1 The Golf Club at Cinco Ranch is located within the 5,000-acre Cinco Ranch master-planned community on Houston's fast-growing west side.

The 18-hole, par-71 golf course features a rolling layout that will challenge low handicappers while still offering the average player or beginner the opportunity to play an enjoyable round of golf. That's thanks to a well-conceived plan by the developers of Cinco Ranch, and masterful design by Houston-based architect Carlton Gipson.

The development company set aside ample room for the course, enabling Gipson to provide a wide variety of holes without squeezing them between out-of-bounds markers. In most cases, following the intended line of play takes OB completely out of play. Only three holes are marked by white stakes on both sides -- that, in itself, sets Cinco Ranch apart from most real estate-oriented courses. Gipson's design features a surprising (and pleasing) amount of roll, with several holes home to elevation changes of as much as 15 feet. The elevation changes help ensure an interesting round of golf -- so do some 50 bunkers and water hazards that come into play on 16 holes.