Double delight in the Texas Hill Country

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Photo by Barbara Craft

A view of the clubhouse at TPC San Antonio from No. 18.

It seems everything's bigger in Texas. So it was only fitting for the PGA TOUR to tap larger-than-life golf icons Greg Norman and Pete Dye to put their indelible marks on 2,800 pristine acres of Texas Hill Country in creating TPC San Antonio -- the remarkable centerpiece to the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, the largest JW Marriott Resort in the world.

And make their marks they did, crafting two of the most well-planned, eco-friendly and visually stunning layouts ever conceived -- not to mention two of the most strikingly diverse courses ever to share a plot of land.

World Golf Hall of Famer Greg Norman, who amassed 90 international victories and 20 PGA TOUR titles during his 30-year professional golf career, used his experience playing many of the great courses in the world to design the par-72, 7,422-yard AT&T Oaks Course, site of this week's Valero Texas Open. With PGA TOUR player Sergio Garcia lending his unique perspective as player consultant, Norman went to great lengths to incorporate the distinct nuances and indigenous flora of the natural Hill Country topography into the course design, for a more natural look and feel. Featuring long, narrow tree-lined fairways, undulating greens, intimidating roughs and more than 50 daunting bunkers, the course crescendos with a trio of exhilarating finishing holes, including its signature 16th -- a 183-yard par 3 reminiscent of the world famous sixth hole at Riviera, featuring a bunker in the middle of the green. Perhaps reflecting his own career as one of golf's best drivers, Norman puts a premium on long, accurate drives, with menacing oaks, mesquite and cactus threatening to eat up errant balls at every turn.

In contrast, the par-72, 7,106-yard AT&T Canyons Course -- while every bit as adventurous as its temperamental sibling, is abundantly more forgiving. Considered by many the most influential golf course architect of the past five decades, Dye worked with PGA TOUR player consultant Bruce Lietzke to design the course in the old style, keeping the terrain completely natural. Panoramic vistas of the adjacent 750-acre nature preserve and the Cibolo Canyons frame the course's wide fairways and generous greens, with plenty of quintessentially-Dye design elements dotting the course, including elevated tees, natural rolling elevation changes, hillside lies and small Scottish pot bunkers. Reflecting Dye's deep reverence for nature, the course was re-routed during its construction to prevent interference with a bird sanctuary for the protection of the Golden-Cheek Warbler. Numerous wildlife species share the course with golfers, including armadillo, bobcat, coyote, deer, fox, turkey and several different species of birds. In 2010, the AT&T Canyons Course became the new home to the Champions Tour's AT&T Championship, scheduled to take place October 14-16, 2011.

"Individually, these courses stand on their own in terms of creative brilliance, strategic diversity and playability, not to mention extraordinary beauty," says TPC San Antonio General Manager/Director of Golf Jimmy Terry. "Together, they reflect the rich history and diverse character of the region, offering members and resort golfers the unique opportunity to play two drastically different but equally compelling layouts on the same property."

Designed to blend harmoniously with their surroundings in perfect balance with nature, both courses were built on a clay cap to seal the underlying soil from any contamination and further protect the Edwards Aquifer, which provides the drinking water for the area's large population. Both courses also use one of the nation's most expansive and technologically advanced closed-loop irrigation systems to capture and reuse irrigation and rain water in order to conserve resources and protect the environment. The computerized control system monitors weather conditions and daily evaporation rates to ensure it irrigates only when and where necessary, and uses irrigation heads that can be individually adjusted to help ensure water is being applied efficiently. Additionally, the staff utilizes moisture meters, which accurately monitor the volumetric water content in the soil, further decreasing the need for excess water. In some instances, soil surfactants are applied which help use water more efficiently and provide a more uniform penetration in the soil.

Other environmentally sensitive practices undertaken by TPC San Antonio include an extensive integrated pest management system designed to help ensure the most effective use of chemicals and fertilizers, while decreasing excess and preventing adverse effects on the environment; an environmentally friendly system for washing golf course and chemical application equipment; and an extensive club-wide recycling program for paper, glass, oil and green waste. The club also works with local environmental groups and schools to help educate the public about the importance of environmental stewardship.

