I have always heard that everything is bigger and better in Texas so what better way to look at the upcoming Golf Industry in San Antonio and see what this great city has to offer than to check in with the locals and find out what their advice is to enjoy your stay in The Lone Star State.
Tommy Witt
Witt is a native Texan and many of his family reside there so he is quite familiar with the area. Witt recommends Pearl Brewery in San Antonio as a fantastic venue. At first glance, one would think it is a bar but Pearl Brewery is so much more than that. It is a trendy upbeat area with a variety of retail stores, eateries and, yes, a few places to take a swig of Lone Star Beer.
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Witt also mentions the Buckhorn Saloon & Museum. This venue has a variety of collections worth a visit while in San Antonio. The Buckhorn Museum features wildlife from all over the world, including mammals, birds and fish. The animals represent over 520 species of wildlife, including fish from the seven seas and animals from every continent. The Texas Ranger Museum is full of many artifacts, including handguns, shotguns, badges, photos, etc. Ranger Town is a recreation of San Antonio over 100 years ago. Some of the highlights are a replica of the Buckhorn Saloon, jail cell and blacksmith shop. A replica of the Bonnie & Clyde getaway car from 1934 is also on display.
If antiques are your thing, then head over to Castroville, only 20 miles west of San Antonio. There are a half-dozen antique shops there, and Witt says this is your chance to bring home a piece of Americana from your visit to Texas. If you have a bit more time, then head to Fredricksburg, an hour-and-a-half drive to the north. This town is also known for its antiques and collectibles. If you venture that way, then surely go to the LBJ State Park.
Bruce Burger
Bruce Burger has been the golf course superintendent at the Quarry Golf Club in San Antonio for many decades. His options are numerous for conference attendees to consider. He shares that the weather can be iffy in February, but cool mornings and fairly mild afternoons should be the norm.
Burger indicates that there is a plethora of fine restaurants, but a couple, including Mi Tierra Restaurant and Bakery in the Market Square area. It is open 24 hours a day and always decorated like Christmastime even in February. If you have a taste for Tex-Mex, this is the place to go. Rosario’s restaurant is another great place on the south side of downtown in the King William historic district. Burger says, “take a taxi ride to Los Barrios just north of downtown for probably my favorite Mexican food.” On the River Walk, you will find Boudro’s, The Fig Tree and Little Rhein Steak House.
For nightlife, Burger says you can’t go wrong at the Howl at the Moon Saloon and Durty Nelly’s Irish Pub if you want to have some fun. I wouldn’t be surprised if some groups are renting those venues a couple of nights so best to check on availability and arrive early to get a seat.
The Alamo is a must. It is a great piece of history and the story of what happened during that era is enlightening. If you like history, then you might consider taking a river boat where the guides will share local history as the river winds through the city.
San Antonio has plenty of golf available. There are approximately 40 courses in the San Antonio area. Burger says five top public courses include:
- La Cantera
- The Quarry
- Republic
- Cedar Creek
- Hyatt Hill Country
It’s best to check on tee times and rates in advance. With thousands of golf industry people in the area, it will likely be full tee sheets before and after the conference.
Some of the final things on Burger’s list include seeing Sea World and Fiesta Texas, but you will need to check on their hours of operation as they vary by month and weather. Drive on out through Texas hill country and visit Lost Maples State Park about an hour west of town. Another site to see is Luckenbach and it is an hour-and-a-half drive north of San Antonio near Fredericksburg. You never know who might be picking a guitar out behind the old post office as you sip a cold beer. The population of Luckenbach is three if you don’t count the tourists! LBJ State Park is also a nice place to visit while near Fredericksburg.
In town, you might want to take a walking tour of The King William historic district where you will see some beautiful and stately homes. The San Antonio Missions date back to the 1700 and 1800 era and are some of the oldest buildings in the USA. Take a walk through La Villita along the River Walk. It is a cluster of old historic homes originally built by the earliest settlers of San Antonio from the Canary Islands. Those old homes are now quaint shops and art galleries. You will find this area right across the river from the Arneson River Theatre. On a final note, Burger says the River Walk is well-patrolled and that should give everyone great comfort.
Tom Lively
Lively is a transplant from Illinois, but runs a great set of golf courses at TPC San Antonio. Lively and his staff have shared their thoughts on San Antonio so we have opinions from the next generation of superintendents as well.
If you know Lively, you know that he tracks and logs the all-important weather stats for his golf courses. With that, he concurs that the weather can be quite variable in late-February. His long range forecast would be for highs from 60 to 70 and lows in the mid- to low-50s. For those playing golf to the north of the city, you can expect cooler mornings in the low- to mid-40s but afternoon temps are the same as in the city. While it is not the norm, temperatures can get as high as 80 so best to check your weather apps before you pack for the trip.
Lively and his team recommend River Walk for many dining venues and some nightlife. It is within walking distance of the conference hotels and surely will be busy with GIS attendees day and night. For fine dining, a couple of locations include Boudro’s Texas Bistro and Little Rhein Steakhouse. A few others they recommend are Bohanan’s Steakhouse and Landry’s Seafood. A few can’t-miss places for nightlife are Dirty Nelly’s Irish Pub, Coyote Ugly, Esquire Tavern and Charlie Wants a Burger Sports Bar.
For those playing in the GCSAA Golf Championship and staying at the JW Marriott, you will enjoy casual dining and drinks at BJ’s Brew House, Bar Louie and 54th Street. For finer dining, you will like Kirby’s Steakhouse, Silo Elevated Cuisine or Paesanos Italian Restaurant all on 1604.
The TPC gents mentioned the River Walk boat tour and at the south end of the River Walk and the Historic Arts Studio and the Spanish Missions as solid attractions. The Alamo is a must. A venue not previously mentioned is the San Antonio Japanese Tea Garden and it is located in the Brackenbridge Park area and close to the San Antonio Zoo. For those with a car, there is an interesting place known as the Natural Bridge Cavern about a half-hour drive away. It is a beautiful show cavern deep below the surface of the earth.
Golf courses that are open to the public show some of the same choices as Burger with a few additions:
-- Brackenbridge Golf Course – An A.W. Tillinghast course and the oldest public golf course in Texas and original home of the Texas Open – and the new home of the Texas Golf Hall of Fame
-- Quarry Golf Club – Located next to the airport and Quarry Market Place, which has many fine restaurants
-- Canyon Springs Golf Club – Located north of loop 1604 and a few miles west of TPC San Antonio
-- La Cantera- Located at 1604 and I-10
Just out of curiosity, I asked Lively if TPC San Antonio was open to the public and he indicated that it was a private/resort course so unless you are staying at the JW Marriott, tee times are not available.
Lively adds that the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo is the last week of February. It sounds like a fitting place for conference attendees to “cowboy up” and see some great animals and real cowboys, horses, calves and bulls in action.
Bruce Williams is GCI’s senior contributing editor.