Central Texas Golf News

SAN ANTONIO - PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem has announced that the Valero Texas Open will be moving to the AT&T Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio once the facility is completed and ready for play, likely in 2010.

Finchem spoke of the tournament's future move during a Founder Membership launch evening in San Antonio. The confirmation of a site change follows an announcement in June that the Valero Texas Open is moving from the PGA Tour Fall Series to May in 2009 to become part of the FedEx Cup competition. 

"Brack" Is Back Following $7.5 Million Restoration

SAN ANTONIO - After nearly a year's absence, San Antonio's Brackenridge Golf Course is preparing to re-emerge December 1 from a $7.5 million project that completely restored and aesthetically renewed all 18 holes in accordance to the original designs of A.W. Tillinghast, regarded as one of the great architects of American golf courses.

Originally built in 1915 and opened in 1916, Brackenridge was the first public golf course built in Texas, as well as one of the first courses designed by Tillinghast. 

AUSTIN - Texas Governor Rick Perry today announced, along with tournament officials and Champions Tour professionals Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite that Triton Financial will become the new title sponsor of the Austin Champions Tour Event through 2011. The tournament, formally known as the FedEx Kinko's Classic, will continue to be played at The Hills Country Club. The Triton Financial Classic will be held June 1 - 7, 2009.

"Sports are an enduring passion for Texans and also a powerful force within our state's local economies, pumping millions of dollars into them every year," said Gov. Rick Perry. "Triton brings the city of Austin a fresh perspective on professional golf and a long standing connection to the sporting world; qualities that will help this strong event move to the next level of professionalism and impact." 

KINGSLAND - Packsaddle Country Club recently unveiled a new Web site at www.packsaddlegolf.com Visitors to this new site can now book tee times online 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Not only does this site offer the functionality of online real-time tee times, but packsaddlegolf.com offers site visitors information on the course, a user friendly photo gallery, the ability to complete an online request for tournament proposals and the opportunity to join Packsaddle's new email club and register to receive great specials on green fees, food and beverage and more.

"The unveiling of Packsaddlegolf.com is our first step at letting golfers in the region know that Packsaddle Country Club in great shape, and is a tremendous and affordable golf value for both area residents and visitors alike." said Al Pryor, General Manager/Director of Golf at Packsaddle Country Club." 

AUSTIN, Texas - Sun City Texas, a community by Del Webb, has rescheduled its Sun City Texas Scramble, a golf tournament held at Sun City's 18-hole White Wing championship course, for Saturday, Nov. 8. Golfers will be just one hole-in-one swing away from winning a new Del Webb home in the Sun City Texas community.

A portion of the tournament proceeds will benefit Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas. The tournament is open to golfers over age 50. The breakfast buffet and check-in begins at 9 a.m., followed by a sneak-peek tour of the new Cowan Creek 18-hole golf course opening this fall at Sun City Texas. After lunch, the 4-person scramble has a shotgun start at 1 p.m. 

Gathright Helps Students Understand Their Game from Both Sides of the Ball

Being a left-handed golfer can – in many aspects – make the game more difficult. In years past, equipment was harder to come by, courses were designed with right-handers in mind and teaching (as far as terminology) was devoted to players standing on the west side of the ball. Bryan Gathright, who has been teaching the game of golf since 1987 and is currently the director of instruction at the famed Oak Hills Country Club in San Antonio, plays lefthanded. But a conversation with famed teacher Harvey Penick during Gathright’s tenure as the original director of Penick’s golf academy in Austin showed Gathright the advantages of teaching golf from both sides of the ball. 

Austin-Based Golf Course Designer’s Name is on the Short List of Breakthrough Architects

Golf architect Roy Bechtol is in no way an overnight success story, but the recent groundswell of acclaim for his myriad golf courses seems to have come out of left field – a place fitting for someone who used to man the outfield as a member of the University of Texas baseball team. If you don’t know Bechtol’s name firsthand, you surely have played some of the courses he has designed, influenced or said grace over.

Among the Texas courses on the Austin-based Bechtol’s resume are the newly rebranded Grey Rock Golf Club in southwest Austin, ShadowGlen Golf Club in Manor, The Golf Club at Star Ranch in Hutto, The University of Texas Golf Club at Steiner Ranch, Austin Country Club, Barton Creek Resort, Great Hills Country Club, RiverPlace Country Club and The Hills of Lakeway. 

Thanks to a recently announced PGA Tour contest, aspiring golf architects will have a chance to play a part in designing a hole on what could eventually become home to a regular stop on the PGA Tour.

The PGA Tour is inviting hopeful golf course designers to submit an original, hand-sketched design of the 13^th hole on the AT&T Canyons Course at TPC San Antonio, which is being designed by the legendary Pete Dye. 

AUSTIN - The sublimely difficult and near-perfect golf course at The Club at ConCan in the Frio River Valley of south Texas – designed by Austin-based golf architect Roy Bechtol – was highlighted Aug. 10 in a glowing travel feature published by the Austin American-Statesman.

The course – which after a year and a half of maturation and a whirlwind of rave reviews from golfers of all skill levels – has become a must-play for visitors to the vacation-friendly area.

As part of the renowned Frio Country Resort (www.friocountry.com), the golf course was designed by Bechtol and his former partner Randy Russell to give tourists a reason to venture to the region when dove were out of season and the Frio was too low for tubing. 

Often chastised for his aggressive style of play and questionable decision-making, Phil Mickelson is a go-for-broke type of golfer. But when his bold approach combines with his brilliant talent, Mickelson can produce strokes of genius.

Standing about 140 yards from the hole during the final round of the Crown Plaza Invitational at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Mickelson threaded a wedge shot under one tree and over another and landed it nine feet from the pin on the 72^nd and final hole of the tournament. Mickelson calmly sank the nine-foot birdie putt to win the event by one stroke over Australian Rod Pampling and South African Tim Clark. It was the 34^th career victory for Mickelson and his second career title at Colonial.