Golfing in Houston can be an experience like no other. Some courses sit just minutes from downtown; others wind through forests an hour outside the city. You’ll find public courses with championship credentials and private clubs that have hosted the game’s most historic tournaments. What they share is a focus on precision, thoughtful design, and a long-standing role in the city’s culture. Below, we highlight a few of Houston’s most respected golf clubs; each is distinct in its layout, legacy, and experience.
What Makes Houston’s Golf Courses Unique
Houston’s golf courses reflect the city’s geography, climate, and culture in ways that aren’t always obvious at first glance. The terrain is mostly flat, but designers have worked with pine forests, native grasses, and bayou systems to create layouts that feel intentional and varied. Some courses lean traditional; others borrow from resort-style or links-inspired design.
The city’s long golf season is another advantage. Mild winters and early springs allow many courses to stay open year-round, with Bermuda grass holding up well through the summer heat. And because Houston has hosted everything from the U.S. Open to decades of PGA Tour events, even municipal and public courses are often built to a higher standard. Whether private or public, most of the city’s top courses are defined by strong conditioning, strategic layouts, and a culture that values both competition and hospitality.
These Are the Eight Best Golf Clubs in Houston
Champions Golf Club
Champions Golf Club was founded in 1957 by two Masters winners: Jackie Burke Jr. and Jimmy Demaret. Since then, it has earned a reputation as one of the most important golf venues in the country. The club includes two 18-hole courses — Cypress Creek and Jackrabbit — and has hosted the Ryder Cup, the U.S. Open, and the U.S. Women’s Open.
The Cypress Creek course is especially well known. Long fairways, large greens, and quiet water hazards make it both strategic and rewarding. While the course is private, it’s closely tied to Houston’s broader golf community. Champions is also home to the Houston Golf Association and has supported amateur and junior players for decades.
Golf Digest currently ranks Cypress Creek among the best courses in Texas and notes its historic role in championship play, its 2018 renovation by Chet Williams, and its reputation as a “tight, tree-lined shotmaker’s course” with strong year-round conditioning. Members value the club’s consistency and focus. It doesn’t trade on nostalgia. Year after year, it earns its place as one of the best places to play in Texas.
River Oaks Country Club
River Oaks Country Club was established in 1923 and sits just west of downtown Houston, in one of the city’s oldest and most well-known neighborhoods. The golf course was originally designed by Donald Ross and has since undergone several updates, including a major renovation in 2015 by Tom Fazio. Architect John F. Staub also designed the original club house.
The course itself runs alongside sections of Buffalo Bayou and is beloved for its mature trees, elevated greens, and understated layout. This is a traditional parkland-style course; it’s quiet, walkable, and tightly woven into the neighborhood around it. The club has long been a cornerstone of Houston’s social scene and remains one of the most private and closely held memberships in the region.
Though it doesn’t host professional tournaments, River Oaks is widely regarded for its conditioning, pace of play, and sense of continuity. Members appreciate its low profile and long history, along with a course that favors accuracy, consistency, and focus over power.
Houston Country Club | Tanglewood
Houston Country Club was founded in 1908 and relocated to its current site in the Tanglewood neighborhood in 1957. The current course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and has since been updated to meet the needs of modern golfers.
The layout is traditional and tree-lined, with rolling fairways and strategic bunkering. The club sits just west of Memorial Park and is known for its privacy, understated facilities, and long-standing membership. Though the course doesn’t host public tournaments, it has welcomed U.S. presidents (including George H. W. Bush), foreign dignitaries, and some of the city’s business leaders.
The course is well maintained, the amenities are refined, and the club is still one of the most discreet and tradition-focused in the region.
Bluejack National | Montgomery
Bluejack National opened in 2016 and is located about an hour northwest of Houston in Montgomery, Texas. It was the first golf course in the United States designed by Tiger Woods and remains one of the most highly ranked private courses in the state.
