Feature Stories
Five must-play San Antonio golf courses
The Alamo City is quickly becoming a premier golf destination. Newer courses and resorts, as well as a restoration of an old favorite, gives San Antonio a nice mix of traditional and modern courses. Here, then, are five must-plays when you visit this historic city on the southern edge of the Texas Hill Country.
... full article »For historic San Antonio, there's no time like the present for golf
The Lone Star State knows its golf, and San Antonio can make the case as its golf capital. And that especially goes for the golf traveler looking for both accessible resort golf and off-course attractions, Brandon Tucker writes
... full article »The New Course north of Dallas to pay "Tribute" to American classic golf
The New Course at The Tribute is inspired by the great American architects of the golden age of design. The holes themselves don't necessarily resemble specific holes. Instead you'll find features throughout the course that reflect the styles of classic architects such as Charles Blair Macdonald, Donald Ross, Seth Raynor, Alister MacKenzie and A.W. Tillinghast.
... full article »New JW Marriott resort and TPC San Antonio will be big for Alamo City golf, Texas tourism and the PGA Tour
Nothing about the new JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa currently under construction is modest. There are two big TPC golf courses with a huge clubhouse, a 1,002-room hotel, a 30-room spa and even a jumbo water park. "This will really promote San Antonio as a first-class golf destination," said Jimmy Terry, director of business development for the TPC San Antonio.
... full article »Galveston's Moody Gardens Golf Course spits in the eye of Hurricane Ike
Moody Gardens Golf Course did more than survive Hurricane Ike; it came through like a champ. The course re-opened a little over a month after the storm, again offering the perfect day or weekend trip for Houston golfers. The re-opening was one of the first real signs of a long recovery for an island whose chief industry is tourism.
... full article »Lead by Falconhead Golf Club and The Golf Club at Star Ranch, Austin golfers have strong public courses
In Austin, it is reasonable to schedule a round per day every day for two solid weeks and have a different golf experience with each outing because of the area's varying terrain, the affect of differing wind conditions and different types of putting surfaces.
... full article »Galleria's shopping splendor makes Houston a golf widow's surprise ace
"We come to Houston because I want to shop at The Galleria," Jordan Capers says, smiling sweetly. "It's part of the bargain I made with him. If he wants to go on some trip where all he does is golf and ignore me, well, I get to pick the destination."
... full article »The First Tee takes hold in Greater Austin with new golf course
By opening the Harvey Penick Golf Campus in 2005, The First Tee of Greater Austin became one of just a handful of First Tee chapters to own and operate its own course. It also gave Marketing Manager Matt Gardiner a demanding job - letting people know the course is public and looking for players.
... full article »Golfers raise money Texas Children's Hospital with Bad Pants Open
A group of golfers recently came together with a common purpose -- to see who owns the most horrifying pair of pants. But while the annual Bad Pants Open in Texas gives players a chance to trot out their most terrible trousers, it also serves a higher purpose, as the group has now raised nearly a half-million dollars for the Texas Children's Newborn Center.
... full article »Golfing 'birders' will find birdies and birds in Texas, Florida and New Jersey
Don't call them bird watchers anymore, because the correct terminology is now "birding." There are more than 50 million Americans watching birds, with many of them taking time to golf while they're at it. For some clubs, the birds become part of a course's ambiance. Whether down in the coast of Texas, South Florida or up north in Cape May, New Jersey, golf and birding are two activities that seem to go hand in hand.
... full article »Up-and-coming South Padre Island features a pair of very solid courses
If you've never been and always wondered what it was like on the southern-most tip of the Texas coastline, you might want to hurry. At least if you want to see South Padre Island before it turns into South Beach - Texas style. This rapidly growing area boasts a couple fairly new courses that deserve to be rated with some of the best in Texas, South Padre Golf Club and Tierra Santa Golf Club in Weslaco.
... full article »Phil Blackmar still finding plenty to keep him busy - on course and off
Texas native Phil Blackmar has plenty to keep him busy these days. He plans to play in 17 PGA Tour events and will do TV commentary on 16. He also helps with junior golf, does some work for TaylorMade Golf and consults with the PGA Tour on course setup. Blackmar speaks with TravelGolf.com about the TPC at The Woodlands, losing his Tour card, course design ("We make golf courses too hard," he says), and more.
... full article »Fazio builds the marketing mystery around Escondido
For Chris Baldwin, the struggle to speak with Tom Fazio about his Escondido design on Lake LBJ near Austin, Texas was an intro to the famous designer's well orchestrated world of mystery. A little mystery's been very good for Fazio, allowing him to feign indifference to the whole star architect phenomenon. Who but Fazio could grab a headline in the Houston Chronicle with a story that's essentially about how he doesn't have a listed phone number or a web site?
... full article »Mountain golf in Far West Texas is heaven on Earth
Out here you'll find some of the most remote golf courses in the world, and they're not of the typical upscale, daily-fee genres that are so often written about. West Texas is "off the beaten path" at its finest, and because no one has covered these courses, few people know about them. Jason Stone is your guide to a few of the best hidden gems in the area.
... full article »Golfers discovering other sides to San Antonio
What caused the growth of golf in these parts of San Antonio? One part of the equation is the willingness of developers to avert their gaze from the foothills of North San Antonio long enough to realize how much easier - and cheaper - it is to build a golf course on the Southside. Now visitors to San Antonio are starting to take notice. Of course, the proximity to Downtown and the Riverwalk helps, as well.
... full article »Texas Golf in the Big Country is worth finding
Golf in Northwest Texas might not be as well known as some places, but there are plenty of courses in the Big Country to provide an ample challenge. Places like Hawley, Rotan, Seymour, Throckmorton and Albany are places you could fall in love with, and if you don't believe us, just ask Slingin' Sammy Baugh.
