Shadow Hawk Golf Club (Houston)
March 2023 – The picture above is the 17th par three. I will try and recap the holes I took photos of below but I won’t repeat the 17th. I was afraid of the water, I pulled it left and couldn’t get up and down. Story of my day as I just couldn’t putt all round long.
Four blog topics here: Houston, Thousand Greens, Astros/Phillies, and Shadow Hawk. Let’s begin!
Houston: Houston is an inane series of highways, toll roads, flyovers, and drivers who fail to grasp basic physics – that two objects cannot occupy the same space! It’s the only city I know with not one, not two, not three but FOUR beltways! During this trip alone, I got in the EZ Pass express lane on one of said beltways and had no exit for at least 20 miles (no exaggeration) and passed 8 miles beyond my intended exit.
Weather-wise, it’s generally pretty humid and always seems to be ready to rain, is raining, or is in a post-rain humid period that would moisten a camel’s ass. The downtown is wanting. But, there are some neat areas: The Galleria, the Woodlands (north) or Sugarland (south) are fine spots where you can get good eats. Suburban Houston doesn’t have cool little towns (like suburban Philly or New York), it’s just the great suburban swath. Mind you, I’m not bitching, I like that the areas have parking and space unlike the Northeastern towns that feel much more claustrophobic.
When it comes to food in Houston, get used to this name: Pappas. Want Mexican? Pappaseto’s. Seafood? Pappadeaux’s. Steak? Pappas Bros. Steak House. Fast Food? Pappas Burger. Vegan? Pappa Roach (just kidding on the last one), Yes, if you want to dine in Pappas (I mean Houston), you will find a Pappa-something to try. Though the 100% best steakhouse in Houston is indeed Pappas Bros. by the Galleria. Great, classic steakhouse.
Golf trip wise? While there are some nice publics around the city I’ve played (Golf Club of Houston’s Tournament Course which is event worthy but only barely above average and Meadowbrook which is several notches below that), there are not any top publics you HAVE to play nor any nearby resorts with any top in the nation tracks. Even if you’re connected, Whispering Pines is an hour-and-a-half away and Bluejack is about a half hour closer than that. So nah I wouldn’t make Houston a golf destination target.
Thousand Greens: So Shadow Hawk was the first time I tried this new app called Thousand Greens. If you belong to a club, just sign-up (it’s like $60 a year), they rank your club and you have access to other golfers from private clubs at your same level or below. Commonwealth is ranked as a Moss Club which gives me access to pretty much all but the tippy top clubs. Kevin was my host at Shadow Hawk and was great. I tried it solo as my buddy in Houston doesn’t golf but Shadow Hawk was five minutes from his house. While it can be intimidating being a bogey golfer, I never felt intimidated here and with Kevin – even though I putted embarrassingly bad.
My first try on the app was Estancia on the Saturday before the Super Bowl. May I suggest you provide your host more options. Shady Canyon in Irvine was second. Again I had a small window but here the host said later he missed the invite until after the only day I could play but would love to host me in the future. I’m playing an event in August that TG is hosting (with the Friars) at Somerset Hills (a top 100 course). And even here, a member at both here and Whispering Pines tried to arrange Whispering Pines for me (again a later date was discussed). But for this experience, I enjoyed meeting a like minded golfer who likes to play different courses and will love to reciprocate and try Thousand Greens for some additional clubs in the future. I give the experience an A+.
Astros/Phillies: I note in my Foothills review that I got to see the Eagles play in the Super Bowl in 2023. The 2022 season also saw the Phillies eke into the playoffs then go on a run that left them two games shy of a World Series championship. I also got to go to a game – though not in Houston. I got over the sting of losing this one pretty quickly. From my Facebook post: “As disappointed as I am over the loss to the cheatin’ Astros, I – like almost every honest Phillies fan – never expected this team to take us on the ride we just had. Hats off to them and let’s go Birds. Oh, and Altuve and Gimli were separated at birth.” Later I added: “I am happy for Houston fans. Houston is a long-suffering, good sports town. You guys followed the Oilers and lost them and now follow the Texans despite not having won much. The city has always been behind the Astros and they have built an incredible farm system and that depth is what won them this series. It’s not the fan’s fault the team did what it did and I am sure most don’t care that the rest of the country holds it against them. They really likely didn’t need to cheat as they have incredible talent. Again not the fans fault and to finally have a dynasty must feel great. Congrats until next year when we hopefully meet again. Oh and Altuve still looks like Gimli – height included.”
Shadow Hawk: I really enjoyed this Rees Jones-designed course and the whole vibe here. Shadow Hawk is a mainstay on Golf Digest’s “Best in Texas” currently ranking 20th above some pretty good tracks I’ve played: TPC San Antonio (Oaks), Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa (Fazio Canyons) and G.C. of Houston (Tournament). My host Kevin noted that they were early season and between greens’ supervisors and that the course conditioning was suffering a bit. Wow really? It was good to great as it was so I can only imagine. As you’ll see from the photos below, Jones smartly incorporated the water into play on several holes. The green complexes were super tough and ringed by traps but the course was playable. I didn’t play poorly here apart from a couple of bad drives and though I was consistently short with my approach shots, my Lovett wedge was working and had no issues from the sand or around the greens. I just couldn’t putt. I definitely missed a lot of holes photo wise as I didn’t want to be “that guy” that’s slowing things down and snapping pictures all day. Actually, we played this course as a two-some in under three hours!
My fourth shot on one. An opening par five bending around a pond on the left. Kept it right and dry and was on the fringe putting for par but three putts later…voila a seven. This will be the story of my round.
Two is a short little par four (just 327 yards from the silver tees – 6,472 yards). You see the traps and yes I was in. Got out really nicely but another three putt!
Three is the number one handicap with DANGER up the left and 400+ yards to travel. I didn’t three putt here but hit the dreaded straight ball of the tee while playing my fade. Dropped two and short right. Chipped up nicely and two putt double.
Missed four (a 183-yard par three) and finally broke the double train with a bogey. Above is five, a 383-yard par four with pond right you can clear off the tee. I did and again missed a short par putt for a five. I missed six (a bogey on a short par four).
I put one in the water on the par three 7th – a nice chip from my drop but missed a makeable bogey putt.
Here’s eight – the #3 handicap 400-yard par four – on in three with a makeable par putt but a whiff. Ugh.
I missed the 9th hole (another double) and in all a dismal 50 on the front. Above is ten (a 388 yarder) with water all along the left. First really bad drive of the day – short, right and blocked by trees. Good punch out though then on the green but three putts later had another double.
Eleven is a par three where my host Kevin almost aced (sinking the birdie and a four for me) and twelve (above) is a really neat golf hole over the water with a long cart bridge ride that would be pretty scary if you’re hammered. Another bogey.
Thirteen (I think) and plays along the neighboring Black Hawk Country Club. Of course I didn’t read the sign coming in that it was to the right and Shadow Hawk to the left and went there and tried to check in. I bogeyed and think the only hole I beat Kevin – man I would’ve paid for his vacation if we were betting!
Pretty sure this is the trap on 15 but not sure. I’m sure I didn’t play it well as I was double-bogey-double on 14, 15 and 16.
You saw 17 above and this is the finisher. It’s a super-tough closer with water all along the right and a canted fairway that accommodates balls nicely into the agua! I hit a short drive right and avoided the water (for now). Then a decent approach a little too far right and splash. Then splash again but screw it, tried it again and on nicely and in all an awesome course, a great host, fabulous men’s grill and a great experience with Kevin my host and Thousand Greens.
Golf Scrapbook 