The Woodlands Edition | January 2026

BY VANESSA HOLT

Put in perspective

Golf impact in Texas

821 golf courses in Texas 1.89M individual golfers (6.29% of the state population) 194 nine-hole courses $1.5M economic impact from visiting golfers 20,312 jobs $188M in local and state tax revenues

Cindy Heiser, a member of the township’s board of directors, said a golf course has been identied as a need in resident surveys, the most recent of which was conducted in 2024. Golf continues to grow in popularity in Texas, with golf-related employment growing by 33% from 2012 to 2023, according to an economic impact study by the Texas Alliance of Recreational Organizations Inc. It also generates $1.5 billion in

annual tourism revenue for the state, according to the study. Private golf courses have also reported increased demand, with ocials from The Woodlands Resort noting the draw of its two courses. “Recreational golf demand is expected to continue growing, supported by The Woodlands’ unique sense of seclusion despite its proximity to Houston,” said general manager Hank Reilly.

SOURCE: TEXAS ALLIANCE OF RECREATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS INC. COMMUNITY IMPACT

What’s next

Zooming out

While there are several private golf courses in The Woodlands, there are currently no public golf courses in the township, Heiser said. Private courses include The Woodlands Country Club and The Club at Carlton Woods. “It’s very dicult for people to get out … and play golf at all,” Heiser said. “So that was really the one that was the driver for considering, how could we include public golf in The Woodlands?” The oldest course in The Woodlands opened in 1975, according to information from the developer Howard Hughes. Golf courses in the township have also attracted several tournaments over the years. The Insperity Invitational on the PGA Tour will take place May 4-10. The Chevron Championship, previously held in The Woodlands from 2023-25, moved to Houston’s Memorial Park this year, Chevron announced Jan. 7. In addition to outdoor sites, The Back Nine Golf has opened several indoor golf simulators in The Woodlands area, including one slated to open in February.

The township board of directors will review and select the partners for the golf course project in February, but the timeline for the construction and opening of the facility can not be estimated until a proposal is presented and deal is brokered, Nunes said. Board members said Howard Hughes will have naming rights on the property, which was donated by the company. Development of the course will likely not be completed until after 2027, ocials said.

Golf options in The Woodlands area 1 | 2 The Back Nine Golf

3 | 4 The Club at Carlton Woods 5 The Golf Trails at The Woodlands 6 The Woodlands Country Club This list is not comprehensive

1488

2978

RESEARCH FOREST DR.

242

Project timeline Dec. 17: Request for proposals submitted Jan. 23: RFP proposals due Feb. 19 or 26: Golf park partners to be selected

BRANCH CROSSING DR.

LAKE WOODLANDS DR.

GROGANS MILL RD.

Late 2026: Development to begin After 2027: Golf course to open

KUYKENDAHL RD.

WOODLANDS PKWY.

SOURCE: THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIPCOMMUNITY IMPACT

SOURCES: THE WOODLANDS COUNTRY CLUB, THE CLUB AT CARLTON WOODS, THE BACK NINE GOLFCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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