Lives
Houston, Texas
Handicap
5-9
Age
55-64
Gender
Male
Skill
Advanced
Plays
Once a week

About

Like most of you, my game has its ups and downs. Fortunately, I have plenty of opportunities to experience both. I've spent the last 25 years covering everything from instruction to travel. And I finally got my first hole-in-one in 2017 at a qualifier for the Greater Houston City Amateur. Unfortunately, despite four more birdies in that round, I had an epic disaster hole and failed to qualify. Of course, that won't stop me from trying again... And follow me on Twitter and Instagram at @MikeBaileyGolf and MikeStefanBailey respectively.

Review Statistics

Average Rating

4.3
4.3
Total 378 Reviews
1 Featured Reviews

Rating Breakdown

378 Reviews
5 Stars
127
4 Stars
232
3 Stars
19
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Recommended Courses
376
Not Recommended Courses
2
Helpful Votes Count
176
Not Helpful Votes Count
26
First Review
12/17/2013
Last Review
08/22/2022

Reviews Map

Reviews

4.3

Reviewer Photos

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Recommended
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Cable Hollow Golf Course

Played On 07/26/2022
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 10 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

What a nice suprise

Found this golf course as we driving west on a cross country trip back to our home in Houston. It was a little off our route through Jamestown NY,, but well worth the diversion. Elevated tees, great conditions and terrific greens that were a little hard to read for first-timers. The fairways are generous, so it's very playable. Scoring for good players will probably depend on how well you can putt. All--in-all, a beautiful layout and a terrific value.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate

Texarkana Country Club

Played On 10/14/2021
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 10 Contributor
First Time Playing
Used cart

Must play for anyone who gets the chance

This is a course I've been wanting to play for years and finally got the chance this fall. I was not disappointed. Known as "Little Augusta," this Langford-Moreau design is everything it's cracked up to be. Honestly, if I lived a couple of hours closer, I'd apply for membership just to play it a dozen times each year. The course has beautiful holes, trees, water features, is challenging, and has a great history, including the 16th, which Byron Nelson made double eagle on many years ago.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Tempest Golf Club

Played On 10/12/2021
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 10 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

A real East Texas gem

If you're anywhere near Gladewater, check this course out. It's a great value and a terrific design by Jeff Brauer, who redid the original course into this championship layout. With plenty of elevation change, water features and excellent conditions, every hole here is good to great. Lots of tees means it's playable for everyone. Really nice golf shop with good values, plus the restaurant/bar in the clubhouse as well as outside seating make for a great place to hang out after your round.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Belmont Golf Course

Played On 07/03/2021
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 10 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Walked

A gem of a course for Richmond

What a cool concept. Love Design took this 1917 A.W. Tillinghast design (Donald Ross would later do the greens) and renovated it into two golf courses that can be played into one. They kept the integrity of many of the original holes (which actually hosted the 1945 Richmond Invitation won by Ben Hogan and 1949 PGA Championship won by Sam Snead) and even restored some bunkers and features that were removed over the years. But now golfers have so many options. You can play a 12-hole course with traditional holes, play the six-hole Little Bell Course or combine the two for an 18-hole experience, which is actually rated. When combined, of course, you end with six par 3s, but they are not easy, despite some of them being short, so it's a full golf experience. Best of all, the entire 18 holes are interesting, very well maintained and beautiful. If I lived here, I would play this course regularly because as a muni run by The First Tee of Greater Richmond, it's a great value as well.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Boot Ranch Golf Club

Played On 03/28/2021
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 10 Contributor
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

As good as it gets

Everything I had heard was positive about this course so when I finally got to play this Hal Sutton design, my expectations were high. I was not disappointed. Every hole is interesting, the topography is amazing with lots of elevated tees, and Sutton did a great job with the greens, approaches and bunkers.

The fairways are also generous, so while the golf course is certainly challenging, if you're hitting it reasonably well off the tee, you have a chance. Even on a windy day, I managed to get around the course with some birdie opportunities and plenty of pars.

The whole experience is five-star, from the golf shop to the locker rooms to the course, which has three comfort stations stocked with snacks and beverages.

