Sienna Plantation Golf Club

Sienna Plantation Golf Club is an outstanding track that was designed by Arthur Hill and opened in 2000.  The Houston Chronicle agrees that is one of the best in Houston and in 2009 named it to its list of the “Top Ten Best Houston Public Golf Courses.” 

The course plays through a very upscale housing development with some huge beautiful homes that are set back off the fairway.  The terrain is flat but Arthur Hills added a lot of berms and mounds and contour to the fairways which make for some uneven lies as well as uphill greens and elevated tee shots.  

In addition to water and magnificent  homes, live oaks and an abundance of mature cedar elms and other native trees line the fairways and provide a naturally wooded setting.  Lakes, water fountains, and meandering creeks make Sienna Plantation Golf Club atheistically pleasing, add some risk reward opportunities, and make some holes much more difficult.  

What makes this track both fun and challenging is that each hole is a little different than the previous holes and the layout throws something at you to test some portion of your game.  You’ll also get to use a variety of your clubs.   For example:

• On several holes you’ll need a precise shot to carry the water or wet lands, avoid the bunkers and mounds,  and hit some pretty small landing zones – #9 is a perfect example with a forced carry over the wetlands and through a narrow slot from the back tees and then a narrow fairway all the way to the green
• #5, a 451 yard par 5 and the #1 handicap, is a minefield of both sand and grass bunkers, mounds, swales, and berms leading to a small oblong green
• #4 looks easy from the tee box until you take a look at the green complex – this is a short 374 yard par 4 but the small green is sitting on top of what seems like a mountain creating a very tough approach shot with no room for error
• #16 is like eye candy – a short 320 yard slight dog left that is very pretty with a lake and fountain and beautiful homes along the left side plus a contoured and rolling fairway with tall berms and mounds on the right bordered by landscaping, but like candy which is hard and chewy and not good for you this hole has a very tough approach through a narrow water and berm lined fairway to a multi tiered green which may be hard on your score
• #18 is a 539 yard par 5 that requires guts to try and carry the two creeks that cut across the fairway or an accurate 2^ndshot to carry one creek and not roll into the 2^ndcreek

The fairways were in very good condition but did have a lot of divots which may have been due to heavy Thanksgiving play.  The majority of the fairways are narrow, relatively straight (you can usually see the pin and what you’re up against), and very contoured.  Several holes have some tall mounds and berms as well as some dry creek beds that are treacherous. 

The fairways are lined by trees or beautiful homes that can come into play on some holes.  The rough is wide and playable but miss it and you’re in trouble with trees (which you can typically find a way out of), a backyard, water, or wetlands and a lost ball.  This is a course where you need to hit ‘um straight and you need to be deadly accurate to find the best position on the green based on pin placement.

The greens can be complex and challenging thanks to plenty of steep slope, undulation, and tiers.  The greens at Sienna Plantation Golf Club vary in size from average to small and several are oblong and elevated with little room for error.  They were in very good condition but seemed slower than the 10 that the Pro said they normally run.  They were smooth, true, and held well.  Pin position can be a killer thanks to the slope, undulation, and tiers. 

There aren’t a lot of bunkers, typically one per hole and they are fairly easy to avoid.  The sand was wet thanks to a recent rain but is should normally be soft and thick.  You’ll also find plenty of grass bunkers and berms and swales.

Bottom line:  Sienna Plantation Golf Club is a fun track with good conditions and is very close to being labeled a shot makers course.  Good conditions, an excellent value with a coupon or special, and a very good layout make this a must play if you’re in the area.