San Antonio TX Golf Weekend
GolfChannel.com, 10/11
PGATour.com, 5/10
Golf Magazine, 8/08
T&L Golf, 10/06
Golf Digest, 11/10, 9/06
Golf Channel 2010
Feast in San Antonio
Mike Bailey
Oct 22, 2011 3:04 PM ET
SAN ANTONIO -- If you like Tex-Mex, barbecue and a good old chicken-fried steak, then San Antonio is your town. Luckily, if you're playing golf, you'll find plenty of great choices nearby.
What follows is just a sampling of some great dining/hangout options after a round of golf. All are within easy driving distances of the following golf courses:
Westin La Cantera Resort
The food throughout the Westin La Cantera Resort is great, but for a golf course appetite, it's hard to beat the 15,000-square foot clubhouse at La Cantera's Palmer Course, which overlooks the ninth and 18th holes below.
The restaurant has a great bar and even better food and appetizers. A trio of guacamole, salsa and chili con queso served with homemade tortilla chips might be the best in the state (seriously) -- much less the Alamo City -- but all the grub is good, including the burgers, Tex-Mex and other dishes.
Brackenridge Park Golf Course
One of the best things about Brackenridge Park Golf Course is its location, which is right next to the River Walk and downtown San Antonio.
That means that dozens of great restaurants and bars are just a few minutes away. You can check out the new Q at the Hyatt River Walk, which focuses on international barbecue or head over to Esquire, established in 1933 and featuring the longest bar in Texas.
For a great steak, there's Bohanana on Houston Street. And, of course, for terrific Tex-Mex there are all kinds of choices on the River Walk, like Casa Rio on East Commerce Street. A San Antonio institution, Casa Rio features indoor and outdoor dining, which makes it a great place to sip margaritas and people watch.
You'll find all the Tex-Mex staples -- crispy tacos, flautas enchiladas, fajitas, nachos and tamales, to name a few.
Quarry Golf Club
After golf at the Quarry Golf Club, one of the best-kept secrets in the area is the Quarry Restaurant, which overlooks the back nine at The Quarry.
Non-golfers eat there as often as golfers. You can get everything from a great burger and margarita to scallops with a superb selection of wines in a super atmosphere that features indoor and outdoor dining and live entertainment.
Or, if you're in the mood for Greek food, head east a ways to Wurzbach Road and check out Pasha's Mediterranean Grill. Portions are generous, especially for the modest prices. You'll love the gyros, flatbread, lamb, beef, Greek salad and hummus.
TPC San Antonio
Like most swanky resorts, the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa has plenty of great fine dining. But for golfers, nothing beats a good sports bar, and the JW Marriott has one of the most unique in the city.
It's called the High Velocity Sports Bar, and it features a 120-foot-long high-definition video wall that features the games of the day. Combine that with a cold Guinness or one of the 24 craft beers High Velocity features with typical bar food in a modern atmosphere, and you've got a great place to unwind while you lick your wounds after playing one of the two tough golf courses at the TPC San Antonio.
Silverhorn Golf Club
After checking out one of San Antonio's best daily-fee clubs on the northwest side -- Silverhorn Golf Club -- a genuine chicken-fried steak might be the ticket.
For that, head south a bit to Loop 410 and Interstate 10 to De Wese's Tip Top Cafe on Fredericksburg Road. Not only is the chicken-fried steak delicious, but it's huge -- so large, in fact, that it barely fits on the plate. With gravy underneath and fries piled on top (and you can add the restaurant's famous onion rings if you want), you'll probably need to play 36 holes beforehand to work up enough appetite.
Tip Top, one of the state's oldest family restaurants, also features steaks, fried shrimp, Tex-Mex and homemade pies.
Willow Springs Golf Course
There's no shortage of barbecue joints in San Antonio, especially with chains such as Bill Miller's and Rudy's, which have a loyal following.
But if you're looking for something a little more unique, give Augie's Barbed Wire Smokehouse a try. Located on North St. Mary's near downtown, the River Walk, the Alamo and the terrific Willow Springs Golf Course, the restaurant features a wide variety of smoked barbecue, including brisket, sausage and both beef and pork ribs.
Augie's also has great burgers, hot dogs, plenty of fixin's and desserts.
