“It’s really something how busy the resort gets in the weeks following the Valero Texas Open and the AT&T Championship,” says TPC San Antonio general manager Jimmy Terry. “It’s amazing what a blimp shot of people enjoying our water park experience can do. Our television partners do an incredible job telling the story of the resort and giving viewers the flavor of San Antonio. Whether you’re floating the lazy river in the six-acre water park experience or just strolling the J.W. Marriott’s manicured grounds, taking in the Hill Country views, this massive property somehow feels intimate. The 600-acre resort is canopied in hills and mature oaks and feels miles and miles away from anywhere. “I can’t tell you how many families I talk to on the day they get here and they say they’re going to sleep here but ‘bounce’ to the River Walk and Sea World and Fiesta Texas during their stay. Then, once the kids start enjoying the pools and water slides and Dad’s playing golf and Mom’s relaxing at the spa they forget about anything going on outside the resort. Despite all those plans, they never leave,” Terry says. Golfing guests are motivated to play where the pros play and this property has two courses that host Tour events. In the spring, Terry says, the intimidating Oaks Course stays nearly fully booked with guests looking to tackle the host of the Valero Texas Open and one of the toughest courses in the PGA Tour’s rotation. “This course is a ‘bring your lunch’, very tough golf course,” Terry says. The driving corridors are tight because the fairways are lined with oaks and, when the wind picks up, there’s not much relief. You’ve also got some very demanding greens on this golf course.” Exotic limestone outcroppings and artistic bunkering provide a unique aesthetic to this tree-lined layout. “Our foreign Tour players often say the Greg Norman-designed Oaks course reminds them of courses in Australia or South America,” Terry says.
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The Canyons, host of the Champions Tour’s AT&T Championship, has wider driving lanes, sweeping Hill Country and nature preserve views and challenging greens. “Pete Dye is the designer but this isn’t your father’s Pete Dye Golf Course,” Terry says. “There’s a gentleness to the course and there aren’t many forced carries or anything too severe. It’s a very natural golf course with inspired views of the surrounded Hill Country.” Post-round recreation abounds at the J.W. Marriott, but most groups eventually find their way to the High Velocity Sports Bar which boasts a 120-foot wall of HD screens that show every sport imaginable. “People tend to lose track of time in there,” Terry jokes. “There’s excellent food and a fun atmosphere for all ages.” Five other dining options are available- from poolside to casual to the 18 Oaks dining room that overlooks the golf course and specializes in dry aged steaks and local farm to table delights, there’s something for every taste. The number of rooms and size of the meeting and convention space not only makes this the largest hotel property in San Antonio, it makes San Antonio competitive with other corporate destinations like Orlando, Las Vegas and Scottsdale. “This property is a game changer,” Terry says. “At one time, more than 70 percent of our bookings were groups that had never been to San Antonio before. There never was a hotel that could host groups of the size that we can here. Now, we’re in a whole new game.” This spring, the Valero is expected to draw huge crowds with its weekbefore-The-Masters slot on the calendar. Big names from around the globe tend to play that week, so it’s time for the property to shine big as former British Open champion Ben Curtis defends his title. To see the resort that’s its own mini city but still feels quaint and secluded for yourself, visit www.jssanantonio.com and plan a nice escape. – Carl Mickelson TEXASGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM