Whispering Pines Golf Club

A small-membership club in the East Texas Piney Woods, about 90 miles north of Houston, whose closing holes run along Caney Creek and Lake Livingston.

Whispering Pines was built by Corby Robertson Jr. on more than 400 acres of pine woods near Trinity, Texas. Chet Williams designed it while working for Nicklaus Design, and it opened in March 2000. The club has a very small membership, around 160 members, and is open only part of the year, in spring and fall, which keeps play light and conditions firm and clean. It sits between creeks and lakes on the edge of the Piney Woods.

The front nine works through scrubby woodland and natural creeks; water takes over on the back. The last six holes run alongside Caney Creek and Lake Livingston. The 15th is a par 3 to a green on a narrow isthmus in a lake, the 17th is a par 5 that follows a small river, and the 18th plays along the water before a final approach over a pond.

Williams returned in 2019 for a renovation that rebuilt every green, redesigned several, added and removed bunkers and leveled tees, while converting the fairways to zoysia. The club is home to the Spirit International, a team amateur event that brings men and women from around the world to Trinity, and it has repeatedly been ranked the top course in Texas by both Golfweek and The Dallas Morning News.

Holes to know

15

Par 3

Drops toward a lake to a green set on a narrow isthmus, with water short and to the side.

17

Par 5

Follows the line of a small river through the closing stretch.

18

Par 4

Runs along the water before an approach that must carry a pond.

Championships

• Spirit International Amateur multiple editions

Design history

• 2019–20: Chet Williams renovation, rebuilding every green, reworking bunkers and tees, and regrassing with zoysia fairways and TifEagle greens