Offering a wide variety of things to see and do, San Antonio is a unique destination that manages to delight both kids and adults alike. That multigenerational appeal is why numerous print and digital travel publications, such as US News and Fodor’s, consistently give the city top marks as one of the best places to take a family vacation.
It also happens to be the perfect getaway for golf fanatics, too.
The rolling terrain of San Antonio, which serves as the gateway to the beautiful Texas Hill Country, provides a stunning backdrop for an eclectic mix of top-rated private and public golf courses.
While there is no shortage of places to tee it up in the Alamo City and surrounding area, TPC San Antonio and the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa tops the list for many golf aficionados.
Nestled amid 600 acres of oak-covered hills, the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa has over 1,000 guest rooms to suit groups of various sizes. Guests of the luxury resort have plenty of amenities to choose from during their stay. Among the many options are the 26,000-square-foot Lantana Spa & Fitness Center, the six-acre River Bluff Water Experience, arcade and billiard rooms, plus seven restaurants and five bars serving up a tasty array of food and drinks to please every culinary palate.
That’s all icing on the cake for golfers staying at the resort, but the main course (or courses, as it were) is the opportunity to play where the pros play.
Opened in January 2010, TPC San Antonio features two 18-hole championship tracks designed by two of golf’s most innovative architects: Pete Dye and Greg Norman.
The Oaks Course, home of the PGA Tour’s Valero Texas Open, was designed by Norman with player consultant Sergio Garcia. The Oaks is a traditional design with narrow, tree-lined fairways, rough-hewn bunkering throughout and challenging green complexes.
The Canyons Course, which hosted the Champions Tour’s San Antonio Championship from 2011-2015, was designed by Dye with player consultant Bruce Lietzke. Considered more “resort-friendly” than the Oaks, the Canyons has wider fairways, fewer trees and fewer bunkers, though many of them bear Dye’s signature shapes and difficulty. The Canyons has more dramatic elevation changes, too, which provide golfers with panoramic views of the adjoining 750-acre nature preserve.
While built with professionals in mind, both courses feature multiple sets of tees so golfers of all skill levels (and ages) can enjoy themselves.
Along with the JW Marriott San Antonio, TPC San Antonio offers several Stay & Play packages that make trip planning a breeze and an ideal way to escape to the Hill Country for an unmatched experience.
Would you like to play where the pros play right before they come to town April 2-5 for the 2020 Valero Texas Open? If so, you’re in luck. The TGA will host a Fun Golf Play Day on the Oaks Course on Feb. 28, just four weeks before the big boys arrive. The Play Day is open to all TGA Members and their friends. If you’d like to play a course that’s primed for a PGA Tour event at a discounted price, click here.
