HOUSTON – A new driving range will be installed at Memorial Park Golf Course as part of the overall renovation for the course to host the 2020 Houston Open.
The new, two-level range will feature 84 hitting bays and an expansion of the golf course parking lot.
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Construction is expected to begin in June for a planned grand opening of Nov. 1. The current driving range will be moved in order to remain open during construction.
The Astros Golf Foundation, which jumpstarted the renovation with an "event fee" that will be paid annually, received approval Wednesday from the Memorial Park Standards Committee on plans
"Our work at Memorial Park continues every day and the Standards Committee's approval for the new driving range is a significant step towards our overall goal for this project," said Astros Golf Foundation President, Giles Kibbe. "We appreciate the partnership and efforts with the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department, the Memorial Park Conservancy and the Memorial Park Standards Committee on a project that we believe will make Memorial Park Golf Course one of the most iconic municipal golf facilities in the country."
City Council in January approved the plan for $13.5 million in renovations in order to be ready to host the PGA golf tournament in 2020.
The 2019 Houston Open will be held Oct. 7-13 at the Golf Club of Houston.
The Houston Open has been played under several different names since 1946.
Memorial Park last hosted the tournament in 1963.