The Woodlands Country Club – Tournament Course
Introduction
Sitting in the heart of The Woodlands, Texas, you will find a private golf club called The Woodlands Country Club. With a total of 3 courses and 63 holes, there is plenty of golf to go around. The courses include the Tournament Course, Player Course, and the 27 hole Palmer course.
The Tournament course is home to the Insperity Invitational on the Champions Tour. Designed by the Hagge-Devlin design firm, with Robert von Hagge as the chief designer, it quietly rolls through the area, subtly including ponds and creeks throughout.
It stretches some 7018 yards and has a rating of 74.4 with a slope of 138. There is plenty of challenge here, with 1 par 4 exceeding 450 yards and a 237 yard par 3.
The Pro Shop and Practice Area at The Woodlands Country Club – Tournament Course
The pro shop is in the front of the clubhouse, and a bit awkward to get to if you drive around back first. The pro shop staff was very inviting and helpful on our day of play. It’s a smaller pro shop, but you have to remember this is just one of three for them.
For the practice area, the range was very sufficient. It is double sided, so there is more than enough room. On the far end of the range is the short game practice area. it has a decent sized green with 2 sand traps on either side for bunker work. There is a large putting green between the clubhouse and the first tee.
Course Conditions
The Woodlands Country Club Tournament course has been one of the better conditioned courses that I have played in the Houston area. The greens had been recently aerated but were coming back good. They rolled really well considering their condition. The fairways were absolutely wonderful. I hadn’t played on fairways in the south that nice in a while. The rough wasn’t too thick, but your ball could definitely sit down.
The Front 9 at The Woodlands Country Club – Tournament Course
Hole 1 is a nice par 5 to start the round. Bending to the right ever so slightly, a fade off the tee is perfect. Just avoid the bunkers on the left. This is a hole you can really for it in two. Just don’t short side yourself in the bunkers if the pin is in the front. Just long is fine as well. If you need to lay up, just hit it to the number you want left. There isn’t any trouble between the one fairway bunker and the greenside bunkers.
Hole 2 is a shorter par 4. Lay up just in front of the left fairway bunker, and let the slope take your ball to the right. You will need to hit a really good approach shot here. If you miss left, your ball will take a hard kick left and make for a very difficult up and down. The front right bunker might just be the best miss to keep your ball from rolling back down the hill.
Hole 3 is the shortest par 3 on the course, but has the most water. Anything left will find the water, so right is your bailout spot. Definitely not a fan of the back bunkers, having to hit a bunker shot downhill towards water.
Hole 4 is a par 4 with a forced carry over water on the approach. A good tee shot here is needed to make that approach a bit easier. Just avoid the water long right on your tee shot. With your approach, just make sure to clear the water and front bunker. Everything put up hill primarily, so keeping your ball below the hole if you can is key.
Hole 5 is the longest par 4 on the course, but has the least amount of trouble. There are no bunkers on this hole, but you need to keep your ball near the fairway and avoid going into the trees. The green is long and skinny, so as long as you don’t miss by a wide margin, you will be able to get up and down pretty easy.
Hole 6 is a tougher par 5 than the 1st. Avoid hitting the fairway bunkers on the right, keeping your tee shot short of them and out of play. Lay up just beyond the sand traps. You can live dangerously by hitting it down the right for the best angle into the green. This green is also a lot longer than it is wide. While the front bunker is not ideal, you can hit a lofted shot with spin rather than a tight lie up to an elevated green.
Hole 7 is a nice par 4 that bends slightly to the left with water running down the left side for most of the hole. Long hitters may want to club down. Keep short of the tree on the right and stay out of the water on the left off the tee. Short right of the green will be your best miss for and up and down save. Anything left with be swimming with the fish.
Hole 8 is the longest par 3 and has an elevated green. Any miss should be short and avoid going left into the bunker.
Hole 9 is a nice par 4 that finishes the front. Try and keep it left out of the fairway bunker on the right. Good fairway bunker players probably won’t be bothered there though. Do not be long into this green, because it will likely kick either into, or very close to the parking lot. The front right bunker is the least penal, so front right is the best miss unless you are going to be short sided.
The Back 9 at Woodlands Country Club – Tournament Course
Hole 10 looks easier than it is. A par 4 that bends to the left. Either lay up short of the bunkers or flirt with the bunkers on the left for an advantage. Just short right is the miss here. The bunker in front is large and would love to mess your scorecard up.
Hole 11 will take a good tee shot. With a narrower fairway and two bunkers on the left coming to play, your score can add up quickly. There is a grass bunker short of the green, which can cause some trouble. Deep left is the best option but you really need to hit this green.
Hole 12 is a shorter par 4. Club down and steer your tee shot to the left for the best angle into the green. This green is skinny and elevated and you will need a good approach. Short is the best miss, and deep left may be fine, but you need to stay on top if at all possible.
Hole 13 is the signature par 5 with an island green. Drive your tee shot straight over the water, avoiding the bunker on the right. Lay up to the number you want left, because you will need a confident swing for the green. The green is pretty large and you have plenty of room. That being said, any errant will be in the water and your scorecard won’t be happy.
Hole 14 is a nice par 3 with water running down the right. Left is the miss here even if it is in the trap. The traps in the back are no fun, as you would be hitting downhill back towards the water.
Hole 15 is the second par 5 on the back and can be reached in two, with two good shots. Keep your drive out of the traps on the left, giving yourself a chance to get to the green in two. Either trap would be fine when going for it in two, but make sure you are close to the green with the trap on the right. No real trouble when laying up, so just hit it to the number you want left.
Hole 16 is the last par 3 on the back. With an elevated green, you will want to miss short if anything. With bunkers left and right, you will want to avoid both sides, or hit the green.
Hole 17 is a short par 4 that will force you to lay up. Just a fairway wood or a hybrid for long hitters on the left side will give you under 150 yards into the green. With water all in front and on the left, and a bunker behind, there isn’t much room for error here. Anything on the green or on the right is fine.
Hole 18 is a very fun finishing hole. A big drive down the left hand side, keep it out of the water on the right that may come into play. Just in front of the green and left of the water is the best miss. If the pin is in the back right, then anything left on the green is fine.
Conclusion
We enjoyed playing at The Woodlands Country Club Tournament Course. With a lot of different holes and you never felt like you were playing the same holes again. A couple of par 5’s you can reach in two, and par 3’s that force you to carry water, there is a lot of danger lurking around. With the Insperity Invitational being played here, it was a lot of fun to see the holes that we had previously only seen on TV. I would highly recommend to play if you ever get the chance.
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