Eagle Pointe Golf Club - An East Houston Oasis

The tiny community of Mont Belvieu, Texas, home to a population of slightly more than 3,000 and exactly one post office, made its name as a fountain of natural resources.

Originally named Barber’s Hill for its founding settler, rancher and cattleman Amos Barber, who built the first home in the area in 1849, Mont Belvieu is now home to the Eagle Pointe Golf Club & Recreation Complex.

Designed by noted Houston golf architect Rick Forester, Eagle Pointe is known for its undulating topography, which is a rarity among typically flat Houston area courses. The rolling terrain and interesting elevation changes are present throughout the course as the ground rises and falls as much as 40 feet.

If it’s possible to be described as an open setting, yet insulated by dense forest, Eagle Pointe pulls it off. The mature pine trees framing Eagle Pointe are so abundant that the loss of close to 400 of them due to the damage associated with Hurricane Ike is hardly noticeable. The open natural feeling of Eagle Pointe is enhanced by the fact that no housing development surrounds the course; the only backyard you’ll be searching for your ball in belongs to Mother Nature.

Water is quite prevalent at Eagle Pointe and adds to the oasis-like atmosphere of the course. The most striking water feature is Cherry Point Gully, which weaves its way through the course from start to finish. Old River serves as a complement to Cherry Point and creates a boundary on several holes. And while they may not come into play on every shot or truly be considered hazards, a variety of waterfalls and ponds are scattered along the layout.

But don’t be fooled by all of that peace and serenity on your way to the green; once you arrive at the putting surface, you’ll be confronted by the pride and joy of Eagle Pointe – its fast-paced, wonderfully manicured greens.

Many of the putting surfaces are steeply tilted, some feature significant undulations, and all of them are very quick at Eagle Pointe, leading to rule No. 1 of playing this course successfully – don’t find yourself above the hole.

The opening hole at Eagle Pointe is a microcosm of what you can expect from the course throughout the day. As you stand at the first tee, you see trees to your left and right. The fairway slopes downward, turns to the left and rises gently to the postage-stamp green. This is a par-5 hole, which now plays at 536 yards from the back tees and 435 from the forward. The defining feature of the hole is Cherry Point Gully which runs parallel to the fairway on the left and then crosses the fairway in front of the green about 146 yards out.

Solidly demanding, but fair is an accurate depiction of the severity awaiting players at Eagle Pointe. The course offers four different tee positions, ranging from 5,213 yards to 7,077. From the back Black tee, Eagle Pointe is rated 73.2 with a healthy slope of 128.

The par-4 sixth is the toughest hole on the course and can sabotage a good front nine with its challenges. From the back tees, you can see that the fairway is slightly elevated and makes a complete 90-degree dogleg turn to the left. This hole plays at 438 yards from the back tees and 323 from the forward. The demand for a well-placed tee shot and a sloping, turtle-back green account for the extra difficulty.

The inward nine is highlighted by a challenging and varied closing stretch. The 15th is the toughest par-3 at Eagle Pointe, with a two-tiered green and huge bunkers right and left. The long par-4 16th is an example of just how prevalent water is at Eagle Pointe, as a creek, pond and waterfall all come into play on the way to a deep but narrow green. The par-5 17th offers a chance to steal a birdie if you’re able to negotiate the heavy bunkering around the green. The home hole is a par-4 and requires not one, but two shots over water to a well-protected green.

Eagle Pointe is making quite a name for itself and is attracting golfers from all over the Houston area. Recently, the Houston Chronicle awarded Eagle Pointe a four-star rating and labeled the course “an excellent, must-play golf course and called it a great place to play golf.” If you haven’t played Eagle Pointe yet, you’ll want to do so soon.

The action at Eagle Pointe doesn’t stop once you make your way off the golf course. A full-scale practice area is available for warming up, cooling off or taking an all-important lesson from Eagle Pointe’s professional staff. An 8,000 square-foot outdoor tournament pavilion is on the way and will add to the group outing experience.

The facility is not only one of the premier locations for golf outings in the Houston area, but the recreation complex makes Eagle Pointe an outstanding venue for a number of different pursuits.

The state-of-the-art recreation complex features a fitness club, meeting rooms, restaurant and wave pool – an unbeatable lineup of amenities for any corporate getaway. The jewel of the health facility is a 4,300-square-foot exercise room with the industry’s top strength and conditioning equipment. Sports fanatics will find just about everything to stay active, including basketball, racquetball and tennis courts, a heated indoor lap pool, group exercise and cycling rooms, tanning salon and massage therapy. Corporate and individual memberships are available.

Eagle Pointe also specializes in hosting events such as wedding receptions, luncheons and fundraising dinners.

An ideal setting for a golf outing, social event, daily workout or golf lesson, Eagle Pointe Golf Club is located in beautiful Mont Belvieu, about 35 miles east of Houston and 45 miles west of Beaumont, deep in the heart of East Texas.

For more information on Eagle Pointe Golf Club, visit www.eaglepointeonline.com or call (281) 385-6666.