses such as Colonial and Southern Hills, contributed a pair of original designs on our Top-25 (#9 Texas Star and #13 The Quarry).

Tom Doak

Tom Doak, who laid out Pacific Dunes in Oregon (a perennial Golf Digest Top 100 course) designed The Rawls Course at Texas Tech (#2) as well as the renovations at Memorial Park (#4) where the Houston Open will be played at the end of March.

Our #1 Texas Public course, The Golf Club of Houston, is a Rees Jones masterpiece designed in collaboration with PGA Tour player David Toms, while Robert Trent Jones II contributed a terrific municipal layout in Laredo (The Max–#23).

You can also click Texas Public Courses for a comprehensive list of TX courses you can play. To view courses by location, use the GolfDay Search Engine and enter the city where you plan to be.

The Golf Club of Houston
  1. The Golf Club of Houston/Humble

Escalante Golf

  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: Rees Jones/David Toms/Greg Muirhead
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 76.4 Rating/148 Slope (Tournament)
  • Practice Facilities: Double Sided Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers
  • Course Description
  • GolfDay Rating: 99.2
  • Location
The Rawls Course
  1. The Rawls Course/Lubbock

Texas Tech University/Troon Golf

  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: Tom Doak/Jim Urbina
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.2 Rating/138 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Wedge Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers (3).
  • Course Description
  • Photos
  • GolfDay Rating: 97.8
  • Location
White Bluff Golf Club
  1. White Bluff Golf Club/Whitney

Arcis Golf Management

The Bridges Golf Club
  1. The Bridges Golf Club/Gunter

City of Scottsdale/PGA Tour Properties

Memorial Park Golf Course
  1. Memorial Park Golf Course/Houston

City of Houston

  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: John Bredemus/Joe Finger/Ken Dye/Baxter Spann/Tom Doak
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.2 Rating/128 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Two Level Lighted Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens.
  • Course Description
  • GolfDay Rating: 94.6
  • Location
The Wilderness
  1. The Wilderness/Lake Jackson

City of Lake Jackson/KemperSports

  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: Jeffrey Brauer
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.9 Rating/134 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets and Fairway Bunker, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
  • Course Description
  • GolfDay Rating: 94.5
  • Location
Buffalo Creek Golf Club
  1. Buffalo Creek Golf Club/Heath

KemperSports

  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: Tom Weiskopf/Jay Morrish
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.9 Rating/132 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
  • Course Description
  • GolfDay Rating: 94.0
  • Location
The Golf Clubs at the Tribute
  1. The Golf Clubs at the Tribute/The Colony
  • Holes: 36 (2-Eighteen Hole Courses)
  • Course Architects: Tripp Davis/Justin Leonard
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    Old American:  75.2 Rating/145
    The Tribute:      73.9 Rating/130
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
  • Course Descriptions
  • GolfDay Rating: 93.9
  • Location
Texas Star Golf Course
  1. Texas Star Golf Course/Euless

City of Euless

  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: Keith Foster/Robert McNeil
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.6 Rating/139 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Course Description Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
  • Course Description
  • GolfDay Rating: 93.8
  • Location
Tierra Verde Golf Club
  1. Tierra Verde Golf Club/Arlington

 City of Arlington

  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: Gary Panks
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.8 Rating/135 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
  • Course Description/Photos
  • GolfDay Rating: 93.5
  • Location
The Golf Club at Texas A&M
  1. The Golf Club at Texas A&M/College Station

 Texas A&M University/Sterling Golf

  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: Ralph Plummer/Bruce Littell/Jeffrey Blume
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.8 Rating/130 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Driving Range (Grass and Mats), Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
  • Course Description
  • Photos
  • GolfDay Rating: 93.5
  • Location
Southern Oaks Golf & Tennis Club
  1. Southern Oaks Golf & Tennis Club/Burleson
  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: Mark Brooks/Britt Logan
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.8 Rating/136 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Course Description Expansive Lighted Grass Driving Range with Target Greens, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
  • GolfDay Rating: 93.4
  • Location
The Quarry Golf Club
  1. The Quarry Golf Club/San Antonio
  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architect: Keith Foster
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 72.9 Rating/131 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
  • Course Description
  • GolfDay Rating: 93.3
  • Location
Moody Gardens Golf Course
  1. Moody Gardens Golf Course/Galveston