The coolest part of the course, though, is the signature par -4 10th, which plays over a lake and cascading water. Here you can take a break at the comfort station not only to get refreshments, but there are fishing poles waiting for you on a dock if you want to try to cast a line or two. Add to that Boot Ranch's huge practice park and putting park, and you've got a whole day worth of premium experiences.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Memorial Park Golf Course

Played On 11/06/2019
I Recommend This Course
Incentivized Review
4.0
Top 10 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

The new Memorial Park GC: tremendous gift to Houston golfers

While the routing remains much the same, the new Memorial Park Golf Course is stunning, and will be even more impressive once it matures.

Designer Tom Doak and the folks at Renaissance Golf have breathed new life into what was already considered a pretty decent municipal. Now it will be one of the best in the country and just the second muni to play host to a PGA Tour event.

The course now has way more interesting greens, less than half the bunkers than it had before and the holes now make good use of the land's natural features (like creeks), making this one of the must-play courses in Texas. Also, it now has five par 5s and five par 3s, a much larger lake between 16 and 17, and six inches of sandcapping that will help the course drain much better than before. It also now has a new system to recapture rainwater, making it possible to irrigate the course with reclaimed water almost 100 percent of the time.

While the course was in pretty good shape considering it was only shut down nine months ago for the renovation, it still needs to mature (the only reason I didn't give it five stars). And you can bet come next October, it will be flawless for its first Houston Open in more than 55 years (it moves from the Golf Club of Houston to Memorial).

My favorite parts of the new course are many. The second hole is a much better par 3 with the green moved to the other side of a ravine that used be behind the green. The ponds on the par-4 fifth and par-3 15th have been removed to create much more natural looking layouts that present many more options on playing the hole. And I love the way 16 now brings the lake into play as well as the par-4 17th, which now has a peninsula green.

Thanks to the generosity of Houston Astros owner Jim Crane and the Astros Golf Foundation, the entire project has been financed through private money. The good news is that the green fees remain the same, at least for now, Mayor Sylvester Turner said. I certainly hope we don't see any major increases anytime soon, because this is a tremendous gift for Houston golfers, but it would be a shame to see the longtime players here get priced out of the course.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Wailua Municipal Golf Course

Played On 06/12/2019
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 10 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Great Hawaiian muni experience

While I couldn't quite give Wailua five stars -- conditioning isn't perfect -- this is one of my very favorite municipal courses in the United States. After all, you have views of the Pacific Ocean, ala Torrey Pines or Pacific Grove -- plenty of challenging holes and a vibe that says "golf in Hawaii." Oh, and this course is anything but easy. Play it from the back tees at nearly 7,000 yards, add a little wind and the smallish greens on this near-century old course, and you've got quite a golf course. I love the variety of holes and change of elevation too. The par-3 17th is one of the prettiest holes in Hawaii. Food and beverage options are affordable and delicious.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 10 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

One of Hawaii's very best

What's not to like about the Makai course? It has some of the best ocean views in Hawaii, is always in good shape and most of all, it's interesting. But it's not just the ocean holes that make this a great golf experience. The inland holes are pretty special, too. For example, the par-3 third, which mimics the mountains and water in the background, is truly memorable with its near 100-foot drop. And the 18th, with the tee shot and approach over water, is as good a risk-reward par 5 as you will find anywhere. And then, of course, there are those ocean holes - more than half dozen of them, split between the front and back nines. Each are unique and all of them are memorable.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

The Club At Viniterra

Played On 05/04/2019
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 10 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Viniterra has a really nice collection of holes

The Club at Viniterra is a perfect example of why you should "make sure you play the right tees." If you’re a plus handicap and a long hitter, then go ahead and play the back tees. At 7,500 yards, it's all the golf course you want and then some. But then again, how much fun would that be for anyone? So for most players, unless you're in some kind of high-level event against flat-bellies, avoiding the back tees is probably a good idea. I would suspect it's a lot of work from there, even for the best players.

Fortunately, there are six sets of tees at Viniterra, so there really is a golf course for everyone. When you're playing the white tees you pass up three other sets before you get to yours. But you quickly get used to that, even if you're a single digit player, and realize that this Rees Jones gem is plenty challenging, scenic and interesting, even from 6,100 yards with a rating of 69.8 and slope of 129.

