Blackhorse Golf Club - North Course

Review and Rating of Blackhorse Golf Club's North Course in Cypress, Texas

Blackhorse Golf Club is home to two spectacular 18 hole courses that are consistently rated as two of the best in Houston.  Each 18 is a little different and has it’s own unique personality and characteristics: 

• North is more traditional and has more trees, almost twice as many bunkers,  and plays longer than South from all 6 tee boxes
• South is shorter and harder (thanks to water on 15 holes and several forced carries) with a fantastic back nine that has 6 holes that play through an expansive sand quarry that has been transformed into a colorful array of wetlands – read our review of Blackhorse Golf Club’s South Course

The North Course, as well as the South Course at Blackhorse Golf Club was designed by Jacobsen Hardy Golf Course Design Group and opened in 2001 and they describe North as “Carved into a lush landscape of lakes, wetlands and a meandering creek, the North Course plays between 5,065 and 7,301 yards. TifSport fairways and TifEagle greens provide optimal playing conditions, and each hole is uniquely sculpted to provide an eclectic range of environmental changes throughout your round.” 

What a joy to play – just make sure that you pick the right set of tee boxes (there are six of them with yardages ranging from 5065 to 7301 yards) because the North Course is no walk in the park – the rating ranges from 121 to 135.  On most holes you can pull out the big dog and let-er-rip but after that you’ll need some skillful shots from a wide variety of different clubs.  

Some of the holes that we really liked on Blackhorse Golf Club’s North Course included:

• #2 is a 211 yard par three that’s all carry over a pond to a green with a large multi-fingered bunker on the left side
• #4 is outstanding – the #1 handicap hole is a slight dog leg right 420 yard par 4 that offers a great risk reward shot to try and carry more of the lake (that runs from the tee box to the back right side of the green) to shorten the hole but you need to miss a huge cluster of bunkers waiting for your drive on the right and two more on the left plus three bunkers guarding the green
• #7 is 413 yard sharp dog leg right par 4 that requires accurate shots all the way – a short drive and you can’t make the turn thanks to the trees, long off the tee and you’re in the trees, and the approach is tough thanks to a pond on the left, trees pinching both sides of the fairway, and a green with a left and right side bunker
• #11 is a 545 yard par 5 with a minefield of bunkers (7 of them ranging from small pot bunkers to some steep and deep monsters)

When we played in mid-March the fairways were still transitioning from winter to summer but they were in excellent condition as was the playable rough.  Both the rough and fairways are ample but miss them and you’re wet, sandy, or lost in the trees.  The fairways are loaded with contour and a couple are like mini roller coaster rides – hands up and a “wheeeee” is in order! 

The Blackhorse Golf Club’s North course greens were near perfect – great condition, good speed (normally a 9.5 but running an 11 when we played), and just the right amount of slope and contour to make them demanding but fair.  They held the ball well, rolled true, and were fairly easy to read.  All but one of the greens are guarded by between one to three bunkers.

Speaking of bunkers there are 67 of them ranging from small pot to multi-fingered monsters and most are fairly steep and deep – practice your sand game before you head out.  The good news is that the sand is perfect – soft, thick, and fluffy!  The bunkers are well maintained and manicured.