San Antonio Travel and Leisure Guide 2008 - (Page 42) From Tees to Tip-Off he most exciting golf news these days is the construction of two Tournament Players Club courses (that’s TPC to you serious swingers) with input from golf legend/architect Greg Norman and current player Sergio Garcia at AT&T Oaks, and from architect Pete Dye and veteran player Bruce Lietzke at AT&T Canyons. Both courses, which will be owned by the PGA TOUR, are set to open in 2010 along with the luxury JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. T TOPNOTCH GOLF Want to play where the pros do? Look no further. San Antonio is one of less than a half-dozen U.S. cities to host both a PGA TOUR event – the Valero Texas Open, fourth-oldest on the PGA TOUR schedule, and the 50-and-older Champions Tour AT&T Championship. Both take place under warm and sunny skies that set the stage for great play. There are also plenty of places ready to serve up a luxury golf experience. The Hyatt Hill County Resort and Spa has opened nine new holes, for a total of 27 wildflower and rock-strewn layouts by veteran architect Arthur Hills. Just across from SeaWorld® San Antonio in the midst of its own lavish complex, the Hyatt offers plenty of activities to please every member of the family. The Westin La Cantera Resort currently hosts the state’s best professional golfers at the Valero Texas Open, but you don’t have to be a pro to play here – or enjoy countless amenities – the rest of the year. The final architectural pairing of Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish produced the first La Cantera layout, The Resort Course, named the “Top New Public Course in America” by Golf Digest when it opened in 1995. Arnold Palmer followed five years later with his own La Cantera layout, giving the resort two outstanding public courses next to Six Flags® Fiesta Texas. IF YOU GO (as referenced in text) Hyatt Hill Country Resort and Spa, 210-647-1234, hillcountry.hyatt.com Westin La Cantera Resort, 210-558-6500, westinlacantera.com For complete listings, visitsanantonio.com continued on pg. 44 Faces of San Antonio “The great thing about golf in San Antonio is it works well with the community, the climate, the scenery and the great people we have here,” says Bill Rogers, captain at Briggs Ranch Golf Club and 1980 Champion of the British Open. “San Antonio is famous for so many things and golf is just a natural fit. “I think it’s exciting to be in San Antonio when golf is really starting to take off with the many new projects and opportunities we have here. We are on the verge of being known as a true golf destination and we’ll be known in the state, and nationally as well. “I love the climate, I love the city. All the elements are in order for a great place to live and a great place to play golf. I’ve been involved in all levels of the golf business and community. It’s about the only thing I really know, but this is wonderful. PLAY ALL DAY, SEE THE SIGHTS AT NIGHT Ever since golf really started to boom here in the early 1990s, there has been a steady stream of new courses to complement longtime favorites in the birthplace of Texas golf. And the true beauty of public and resort golf in San Antonio is that the fun doesn’t end, even after you sink that final putt of the day. Unlike many golf destinations that offer fine courses with little to do when the sun goes down, there’s no such problem in San Antonio. Longtime local promoter Buddy Cook has worked in the resort golf business in many places, and says there’s no place quite like San Antonio. “I can compare San Antonio to Palm Springs,” says Cook, who has served as a head golf pro in both cities. “Each has a variety of interesting and excellent golf courses, but when the sun goes down, that’s when San Antonio really shines. We’ve got the River Walk, the restaurants and the parties along the (San Antonio) river.” 42 VISITSANANTONIO COM O. http://hillcountry.hyatt.com http://westinlacantera.com http://visitsanantonio.com http://visitsanantonio.com
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