Inside the course: Redstone Golf Club

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A view of a lake near the 18th hole, which was the toughest on the Redstone golf course in 2009.

Mar. 31, 2010

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

How to play Redstone Golf Club

Steve Hanlon, the head instructor at the TOUR Academy at TPC San Antonio, analyzes this week's course.

With the Florida swing behind us and Ernie Els picking up victory No. 2 of the 2010 season, the PGA TOUR heads west for a stop in Houston, Texas at Redstone Golf Club. The Redstone Tournament course is playing host to the Shell Houston Open for the fourth straight year and provides a very challenging 7,400-plus yard layout.

There is quite a strong field heading into Houston with names likes Ernie Els, Fred Couples, Padraig Harrington and Phil Mickelson. As a new resident to the great state of Texas, I have noticed a few things - yes, things are bigger in Texas and yes, the wind does blow ... and blow quite hard. As I looked down the list of past champions I can't help but think that the winners are all guys that can really control their ball flight. Past winners include Stuart Appleby, Adam Scott and defending champion Paul Casey, who are all extremely good at controlling trajectory in windy conditions. I believe it was the great Ben Hogan that once said "the only way to truly control your distances is to control your trajectory." I like this advice heading into this week.

It would also be foolish of me to not mention the finishing hole at Redstone, as over the past couple years it has given us some really good drama. A challenging tee shot awaits the players on this 484-yard par 4. Bordered on the left by water and a large fairway bunker on the right, this tee shot certainly demands the very best in distance and accuracy. From here, it doesn't get any easier, especially trying to attack those back pin placements with any wind at all in the player's face it may feel like they will never get there.

This week in Texas should be a great test for the best players in the world as they gear up for the first major of the year next week in Augusta. I know I will certainly be watching from our brand new TOUR Academy at TPC San Antonio - host of this year's Valero Texas Open in May.

For more information about the PGA TOUR Academy golf schools, click here

Fast facts

Course Superintendent	Randy Samoff
Original architect	Rees Jones with player consultant David Toms (2004)
Par value	72
Number of TOUR events as host venue	5 (including 2010)
Course ranking	Ranked 22 (out of 51) in difficulty on the PGA TOUR in 2009
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

2009 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. 2009: 0 eagles, 50 birdies, 243 pars, 110 bogeys, 28 double bogeys, 9 others.
Easiest hole
	The par-5 590-yard 13th Precise placement of each successive shot on this hole becomes increasingly more critical, in order to secure a birdie. A series of sand bunkers parallel the generous first landing area. Flirting with the bunkers on the left of the second landing area, provides the ideal angle to access the smallish, back-right position of the green. 2009: 8 eagles, 179 birdies, 214 pars, 33 bogeys, 5 double bogeys and 1 others.

Redstone GC			2009 rankings		Last 4 years
Hole	Par	Yards	Avg. Score	Rank	Avg. Score	Rank
1	4	397	3.934	12	3.890	13
2	4	429	4.064	8	4.040	10
3	4	398	4.023	11	4.038	11
4	5	566	4.825	14	4.832	15
05*	4	480	4.282	2	4.243	2
06*	4	464	4.275	3	4.232	3
7	3	174	3.084	7	3.059	8
8	5	557	4.764	17	4.682	18
9	3	238	3.141	5	3.146	5
10	4	380	3.841	13	3.925	12
11	4	441	4.059	9	4.044	9
12	4	338	3.766	16	3.757	16
13	5	590	4.661	18	4.714	17
14	3	216	3.164	4	3.169	4
15	5	608	4.825	14	4.851	14
16	3	204	3.032	10	3.065	7
17	4	489	4.127	6	4.112	6
18*	4	488	4.336	1	4.353	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 4.336, with players recording 0 eagles, 50 birdies, 243 pars, 110 bogeys, 28 double bogeys and 9 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)