Many of the tees at Viniterra are elevated, and the fairways are very generous. The key to scoring is to avoid the fairway bunkers (there are plenty of them) and find the large greens, which have plenty of undulation. That's easier said than done, of course, since the greens are well protected as well by large bunkers, but it's a good goal nonetheless.

As for the holes, there's great variety, and they’re memorable. There are no homes that come into play either. The only drawback to the course is the distance between holes, which certainly prolongs the round. There is more than a half-mile of bridges between holes for cart paths.

Viniterra is also getting a new clubhouse, which should improve the overall experience. When I played the course, the clubhouse was almost completed and scheduled to open in a couple of weeks.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
4.0
Top 10 Contributor
First Time Playing
Used cart

Golden Eagle was well worth saving

It's easy to see why Golden Eagle Golf Club is a good venue to test the best players in the game. Host of multiple state opens, this George Cobb design has narrow holes with doglegs, water hazards and some relatively small greens (compared to newer courses). You have to be accurate off the tee, and the ability to work the ball both ways is a good trait as well.

Carved through hillsides of Virginia pines, the course has plenty of scenery, and it can be daunting as well. For example, the par-5 second is fairly straightaway, but you have to hit it straight to avoid the forest on both sides as well as a series of fairway bunkers. The course never lets up.

The centerpiece of the course a large lake. The fifth hole makes good use of it, for example. The tee shot is fairly lengthy over water to an island fairway. The second shot is also over water, and at 445 yards from the back tee, it's no wonder it's the no. 1 handicap hole on the course.

Golden Eagle also finishes strong. The 17th is an uphill par 3 that plays more than 200 yards. The 18th is a beautiful 382-yard par 4 that plays downhill off the tee in front of a lake, followed by an uphill approach over the water.

As it turns out, Golden Eagle is the only remaining golf course in Lancaster County. Last October, the nearby Tides Inn resort announced the course was going to close, but thanks to the efforts of some members of the semi-private club as well as the resort, the course has remained open and has been improving, reminding players of what it once was and will be once again.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging

Royal New Kent Golf Club

Played On 05/03/2019
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 10 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Thankful to have Royal New Kent back online

I first played Royal New Kent a little more than three years ago with the golf staff there. They shepherded me around all the blind shots, and I realized when I was through, that it was much easier than it looked. Since then, I have also played the much-heralded Tobacco Road near Pinehurst, so I'm starting to get the genius of Mike Strantz.

This time around, I was more prepared. What surprised me is that I remembered every hole, so I had a little better idea of what to do off the tee. What didn't surprise me is that I loved it. Part links, and mostly Strantz, I put this course right up there with Tobacco Road. First of all, with the new owners restoring and improving this course, it's in better shape than the last time I played it. And it has all the charm I remember. And it's a course that I would never get tired of playing.

For me golf is all about enjoyment, and Royal New Kent is one enjoyable ride. And yes, I understand that that there are golfers who believe this course has too many blind shots, etc., but I would counter that the landing areas are wide open, so it's plenty fair. And if you don't like blind shots, you probably don't like Irish links golf, because the great courses across the pond have plenty of them.

My favorite holes? It would depend on the day, I suppose. But if I had to pick one on the front nine, it would be the par-5 fifth, which is beautifully framed and most scenic off the tee. On the back, I'd pick the short 14th, a drivable par 4 for long hitters. It plays to a most interesting elevated green.

Overall, Royal New Kent is a fun ride from start to finish. As a golfer, I say thanks to the Wingfield Group for bringing it back to life.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 10 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

A must-play if you're in the Williamsburg area

Truly one of the most fun and interesting courses in Virginia, the Gold Course at Golden Horseshoe is a must-play if you're anywhere near Colonial Williamsburg. First of all, it's in one of the most historic parts of the United States, so if you can pair it with a stay at the Williamsburg Inn and a little sightseeing, you've got quite the complete vacation.

