Augusta Pines Golf Club - no. 18
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Augusta Pines Golf Club - no. 18
Former home of what is now known as the Insperity Invitational on the PGA Tour Champions schedule, Augusta Pines Golf Club still shines north of Houston. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Augusta Pines golf course - no. 2
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Augusta Pines golf course - no. 2
The par 5s at Augusta Pines Golf Club are particularly strong with three of them providing great risk-reward opportunities. No. 2 is shown here. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Augusta Pines Golf Club - no. 4
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Augusta Pines Golf Club - no. 4
There are several difficult, long par 4s at Augusta Pines Golf Club, including the 470-yard fourth. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Augusta Pines golf course - no. 6
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Augusta Pines golf course - no. 6
The par-5 sixth at Augusta Pines Golf Club isn't just long at more than 600 yards, but you have to deal with water on the approach shot as well. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Augusta Pines Golf Club - no. 9
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Augusta Pines Golf Club - no. 9
The front nine at Augusta Pines Golf Club ends with a difficult par 3. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Augusta Pines golf course - no. 10
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Augusta Pines golf course - no. 10
With water all down the right side, you have to be careful on the par-4 10th at Augusta Pines Golf Club in Spring, Texas. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Augusta Pines Golf Club - no. 13
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Augusta Pines Golf Club - no. 13
The par-5 13th at Augusta Pines Golf Club is reachable in two for long hitters, but they have to deal with water in front of the green. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Augusta Pines golf course - no. 14
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Augusta Pines golf course - no. 14
The long, par-4 14th at Augusta Pines Golf Club has a three-club green. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Augusta Pines Golf Club - no. 17
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Augusta Pines Golf Club - no. 17
Augusta Pines Golf Club basically ends with two island greens, including this one on the par-3 17th. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Augusta Pines G.C. - no. 18
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Augusta Pines G.C. - no. 18
The par-4 18th at Augusta Pines Golf Club is just 522 yards from the tips, so it is reachable in two for those willing to gamble. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
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Augusta Pines Golf Club: Former PGA Tour Champions host near Houston, Texas hasn't lost its luster

SPRING, Texas -- Host of the PGA Tour Champions' Administaff Small Business Classic (now the Insperity Invitational) from 2003-2007, semi-private Augusta Pines Golf Club remains one of the Houston area's best public plays.

The course was designed by Tour 18 Inc., which opened the original Tour 18 Golf Course in Humble. Augusta Pines, as the name implies, is a mixture of features inspired by the layouts at Augusta National and Pinehurst.

The par-72 course measures more than 7,000 yards from the tips, and there are five sets of tees. Water can be found on more than a third of the holes, making for some good risk-reward par 5s. The shortish, par-5 18th is such a hole, with an island green a tantalizing distance away on good tee shots in the fairway.

Augusta Pines Golf Club is also known for its magnificent, two-story veranda clubhouse, which provides an imposing backdrop to the 18th hole.

Mike Bailey is a former Golf Advisor senior staff writer based in Houston. Focusing primarily on golf in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Latin America with an occasional trip to Europe and beyond, he contributes course reviews, travel stories and features as well as the occasional equipment review. An award-winning writer and past president of Texas Golf Writers Association, he has more than 25 years in the golf industry. He has also been on staff at PGA Magazine, The Golfweek Group and AvidGolfer Magazine. Follow Mike on Twitter at @MikeBaileyGA and Instagram at @MikeStefanBailey.
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Augusta Pines Golf Club: Former PGA Tour Champions host near Houston, Texas hasn't lost its luster