Away Game
Swingin' Through San Antonio
Golf Digest, 11/10
TPC San Antonio Oaks Course #16
By Matt Ginella
Photos Courtesy of TPC San Antonio/Brackenridge Park
When I was a teenager growing up in Santa Rosa, Calif., I found myself playing a round of golf with one half of the Smothers Brothers. Tommy, or Yo-Yo Man, barely spoke when he was on stage. But after he topped a drive that day, he said, "I'm going to write a golf book: The 99 Things To Remember at the Point of Impact." We've all been there. I certainly was at the end of this summer and considered reading a how-to book on yo-yos, but then I had a swing thought: Go to San Antonio instead. Home of the Texas Open since 1922, the seventh-largest city in the United States (1.4 million) has a big military population and a reputation for being conservative. It's also known for being left of liberal with birdies.
Two of the tour's three lowest 72-hole scoring marks have been set at the Texas Open (Mike Souchak shot 257 in 1955, and Tommy Armour III shot 254 in 2003).
But all of that has changed. This year the Valero Texas Open moved from the Resort course at La Cantera (where it had been played since 1995) to the Greg Norman-designed Oaks course at the new TPC San Antonio. Adam Scott won with a 72-hole total of 274, 20 shots off Armour's record.
The Oaks is a spacious layout with receptive fairways, but it's a long way from easy if you play the 7,435-yard back tees. Even if you don't, you still have to contend with intimidating rough, scowling bunkers with jagged edges, undulating greens and a variety of hole locations. Then there's the bunker in the middle of the green on the 154-yard 16th. (Fortunately for me, I wasn't hitting it straight enough for the bunker to come into play.)
The Slope Rating from the tips is 148, four more than the back tees at Kiawah Island's Ocean Course, a Pete Dye design that is No. 1 in Golf Digest's ranking of America's 50 Toughest Golf Courses.
Which is why it was critical that Dye dulled his knife before cutting Canyons, the other course at TPC San Antonio. Neighboring a 700-acre nature preserve, this user-friendly resort course is the perfect complement to the tour-caliber Oaks. There are a few straightforward holes early in the round -- some might call them boring -- but it gets interesting for any level of golfer on the last four holes. It's not often that a struggling swing looks to a Dye design for relief, but you can at the Canyons.
TPC San Antonio is private, meaning that you have to stay at the resort to play the courses ($175 for each). Finding accommodations shouldn't be a problem. With 1,002 rooms ($300 a night), it's the biggest JW Marriott in the world, visible from almost every hole of both courses. Only 13 miles from the airport and 15 miles from downtown, it's like a city tucked into 2,800 acres of the Texas Hill Country.
Not only is there a Starbucks and a FedEx station in the lobby, there are a variety of boutique shops, a 26,000-square-foot spa, a six-acre water park with four slides and a 1,100-foot-long lazy river that is heated and open all year. There are seven dining options, including a sports bar with a 40-yard flatscreen TV. My best meal was at 18 Oaks, which serves a Texas-size steak and is conveniently next to the clubhouse. Apart from excursions to off-site courses, the only time I used my rental car was to visit downtown San Antonio for a foot tour of its famous River Walk shopping district (see Local Knowledge).
I also played Brackenridge Park and the Palmer course at La Cantera. Both were within 20 minutes of the TPC and worth the ride. Like the Oaks, the Palmer course is tough (142 Slope), and it has blind shots, severe elevation changes and potentially unfair downhill lies, especially on the 490-yard 18th that finishes with a green protected by sand and water. But I like the course and would play it again. (Rates from Nov. 8 through Dec. 31 are $89 during the week and $99 on weekends.)
Brackenridge Park, however, stole my heart. Vaulting onto my list of top-five munys in the country, Old Brack was designed by A.W. Tillinghast in 1915. Because it had fallen into disrepair in recent years, the course underwent a $4.5 million renovation in 2008. Now it's everything I love about a good muny: It's affordable (locals can play for $25 versus $50 for out-of-towners), it's accessible (the course's diverse clientele prefers walking to taking a cart), and it has history (Tillinghast also designed Baltusrol, Winged Foot and contributed to Bethpage Black). I was taken aback by the big tree directly in front of the 16th tee, but I was told it would require an act of Congress to cut it down, so I consider it charming. That's also how I'd characterize the clubhouse, which was built in 1923 and is displaying the first of what will be four phases of the Texas Golf Hall of Fame.
