Houston Oaks Golf Course

The Houston Oaks property spans nearly 1,000 acres in Hockley, Texas, roughly 40 miles northwest of downtown Houston. The land was originally owned by Tenneco Oil and Gas Company, which established Tennwood Golf Club on the site as an employee recreational facility in 1956, with the original course designed by Ralph Plummer.

In 2006, three Houston families — the Alvises, Havens, and Watsons — acquired the property with a vision for a family-oriented sporting retreat. A devastating clubhouse fire in 2008 destroyed the original structure, but the ownership group rebuilt and reimagined the entire facility. The golf course underwent a complete redesign by Chet Williams — the architect behind top-ranked Whispering Pines Golf Club — with construction beginning in 2015 and a formal grand opening in spring 2017. No holes from the original Plummer layout were retained.

Houston Oaks was ranked the No. 2 private course in Texas in 2019–2020 rankings, behind only Whispering Pines (also a Williams design), making Williams the first architect to hold both top Texas spots simultaneously.

Houston Oaks is set on a sprawling ranch property with century-old oak trees, open meadows, and a "links lite" character — fairways feature intricate movement and undulation reminiscent of links golf despite the East Texas setting. The TifEagle Bermuda greens are maintained in pristine condition, and the bunkers contain real fluffy sand (unusual for Texas) though they are deceptively deep.

Beyond the 18-hole championship course, the property includes a 9-hole Scrambler family short course, seven dining outlets, equestrian facilities, stocked fishing lakes, tennis courts, a spa, shooting range, and a 12-room boutique hotel. The club targets approximately 600 members. The pace expectation is 4 hours 15 minutes or less.

Access is private — members and guests only.

Respect the bunkers. They look manageable but are deceptively deep — the fluffy sand plays differently than typical hard Texas sand. Use proper technique and take enough loft to clear the lip.

On the island green 5th, club selection is everything. Take the wind seriously, commit to your number, and aim for the center. Missing the green means a penalty stroke.

The fairways have links-style undulations — balls kick and bounce unpredictably. Each round reveals new subtleties in how the terrain influences the ball.

On the 18th, favor the right side off the tee. Water on the left and fairway trees make the finishing hole a genuine test of accuracy over aggression.