Golf Course Review by: Billy Satterfield
Rankings:
The Takeaway: An engaging and compelling layout on some of the most interesting property that east Texas offers for a golf course. Memorial Park gets all the hype for municipal courses in the area, but an hour trip east of Houston to Eagle Pointe is well worth it. Grade B-
Quick Facts
Designer: Rick Forester in 1999
Cost: $41 - $63 (includes cart) Click for current rates
Phone Number: (281) 385-6666
Course Website: Official Website - Visit Eagle Pointe Golf Club's official website by clicking on the link provided.
Directions: Get here! - 12440 Eagle Pointe Dr, Mont Belvieu, Texas 77523 – UNITED STATES
Photos: See additional photos of Eagle Pointe Golf Club
What to Expect: Located in the town of Mont Belvieu 35 minutes east of Houston, Eagle Pointe is a hidden gem that doesn’t get near enough attention for the quality of layout it provides. East Texas isn’t known for compelling golf courses with top shelf architecture which can mainly be attributed to the flat, lackluster terrain that spans the majority of the area. In addition, the population size and money around Houston create an environment where the best courses are private and thus difficult for Joe Q. Public to get regular access to. Well, Eagle Pointe counters both of those notions by delivering a golf course on an engaging parcel of property with significant movement throughout; and all of this is done at the rates of a municipal golf course. The majority of the course is absent of distractions other than a few places on the perimeter of the property that has some homes neighboring the course; but they are removed enough to not come into play and generally have trees separating them from the playing ground. From the tips the course offers plenty of distance to cover and a formidable challenge without feeling like you are getting beat down. Plenty of bunkers are scattered throughout the layout along with a few water features that deliver additional character and strategy to engage with. The course grabs your attention right off the bat no matter which nine you are teeing off from with open, elevated tee shots that play to rolling fairways ready to test your merit on the second shot. Most players at the course will elect to take a cart while playing so as to deal with the rolling terrain, and often to get protection from the sun that loves to beat down in the summertime. When all is said and done, when you are in downtown Houston it is tough to beat a visit to Memorial Park to tee it up, but when you are ready to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city then look for further than a casual drive east to Eagle Pointe.
By the Numbers
| Tees | Par | Yardage | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 71 | 7168 | 75.1 | 133 |
| Blue | 71 | 6502 | 72.1 | 126 |
| Green | 71 | 5927 | 69.3 | 120 |
| Red | 71 | 5213 | 66.6 | 114 |
| Red (Ladies) | 71 | 5213 | 70.0 | 122 |
Individual Hole Analysis
Signature Hole: 7th Hole – 380 Yard Par 4 – The unassuming 7th hole is a dogleg left that plays to a blind landing area. 3 wood is generally sufficient off the tee so that your ball doesn't run out of fairway before the hole turns left and plays over a creek that fronts the green. A trio of circular bunkers crescent around the back of the green and are ready to catch approach shots that may be coming in hot from the downhill lie most players will be facing. The reveal as players come down the fairway and discover the approach shot they'll be facing is one of the better discoveries on the golf course.
Best Par 3: 3rd Hole – 180 Yards – The 3rd hole is an attractive one-shotter that is set into the bank of a hill where players can use the slope on the right to kick balls onto the putting surface. The terrain falls off hard to the left next to the bunker protecting that side and can result in a lost ball if a tee shot sails too far off line towards Old River. Located near the north end of the property, the feeling of seclusion here helps players leave the world behind for the rest of the round.
Best Par 4: 16th Hole – 469 Yards – The 16th is the most controversial hole at Eagle Pointe. The tee shot plays over 20 feet downhill to a blind landing area with a creek cutting across the fairway 150 yards from the green. The fairway kicks balls forward and to the right, so a tee shot up the left side that lands well short of the creek is the ideal play. The approach shot plays 20 feet back uphill and is sometimes struck from a downhill lie; the ultimate in shotmaking to execute properly. A pond lies in wait beyond the creek to catch shots that are hit thin while a bunkerless green is the reward for a shot well struck. This is a tough hole where bogies are plentiful, but the 17th offers a chance to take a stroke back if you stumble here.
Best Par 5: 1st Hole – 536 Yards – The opening tee shot at Eagle Pointe makes a bold statement right off the bat and lets players know they aren't in for a typical round of golf on flat ground that Houston is so well known for. Instead, players are treated to a dramatic downhill drive that reaches a low point of 30 feet below the tee box at the location that the creek crosses the fairway. The creek is 120 yards shy of the green so players can swing away on their driver and hope to get a relatively level lie for the second shot. A large bunker blocks the front right side of the green and the fairway kicks balls to the right, so an approach shot up the left side that utilizes the slope to kick balls onto the green is the most prudent play. This is a fun way to start the round and certainly one of the better opening holes in the region.
Birdie Time: 17th Hole – 540 Yard Par 5 – The 17th is an old school design where there is more fairway after the dogleg than before it. The fairway turns hard left 250 yards from the back tee so if you want to get home in two you'll need to challenge the inside corner that features a collection of trees but no hazards. The front is well protected with a pair of large bunkers but they are quite shallow and should make for a relatively routine up and down from if you find yourself in the sand. With the ability to cut a fair amount of distance off with an aggressive tee shot, you should be able to get near the green in two and finish it off with a birdie before heading to Eagle Pointe's finisher.
Bogey Beware: 10th Hole – 495 Yard Par 4 – One of the things I love about Eagle Pointe is the amount of movement in the property which is rare to find around Houston. On the 10th some of that is on display with a tee shot that drops 20 feet before ascending back up to the green that sits just a few feet below the tee box height. This beast of a hole to start the back nine with plays just 15 feet shy of 500 yards and you have to get down in four strokes to walk away with a par. Tee shots should favor the left side since the fairway kicks balls to the right towards the creek that meanders along that side. The elevated green has a bunker flanking the entire right side of it which is problematic considering players will generally have a sidehill lie that will promote a left to right ball flight. If you can manage par here, it is a huge momentum builder for the back nine.