But the golf course stands out quite nicely on its own, thank you. This Robert Trent Jones Jr. layout, which opened for play in 1963, has been renovated twice by son Rees Jones (the first time in 1998 with Greg Muirhead), most recently in 2016. The results of the latest round of improvements are more fair greens and a golf course that's simply more playable, while losing none of its charm.

I went into this round having heard that the Gold Course had the best collection of par 3s in the state, and I wasn't disappointed. All of them are dramatic and quite challenging, punctuated by the 16th, which features an island green. The rest of the golf course doesn't lack character either, and I thought the par 5s were particularly intriguing, starting with the second, which plays down to a green fronted by a pond, setting up a compelling risk-reward situation if you hit a good tee shot.

And inside the clubhouse, the fun continues with a most friendly staff from Kemper Sports, well-stocked golf shop, grill overlooking the 18th hole and a golf museum as well. Inside you'll find historic photos of RTJ, legendary pros and presidents who have played the course over the years. There are also some familiar replica trophies (Ryder Cup and PGA Championship, for example) that were crafted by a local silversmith in Colonial Williamsburg.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Kingsmill Resort - River Course

Played On 04/30/2019
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 10 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

River Course is fun, memorable and challenging

The River Course is another example of a Pete Dye layout that really is very player friendly. The fairways are wide, the bunkers aren't too penal and the greens really aren't that severe. It's not a pushover, by any means, but it really is enjoyable for most players.

The course is perfectly suited for the upcoming Pure Silk Championship on the LPGA Tour. Last year's event was won in a playoff by Ariya Jutanugarn, who was 14-under-par through the first 54 holes. The year before Lexi Thompson went 20-under, so there are lots of birdies out there for good players.

While the course is enjoyable throughout, the finishing stretch is one of the more memorable you'll ever play. The 16th is a downhill left-to-right par 4 with a green perched in a precarious position that makes your approach shot critical. Any miss below presents a challenging up and down opportunity, to say the least. The 17th, is a beautiful par 3 that runs along the shores of the James River, and the tee shot on the par-4 18th, all carry over a lake that then runs down the left side of the fairway, is among the most difficult on the course.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 10 Contributor
Cold weather
Used cart

Plantation good warm-up for Kingsmill's River Course

Though it's just under 6,400 yards from the back tees, the Plantation Course at Kingsmill Resort is plenty challenging for a resort course and offers a nice complement to the championship River Course at the resort.

Designed by Arnold Palmer, it presents an unusual amount of left-to-right tee shots. They're large, so they are not overly difficult, but you if you get carried away with trying to fade the ball (for right-handers) trouble in the trees definitely looms. Mostly, though, the course is fun. Rolling hills and interesting greens make this a great warm-up to the River Course at the resort. And afterwards, you'll want to check out the Eagles Restaurant and Bar inside the clubhouse, which is a great place to grab a sandwich, crab chowder and local craft brew on tap.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Rusted Rail Golf Club

Played On 04/02/2019
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 10 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Rusted Rail a source of pride for Crandall, Texas

Although this was the first time I've ever played Rusted Rail, I was told by the folks I played with that the course is night and day from what it was just a couple of years ago. That's because the new owners, since purchasing the course in 2017, have made great efforts to improve every aspect of the operation, creating what is essentially a centerpiece for this bedroom community located just south of Dallas.

It starts in the clubhouse, where each guest is warmly greeted. There are terrific meeting, banquet and wedding facilities (there's even separate rooms for brides and grooms) and a solid food and beverage operation as well.

As for the course, which was renamed two years ago to reflect the railroad heritage of Crandall, Texas, it continues to improve each day. The new owners spent upwards of $1 million on new drainage, bunkers, cart paths and improving the fairways and greens to create a golf course that's fun, playable and a pretty good test, especially if you play the back tees at more than 7,000 yards. Each hole is different, with a nice variety of par 3s and par 5s, culminating with a terrific uphill finishing par-4 by the clubhouse. Rusted Rail has become a source of pride for Crandall, and it should get better and better in time.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Texas Rangers Golf Club

Played On 04/01/2019
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 10 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

New Texas Rangers GC rounds all the bases

There is nothing I didn't love about this course. The style, the firm and fast conditions, the variety of holes, the change of elevation, the bunkers, the greens – all of it is outstanding. Colligan Golf Design with John Colligan and lead associate Trey Kemp, created a course to replace the old Ditto municipal that had been here since 1982, and they really did hit a home run.