Old Brack was the site of the inaugural Texas Open, and for all the recent chatter about tour players shooting 59, it was Harold (Jug) McSpaden who might have done it first. McSpaden shot a 59 in 1939 during a practice round at Old Brack, which has remained a par 71. McSpaden's playing partners that day were Paul Runyan, Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson.
One of my playing partners at Old Brack had a swing thought that helped me make three birdies and shoot 78: Keep the right leg bent throughout the backswing. So San Antonio served its purpose. I've scrapped the yo-yo idea, and I'm sticking to golf. I'm sure McSpaden would've agreed: Sometimes the golfers you're paired with can make a big difference. 
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Destination: San Antonio
PGATour.com, 5/10
For visitors, there is more to the city to remember than the Alamo. They can leave with recollections of the golf and other activities in the host destination of the Valero Texas Open, held at TPC San Antonio.
Where to Play
TPC San Antonio: 36 holes of golf on two spectacular layouts, AT&T Oaks Course designed by Greg Norman and player consultant Sergio Garcia hosts the Valero Texas Open while the AT&T Canyons course designed by Pete Dye and player consultant Bruce Lietzke will play host next year to the Champions TOUR AT&T Championship. Both properties are available to guests of the JW Marriott.
AT&T Oaks #11
Brackenridge Park Golf Course: Dating to 1916, this A.W. Tillinghast design is not only historic but also incredibly fun to play, especially after a recent restoration brought many of Tillie's features back into play.
La Cantera Golf Club: The former home of the Valero Texas Open has two memorable layouts that are part of the Westin property that is one of the state's best golf resorts.
Pecan Valley Golf Club: If you want to follow in the footsteps of some of golf's greats, head to this host of the 1968 PGA Championship. Then 48, Julius Boros made history by becoming the oldest major-championship winner.
Where to Stay
Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort: Located on the city's outskirts, this casually luxurious property is the ideal family destination, with a four-acre water park, renowned spa and three nines designed by Arthur Hills.
JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort: The Alamo City's newest property is home to the Valero Texas Open, played on the Greg Norman-designed course at TPC San Antonio, which also boasts a course by Pete Dye.
[Fat Guy Note: This is a great spot for an upscale family getaway with top-shelf golf for Dad... check out that waterpark!]
JW Marriott San Antonia Hill Country
Watermark Hotel and Spa: Downtown's leading hotel offers easy access to attractions like the Alamo and Riverwalk while also providing a luxurious sanctuary after a day of exploring the city.
Where to Eat
Bistro Vatel: The location in a strip mall can mislead diners, so don't be surprised to find an intimate eatery featuring classic French cuisine prepared by chef Damien Watel.
Bohanan's: Visitors shouldn't leave Texas without visiting a steakhouse, and one of the city's best choices is this downtown eatery that features the rarified Japanese Akaushi beef.
Rosario's Cafe y Cantina: Featuring Mexican favorites with a twist, this local favorite had helped to revitalize the now-trendy area around the Blue Star Arts Complex. Don't leave without trying the fish tacos.
Golf Magazine's Travellin' Joe says...
Play at The Quarry ($59-$99, 210-824-4500), and Pecan Valley ($30-$51, 210-333-9018, www.pecanvalleygc.com) which hosted the 1968 PGA Championship.
Grub at Azuca (www.azuca.net) for superb Nuevo Latin cuisine, or Casa Rio has been dishing out classic Mexican food since 1946. Boudro's (www.boudros.com) is a solid upscale choice.
___________________________________________________________________________
Destination Golf: San Antonio
See Golf Channel's Lauren Thompson's Itinerary
Day 1
Brackenridge Park Golf Course
The Brackenridge Golf Course, the oldest 18-hole public course in the state, was designed in 1915 by renowned golf course architect A.W. Tillinghast (who also designed Winged Foot, Baltusrol and Inverness), "Old Brack" was recently honored as the first golf facility listed in the Texas Registry of Historic Sites. It has also been inducted into the Texas Golf Hall of Fame and the Texas Open Hall of Honor, having hosted the first Texas Open in 1922.