City of Galveston

  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: Peter Jacobsen/Jim Hardy
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.0 Rating/134 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
  • Course Description
  • Photos
  • GolfDay Rating: 93.1
  • Location
Tempest Golf Club
  1. Tempest Golf Club/Gladewater
  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architect: Jeffrey Brauer
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.2 Rating/139 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
  • Course Description
  • Photos
  • GolfDay Rating: 93.1
  • Location
Heritage Ranch Golf & Country Club
  1. Heritage Ranch Golf & Country Club/Fairview
  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architect: Arthur Hills
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.6 Rating/133 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets and Fairway Bunker, Putting and Chipping Greens.
  • Course Description
  • GolfDay Rating: 93.0
  • Location
Live Oak Golf Club
  1. Live Oak Golf Club/Abilene
  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architect: Charles Coody
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.7 Rating/134 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Expansive Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers (2).
  • Course Description/Photos
  • GolfDay Rating: 93.0
  • Location
Pecan Hollow Golf Course
  1. Pecan Hollow Golf Course/Plano

City of Plano

  • Holes: 23 (Eighteen Hole Regulation Course and Five Hole Par 3)
  • Course Architects: Billy Martindale/Don January/Jeffrey Brauer/Jim Colbert/D. A. Weibring/Steve Wolfard
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.4 Rating/141 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Lighted Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers (3).
  • Course Description
  • GolfDay Rating: 93.0
  • Location
Golf Club at Star Ranch
  1. Golf Club at Star Ranch/Hutto
  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: Roy Bechtol/Randy Russell
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.4 Rating/130 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
  • Course Description
  • Photos
  • GolfDay Rating: 92.6
  • Location
Tour 18-Houston
  1. Tour 18-Houston/Humble

 CBIGG Management

  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architect: Dave Edsall
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.5 Rating/135 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Driving Range with Targets and Toptracer Technology, Putting and Chipping Greens.
  • Course Description
  • Photos
  • GolfDay Rating: 92.5
  • Location
Cedar Creek Golf Course
  1. Cedar Creek Golf Course/San Antonio

 City of San Antonio/Alamo City Golf Trail

  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: Joe Finger/Ken Dye/Baxter Spann/Jeffrey Blume/Billy Ray Brown
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.5 Rating/136 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Green.
  • Photos
  • GolfDay Rating: 92.2
  • Location
Tangle Ridge Golf Club
  1. Tangle Ridge Golf Club/Grand Prairie

 City of Grand Prairie

  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architect: Jeffrey Brauer
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.6 Rating/136 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
  • Photos
  • GolfDay Rating: 92.0
  • Location
The Max
  1. The Max/Laredo

 City of Laredo

  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architect: Robert Trent Jones, Jr.
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.6 Rating/ 134 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens.
  • Course Description
  • GolfDay Rating: 91.8
  • Location
Cypresswood Golf Club
  1. Cypresswood Golf Club/Spring

 Foresight Golf

  • Holes: 36 (2-Eighteen Hole Courses)
  • Course Architects: Rick Forester/Keith Foster/Kevin Hargrave
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    Tradition:       74.2 Rating/140 Slope
    Cypress:         74.1 Rating/129 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers (Separate Putting and Chipping Greens with grasses to match each course).
  • Course Descriptions
  • GolfDay Rating: 91.4
  • Location
Vaaler Creek at Rockin Ranch
  1. Vaaler Creek at Rockin Ranch/Blanco
  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architect: Michael Lowry
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.1 Rating/139 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Expansive Grass Driving Range with Target Greens, Putting and Chipping Greens.
  • Course Description
  • GolfDay Rating: 91.4
  • Location

The GolfDay rating is based on a variety of criteria, including the stature of the architect(s) who did the original design(s), updates that have been done on the course(s), USGA Course and Slope Ratings, the quality and diversity of practice facilities, general course conditioning and current reviews.

 

 

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PGA Tour 2024: Scheffler & Company, Inc.

Scottie Scheffler: Current Number 1 Player in The World

With Jon Rahm off to LIV and Rory’s game on sabbatical, Scottie Scheffler has become
Chairman of the Board at PGA Tour Enterprises (the new “for profit” entity engineered by PGA
Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan to counter the Saudi-backed start-up league.)

To say Scottie is off to a hot start in 2024 is a massive understatement. Scheffler has made the
cut in all 7 of the events he’s entered with 6 Top-10’s and 2 wins—including back-to-back at
Bay Hill and The Players. The only tournament where Scottie finished outside the Top 10 was at
the American Express back in January (T17).

