San Antonio - One of America’s Favorite Cities

From meeting professionals descending upon the city for a important convention to families in town for an annual vacation, all walks of life seem to share the feeling that San Antonio is indeed the heart of Texas.

In 2008 Travel + Leisure magazine listed San Antonio among America’s favorite cities for the second year in a row, focusing on the Alamo City’s ability to provide diverse attractions at affordable prices without sacrificing quality and entertainment value. The city is home to the famed River Walk, which is in the process of a $345 million improvement project, and the historic Alamo.

It’s no secret that golf is a big part of the city’s success. Recently, Golf Magazine ranked San Antonio as the 13th best golf destination in the U.S.

The PGA Tour’s Valero Texas Open is set to move in 2010. The tournament will be played on the AT&T Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio in May. TPC San Antonio is a 36-hole golf facility adjacent to the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa that currently is under construction. Greg Norman has designed the AT&T Oaks Course, with input from Sergio Garcia as the player consultant.

If the TPC San Antonio represents a new era in Texas golf, historic Brackenridge Park Golf Course, a historic San Antonio municipal course designed by A.W. Tillinghast, represents the beginning of the sport in the Lone Star state. Following a $7.5 million renovation project that completely restored and aesthetically renewed all 18 holes, “The Brack” reopened in early December. The course was originally built in 1915 and opened in 1916. Brackenridge was the first public golf course built in Texas.

Brackenridge is now part of the Alamo City Golf Trail, a cooperative between the Municipal Golf Association San Antonio and the city of San Antonio. The courses that make up the trail are: Brackenridge Park Golf Course, Cedar Creek Golf Course, Mission Del Lago Golf Course, Olmos Basin Golf Course, Riverside and Willow Springs Golf Course.

The area’s original golf resort can be found in Boerne. Tapatio Springs Resort opened in the mid-90s with a Bill Johnston design in a scenic valley hidden from the Interstate and has since expanded to 27 holes.

Pecan Valley Golf Club hosted the 1968 PGA Championship won by Juluis Boros. In the last decade, $5.5 million in improvements have helped cement the status of this par-72 south San Antonio gem.

Just south of Pecan Valley is The Republic Golf Club, one of the newest entities on the local golf circuit. The 18-hole layout has plenty of tree-lined views and top-notch greens to test or tease the golfer who ventures a few miles from downtown.

North of San Antonio in New Braunfels, scenic conditions and budget-friendly play characterize The Bandit Golf Club. Nearby SilverHorn Golf Club, designed by Randy Heckenkemper, promises a memorable stretch of closing holes.

With over 50 golf courses, and both a PGA Tour and Champions Tour event, golf is sure to be a prominent force for the foreseeable future in San Antonio.