So Long Redstone, Hello Golf Club Of Houston

Yes, it's officially a slow news week, but a name change of the Shell Houston Open's tour stop is noteworthy if nothing else to avoid confusion when springtime rolls around. 

Mike Bailey with the explanation for the name change.

Comments

[Steven T.]

Interesting. The Golf Club Scottsdale was recently purchased by the founder of godaddy.com (famous for their Super Bowl commercials) and the name was changed to Scottsdale National GC.

[Pat]

Zzzzzz (the name, not the post)

[RickABQ]

What they ought to do is change the name to something that really reflects golf in Houston, maybe "Champions Golf Club" and while they are at it, change the venue to there as well.

[Pat]

I doubt Burke or the membership would want the tournament. I doubt any of the top tier private clubs want it. Memorial Park, a muni, would be a great choice, if only because it would be great to see it in tour shape. Memorial is the best layout in the city, IMHO. Redstone was attractive because they were willing to spend and lose money on the tournament. These new Escalante guys aren't going to spend what it takes to keep the course in Augusta-like shape, so I predict a move is somewhere on the horizon. Just a hunch.

[RickABQ]

Pat -

I was being a little facetious with the Champions comment; I would guess it might take something bigger like the Tour Championship (as in the old days) or the like to get them interested. But the SHO would be nice there, for sure. Sounds like you may live in Houston or at least be very familiar (I did for 20 years but left 15 or so years ago). Could Memorial push the pros enough? I didn't play it a lot when I lived there as I was a suburbanite, but as I recall they would have to toughen it up a fair amount. Would the regulars like that? As for public courses there, what about BlackHorse? BlackHorse was relatively new when I lived there but it looked like they had big ambitions to host big events. Thanks.

[Pat]

Memorial is 7200 yards now, and could be lengthened. With the rough up and fairways narrowed for late summer amateur tournaments, it can be tough, but yes, they would probably have to do something to toughen it. I think the regulars would love it. They take good care of it for a muni, but I suspect it gets 75k rounds a year and can get beat up. If the tour and the HGA got the greens in tour shape, I think it would easily be the best course in town.

Blackhorse was part of Redstone and is now owned by the same new group, so I think the same problem would persist.

Carlton Woods would be fantastic, but again, I doubt they would want it. I don't think a regular tour event does much for the prestige of the course, enough to counterbalance not allowing members who pay alot of money to not play for a good chunk of the spring. And even it if enhanced prestige, I don't think most members care.

[RickABQ]

Thanks. I do remember the heavy play, and every time I played there I had to wait for a good while, even as a single. Finally got to where I'd just go play elsewhere rather than going downtown.

[Bayhill Bogey]

The SHO has done the best with the hand dealt them from a date standpoint. They embraced the week before the Masters knowing Tiger would never play and still managed to deliver a solid field by mimicking ANGC as closely as possible with set up, green speeds, bunker sand, no rough etc. Just look at the winners the last few years since they moved to Redstone - Mickelson, Mahan, Scott, Appleby, Kim (where has he gone by the way?). Most Tour events would love to have an honour roll like that

[Bill]

Played the Tournament Course yesterday. It is in amazing shape. Truly a terrific experience from the customer service to the course. Doubt seriously moving the SHO is even a consideration.