This document outlines the 2015 annual AustinSkins Pre-Shell Houston Open trip to The Golf Club of Houston (formerly Redstone), site of the Shell Houston Open.
If you already know you want to sign up and are prepared to pay a $50 deposit, please fill out this form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1LoSucK5eHk6ue2NbKNrkJVxT5PZ1EW4HOyB242_Yd2o/viewform
Here are the quick details:
Date: Sunday March 15th, 2015. First tee time 1:30pm
Sign Up Deadline: Monday March 2nd, 10am, or when space is full with 24 deposits.
Deposit amount: $50 (not refundable**)
Buy-in: $50
Green Fee: $176.97 total (tax included)
If you want more info, read on...
I have just finalized plans with The Golf Club of Houston and have everything set up so we can begin solidifying who will go on the trip. Space is limited to the first 24 people who PAY A DEPOSIT OF $50. Last year we had 16 players, and pretty much everyone from last year wants to go again, so if you want to go this year, the sooner you sign up and pay your deposit, the sooner you will lock in your spot.
Why a deposit? Because in order to reserve 24 spots, I had to pay $1200 out of my own pocket. If I can put up $1200, you can put up $50.
About the Course
We select this week for this trip because its the last day that you can play the course before they shut it down to prepare for the Shell Houston Open. This is the 5th year in a row that we have done this trip. Most people who do it once, come back. Why? because you will not ever putt on greens so true. Every year, PGA pros rave about the greens at The Golf Club of Houston...
"That rough, hitting out of that first cut is similar (to Augusta). The greens are perfect. The greens are maybe better here than at Augusta. They’re in perfect shape.” -- Robert Allenby
"The greens are pristine. You couldn't have a better putting surface. If you get a ball on track, you know it’s in.” -- Jimmy Walker
"The greens are just pure at the moment. They really set it up for guys going to Augusta next week" -- Nick O’Hern
“The conditions were ideal. You get greens like that, they’re so true, you feel like you should make everything. It’s frustrating when you miss one, because they’re just perfect greens. So pristine.” -- Tommy Gainey
"When you get greens like this, so true, you feel like you should make everything. They are perfect." -- Phil Mickelson
As you probably already know (because you are a golf fiend like the rest of us), The Shell Houston Open has built a reputation as a great event to prepare for the Masters at Augusta. They prepare the entire course exactly like Augusta: They cut the rough to the same height (2.25 in), the mow the fairways toward the tee boxes, and they make sure that the greens are perfect in every respect. For this reason, some say that Playing The Golf Club of Houston is as close as most people will ever get to playing Augusta.
About The Trip
The round will be on Sunday March 15th. First tee time is 1:30pm. This is the last day that the public can play before the Shell Houston Open. Since most people are from Austin, this gives everyone a chance to wake up at a decent hour and drive to Houston on Sunday morning. Last year, some of us drove down on Saturday and played on Saturday and played Tour 18 on Saturday and the Woodlands on Sunday morning. If that interests you, let me know in the sign up form.
On Sunday at The Golf Club of Houston, we will be doing two games across all 24 players: (1) skins, and (2) a two-man team net best ball, handicapped at 85%. Teams will be assigned to ensure fairness, but you can request to be teammates with someone.
In addition, we might be able to do a Ryder Cup style event with players from Austin against players from Houston, depending on who signs up. It would be awesome to institute a tradition like that. Anyway, the games will be fun and fair and the combined buy-in will not be more than $50 since we are already paying a premium green fee.
After the round, many of us will stay at The Golf Club of Houston and drink a few beers and eat dinner while we settle up the gambling. The big winners are typically generous enough to buy a round of beers for whoever stays.
Sign up
We are currently limited to 24 players, but if we get more interest early, we might be able to get a few more spots.
To reserve your spot for this trip, please fill out this form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1LoSucK5eHk6ue2NbKNrkJVxT5PZ1EW4HOyB242_Yd2o/viewform
You may fill out the form even if you aren't 100% committed, however, your spot will not be reserved until we receive your $50 non-refundable** deposit.
** - The deposit is required so that people do not reserve spots and then cancel leaving us to pay for the $175 green fee. If you pay the deposit, that basically means you are 100% committing to participating. That being said, if you have a true family emergency, we would consider refunding the deposit, depending on the circumstances and if we can fill the spot.