Houston Open to Memorial Park?

[Matthew Rose]

"The tournament could relocate from the Golf Club of Houston, which is in Humble, to Memorial Park Golf Course next year, according to proposals that outline the plan obtained by the Houston Business Journal. The move comes after Mayor Sylvester Turner said in April 2017 he wanted to return the tournament to Houston. Still, the Houston Open remains without a future date and title sponsor, valued at around $8 million to $12 million a year, after failing to find one for its recent tournament starting in late March."

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2018/04/26/exclusivehouston-open-to-be-held-in-memorial-park.html?ana=twt


Interesting. Obviously the course would probably need to be given a bit of a once over. If they got the 2019 event would they be able to do it in time?

[Doug Lionberger]

This is an interesting move and I have been hearing rumors of it for the past couple months (with people telling me it was a virtual certainty it would be moving to Memorial Park) but could not believe it as I just do not see how the course can handle the PGA Tour.


 I played the course last week and it is not in very good shape.  I think the course would need brand new greens and a ton of maintenance to the fairways, etc (i.e. to host a tournament next May it would have to be shut down yesterday).  The nines should be reversed if they were to host a tournament although that is easy.  There is also not a lot of room for spectators in many places, the driving range would need to be completely redone and really there is no clubhouse to speak of.  Parking is also an issue but since it is basically in the middle of Houston I see that as having the easiest solution.  The course is also listed at around 7150 yards from the tips but I find that shocking as I can play that course from the tips fine but other Houston courses such as Champions Cypress Creek (7300 yards) and GOH Tournament Course (7450 yards) I simply do not have the length to play the tips.


The Kinder Foundation announced a $70 million gift to Memorial Park yesterday so I imagine the timing of the announcements is no coincidence.  It will be very interesting to see what they do here.  All that said I think the course layout is good and it is a lot of fun to play.

[Steve Lang]

   You know they spent $4 mil or so back in the early 90's on Memorial, reversing the 9's and fixing up the accommodations. Its an annual multi-play walk-on for me, as I work about 10 minutes away, and as much as I'd like to see its conditioning improved, I think they'd be making a big mistake hosting the Houston PGA event there next year... it can barely handle the City Am...