The course is routed through 755 acres of pine forest, with gentle elevation changes, wide fairways, and natural water features. It’s known for its walkability, fast greens, and playability across skill levels. Though it’s a private club, Bluejack also functions as a residential and resort-style community with luxury cottages, a spa, racquet sports, fishing, and casual dining throughout the property.
Bluejack regularly appears at the top of state and national rankings and is currently listed by Golfweek as the No. 1 course in Texas. While the Tiger Woods name draws attention, members and guests are often more drawn to the course’s relaxed pace, well-considered layout, and full-spectrum amenities.
Golf Club of Houston | Humble
Formerly known as Redstone, the Golf Club of Houston has both a public Tournament Course and a private Member Course. Both are located just northeast of the city in Humble. The Tournament Course, which was designed by Rees Jones and David Toms, hosted the PGA Tour’s Houston Open from 2003 to 2019.
The course is known for its challenging bunkers, fast greens, and risk-reward holes. While the Member Course is still private, the public side gives non-members the rare chance to play a PGA-caliber layout. Corporate groups and visiting golfers often take advantage of the location’s proximity to Bush Intercontinental Airport and downtown.
Facilities include a full practice range, short-game areas, and a stately clubhouse. The layout, maintenance standards, and tournament pedigree make it one of the best public-access options in the Houston area.
Wildcat Golf Club
Just south of downtown, Wildcat Golf Club is home to two 18-hole layouts: The Highlands and The Lakes. Both offer something rarely found in the region: dramatic elevation changes. Its courses are routed along former oil field land, which gives players wide views of the Houston skyline, NRG Stadium, and the ship channel.
The Lakes course features more water, while The Highlands plays drier and hillier. Both are known for fast play, good conditions, and a location that makes them popular for weekday rounds and corporate outings. Wildcat is also home to the University of Houston golf teams and hosts frequent charity events and tournaments.
The Woodlands Country Club | The Woodlands
The Woodlands Country Club includes five courses just north of Houston, with designs by Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, and Robert von Hagge. The Palmer and Tournament Courses are the most well-known, with the latter hosting the Houston Open from 1985 to 2002.
The Tournament Course plays through pine forest and water-lined fairways, with a layout that rewards both power and accuracy. The Woodlands community itself is built around green space and walkability,. The club reflects that philosophy with extensive amenities: tennis, fitness, pools, and social programming.
Though it’s a private club, the environment leans toward resort-style living, and the golf experience is consistent, scenic, and highly rated among members in North Houston.
Memorial Park Golf Course
Memorial Park is Houston’s flagship municipal course and is located just minutes from downtown. Originally opened in 1912 and fully redesigned in 2019 by architect Tom Doak in collaboration with Brooks Koepka, the course now hosts the PGA Tour’s Houston Open.
The layout is broad and walkable, with deep bunkers, undulating greens, and a modern minimalist design that relies on subtle shaping rather than forced hazards. Memorial Park is a rare example of a city-owned course that has been elevated to professional tournament standards without losing public access.
Golf Magazine has ranked Memorial Park among the top ten municipal courses in the country; it currently ranks eighth on Golfweek’s best “public-access golf courses” in Texas. Tee times can be competitive, but weekday access is possible with early booking.
Practicing Your Short Game at Home
With summer temperatures on the rise, not every golfer wants to spend four hours walking a sun-soaked course. Practicing your putting at home, especially in a well-designed outdoor space, can be a quieter, more comfortable way to keep your game sharp.
In our recent Huntwick Forest project, we designed an outdoor living area that includes a private putting green so our client can enjoy golf practice just steps from the kitchen. The green sits beside a reimagined pool and loggia for a family that values time spent outdoors.
From seating height to slope direction, every detail in this backyard was customized for the people who live there. If you’re considering your own at-home practice setup or a complete outdoor renovation, you can explore the full Huntwick Forest project in our Journal post or portfolio.