Course Review - Tour 18, Houston, Texas

TripleBogieTim

Long lost sheep
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On Black Friday while some people hustled and bustled around the malls looking for deals, 3 THPer's took to the fairways of some of the greatest holes in Championship golf courtesy of Tour 18 located in Humble, Texas just north of Houston.

Our 3 THPers:

TripleBogieTim
Jank1434
AryDolphin

Tour 18 was opened in 1992 and has been through it's share of struggles, both legal, financial and enviromental. Not long after it opened for business, the Tour 18 Company found itself in court for trademark and copyright infringement cases by some of the more famous Golf Courses in the world, including HarborTown and Augusta National, as a result of those lawsuits, several things had to be changed about the course including the disclaimer that was added to all of the tee markers and the removal of the replica Lighthouse behind the replica of Harbor Town's 18th which serves as the first hole on this course.

The Course is now owned by the Arnold Palmer Golf Management Company.

The course has also been hard hit by drought conditions that have faced this part of the country for the past several years, but during our visit the conditions were rather good with lush fairways and very fast greens. One of the problems I find with Tour 18 is the cost, normally a round on the weekend will cost your $99.95 per person which includes cart and range balls, however the carts are older and lack in cart GPS which for $100 a round I would expect to see. Our 3-some did find online deals which made it $64.95 per person.


When your arrive at Tour 18 you are greeting on the Highway by this sign that has seen it's better days, including the repaired graffiti that can be seen in the photo below.

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After Checking in at the clubhouse we were given a small bag of range balls and headed to the practice tee which was just a few feet out the side door. As you approach the practice tee the "tour experience" becomes evident as every hitting position on the range is marked with the name of a PGA tour player just like you would see at a tour event.

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Across a water hazard that guards the 18th fairway and green is another touch that lends to a tour type experience
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When we saw it, Amol told us the story of seeing it from the airplane and he and his wife flew into Houston. Tour 18 is not far from Houston Intercontinental Airport and planes flew over our heads all day long.

After a short warm up, the starter sent us to the first tee.

Hole #1 - Replica Of Harbour Town #18

Long Par 4 featuring a marsh area all the way down the left side of the course and trees all the way down the right. The green is elevated and guarded by a long large front bunker that began Amol's tour of the bunkers at Tour 18.

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View from the Blue Tee Box
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From The Fairway
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Hole #2 - Replica of Bay Hill #6

Fairly long Par 5 that wraps all the way around a water hazard giving you the opportunity to "cut off" as much as you were willing to risk. The Green is long and narrows at the center and is guarded by a couple of decent size bunkers, and yes, Amol was in one of the bunkers.

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From The Tee Box
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From the Fairway
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Hole #3 - Replica Pinehurst #3

Short par 4 that is a narrow driving hole that features rather large fairway bunkers right in the very narrow landing area (yep, Amol was in one of them) The green is small but heavily contoured and well bunkered.

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From The Tee Box

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Hole #4 - Replica of Inverness #18

Short par 4 that features a "sunken fairway" very unusual....the sides of the fairway all slope back towards the middle. The green is guarded in front by two huge bunkers with lips that stick way up past the level of green. The lips were well over 8 feet tall. (Amol and I both visited one of these bunkers)

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From the Tee Box you can see the "sunken fairway"
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From the fairway looking at the 2 huge bunkers
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As we round the corner going to the 5th tee we see this sign that kind of makes you smile.

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Hole #5 - Replica of Augusta National #11, first leg of Amen Corner

Long Par 4 that features a blind tee shot to a fairway that slopes heavily from the right to left and a pond guarding the left side of a long narrow green with mounds out to the right.

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I got so caught up in the moment that I forgot to take a photo from the tee box. When you crest the hill you are greeted with a view of the green and pond and a scoreboard to the left

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The Scoreboard is a very cool touch to the experience and is updated with results from the most recent Master's Tournament


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Hole #6 - Replica of Augusta National #12

A short par 3 over water with a narrow green that slopes back towards the water making it almost impossible to keep the ball on the green if you end up there.

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From the Tee Box
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Wide view showing the 2 bridges over our Replica "Rae's Creek"
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Hole #7 - Replica of Augusta National #13, the final leg of Amen Corner

A Fairly short par 5 that requires a significant right to left tee shot to get around the corner and have a shot at the green. The left side is guarded by "Rae's Creek" that winds the length of the hole and then crosses right in front of a heavily contoured green.



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From The Fairway
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Hole #8 - Replica of La Costa #4

Fairly short dogleg right par 4 with water along the right and a smallish green.

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From the tee box
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Hole #9 - Replica of TPC Sawgrass #17, The Island Green

Medium Distance par 3 with a island green and a smallish bunker on the corner.

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View from the Tee Box, All 3 of us hit the green by the way!


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Hole # 10 - Replica Of The Desert Inn Country Club 10th Hole

A long straight par 5 with a large gathering of fairway bunkers right in the landing area.

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From The tee box
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Hole #11 - Replica of Disney-Magnolia #6

A longish par 3 over water that features a deep bunker if front of the green that at Disney is shaped like Mickey Mouse, the shape has been changed because of the lawsuits.

