Interviews

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Sean Dudley
/ Categories: News

Chet Williams leads major project at The Clubs at Houston Oaks

A project to redesign and renovate the golf course at The Clubs at Houston Oaks in Texas, US, is edging closer to its conclusion.

The project is being led by golf course architect Chet Williams, who welcomed members of the club and the media to a walking tour of the new course last weekend. Attendees were able to play a half dozen of the course’s holes during the event.

The new layout includes a number of interesting characteristics, such as split fairway on the par four 11th hole, and a new par three fifth hole which features an island green.

Williams has designed the course in a way that allows it to be played in two, four and six-hole loops. A nine-hole chipping area and a nine-hole family short course is also available.

“You always want to do something different when designing a course, at least I do, and this course gave me a lot of possibilities,” Williams said. “We have more movement in the fairways, new bunkers and some different water features. I like courses which force you to think your way around the golf course and you’ll have to think your way a lot on this course; where to hit it and where to attack each hole.”

Williams’ efforts have included the reworking of bunkering throughout the course, and Celebration bermudagrass has been introduced – something that is becoming increasingly commonplace for golf courses in Texas.

“Every course can be set up for championship golfers and that’s important,” Williams said. “But for most courses, the play is going to come from double figure handicap golfers and they want it challenging, but they also want it fun and that’s what I think we have done here. I’m very excited about the way it’s turning out.”

The full course is expected to open in the spring of 2017.

All photography courtesy of Jonathan Guajardo, GA Media Productions - www.gamediapro.com

Previous Article Bunker renovation work completed on Desert Willow’s Firecliff course
Next Article Meadowbrook CC project reaches grow in stage following renovations
Print
6051 Rate this article:
No rating
Slideshow HTML
  • Nemu2

    Members of the club and the media were recently able to tour the course with architect Chet Williams (second from right)

  • Nemu2

    The full course is expected to open for play early next year

Sean Dudley

Sean DudleySean Dudley

Other posts by Sean Dudley
Contact author

Contact author

x

Subscribe to the Golf Course Architecture newsletter


  • ©2025 Tudor Rose. All Rights Reserved. Golf Course Architecture is published by Tudor Rose.