... full article »Houston may be jumbled mess, but it has bargains and affordable golf
Houston may be a concrete jungle with its messy jumble of beltways, freeways, interstates and tollways. But along with affordable housing and restaurants, there is affordable golf. Green fees at Houston-area courses are relatively cheap compared to other similar-sized urban areas, and there is a surprisingly wide variety of courses in such a land of flat terrain.
... full article »For sale: Woodlands Resort and Meeting Center mixes meetings with tons of golf
The Woodlands Resort and Conference Center near Houston has been up for sale since this past summer, so officials there can't accurately predict what's in store for the future. Still, the resort is one of the more popular destinations in the Houston area for corporate planners who want to mix business with golf, with its focus on meetings and multiple courses to choose from.
... full article »Sprawling Houston has golf for those willing to risk wild traffic
Despite urban sprawl run amock, Houston does have a vitality to it. As Tim McDonald reports, people started moving here during the Texas oil boom of the 1950s and they haven't let up. Houston isn't known for its golf, but the city did see quite a few courses go up during the golf construction boom of the 1990s. These days, the city has some very nice, exclusive clubs, and at least 50 public courses worth playing, with a handful standing out.
... full article »El Paso next for Fazio design
It wasn't very long ago that Tom Fazio designs were somewhat scarce in Texas, but Fazio has been busy. Find out what he's been up to in senior writer David R. Holland's reporter's notebook, which also features news from Albuquerque's Sandia Pueblo, Amarillo-born Ryan Palmer, and The Tournament Players Course at The Woodlands.
... full article »- National magazine still slapping Texas
- Projects keep coming in the Lone Star State
- Northeast Texas and Lake Fork is a world like no other
- Port Isabel & South Padre Island: Texas' Southernmost Golf Experience
- Spring marks the PGA's Texas Swing
- New Texas courses earn magazine awards
- Dandy Hill Country trio loaded with foresight
- Letters to the Editor
- Hockey sticks and golf balls: The Dallas Stars have a home
- Archeology and golf seek harmony in Menard, Texas
- Panhandle serves up Bermuda Triangle of Texas golf
- Underrated Houston makes for a bargain winter golf getaway
- Buckle up for best tests of West Texas
- Giants Ridge next winner for Brauer
- New Texas Golf Bible details pilgrimages for golf travelers
- Magnificent municipal golf courses of Dallas-Fort Worth
- Jacobsen-Hardy design team hired to retool Galveston Country Club
- Kerrville's Whiskey Springs has new life in Hill Country
- TPC at Craig Ranch draws Aikman, Weiskopf
- Weekend in Fort Worth: North Side, South Side bookmark Cowtown golf
- New additions to Central Texas make 2002 picks difficult
- New additions to Central Texas make 2002 picks difficult
- Texas Hill Country frequently asked questions
- Texas' past dotted with rich golf history
- Top 5 courses of the Texas Hill Country
- Texas Hill Country frequently asked questions
- Improve game in 2003? Might try Diamondback
- Houston design firm adds another New Mexico stunner
- On The Road In Colorado: Ride The Rails To Grand County For Picturesque Mountain Golf
- Snowmass Golf Club: Six Reasons To Start From Scratch, The Story Of A Complete Makeover
- Best Par 3s in Central Texas
- Dream Duel Could Highlight Texas Open
- Best Signature Holes in Central Texas
- Dennis Haskins Profile: TV Star Rings 'Bell' For Charities
- Golden Bear, El Niño Project Scheduled For Grand Prairie
- On The Road In New Mexico: Santa Fe Trails No One In State's Scenic Golf
- Golf Instruction Galore in Central Texas
- Check Out the Best Greens in Central Texas
- First Tee Program Becomes an Austin Fixture
- Charities Big Winners With Nelson, Colonial Tour Events
- Big 12 Golf Teams Benefit From New Golf Courses
- The Ambush at Lajitas Newest Lone Star Golf Hideaway
- The PGA Village in San Antonio: To Be or Not To Be?
- No Place Like Texas Golf: Tradition, Variety Rules
- Morrish Scratching Head Over Golf's Long Technology
- Texas Tech Alum Donates $8.6 Million For Golf Course
- Jeff Brauer: Transplanted Texan's Portfolio Admired Coast to Coast
- Dallas-Fort Worth fringe offers hidden finds for adventurous golfers
- 2001 Texas Open: Texan Leonard Returns To Defend His Title
- Environmentalists Shoulder Much of Blame for PGA Village Debacle
- The Dallas Golf Scene: Everything Looks Attractive For Big D Links Future
- Golfsmith: Because It's More Than Just a Golf Store
- Turk Pipkin: My Career Got in the Way of Golf
- Going, Going and Staying Put...For Now
- What to Expect from the David Leadbetter Golf Academy at Barton Creek
- Jerry Jeff Walker: Caddy and Golfer Turned Singer-Songwriter
- La Cantera Enhances Golf Academy
- One-on-One with Tom Penders: Golf with Willie and the Tyler Rose
- Barton Creek and David Leadbetter Create a First-Class Golf Academy
- TPC at Las Colinas: Byron Nelson Tour Site Blossoms
- Byron Nelson Golf School: It’s A Passion For Instructor Humphries
- Note To Colonial Gallery: Hide Food When Jacobsen Approaches
- Westin Texas Open: Young Guns Tee It Up in Long-Running Competition
- On the Road in Texas: From The Bluebonnet Trail to The Alamo City
- An Aussie Invasion at the Shell Houston Open
- Golfsmith - Because It's More Than Just a Game
