Cypress Creek at Champions Golf Club

About the club

Top players Jimmy Demaret and Jack Burke Jr. established Champions Golf Club in north Houston in 1957, and the Cypress Creek course was opened two years later. The expansive layout has been the venue for many a tournament, from the Ryder Cup in 1968 and the US Open in 1969 to three Tour Championships in 1991, 2001 and 2003. The clubhouse has not aged particularly well with respect to its design, but it is well taken care of. The driver will be out of the bag frequently on the generous fairways, while a lot of finesse will be required to negotiate the large but tricky greens (especially after a rain). There are a number of long par 3s and 4s with water hazards, so length must be matched with precision. The course is at its most enjoyable during the dry fall weather, and tends to be less than ideal in the spring.