18 holes | Public | Par: 71 | Length: 6185 yards | A.W. Tillinghast
2315 Avenue B
San Antonio, Texas 78215
Lucchese
Every inch of a Lucchese boot is made of the finest grade of leathers. These near-perfect skins are often more expensive, but you can't put a price on unprecedented fit and comfort.
255 E. Basse R.
Suite 800
San Antonio, TX 78209
Paris Hatters
Family owned and operated since 1917, Paris Hatters is world famous for our expertise in providing quality custom-fitted and custom-shaped hats. The tremendous variety of new hats offered, along with our cleaning, blocking, and renovation services, keeps Paris Hatters high on the list of any hat connoisseur.
119 Broadway
San Antonio, TX 78205
The Quarry Golf Club
If there ever was a golf course with a split personality, it's The Quarry. Designer Keith Foster created a unique layout where the front nine is reminiscent of British Open links-style courses: no trees, deep heather rough and an ever-present breeze to bedevil you. But it's the back nine that amazes most golfers. All nine holes are set in an 86-acre limestone quarry, winding around its 100-foot-tall perimeter and challenging the golfer to carry shots over the imposing chasms. Known for its tough par 4's, strong drives and accurate iron shots are a must.
18 holes | Par: 71 | Designed by Keith Foster
444 E. Basse Road
San Antonio, TX 78209
River Walk And Museum District
Millions of people visit the River Walk each year to enjoy this unusual urban sanctuary that winds along the San Antonio River in central San Antonio, one story below the bustling street level. The River Walk's new Museum Reach opened in May 2009 and stretches north along the San Antonio River, and connects the existing River Walk to the San Antonio Museum of Art and the 125-year-old Pearl Brewery, a vibrant urban village. New public art installations, by local, national and international artists, line the banks.
The Pearl
Pearl is undergoing a transformation from historic brewery to an iconic culinary and cultural gathering place where you can eat, live, learn, work and play on the Museum Reach of the San Antonio River. Pearl is a place where you can attend a wedding in an elegant oval former stable... learn to bake brioche where bottling equipment used to be stored... luxuriate at a salon housed in a former garage... hunt for one-of-a- kind goods in one of our eclectic array of shops.
200 E. Grayson, Ste. 210
San Antonio, TX 78215
La Gloria Restaurant
Influenced by the extensive travels of Chef Johnny Hernandez throughout Mexico, La Gloria features Mexican dishes as diverse as the regions where they were first born. The menu includes local favorites such as tacos de trompo al pastor and quesadillas, as well as harder to find specialties such as tlayudas from Oaxaca, panuchos from the Yucatan and volcanic molcajete dishes served simmering at your table.
100 E. Grayson
San Antonio, TX 78215
Day 2
The Alamo
On the east side of Alamo Plaza is the most famous spot in Texas where 189 defenders fell on March 6, 1836, after repeated attacks by Mexican General Santa Anna's army. Mission San Antonio de Valero (the Alamo) was established in 1718 as the city's first mission. The chapel, one of the most photographed facades in the nation, and the Long Barracks are all that remain of the original fort.
300 Alamo Plaza
San Antonio, TX 78205
Hyatt Hill Country Golf Club
From the veranda of the ranch-style clubhouse, the championship course seems to have been there forever - not just since 1993. And that's a testament to designer Arthur Hills' subtle style. With plenty of cactus, native oak and Texas wildflowers, the course blends in naturally with its surroundings. Three par 4's are less than 340 yards - a reprieve from the three that are over 445.
Courses: Oaks 9, Creeks 9, Lakes 9
27 holes | Par 72 | 200 Acres
9800 Hyatt Resort Dr.
San Antonio, TX 78251
La Hacienda De Los Barrios
San Antonio's Barrios Family continues its tradition of Tex-Mex hospitality at La Hacienda. Specialities include cabrito (goat) en salsa dinner, marinated beef and specialty margaritas.
18747 Redland Rd.
San Antonio, TX 78259
Day 3
Diamond C Stables
Diamond C Stables and Ranch provides high quality boarding at an affordable price. Our family focused facility offers a large covered arena as well as two round pens, riding lessons for students of any age, breeding services and more. Please explore our site to learn more about us and what we offer.
