Golf on a budget could be teeing off soon in The Woodlands. The Woodlands Township board voted Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, to let staff start negotiations with a Houston operator to build a 50-acre, nine-hole par-3 golf complex inside the township's newly acquired South Gosling Park. Township leaders say the idea is to offer a lower-cost, walkable alternative to pricey private clubs, complete with practice areas and food-and-beverage options. Officials also stressed that a private partner, not the township, would run the course.
Board members unanimously authorized talks with Houston-based Early Bird, the company behind the East River 9 course. If those negotiations stall, staff has been told to pivot to Austin-based Park Golf, according to the Houston Chronicle. Township staff said the roughly 50-acre layout would fold in a driving range, practice facilities, a contracted restaurant and pickleball courts, and it would be lit for night play to make the complex more accessible.
The short-course concept emerged from a request for proposals that closed Jan. 23 and sought a private partner to design, finance, build and operate the facility, according to the township's bid documents. That RFP drew responses from Park Golf, Early Bird and American Golf, and the submissions are listed on the The Woodlands Township website.
What The Short Course Could Look Like
Township leaders say they want the complex to feel like a community amenity, not a gated club. They repeatedly circled back to one theme: whatever gets built should still look and feel like The Woodlands. "We are pushing for The Woodlands to be The Woodlands on this course," chairman Brad Bailey said during the meeting, and director Craig Eissler underscored that the township itself would not operate the facility, as reported by Community Impact.
Why Short Courses Keep Popping Up
Across the golf world, short par-3 layouts are having a moment. They take up less land, cost less to build and maintain, and can squeeze into tricky urban or flood-prone sites, industry research shows. The National Golf Foundation has documented rising interest in compact courses and in golf under the lights as operators hunt for new revenue streams. Planners also point out that shorter, quicker rounds tend to be less intimidating for beginners and more practical for families.
Working Around Trees, Wetlands And Floodplain Rules
The 208-acre South Gosling tract was transferred to the township in July 2023 and has been under engineering review to map wetlands and floodplains before any amenities are placed. Much of the land falls within the 100-year floodplain, which limits where buildings and paved cart paths can be added and steers designers toward lower-impact features, according to Hello Woodlands and township documents. Board members also pointed to the township's ongoing reforestation program, which runs at roughly $1 million a year, as something they do not want to undercut when choosing where and how to site the course, the Houston Chronicle reported.
What Happens Next
Township staff will now negotiate with Early Bird and bring any proposed partnership back to the board for final approval. If those talks break down, directors have authorized staff to restart negotiations with Park Golf or other RFP respondents, and the board will take up the item again once a contract is drafted, according to Community Impact.
