LATEST
NEWS

Sean Dudley
/ Categories: News

Chet Williams leads major project at The Clubs at Houston Oaks

A project to redesign and renovate the golf course at The Clubs at Houston Oaks in Texas, US, is edging closer to its conclusion.

The project is being led by golf course architect Chet Williams, who welcomed members of the club and the media to a walking tour of the new course last weekend. Attendees were able to play a half dozen of the course’s holes during the event.

The new layout includes a number of interesting characteristics, such as split fairway on the par four 11th hole, and a new par three fifth hole which features an island green.

Williams has designed the course in a way that allows it to be played in two, four and six-hole loops. A nine-hole chipping area and a nine-hole family short course is also available.

“You always want to do something different when designing a course, at least I do, and this course gave me a lot of possibilities,” Williams said. “We have more movement in the fairways, new bunkers and some different water features. I like courses which force you to think your way around the golf course and you’ll have to think your way a lot on this course; where to hit it and where to attack each hole.”

Williams’ efforts have included the reworking of bunkering throughout the course, and Celebration bermudagrass has been introduced – something that is becoming increasingly commonplace for golf courses in Texas.

“Every course can be set up for championship golfers and that’s important,” Williams said. “But for most courses, the play is going to come from double figure handicap golfers and they want it challenging, but they also want it fun and that’s what I think we have done here. I’m very excited about the way it’s turning out.”

The full course is expected to open in the spring of 2017.

All photography courtesy of Jonathan Guajardo, GA Media Productions - www.gamediapro.com

Previous Article Bunker renovation work completed on Desert Willow’s Firecliff course
Next Article Meadowbrook CC project reaches grow in stage following renovations
Print
5934 Rate this article:
No rating
Slideshow HTML
  • Nemu2

    Members of the club and the media were recently able to tour the course with architect Chet Williams (second from right)

  • Nemu2

    The full course is expected to open for play early next year

Sean Dudley

Sean DudleySean Dudley

Other posts by Sean Dudley
Contact author

Contact author

x
Winter 2024 issue of ASGCA’s By Design magazine is out now
Magazine, News | Wed 11 Dec, 2024

Winter 2024 issue of ASGCA’s By Design magazine is out now

Golf course architects take on the challenge of redesigning the Road hole at St Andrews

The October 2024 issue of Golf Course Architecture is out now!
Magazine, News | Thu 17 Oct, 2024

The October 2024 issue of Golf Course Architecture is out now!

The Keep at McLemore, a Bill Bergin-Rees Jones mountaintop design in northwest Georgia, features on the cover

FEATURE
ARTICLES

Taking time to recapture character
Inwood Country Club
Opinion | Daniel Friedman

Taking time to recapture character

Inwood’s Daniel Friedman talks about how the New York club has spent the last 20 years trying to make up for the previous 80 years of change that had slowly eroded the character of its Herbert Strong-designed course

A masterpiece comes into view
Cobbs Creek
Opinion | Mark Wagner

A masterpiece comes into view

Mark Wagner provides an update on progress of the revival of Cobbs Creek

Bill Amick: Long calling for short
ASGCA
Interview | Adam Lawrence

Bill Amick: Long calling for short

Adam Lawrence spoke to the designer about his life and his attempts to encourage golfers to play shorter courses

The triumph of the Dyeciples
ASGCA
Feature | Adam Lawrence

The triumph of the Dyeciples

Adam Lawrence asks why architects who trained with Pete Dye are so dominant in today’s golf design business

The Keep: On top of the world
Evan Schiller
On site | Richard Humphreys

The Keep: On top of the world

Richard Humphreys reports on a new layout that is destined to catch the eye. Designed by Bill Bergin and Rees Jones, McLemore’s second course occupies a spectacular setting on a mountaintop plateau

Goodwood: Down in the woods
Report | Richard Humphreys

Goodwood: Down in the woods

Golf At Goodwood has a new practice facility designed by James Edwards and built by MJ Abbott

Cedar Rapids: Blown away
Vaughn Halyard
On site | Adam Lawrence

Cedar Rapids: Blown away

After an acclaimed 2015 restoration by Ron Prichard, Iowa club thought it was set fair for the future. But Mother Nature had other ideas, says Adam Lawrence

North Ranch: Time for transformation
North Ranch CC
Report | Richard Humphreys

North Ranch: Time for transformation

Fifty years after it was originally laid out, the Ted Robinson layout has been re-envisioned by Jackson-Kahn Design and rebuilt by Landscapes Unlimited

Team building
Turfgrass
Interview | Richard Humphreys

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Birdie Act: An end to templates?
Kevin Murray
Feature | Adam Lawrence

Birdie Act: An end to templates?

Legislation before the US Congress would extend the copyright protection that currently exists for buildings architecture to golf course design. But would that preclude the construction of classic hole designs, asks Adam Lawrence?

The art of project management
Leeds Golf Design
Opinion | Giulia Ferroni

The art of project management

Giulia Ferroni of Leeds Golf Design spells out the intricacies of executing a masterplan and the skills required from a golf course architect

Gopher Watch Competition – October 2024
Gopher Watch, News | Mon 21 Oct, 2024

Gopher Watch Competition – October 2024

Which course has Sandy the gopher visited this month?

MOST
POPULAR

FEATURED
BUSINESSES