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From The Tee Box

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Hole #12 - Replica of Colonial Country Club #3

An Extremely long dogleg left par 4 featuring well placed bunkers at the dogleg and a long second shot to a small green.

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From the Tee box, those bunkers require a 250 carry to reach the fairway
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Hole # 13 - Replica of Pebble Beach Golf Links #14

A long par 5 with a sweeping dogleg to the right, a very small green guarded by 2 deep bunkers in front.

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From the tee box
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From the fairway
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Hole #14 - Replica of Oakmont Country Club #3

A Medium length par 4 featuring the famous "church pew bunkers" along the left side of the fairway

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From the tee box
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Looking at the "Church Pews"
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Amol hitting out of the "front pew"....he made par from there by the way.
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Hole #15 - Replica of Shinnecock Hills # 8

Short par 4, featuring 12 very well placed bunkers and a very small green

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From the tee, it's hard to see the 6 bunkers hidden on the left edge of the fairway
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Hole #16 - Replica of Merion Golf Club #11

Medium length par 4 with a downhile tee shot and a very narrow landing area. The second shot has to fit through some trees to a green that is placed in the corner of a small stream.

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From the tee box
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Zoomed in to show the green back in the corner of the stream
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Hole #17 - Replica of Oak Tree Golf Club #8

Medium Par 3, with water on the left and a huge bunker seperating the the green from the water hazard
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From the tee box
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Hole #18 - Replica of Doral #18 "The Blue Monster"

A long par 4 that wraps around a water hazard giving you a very intimidating tee shot, a elevated narrow green makes a tough target for your second shot.

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From The tee box
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From the fairway to the raised green
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Overview:

Even though the course is older and maybe lacking some of the amenities of other courses in this price range, I think the experience of playing holes that we have seen on TV for years make Tour 18 a very enjoyable experience. If you are planning a trip to Houston or Dallas (There is another Tour 18 there with a few different holes) I would suggest going online and looking for some deals on tee times and trying your hand at Amen Corner.
 
That looks like a blast TBT. Good friends, beautiful course equals great fun.
 
This is a course that I've wanted to get out on. Just looks like it would be a heck of time. Thanks for the write up and pics.
 
That is just so awesome TBT. If I'm ever down there I'll hit you up! Haha. I'd love to give Amen Corner a try.
 
Beautiful course. Great looks too!! really enjoyed it!
 
I felt like I hit it into about half of the bunkers on that course, but I still had a blast with TBT and Jank1434. I'd love to have another crack at that course.

Oh, that guy in the green shirt is really good looking too. :alien:
 
That is awesome. What fun to get to do the replica holes from some of the most famous spots in golf.
 
What a fantastic looking course , After playing Bears Best I love the mix of famous holes from around the world and would love to play Amen corner. Great review and well done .
 
Excellent review, TBT. This course and those like it, have always intrigued me. Very fun to be able to take a photo tour!
 
Wonderful review TBT. If I'm in Texas, I'd love to play here.
 
Nice write-up, TBT!
 
The Amen Corner replica looks like the reason alone to play this course. Great review Tim!
 
I felt like I hit it into about half of the bunkers on that course, but I still had a blast with TBT and Jank1434. I'd love to have another crack at that course.

Oh, that guy in the green shirt is really good looking too. :alien:

I think you did hit half the bunkers on the front 9, but you played lights out on the back 9!

We can give it a go again if you are here in the spring.
 
Very cool TBT! Thanks for doing that. I haven't played the one down in Houston in about 10 years but looks pretty good. Glad everyone had fun!
 
The Amen Corner replica looks like the reason alone to play this course. Great review Tim!

When you see the stone sign it kinda makes you get a chill...it's cool...then I parred the first hole of Amen Corner...it was really cool.
 
Great review, Tim. I had a blast playing with you and Amol. Tour 18 is definitely a course that should be played at least once if you are in the area. I swear, everytime I play this course it rains. Lucky that we dodged it most of the way.
 
Tim, that must have been a great day! Nice pics and write up, thanks fopr sharing.
 
Very cool TBT! Thanks for doing that. I haven't played the one down in Houston in about 10 years but looks pretty good. Glad everyone had fun!

I wouldn't mind making a trip up to play the one in Dallas at some point.
 
Nice review. Looks like a fun course. Including Amen Corner is a great touch.
 
Great review TBT! Definitely a course I'd LOVE to play! Thanks for all the great pics and info about each hole. I would LOVE to be able to play Amen Corner.
 
It amazing to me how it is so hard to capture elevation changes with a camera. The sunken fairway on #5 and the par 3 on amen corner all have significant elevation changes, but it is so hard to tell. It is crazy that a camera cannot capture how they look in real life.
 
Great Review Tim. That course looks like a must play some day.
 
Nice write up TBT! I think these tribute courses are pretty cool but they all seem to be pretty expensive.
 
Nice write up TBT! I think these tribute courses are pretty cool but they all seem to be pretty expensive.

Yeah, they are...but if you can play during the week you can find deals for $34.95...and if we had wanted to play later in the afternoon that Friday we could have gotten on for $44.95....so it's not too bad.
 
Great job Tim! That looks like it would be a blast to play with THP'ers. Love it!
 
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