Inside the course: Redstone Golf Club

text size

Feldman/Getty Images

A view of a lake near the 18th hole, which was the toughest on the Redstone golf course in 2008.

Mar. 31, 2009

The TOUR heads west for the Shell Houston Open in Humble, Texas. Learn more about the Redstone GC (Tournament Course).

Fast facts

Course Superintendent	Randy Samoff
Original architect	Rees Jones with player consultant David Toms (2005)
Par value	72
Number of TOUR events as host venue	4 (including 2009)
Course ranking	Ranked 30 (out of 54) in difficulty on the PGA TOUR in 2008
Yardage history	7,457 (2006-present)
Grass	Bermudagrass overseeded with perennial ryegrass (tees, fairways, rough); Bentgrass; bermudagrass; perennial ryegrass all overseeded w/ Poa trivialis; ryegrass (greens)
Tournament Stimpmeter	13 ft
Sand bunkers	60
Water hazards	13
Course tour	Click here

Course record

Player
Adam Scott

Year
2008

Round
1st

Finish
Withdrew

Holes-in-one

There have been no aces recorded at Redstone GC

2008 Rankings

Most Difficult Hole

	The par-4 488-yard 18th A challenging and dramatic finishing hole. With a lake bordering the entire left side of the hole, the tee shot challenges the golfer to carry as much water as possible, while also avoiding the large sculptured bunker along the left of the fairway landing area. The approach leaves little margin for error, with water on the left and a sand bunker on the right. With the tournament on the line, attacking the left-back hole location is a gutsy proposition. 2008: 0 eagles, 29 birdies, 255 pars, 104 bogeys, 28 double bogeys, 8 others.
Easiest hole
	The par-5 557-yard eighth A definite birdie and potential eagle opportunity, as two well-played shots will reach this deep and receptive par 5 green. However, bogey is also a possibility, as the fairway approach narrows considerablly into the green and is flanked by the lake on the right and a cluster of deep sand bunkers on the left. 2008: 12 eagles, 172 birdies, 199 pars, 35 bogeys, 4 double bogeys and 2 others.

Redstone GC			2008 rankings		Last 3 years
Hole	Par	Yards	Avg. Score	Rank	Avg. Score	Rank
1	4	397	3.858	13	3.876	13
2	4	429	4.033	10	4.032	11
3	4	398	4.085	6	4.043	9
4	5	566	4.802	14	4.835	15
5	4	480	4.257	2	4.230	2
6	4	464	4.236	3	4.218	3
7	3	174	3.045	8	3.051	8
8	5	557	4.656	18	4.654	18
9	3	238	3.13	5	3.148	5
10	4	380	3.988	12	3.953	12
11	4	441	4.024	11	4.039	10
12	4	338	3.762	16	3.754	16
13	5	590	4.778	15	4.732	17
14	3	216	3.153	4	3.171	4
15	5	608	4.762	16	4.860	14
16	3	204	3.045	8	3.077	7
17	4	489	4.066	7	4.107	6
18	4	488	4.389	1	4.359	1

Course origins

Redstone Golf Club is a relatively new course with a history, since it's located on the site of the former El Dorado Country Club. Designed by Jay Riviere, El Dorado Country Club opened in the 1960s, but was closed in the early 1990s as a victim of a suffering Houston economy following the oil bust.

Redstone Golf Club is located just 16 miles from downtown Houston, 5 miles from George Bush Intercontinental Airport, in a natural wooded terrain surrounded by wetlands, lakes and native wildlife. Redstone Golf Club is the proud home of Houston's only PGA TOUR stop, the Shell Houston Open. The first Course (The Member Course) is private, designed by Jacobsen Hardy Golf Design and opened December 2002. The second course (The Tournament Course) was designed by Rees Jones with PGA TOUR player David Toms as course consultant, is now open to the public and has served as the home to the Shell Houston Open since April 2006.

The facility has a state-of-the-art practice range with a 100,000 square foot double-ended teeing area with seven target greens ranging from 100-300 yards and an extensive short game practice area.

For additional information visit Redstone Golf Club online at www.redstonegolfclub.com. --Source: Golf Course Superintendents Assocation of America

Tournament course history

Course	Location	Years
River Oaks CC	Houston, Texas	1946
Memorial Park GC	Houston, Texas	1947, 1951-1963
Pine Forest CC	Houston, Texas	1949
Brae Burn CC	Houston, Texas	1950
Sharpstown CC	Houston, Texas	1964-1965
Champions GC	Houston, Texas	1966-1971
Westwood CC	Houston, Texas	1972
Quail Valley GC	Missouri City, Texas	1973-74
Woodlands CC	The Woodlands, Texas	1975-1984
TPC Woodlands	The Woodlands, Texas	1985-2002
Redstone GC (Member Course)	Humble, Texas	2003-2005
Redstone GC (Tournament Course)	Humble, Texas	2006-present

This week's Kodak Challenge hole

HOLE: The par-4, 488-yard 18th at Redstone Golf Club
LAST YEAR: The 18th played to a stroke average of 4.389, with players recording 0 eagles, 29 birdies, 255 pars, 104 bogeys, 28 double bogeys and 8 others
DESCRIPTION: A challenging and dramatic finishing hole with a lake bordering the entire left side of the hole, the tee shot challenges the golfer to carry as much water as possible, while also avoiding the large sculptured bunker along the left of the fairway landing area. The approach leaves little margin for error, with water on the left and a sand bunker on the right. With the tournament on the line, attacking the left-back hole location is a gutsy proposition.(Click here for Redstone tour)