27030 Toutant Beauregard
Boerne, TX 78006
TPC San Antonio - AT&T Canyons Course
Due to the differing topography, the Dye and Norman Courses will complement one another with each having a unique look, feel and playing experience for members and resort guests. While very different from the traditional, tree-lined AT&T Oaks course, the AT&T Canyons Course will stand on its own as a tournament venue in terms of design, strategy and beauty.
Par 72 | 7,522 Yards | Designed by Greg Norman
23808 Resort Parkway
San Antonio, TX 78261
TPC San Antonio - AT&T Oaks Course
The AT&T Oaks Course reflects the TOURs departure from the modern tournament style course (expansive grass areas and spectator mounding) to a more natural look and feel, without sacrificing the fan experience making it very tournament friendly. The AT&T Oaks Course is the scheduled home to the Valero Texas Open beginning in May 2010.
23808 Resort Parkway
San Antonio, TX 78261
Market Square - Mi Tierra
In 1941, Pete and Cruz Cortez opened a little three-table café for early-rising farmers and workers at San Antonio's Mercado. Sixty years later, Mi Tierra Café is a world-famous landmark - the place hometown regulars and hungry tourists go for authentic Mexican food and a warm Texas welcome. Pete and Cruz's children and grandchildren continue the family tradition of good food and big-hearted hospitality at Mi Tierra, which now seats over 500 and is still located in Market Square, El Mercado. Open 24 hours, 365 days a year.
218 produce Row
San Antonio, TX 78207
Gruene Hall
Built in 1878, Gruene Hall is the oldest continually running dance hall in Texas, and the Central Texas birthplace to many great songwriters and musicians. Including George Strait, Ace in the Hole,Jerry Jeff Walker, Lyle Lovett, Joe Ely, Robert Earl Keen, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Hal Ketchum, Bruce and Charlie Robison, and many more.
1281 Gruene Rd.
Gruene, TX 78130
Day 4
La Cantera - Palmer Course
This exceptionally beautiful course, designed by golf legend Arnold Palmer and open since March 2001, plays out over 225 acres set on 370 acres of rugged, natural terrain. The course includes three signature holes, including the par 3 No. 4 hole, where golfers encounter dramatic waterfalls along the entire front of the green. Golfers will need a long carry over a lake to make the green.
Par 71 | 74.2 Rating | Designed by Arnold Palmer
16641 La Cantera Parkway
San Antonio, TX 78256
La Cantera - Resort Course
Carved from the walls of a limestone quarry and nestled amid the live oak trees, streams and wildlife of the Texas Hill Country, The Resort Course at La Cantera is a visual stunner. The thrills include a tee shot from atop an 80-foot quarry wall where you take dead aim at the Six Flags Fiesta Texas roller coaster, "The Rattler." But don't be fooled by the dramatic scenery - this beauty can be a beast. Elevated tees help the shorter hitter, but accurate second shots are a must. The course has been the host of the PGA Tour's Texas Open at La Cantera since 1995.
Par 72 | 72.5 Rating | Designed by Jay Morrish and Tom Weiskopf
16641 La Cantera Parkway
San Antonio, TX 78256
Lone Star Floathouse
Go tubing, rafting, canoeing or kayaking on the Guadalupe River near New Braunfels or in Guadalupe River State Park, which has four miles of river frontage. Vendors in both areas rent inner tubes and various watercraft, as well as provide shuttles for drop-off and pick-up service along the river.
Texas Pride BBQ
Texas Pride Barbeque is known for its barbecue, fish, fries, and country music. Steeped in the finest quality mesquite barbecue tradition of his grandfather, Tony ony Talanco has developed a 1940's country store gas station to create a nostalgic family friendly real Texas BBQ Joint. Come enjoy our slow-cooked brisket, pork ribs, chopped brisket sandwiches, an array of homemade side dishes, and our famous peach cobbler!
2980 E. Loop 1604
Adkins, TX 78101
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tex-Mex Rules Don't pass through San Antonio without hitting these hot spots
From T&L Golf, October 2006
by Richard C. Oliver
Located on the fringe of Texas hill country and blessed with a temperate climate, San Antonio makes for an appealing golfer's sojourn this time of year. You can play a PGA Tour stop, the Resort course at La Cantera, in shirt sleeves through the end of November, and the city itself is a rarity in the Southwest: a booming metropolis abounding with historical charm. Much of San Antonio's allure lies in its colonial Spanish architecture, epitomized by the Alamo, the eighteenth-century mission and shrine to Texas independence. Yet the city also exudes a modern flair, particularly with its popular River Walk.