While the Texas Rangers theme probably will never quite grab folks like Dallas Cowboys football motif at Cowboys Club does up in nearby Grapevine, it's every bit as good a golf course, and in many ways more enjoyable. First off, the fairways are very generous, so it's very playable. And the ball rolls out, and who doesn't like a little extra distance off the tee? The holes are all different and memorable, from the shortest -- the 132-yard par-3 seventh, which has the course's largest green and bunker – to the longest, the 605-yard ninth.

From the tips at 7,010 yards, it is certainly capable of hosting big tournaments, like the Arlington City Amateur, which will be played there this year. And when they get the clubhouse built, which will feature Texas Rangers memorabilia, this place will really be special.

Practice facilities are also outstanding with a practice hole, full grass range and short game area.

One of the coolest features is that as you wait to make it to the first tee, you can hit a few practice drives while you wait your turn at the On Deck circle, an circular area featuring the Texas Rangers logo.

And who knows? You might even see a visiting ballplayer or two this baseball season on that circle. Like batting practice, it'd be fun just watching them launch a few.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 10 Contributor
Previously Played
Used cart

Solid tropical golf experience

The George Fazio-design Ocean Course has at least a couple of things going for it. It's a very playable layout at a terrific resort, and it has views of the Caribbean Sea. The layout and holes won't blow you away, but there's nothing unenjoyable about this experience.

It has also recovered nicely from Hurricane Maria. After undergoing a bunker renovation, it looks better than ever. There's also talk that it may get new greens, which would really elevate the course's status.

And if you're playing here, be sure to have lunch at the new Roots Coastal Kitchen at the Wyndham Rio Mar Resort next door, which has a variety of fresh Caribbean dishes, pizzas, desserts and drinks you won't likely forget.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

TPC Dorado Beach - East Course

Played On 01/03/2019
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 10 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Might be the best in Puerto Rico

Every hole is memorable, shot values are terrific and this Robert Trent Jones classic was in excellent shape. What's not to like? Arguably Puerto Rico's best golf course, and certainly its most famous, TPC Dorado Beach is a must-play when visiting the island.

The course has also finally recovered from Hurricane Maria a year and a half ago, There was no evidence on the courses of the devastation that wreaked havoc on the island. In fact, it may have opened the course up a little. What remains are 18 terrific holes, punctuated by the signature par-5 fourth with its Caribbean backdrop.

Excellent caddie service completes the experience.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 10 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Good tournament course

The fairways are wide, the greens are large and the wind is usually present on this tropical seaside course that hosts the Puerto Rico Open. That means it's playable by most resort guests and members, and pros can go pretty low on it if it isn't too windy, like D.A. Points did a couple of years ago at 20-under par. In short, it's a good course for resort guests as well as accomplished players. There's lots of water, palm trees and warm sunshine, which make this course a good choice for anyone coming to Puerto Rico for a golf vacation.

I was particularly impressed with the front nine, they way the holes weaved around water and sand with the mountains in the backdrop. There aren't many ocean holes, just a couple of the back nine, but you definitely get the feel that this is seaside golf. Having finally played it, it'll be fun to watch the tournament unfold in February.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Papago Golf Course

Played On 12/23/2018
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 10 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Great place to pay and hang out

While I couldn't quite bring myself to give Papago an overall rating of five stars, let me say that I'm a big fan of Papago. First off, it's not your typical desert golf course. The beauty of the surrounding Papago buttes, views of downtown and flow of the holes on this classic parkland layout is great. The greens with their slope and false fronts always get your attention, and the course is certainly challenging, but not overly difficult.

What really does it for me are all the other things at Papago, especially the new clubhouse and practice facilities. And we're not even talking about the new digs for the Arizona State golf teams. The range here is one of the best in area, and the new clubhouse is among my favorites anywhere. Using an open concept, it's a great place to spend an early evening, watching players come in or simply taking in the regular live entertainment. The food at the grille is terrific as well, and the bar features several local craft beers. I also like the open golf shop concept.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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