| Venecia Davis, "The Great Wall of Champions on | | | | was in April 1964, and it was attended by |
| Jackrabbit Road," | | | | celebrities such as Bob Hope and Phil Harris. The |
| Touchstone, vol. XIX (2000), 39-47.This article | | | | Cypress Creek course was rated as one of the |
| examines the development of the Cypress Creek | | | | top ten golf courses in the United States, and |
| golf course and the Champions clubhouse and the | | | | was the site for many international tournaments, |
| factors that necessitated the construction of a | | | | such as the 1967 Ryder Cup and the 1969 U.S. |
| sound attenuation wall along FM 1960. In the mid | | | | Open. The Jackrabbit course, although never |
| 1950s, two professional golfers, Jimmy Demaret | | | | hosting a major tournament, was ranked in the |
| and Jack Burke, Jr., decided to become partners | | | | top thirty of U.S. courses.Until 1969, the area |
| in a golf course in Houston. An attorney friend | | | | around Champions subdivision did not have many |
| suggested they buy a five hundred tract of land | | | | commercial businesses, which forced residents to |
| along FM 1960, which was about twenty-two | | | | commute to Houston for their shopping. Then Joe |
| miles from Houston. Although Demaret and Burke | | | | McDermott, a real estate developer, bought |
| bought the land, they did not plan to build their | | | | fifteen acres at the corner of FM 1960 and |
| golf course there at that time. They changed their | | | | Champions Drive to build Champions I, the area's |
| mind after learning that the new Houston | | | | first large shopping center. In the 1970s, he added |
| Intercontinental Airport and the new Interstate | | | | Champions II, III, IV, and V. The increasing traffic |
| Highway, I-45, would be located | | | | caused FM 1960 to be widened from two lanes to |
| nearby.Construction began in May 1957, and the | | | | four in the early 1980s, and this began to cause a |
| Cypress Creek golf course opened on November | | | | noise problem for the Champions' residents. When, |
| 1, 1958 for the first five hundred members. The | | | | in the mid 1980s plans were being discussed to |
| official grand opening was on April 21, 1959, and it | | | | widen FM 1960 to seven lanes to alleviate traffic |
| was attended by over six thousand people who | | | | congestion, one Champions resident, Darel |
| came to see celebrities, such as Bing Crosby, | | | | Wayhan, began petitioning for a sound attenuation |
| Mickey Mantle, and Ben Hogan. Due to Demaret's | | | | wall to be built. Despite initial opposition to the wall, |
| and Burke's celebrity status, many celebrities and | | | | Houston City government completed the wall by |
| professional athletes became members of the | | | | 1991. Although the wall caused minor complaints |
| Champions golf club.Burke and Demaret then | | | | from residents, it has been beneficial to the |
| decided to build a subdivision for their members. | | | | subdivision and golf course in many ways.Besides |
| Construction of the Champions subdivision began | | | | decreasing traffic noise, the wall has reduced |
| in 1960, and many celebrities, such as Farrah | | | | periodic flooding of the golf course. Also the wall |
| Fawcett and Steve Elkington, had homes there | | | | shields golf players from harassment by passing |
| over the years. The subdivision and golf course | | | | motorists and shields pedestrians and passing |
| created an economic boom for real estate. Land | | | | motorists from errant golf balls. The wall also |
| prices increased dramatically as investors bought | | | | contributed to the increasing market value of the |
| up available land along Jackrabbit Road.Due to the | | | | homes in Champions subdivision.Mary Arnold |
| increasing population, Demaret and Burke began | | | | graduated from University of Houston - Clear |
| building a second golf course in the spring of 1963. | | | | Lake with a B.A. in literature and history.She is an |
| The official opening of the Jackrabbit golf course | | | | author on which is a site for Creative Writing. |