Must-Sees
Touristy as it may be, don't leave town without visiting the Alamo; check out the museum in the Long Barracks and watch the film showing the site's various incarnations, from mission to fortress to historic landmark. The restaurant-and bar-lined River Walk is also a must; the best place to take it in is at an outdoor table at Boudro's, over a drink and a smoked-shrimp enchilada.
Trip Planner
PLAYING Your best options for public golf are the Palmer and Resort courses at La Cantera Golf Club (800-446-5387, www.lacanteragolfclub.com), the latter of which hosts the Valero Texas Open. The course is tucked into rolling hills northwest of downtown. If you can get an entrée, also play Oak Hills Country Club, the 1922 Tillinghast gem where the tournament used to be held.
STAYING Befitting San Antonio's history, the lobby and restaurants of La Mansión del Rio (800-292-7300, www.lamansion.com; rooms from $149) are furnished with antiques from Mexico and Spain. Many of the 337 luxury guest rooms have balconies overlooking the River Walk.
DINING While here, you have to try the Tex-Mex, and there's no better place for it than bustling La Fonda on Main (210-733-0621, $$). For a more upscale and romantic experience, head to the Grey Moss Inn (210-695-8301, $$$$) in Helotes, thirty minutes northwest of the city.
Eighth wonder Blending natural beauty, history and excellent golf, San Antonio is a destination worth checking out
By Pete McDaniel
Golf Digest September 2006
Just as Tim Duncan's scowl belies the tranquility within the San Antonio Spurs' gentle giant, San Antonio proper shields its soul with tourist trappings and Tex-Mex eateries. It's a blend of boundless beauty and gauche commercialism, but if you can push past the latter, you'll likely find one of the most charming cities anywhere.
The country's eighth-largest city (population 1.24 million) combines a rich history with a progressive spirit that has helped turn it into a top travel destination. Nearly 20 million visitors a year discover San Antonio. The attractions are as diverse as the population, from the renowned Alamo and downtown River Walk to the obscure La Villita (one of the original settlements of Spanish soldiers and their families) and the nearly 300-year-old San Fernando Cathedral. Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Sea World San Antonio drive the city's theme-park industry, but other attractions like the University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures at San Antonio and the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center help tourists celebrate Texas' multicultural heritage.
San Antonio's climate--more than 300 days of sunshine a year and an average temperature of 75 degrees--is another factor in its popularity as a tourist destination. Mild winters make outdoor activities possible year-round.
Accommodations range from luxury hotels along River Walk and family-oriented resorts such as the Westin La Cantera and Hyatt Regency Hill Country to more than a dozen bed-and-breakfasts within walking distance of the Alamo, where couples on a budget can get a room for as little as $65 a night.
Much like the city itself, San Antonio's golf is shaped by history and recent development. The Resort Course at La Cantera Golf Club has hosted the Texas Open since 1995. However, San Antonio golf is most famous for the 1968 PGA Championship at Pecan Valley Golf Club. The tournament produced modern golf's oldest major champion, Julius Boros, who at 48 outdueled Arnold Palmer for the title. Palmer, who never won a PGA, missed a 12-footer for birdie on the 72nd hole that would have sent the championship into a playoff.
Several courses in San Antonio offer significant elevation changes, particularly those in the hill country, where spectacular views are as common as a soothing sunset. Quite a few others are converted ranch/farmland, where the only thing that keeps tumbleweeds and cow patties from becoming natural hazards is a barbed-wire fence. The variety adds to San Antonio's credentials as a legitimate sports town--home to the National Basketball Association's Spurs, an international hockey league team and potential refuge for Major League Baseball's Florida Marlins.
Two for the show
La Cantera G.C., 210-558-2365, $75-$145.
Resort Course
Palmer Course.
Designed by Jay Moorish and Tom Weiskopf, the Resort Course has generous fairways and greens that allow for, among the best players, a lot of birdies. Tommy Armour III shot a record-breaking 72-hole total of 254 (26 under par) during the 2003 Texas Open here. Its most famous hole, nicknamed "The Rattler," is the 316-yard seventh, which overlooks the Six Flags Fiesta theme park. It's a great risk-reward hole featuring an 80-foot drop from tee to fairway, a half-dozen bunkers bordering both sides of the fairway and water down the right side.
