For the last several days I was lucky enough to visit San Antonio, Texas, one of the coolest cities I've yet to grace. It has history, culture and Southern Hospitality, and lots of golf courses to complement.
A testament to the "everything's bigger in Texas" philosophy, the focal point of the visit was the newest Tournament Players Club property, TPC San Antonio. The 36-hole facility has gained a lot of attention for courses that were only opened a matter of months ago: The Greg Norman-designed AT&T Oaks Course, which had Player Consultant Sergio Garcia involved in the work, will host the nationally televised Valero Texas Open May 13-16. The Pete Dye-crafted AT&T Canyons Course is one of the prettiest and most enjoyable resort course layouts in the area. Together, the duo make up a perfect combination of championship golf and a leisurely, but testing, round.
PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem says that TPC San Antonio will be the most ecologically friendly courses built in the United States, soon to be certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program. And although San Antonio experienced some unusually wet weather, these courses were tested, and succeeded with flying colors, in their dynamic drainage system. The closed irrigation system allows water that goes through the turf to be captured and recycled; the result is fairways that are nearly dry after a heavy rain, bunkers with no puddling, and firm greens that the ball rolls true on.
The courses aren't the only grandiose part of the property, however.
The Lodging
Opened in January, the adjacent JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is one of the largest and most finely appointed resort and conference centers I've encountered. More than 1,000 rooms make up this Southwest-themed property, with more than 140,000 square feet of meeting space alone.
Rooms have large balconies, oversized bathrooms with soaking tubs and all of the modern amenities enjoyed at home, like wireless internet, flat-screen TV and oodles of outlets to plug in phones, computers, iPods and other accessories, nearly anywhere in the room. Saddle blankets grace the foot of each bed, while Southern leather accents adorn the headboards. It's a great retreat after a round of golf or a day of conferencing.
Outside of the resort, take a spin down the raging water slide! A literal water park, guests can grab an inner tube and set sail down the slide into the oversized pool, or lounge at an adjacent pool overlooking the 18th hole of the Canyons Course.
If you had an exceptionally long day on the course like I normally do, a trip to Lantana Spa is in order. Treatments include hot stone, Swedish and deep tissue massage. I recommend services from David, a San Antonio native and avid golfer who can pinpoint areas of the body that are most affected by the golf swing and can be most benefited by massage. Afterward, a few minutes in the Inhalation Room relaxing with the scent of lavender or citrus, followed by a sit in the steam room, will have your golf-torn body feeling rejuvenated.
The Food
One of the cool dining facilities is called High Velocity, a sports bar with massive projection televisions extending the length of the room. The Lobby Bar has a mean blackberry mojito, while Cibola Moon serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, including a great club sandwich and these cool little biscuits in an iron skillet, compete with fresh, locally made strawberry jam. At the clubhouse, 18 Oaks, considered the fine-dining steakhouse restaurant, offers an amazing filet, comfortable decor and funky Southwest accents, like carved wood lighting and colored glass walls. 18 Oaks overlooks the golf course and is the perfect ending to a perfect round.
The Town
Outside of Hill Country, where the JW Marriott is located, a tourist and local favorite is Riverwalk, a 14-mile stretch of waterway that was originally constructed for flood control, but now is a haven of restaurants, bars, hotels, shopping and other fun attractions that all face the water. Riverwalk is absolutely idyllic; a boat tour meandering through the canals is a great way to learn about the history of the architecture, famous names and other neat things in the area. The Alamo is within walking distance to Riverwalk, which is, as one of my travel mates described, "an incredibly moving reminder of American history."
Another fun stop is Pearl Brewery, built in 1883 and home to the Culinary Institute of America. Pearl is a 22-acre redevelopment that not only includes food and beer, but retail, live/work spaces, galleries, and more. It's a must-see after a day at Riverwalk.
The good folks at the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau know all when it comes to the area, and are a great resource for whatever your trip to San Antonio may contain!
Palm Springs for less: New story on World Golf!
There are few places more perfect to play in the winter months than the Coachella Valley, but sometimes those pesky $200-plus green fees can keep us off the course. Fear not, there's a solution! Read my new story at WorldGolf.com and GolfCalifornia.com about great places to play in the desert that won't break the bank. You can take me out for a premium microbrew afterward with all of the money you saved.
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