"These eco-friendly agronomic practices not only help ensure we are doing everything possible to preserve natural resources and protect the environment, but help demonstrate the important role golf courses can play in promoting environmental responsibility and sustainability in the local community," says Tom Lively, CGCS, TPC San Antonio's Director of Golf Course Operations. "At the same time, these practices contribute to agronomic efficiencies which enable us to provide TOUR players and resort players alike with superb playing conditions and a memorable experience throughout the year."

Memorable golf is just the beginning at TPC San Antonio. The club's elegant but comfortable clubhouse serves as a focal point for outstanding dining and gracious hospitality. Upscale amenities include a high-quality Members' Grill with views of the 18th green on the AT&T Oaks Course; a beautifully appointed members-only Founders Locker Room; a variety of casual and formal dining options, perfect for entertaining clients or relaxing after an exhilarating round of golf; banquet and meeting rooms; and an expansive full-service golf shop featuring the latest premium brand golf merchandise and equipment, with club fitting, club rentals and engraving services available.

Golfers can hone their skills at TPC San Antonio's 20-acre TOUR Academy game improvement facility, featuring a private practice area, all-grass driving range, and an expansive short game area complete with practice bunkers. The TOUR Academy is highlighted by a team of top PGA teaching professionals led by former PGA TOUR player Richie Coughlin, who use state-of-the-art diagnostic tools and on-course instruction to provide a highly personalized teaching experience customized to each student's individualized needs. Private and group instructional programs are available for golfers of all skill levels, including two, three and five-day golf schools; corporate clinics; and specialized classes for juniors, women and golfers with disabilities.

TPC San Antonio is reserved exclusively for TPC San Antonio members and guests of the AAA Four Diamond JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, a sophisticated but relaxed destination offering world-class accommodations and superb amenities that reflect the authentic style and hospitality of the region. In addition to spectacular golf, the resort boasts 1,002 richly appointed guest rooms and suites; a luxurious 26,000 square-foot spa and fitness center; a six-acre water park; seven magnificent restaurants and lounges featuring delicious, sustainable cuisine; and more than 140,000 square feet of customizable banquet and meeting space.

Like TPC San Antonio, the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa was designed with environmental sensitivity in mind. Among its many eco-sensitive design elements, the resort's interior walls are supported by recycled steel studs rather than the traditional wood studs. For each ton of steel recycled, 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,000 pounds of coal, and 40 pounds of limestone were saved. Additionally, the climate-control systems in all guest rooms feature a "smart system" that recognizes when exterior doors are open and automatically shuts down to conserve energy; low-flow showerheads and toilets, as well as Energy Star-qualified Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs, along with low VOC pant and glue products, are used throughout the property; an extensive recycling program is operated throughout the resort for paper, plastic, aluminum, cardboard, fluorescent and other mercury-containing lamps; the resort receives 70 percent of its power through windtricity, making it the largest single user with City Public Service (CPS) and its second largest user overall; all pools were designed with special filtration that use 80% less water for cleaning and flushing; the resort reserves priority parking for guests with hybrid automobiles; LEED Certified trash liners containing a minimum of 10% post-consumer recycled materials are used throughout the property; and the resort helps to reduce paper output by utilizing an online e-brochure.

Underscoring its commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability, the resort tends its own 5,000 square-foot organic garden that grows herbs, seasonal vegetables and lavender, as well as a working greenhouse where micro herbs, lettuce, seeding chili and tomatoes flourish -- all for use in the property's variety of dining venues.

In recognition for its environmental efforts, the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa was honored with the 2010 Going Green Award for Land Development by the San Antonio Business Journal.

Rated by Golfweek among the "Best Places You Can Play," TPC San Antonio's AT&T Oaks and AT&T Canyons Courses are part of the PGA TOUR's acclaimed TPC Network of premier private and resort clubs. From the famed 17th Island Green at TPC Sawgrass, home of THE PLAYERS Championship, to TPC Boston, host of the Deutsche Bank Championship -- one of the four FedExCup Playoff events on the PGA TOUR, this superb collection of clubs offers everyday golfers the unique opportunity to test their skills on the same sensational layouts where the world's best players compete. All of the clubs within the TPC Network are certified or well on the way to certification as Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Systems by Audubon International.

For more information on TPC San Antonio, please visit www.tpc.com/sanantonio. For reservations and information on the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, visit www.jwsanantonio.com. For tickets and information on the Valero Texas Open, visit www.valerotexasopen.org.