Quail Valley

As many of you have heard by now, Quail Valley CC is now a municipal course. Missouri City declared eminent domain on the property after the whole Renaissance Golf debacle (Out With Inwood, pg. 18, March 2007; Missouri City Fights Back, pg. 16, April 2007). Two weeks ago a board of three country commissioners set the price of the property at $3.1 million. Renaissance had asked for more than $9 million. The city place the money in the county registry and assumed management of the club on July 3. All memberships were voided, and the club is now open to the public with a temporary green fee of $23. The city is currently deciding on special rates.

My uncle and I headed over to check it out last week. Clearly the place had been neglected. Quail Valley originally consisted of two 18-hole courses, a par 3 course, and an executive course. Renaissance closed all but the La Quinta 18. From the looks of things they were doing a good job of trying to close it, too. The bunkers were probably the worst I have ever seen. They were full of rocks and one was full of stagnant green water. No. 18 was a fiasco. The original hole was a par 4 with a creek crossing in front of the tee box and down the right hand side. Well the bridge crossing the creek to access the tee box, so Renaissance blocked it off and put the tee markers in the middle of the fairway, making the hole a par 3. I don't know whether the bridge collapse was the cause or effect of making the hole a par 3. In any case the hole is uphill, so when it rains the "tee box" is a mess.

But all in all I am pretty pleased. The greens are nice and Quail Valley could fill a much-needed niche for affordable golf in this part of town. I live off Hwy 6 in Sugar Land and play at Gus Wortham. I have to go to Stafford to even find a driving range.