Palo Alto, Calif. (October 10, 2012) - Inspired by the majestic beauty of the Rio Grande River and the oasis it has nurtured – in stark contrast to the typically sparse and rugged South Texas landscape – the team at Robert Trent Jones II Golf Course Architects (RTJ II) is proud of its role in bringing the new Max. A. Mandel Municipal Golf Course to life. Reflective of the City of Laredo's vision for its future and the important role of golf in that plan, "The Max" golf course is one of a very few new golf venues to open in the U.S. in 2012 and is the first city-owned public golf facility in Laredo, Texas.

"We felt a significant responsibility to the people of Laredo, as well as to the game of golf itself, throughout the process of creating this golf course," said course architect Robert Trent Jones Jr., Chairman and Master Architect of RTJ II. "We have created a golf experience that we hope will be a great source of pride and satisfaction for the community."

Routed along bluffs overlooking the Rio Grande across to Mexico, the highly anticipated par-72 layout winds through 270 acres of sandy terrain. Encompassing almost a mile of riverfront property, the course presents four holes that play adjacent to and high above the water as it traverses deep arroyos and navigates through 30-foot tall mesquite woodlands and upon open farmland.

Jones has provided an excellent balance of drama, playability, risk and reward that will make for exciting and enjoyable golf. Featuring five sets of tees and wide, inviting fairways throughout, the course can be configured as a tournament test of more than 7,200 yards, yet is still a perfect fit for golfers who desire a more manageable challenge at less than 5,000 yards. Play is scale-able as the routing creates "courses within the course" – the closing nine presents a three-hole and six-hole loop flanking the practice facility. This concept allows for play of three, six, nine or 18 holes as well as maximizing the ability of "The Max" to provide instruction for the golfers of tomorrow. Each hole also integrates "family tees" to encourage parents and children to play together.
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