San Antonio: The Golf Darling of the South
by Wendy Maxey

When you think of golf, you probably don't think San Antonio. Why would you when you've got Pebble Beach, Palm Springs, Myrtle Beach, Scottsdale and countless other golf hubs packing them in season after season? Well, believe it or not, San Antonio is on its way to doing just that.

In fact, many of the head pros I recently talked to said the golfers are pouring in faster than the city can build courses to accommodate them. And the golf courses - well, we'll get to those later.

San Antonio is no stranger to great golf. The city has played host to the Texas Open since its inception in 1922 and hosts the Senior PGA Tour's SBC. Such golf moguls as Jay Morrish, Arthur Hills and Tom Weiskopf had a hand in designing many of the area's golf courses. And, to top it off, SA recently received a nice plug in Golf Digest when it was dubbed the "8th Best Golf City." We're not talking small beans here.

The city's main draw? Sunshine. The sun shines more than 300 days per year. You can golf to your heart's desire all year long. And that's not all. San Antonio is home to Six Flags Fiesta Texas (it's right next to La Cantera golf course too), Sea World San Antonio, Splashtown, River Walk and let's not forget the Alamo, a.k.a. "The Shrine of Texas Liberty." So, you and your family won't be at a loss for things to do during your stay in the heart of Texas.

Now that you know the weather is great and there's a slew of things for the whole family to do (two reasons alone to visit SA), let's get back to golf. Since 1989, San Antonio has constructed 13 new golf courses, bringing its total to roughly 36. You're probably saying to yourself, "well Phoenix has about 110 and Palm Springs more than that. . ." That's true. But, the courses in SA are as varied as the people who play them.

Florida golf is known for its beautiful white-sand scenery and Phoenix for its desert-based courses, but once you've stepped onto a course in the heart of the Texas Hill Country or one of SA's links-style courses, you'll easily be convinced that this city is a golf mecca on the rise.

San Antonio is also considerably cheaper than other golf spots. Sure, play a round at some of the high-end resorts (Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort or the Westin La Cantera) and you'll pay a pretty penny, but still not as much as you'd shell out in other areas around the country. SA is affordable for all players and offers a number of courses that challenge all skill types.

Many of the pros I spoke with said they cater to all types of players - the business traveler, leisure traveler, retirees and young professionals. San Antonio is one of the largest convention cities in the nation. (In fact, the city is renovating its current convention center to make it the 10th largest in the U.S.)

In addition to its 36 courses, San Antonio is in the process of constructing at least five more. According to Terry Olivarri, Canyon Springs' head pro, "San Antonio could double the amount of courses and there would still be more players than courses." Why the influx of people? "The city has so many other tourist qualities, throw golf into the mix and we become more popular," he said.

That seems to be the general consensus around town. "San Antonio golf has grown immensely over the past five years," said Steve Lennon, golf professional at Cedar Creek (one of the area's six municipal courses). "Any city that opens two courses per year - that's a pretty rapid rate. They can keep building courses and they'll still be full," he added.

Let's also not forget that it's less expensive around these parts. "It's less expensive for what you get," said Lennon. "A group of four could play [a round of golf] cheaper here than a group of two in other areas.

That said, here is a list of courses to check out on your next trip to San Antonio:

1.The Quarry: The Quarry opened shop six years ago and was designed by Architect Keith Foster. The front nine resembles a links-style course while the back nine sprawls the floor of a quarry-surrounded by 100-foot walls. The Quarry, headed up by Todd McCabe, has been recognized as "America's Best - #2 in Texas" by Golfweek Magazine and "Best Course - #4 in Texas" by Golf Digest. ($75 M-T; $85 F-Sun.)

2.Brackenridge Park: Designed by A.W. Tillinghast in 1915, "Old Brack" is the oldest 18-hole public course in the state of Texas. The course was recently inducted into the Texas Golf Hall of Fame and the Texas Open Hall of Honor. The course's front nine is lined by ancient oak trees while the back nine is more open, bringing more wind into play. ($14-$17 M-F)

3.Westin La Cantera: Opened in 1995, this course was designed by Jay Morrish and Tom Weiskopf. La Cantera is carved from the walls of a limestone quarry and sits amid oak trees, streams and wildlife. The course was named "The Best New Public Course" in the nation in '95 by Golf Digest. La Cantera was also named as one of "America's 500 Best Places to Play" by Golf Digest in 1995. La Cantera sits directly next to Fiesta Texas, so as your taking that shot from the 80-foot quarry wall, don't be surprised when your ball takes direct aim for "The Rattler." ($105, $115) Read a golfer's review of La Cantera.

4.Cedar Creek: Another of San Antonio's municipal courses, Cedar Creek is nestled in the Texas Hill Country and plays host to a number of tournaments, including the Nike Event Qualifier and the Texas Open Qualifier. Cedar Creek is blessed with cool wildlife, including 40 wild turkeys and natural beauty. Cedar Creek is one of the less-expensive courses in SA - fees range from $18 to $21. Cedar Creek was designed by Ken Dye and opened in 1990.

5.Canyon Springs Golf Club: Canyon Springs is one of the newer golf courses in San Antonio. The course, which opened in 1998, winds through some of the most scenic areas of the Hill Country. The course is known for its wide fairways and was recently named "The 8th Best Golf Course in the State," by Golf Digest. ($80-$90)

Other Golf Courses:

Pecan Valley (Rated as one of the top public courses in America by Golf Digest)
Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort (an Arthur Hills design)
Tapatio Springs Resort (Recognized as one of the 10 best resorts in Texas by the Dallas Morning News for six years)
Olmos Basin (Municipal course that has hosted the Men's City Championship 27 times)
Silverhorn Golf Club (Designed by PGA Tour pros Scott Verplank and Willie Wood)
Woodlake Golf & Country Club (one of only two Texas courses designed by Desmond Muirhead)

Why San Antonio is an up-and-coming golf hot spot (in a nutshell): you can play year round; you can experience the area's unique architectural styles (from Hill Country golf to links-style golf); you can do other things besides golf, such as ride thrill rides at Fiesta Texas and Sea World and check out the No. 1 tourist spot in Texas - River Walk; and you can play golf fairly inexpensive - as compared to other golf meccas.