Golfcrest Country Club

To this out-of-towner, Golfcrest seemed like a good representation of the Houston area's mid-level private golf: tree-lined, mostly flat mid-century design with very good conditions and some water hazards popping up now and again. That may sound a little reductive and mundane, but Golfcrest manages to rise above it in a couple ways. The first is its undulating greens, with some considerable rolling waves and tilts, which can make both putting and approach shots more complicated than they might seem at first. The second is the unique and eclectic architecture of the houses that encircle the course, from Chinese pagoda architecture to French chateau and seemingly everything in between. It's a very pleasant place to spend four hours chasing a golf ball around.