Golf in Brenham

Situated northwest of Houston, the Houston National Golf Club and Strategic National Grass Reserve pocks itself with 27 holes, playable, like Voltron, in three possible combinations. Designed by legendary hole artists Von Hagge, Smelek, Baril, and McConaughey, the rolling green is punctuated by varied hazards and distractions like ponds, sand traps, and virtual gazelles. Both beginners and professionals can find something to challenge their walking and bad-shot-excuse-making skills. Houston National's GPS-equipped carts automatically keep the game's score and track your position in case you get lost amidst the unending flatness.

Hemmed by 35 acres of lakes and the watery tentacles of Williamson Creek, Jimmy Clay and Roy Kizer Golf Courses band together to form a 36-hole golf complex with two distinct, relatively flat 18-hole layouts. Opened in 1974, Jimmy Clay Golf Course predates its sibling by two decades. Measuring 6,914 yards from the back tees, the tree-lined par 72 is the longer and tougher of the two courses, with large, elevated greens that befuddle golfers of all stripes and inspire fandom in wide-eyed mini-golf courses. Though most holes begin with tee shots into wide, forgiving fairways, water hazards loom on the edges of 9 holes to test players’ accuracy.

Stationed just south of its counterpart, Roy Kizer Golf Course weaves through 22 acres of wetlands and lakes that pinch the fairways and greens of nearly every hole. The 6,819-yard course emulates the links-style layouts of coastal Britannia with wide fairways, a significant water presence, and a population of migratory waterfowl that squawks with a heavy cockney accent.

Jimmy Clay Golf Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Total length of 6,914 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 72.3 from the back tees
• Slope rating of 124 from the back tees
• Five sets of tees per hole
• Scorecard

Roy Kizer Golf Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 71 course
• Total length of 6,819 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 72.2 from the back tees
• Slope rating of 125 from the back tees
• Five sets of tees per hole
• Scorecard

The golfing gurus at Edwin Watts Golf Academy diagnose and correct their students' poor swing and putting habits in an effort to help them improve their shots and lower their scores. In one-on-one swing-analysis sessions, students learn a repeatable swing that eliminates tendencies they may have to slice, hook, push, or pull the ball. A special laser attaches to the end of the player's club and tracks the swing path while JC Video swing-analysis software records the session from two separate angles, lest analysis be thrown off by only looking at the golfer’s good side. Putting analysis employs Tomi technology to measure eight separate parameters of the putting stroke, from clubhead orientation at address to swing path and tempo. After swing and putting lessons, students may access the recordings on a password-protected website, so they can forward videos to friends or sports-documentary filmmakers.

Owner and golf guru Matt Christian brings countless golf, fitness, and club-fitting certifications to Elite Golf Performance, where private lessons pair with video analysis to shave strokes from scorecards. Elite’s expert instructors help students develop simple, routine-based exercises focusing on coordination and consistency, following an Elite Golf Performance mode of instruction espoused by PGA Tour winners and US Open champions. The center also boasts a repertoire of technological teaching aids, allowing players to dissect their technique with video swing analysis.