With hills that produce scenic vistas and sobering swing thoughts, the five-year-old Palmer Course plays four to six shots tougher than its sibling. Tight fairways require accuracy off the tee, and there are more than enough uneven lies to separate hacks from true ball-strikers. The spectacular, water-guarded fourth plays 188 yards from the tips and generally into a good breeze. Palmer constructed a bridge in memory of his first wife, Winnie, and a plaque salutes her influence on his life.
Lone star
The G.C. of Texas, 210-677-0027, $55-$90. Lee Trevino consulted on this design, and it bears his mark. It has links characteristics--relatively flat terrain, minimal water hazards and huge greens with subtle undulations--that favor the creative player. Wind is often a factor because of the openness, and the fairways are bordered by native areas where it's wise to take the rattlesnake warnings seriously. The 337-yard fifth and the downhill, 370-yard 10th are examples of risk-reward holes where a long, accurate tee shot could leave you with an eagle putt.
The Quarry G.C., 210-824-4500, $65-$90. Carved from a rock quarry, this course features several back-nine holes where you have to negotiate a 100-foot rock wall to reach a narrow strip of fairway. Case in point: the 386-yard 17th, which bears the nickname "Reload." The front nine is more links style and exposed to the wind, but a few water hazards make smart play a must. If there's a sleeper it might be the 474-yard 10th, which plays even longer because of a gradual incline from tee to green.
Canyon Springs G.C., 210-497-1770, $60-$100. Local architect Thomas Walker routed this course through an old ranch, where natural elevation changes and rolling terrain provide a sense of countryside golf in a suburban development. Several blind tee shots might unnerve first-timers, but the course is challenging and scenic enough to warrant at least a second look. Besides, it's loaded with local flavor, from the ranch-style clubhouse to its history as the last stagecoach stop heading out of San Antonio.
The Republic G.C., 210-359-0000, $40-$51. Designed by Art Schaupeter and opened in 2002, this course is fast becoming as popular as its more famous neighbor, Pecan Valley. The traditional parkland layout has forgiving fairways and the largest greens in San Antonio. With a prime-time weekend green fee of $51, it's also the best bargain in town. Check out the 624-yard sixth, a legitimate three-shot beast. A deep ditch across the fairway about 160 yards from the green limits second-shot options for all but the longest hitters.
Pecan Valley G.C., 210-333-9018, $59-$69. From the 800-year-old "Burnt Oak" tree to the peaceful waters of the Salado Creek running through the golf course, Pecan Valley has a special feel. It's a throwback to the days of pullcarts, caddies and persimmon clubs. The course maintained its integrity through a massive restoration, completed in 2001. It plays to 7,047 yards from the championship tees and, on a windy day, has several holes that will bedevil the average player. Among them: the 418-yard, uphill finishing hole.
Hill Country G.C., 210-520-4040, $125-$145. This club, which is part of the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa, has 27 Arthur Hills-designed holes, nine of which opened last year. They represent precision, target golf at its best. Accuracy-challenged players will endure a long day here: Tree-lined fairways, a variety of hazards and difficult greens prevail.
Buckhorn G. Cse., Comfort, 830-995-5351, $31-$40. Schaupeter also laid out this jewel off I-10 nearly 50 miles from San Antonio. The course is worth the drive, especially for those in need of an ego boost. Wide-open fairways, huge greens and a casual atmosphere are conducive to low scoring. The relatively short (6,648 yards) course is routed through ranch/farmland and has several water hazards penal only to those who severely spray the ball. The greens are undulating but not excessively fast. Elevation changes make the par 5s (particularly the 549-yard sixth) play longer than the scorecard, but two of them are reachable. The log-cabin clubhouse sets the mood--and it only gets better on the course.
Cheating the wind
By Charlie Krieg, head golf professional, La Cantera Golf Club, Palmer Course, San Antonio
The swirling winds of the south Texas hill country can create some real challenges. To manage these gusty winds, move the ball back in your stance, widen your stance slightly for additional balance, take one more club than normal for the distance and swing easy. Use an abbreviated backswing and follow-through for more control. This should reduce the amount of spin and lower your ball flight to keep the ball under the wind.