The Memorial Park Course, the course that resumed hosting the Houston Open after the total renovation in 2019, is the most important municipal course in Texas that plays more than 60,000 rounds a year for its guests at more than cheap rates.
The Memorial Park Course, results
Houston’s Memorial Park Golf Course, the city’s municipal course, has planned a major renovation with the aim of hosting the PgaTour Open for years to come. The Houston City Council approved the funding with an immediate start of construction.
The Astros Foundation, the Houston Astros team’s charity, funded the renovation. After an initial investment of 13.5 million dollars, for the works on the course. The foundation also pays an annual fee of 1 million to the PgaTour for the use of the route divided into $ 750,000 to the city itself and $ 250,000 to the Memorial Park Conservancy.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has asked to use the city quota for city parks. Jim Crane, owner of the Astros and an avid golfer, was the driving force behind the renovation. “As one of the board members said, it’s a win-win for everyone,” he said at the meeting.
“Everyone wins: the protection (Memorial Park), the park, the city. We are able to raise a lot of funds through the golf tournament that go to charity in addition to the revenue for the city. ” Houston Department of Parks and Recreation Director Steve Wright confirmed that there will be no cost to taxpayers.
The Memorial Park course was originally built in 1912 as a nine-hole course with sand greens. It was used by recovering soldiers who came from the neighboring hospital. It is currently the most popular municipal camp in Houston.
The Open has been a regular stop on the Tour since 1946. Since 1992, Shell has been the main sponsor of the tournament for 25 years, always positioning itself on the calendar as the last event before the Masters. But when Shell retired after the 2017 Open, the Tour had a hard time attracting a new sponsor.
In June 2019, the PGA Tour and the Astros Foundation reached a 5-year agreement, with the foundation serving as host and operator until 2023. Giles Kibbe, president of the Astros Golf Foundation, said the first phase of the $ 13.5 million project will include the golf course, a new maintenance facility, a two-level driving range for public use and a First Tee complex.
with four holes. Phase two, with an expected cost of $ 15-17 million, will focus on clubhouse facilities. Kibbe wants to provide the best experience possible to entice the best players in the world to return year after year.
And he expects Houston to benefit, estimating an economic impact of $ 90 million a year if the city is able to host the tournament.
