Memorial Park Wants to Build Central Park Type Mystique — and the Houston Open’s High-Profile Return is a Start

Central Park is one of the most iconic spots on the planet. It’s the setting for numerous movie and TV scenes, the vision of countless vacation dreams. There is only one Central Park, but that’s the type of stratosphere the architects of Memorial Park’s rebirth are shooting at.

Almost everyone in the world knows what Central Park is. Few outside of Houston know what a green jewel Memorial Park is — or how vast it is. Most have never even heard of it. There is hope that a reimagined golf tournament on a revamped (to the tune of $34 million) municipal golf course in the heart of the nation’s fourth largest city will help change that.

The Houston Open is not going to make Memorial Park famous. But maybe, it can open up some eyes to what’s already going on.

“The Kinders have done a ton of work here already,” Jim Crane, the billionaire Houston Astros owner who saved pro golf in Houston, says of Memorial Park. “We just came in a little bit behind them. But the Kinders and The Conservatory are going to have you a park here that could be No. 1 in the world. It’s bigger than Central Park.

“And I think when they’re done and this thing really seeds itself, we’re going to have one of the best parks in the United States.”

Crane is referring to Rich and Nancy Kinder’s efforts — and the $70 million they’ve donated to Memorial Park. So yes, this week’s Houston Open is significant because it marks the PGA Tour’s return to playing within the Houston city limits for the first time in 57 years. It’s significant because as Astros Golf Foundation president Giles Kibbe notes: “It’s the best field the Houston Open has ever had.”

But, it is also about much more than just golf.

This tournament is a showcase for Houston’s premier park. And in many ways, this ultra limited capacity 2,500 spectators allowed per day 2020 Houston Open is just the start of a new beginning.

“We’ll make this tournament bigger and bigger — and better — as we get down the road and get some more people in here,” Crane says.

Golf Promises

Crane certainly made his promises around the Astros come true after he took over that once floundering franchise. While PGA Tour events are not measured by world championships — a more regular date and sense of importance on the Tour calendar surely will be future objectives for Crane and the Houston Open’s leadership group.

This week is all about embracing the return of professional golf to the city — and taking advantage of the kismet of having the rescheduled November Masters fall the week after this Houston Open. That scheduling luck — and having the tournament in Houston rather than out in Humble — is bringing World No. 1 Dustin Johnson, 4-time Major winner Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Jason Day and more to Memorial Park.

Most of the top players will not arrive in Houston till Tuesday or Wednesday. Monday was largely a day for everyone to get used to the new surroundings — and for a press conference with Crane, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and more dignitaries. (Crane was whisked away after the press conference before any of the baseball writers in attendance could ask about George Springer). Still, Memorial Park was already largely shutdown to vehicle traffic.

I witnessed one nearby homeowner struggle to get on her street before a very serious sheriff’s deputy relented and let her through. The Houston Open signage is all up — and omnipresent. And a few players were already trickling to the rebuilt driving range.

This Tom Doak-redesigned golf course that will play at more than 7,300 yards for the pros will be mentioned in the same sentence as another municipal course that’s a legendary pro golf staple — Torrey Pines. Memorial Park does not have anything close to Torrey’s ocean views or La Jolla’s natural beauty. But like Torrey it is a course that regular golfers will be able to play the rest of the year.

Memorial Park may not be the center of the world. Or anything close to it. But it’s center of golf this week. That’s a start.

For more, read the PaperCity exclusive on the Memorial Park revamp and new education center.