Xander Schauffele

Xander Schauffele is having one hell of a year with 6 Top-10’s in 8 starts and no missed cuts, but he is a distant 2nd in the 2024 PGA Power Rankings through last week at The Valspar. Wyndam Clark stands at third, following up his outstanding 2023 season (U.S. Open Champ) with 3 Top-10’s, including a win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. As you scan down the list of early season leaders, a number of new names jump out including Ludwig Aberg (No. 5), Jake Knapp (No.6) and Sahith Theegala (No. 7). Who are these new guys, and what can we expect from them in 2024?

Ludvig Aberg

Other than the greatest female golfer in history (Annika Sorenstam), Sweden has not generally been known for world class golf—although Stenson’s unforgettable duel with Phil at the 2016 Open Championship certainly shined some light in that direction.

Ludvig Aberg (pronounced oh-berg) won a host of junior events in Sweden, including the Annika Sorenstam Trophy, before heading to Texas Tech where he piled up accolades including the Ben Hogan Award (’21 and ‘22), Fred Haskins Award (’23) and the Jack Nicklaus Award (’23).

Since turning pro last year at the RBC Canadian Open, Ludvig has made the cut in 17 of 18 events with 7 Top 10’s and a win at the RSM Classic last November. At 24 years old, Aberg is a big guy (6’3”) and a fantastic driver of the ball who can also putt (1st in Total Driving and 7th in Putting last year)—a powerhouse combination. In his first appearance at The Players two weeks ago he fired 3 rounds of 67 for a T10 (8th), so it should be no surprise when you see his name on the leaderboard at The Masters in April.

Jake Knapp

Jake Knapp made some noise as an amateur 10 years ago in southern California, qualifying for the U.S. Open after just turning 21 in 2015—and then disappeared for the next eight years. Actually, he was honing his game on the Canadian Tour where he broke through for a pair of wins in 2019.

In 2023 Jake played the Korn Ferry Tour, and his game began to really kick in making the cut in 20 of 22 events with 10 Top 10’s in route to gaining his PGA Tour Card for the 2024 season—and he’s made the most it.

Knapp has missed the cut just once in 8 events with 3 Top-10’s including a win at the Mexico Open and a T3 at Torre Pines in The Farmers. He also followed up his win in Mexico the very next week with a T4 at PGA National in the Cognizant Classic—so he wasted no time basking in success.

The word is that Knapp was a bouncer during his time on the Canadian Tour, but since bouncers are generally pretty bulky and somewhat fierce looking, you have to wonder where Jake was working.  In any event, you really have to pull for this young man—he’s certainly paid his dues.

Sahith Theegala

Sahith Theegala just turned 26 years old in December, but he’s already recorded 17 Top-10’s on the PGA Tour including a win at the Fortinet Championship and a T9 at The Masters last year.

Theegala’s fast start on the PGA Tour comes on the heels of an outstanding college golf career at Pepperdine, where he was a 3-tme All-American while winning the Ben Hogan, Fred Haskins, and Jack Nicklaus awards in 2020   

Thus far in 2024 Sahith has finished among the top 10 in 4 of his 8 starts, including a T9 at The Players two weeks ago. Currently Sahith stands at No. 10 in scoring and 7th in putting. Winning major championships is as much about grit and determination as it is pure talent, and Theegala is very long on both—look for Sahith to make some noise on the weekend at Augusta.

Texas Children’s Houston Open

Scottie Scheffler and Wyndam Clark are teeing it up this weekend at Memorial Park in Houston for the Texas Children’s Houston Open, so two of the top three in the Power Rankings will be battling it out. Tony Finau, the defending champion, is looking to make it back-to-back in Houston for his 7th career win on the PGA Tour. Peter Malnati, looking to maintain momentum after his emotional win at the Valspar last week, is also in the field.

Tony Finau: Looks To Go Back To Back In Houston

36 Hole Leaders

  • 1. Tony Finau (-9)
  • 2. Alejandro Tosti (-7)
  • 3. Thomas Detry (-6)
  • 4 Scottie Scheffler and five others (-5)

Where To Watch

Saturday

1:00-3:30pm Golf Channel/Peacock

3:30-6:00pm NBC/Peacock

Sunday

1:00-2:30pm Golf Channel/Peacock

2:30-6:00pm NBC/Peacock

Memorial Park: Tom Doak Renovation

Memorial Park was originally designed by John Bredemus (1936) and most recently updated by none other than Tom Doak—a master of classic course restoration. One of the best Muni’s you will find anywhere, Memorial Park is among the rare group of modern-day courses that can provide a challenge to the greatest players in the world, and still be a ton of of fun for the weekend golfer.

Next Events

Next week the Tour heads to TPC San Antonio for the Valero Texas Open (April 4-7), and then to Augusta for The Masters (April 11-14).

TPC San Antonio

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