Black Hawk Country Club and Shadow Hawk in Richmond

[lowndes]

Is anybody currently a member or played out here recently. These have historically been excellent courses in the area but curious how they have been since Escalante acquired them.

 

Thanks

[txeconomist]

Never played them but heard good things about both. Nice thing about Blackhawk is you get privalidges with Golf Club of Houston I think. Imagine Shadowhawk is nicer but is significantly more expensive no? Whats the initiation at Shadowhawk $75k+?

[Brizam]

I have played both several times. Blackhawk pretty good its very playable. Shadowhawk is def the better of the two. Unfortunately Shadowhawk has had some issues over the past couple of years. They recently replaced the greens and are now in the process of replacing some if not all of the fairways, due to flooding from Harvey.

[TravelingGolfSticks]

Fore the record, Blackhorse is also and Escalante course. You get playing privileges at Blackhawk and GCOH at a reduced fee ($50 if I remember right). Don't Remember if Shadowhawk was included in playing privileges or not but didn't think so.

[28tosssweep]

Belonged to Shadow Hawk for about 10 years and really enjoyed it. Then Escalante bought it and things changed. I’ve moved on.

[pmizell]

I’m a Shadow Hawk member. It’s true, we have relatively new mini verde greens and they are currently in great shape. All of the bunkers are being renovated due to Harvey, and that process is underway. A few fairways had brown patches from standing water and they've been repaired with new grass. None of the repairs are in important landing areas.

 

When the new owner first arrived there were issues, but we now have a first-rate superintendent, Brent Schilhab, and the membership is happy. Everyone loves our pro, Ricky Lyons (we miss Paul Marchand but Ricky is a worthy successor). And Clabron Johnson is the undisputed best locker room manager in maybe the world. The club is in a good place right now.

 

I played Black Hawk a couple of weeks ago and it’s in great shape except for the bunkers due to hurricane. Both courses are Rees Jones designs but very different. SH is a classic design with small-ish elevated greens. Lots of big pecan trees. Black Hawk has fewer trees, larger greens, and lots of mounding. More links-like. Water in play on most holes.

[jflores8]

Blackhawk is a fun course, 16,17 and 18 are some really good finishing holes. Have not played Shadow Hawk but it is one of the more cream of the crop on the southwest side of town. I believe membership at Shadow Hawk gets you Black Hawk, GCOH, and BlackHorse.

[pearsonified]

What are initiation and monthly fees at these courses?

 

It's so strange to me that people are reticent to talk about things like this. It's a robotic, mechanical type calculation—you are eventually coming up with a price-per-round number, and then you can gauge whether or not the cost + benefits are worthwhile to you.

 

I don't give a sh*t if the club is a zillionaire's hangout or just a ruse to snag $300/month from old farts who live nearby. I just care if the whole thing works for me (relative to what I'm doing now).