DESTINATION GUIDE
San Antonio golf: It's easy to remember the Alamo City
By Brandon Tucker,
Senior Writer
Anchoring the southwestern end of the Texas Triangle and at the cusp of the Hill Country, San Antonio stakes a hefty claim as the Lone Star State's top golf destination, thanks to numerous golf options, from historic municipal and daily-fee courses to high-end resorts.
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San Antonio is also tourist-friendly. The Alamo is Texas' most visited landmark, but the River Walk is where much of the action is both day and night, with scores of bars, restaurants and shopping along the three-mile system. Sea World and Six Flags Fiesta theme parks keep families busy outside the city.
San Antonio has a rich golf history, dating back to 1886, when soldiers at Fort Sam Houston were known to hit balls with golf clubs within the grounds. But the city's brightest days for golf lie ahead. In 2009 the PGA Tour's Valero Texas Open moved from the Fall Series to a more prestigious spring weekend at the Westin La Cantera Resort. And 2010 stands to be even better when the long-awaited TPC San Antonio finally opens its doors to two new layouts and a JW Marriott Resort.
Classic San Antonio golf courses
Aside from the newer golf courses in San Antonio, classics abound. Former PGA Championship host Pecan Valley Golf Club has upheld its relevance thanks to a recent Bob Cupp redesign. Brackenridge Park Golf Course, the anchor of the city's seven-course municipal system and original host of the Texas Open in 1922, underwent a multi-million dollar transformation in 2008, restoring the 1916 A.W. Tillinghast design to its former glory.
Other popular daily fee courses are The Quarry Golf Club, with nine holes set in an old limestone quarry, while The Republic Golf Club is one of the area's top courses for locals thanks to exceptional conditioning and fairways that feel far more secluded than its location near the heart of the city might suggest.
If municipal golf is your speed, San Antonio's Alamo City Golf Trail features seven courses, including Brackenridge, that offer many different styles at a great value.
September 15, 2009
Brandon Tucker is a Senior Writer and Special Projects Editor for the WorldGolf.com Network, where he contributes not only golf and travel articles, but photo essays, videos and more. His golf travels have taken him across the U.S., including more than 50 Myrtle Beach-area golf courses, and to such destinations as Scotland, Wales, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany and Malaysia.
Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.
More on golf in San Antonio, Texas:
Recommended courses in San Antonio
Recommended courses near San Antonio
- River Crossing Golf Club in Spring Branch
- Tapatio Springs Golf Resort and Conference Center - The Valley Course in Boerne
- Tapatio Springs Golf Resort and Conference Center - The Ridge Course in Boerne
- Tapatio Springs Golf Resort and Conference Center - The Lakes Course in Boerne
- Vaaler Creek Golf Club in Blanco
- Quicksand Golf Course in Wimberley
- Grey Rock Golf Club in Austin
- Falconhead Golf Club in Austin
- Roy Kizer Golf Course in Austin
- Jimmy Clay Golf Course in Austin
- Lions Municipal Golf Course - Public in Austin
- Lago Vista Golf Club in Lago Vista
- ShadowGlen Golf Club in Manor
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Drought takes its toll, but at some San Antonio golf courses, there's a green lining
Texas Hill Country boasts six luxurious golf resorts with 252 holes
