[Eric_Dorsey]

Played the Norman course last week on a stay & play w/the family.  kids & wife had a blast in the water park, hotel was spectacular, and course was pretty awesome too I thought.  Everything about this JW Marriot was first class, cant say enough about it.  From hotel personel, to the Head pro Jeremy - who let me go out quick that first night and take photos, to the starters, they were all super friendly.  Had GREAT lighting the first night, so got some really good shots I think.  played next morning to terrible conditions, wet, overcast, almost foggy - strange for San Antonio, so kept the camera in the bag most of the day.

Norman really has an artistic eye and definitely goes for the bold on everything he does doesn't he?  He must love George Thomas's style of bunkering, because they resemble old-Riviera's alot I feel.   I loved this course.  It has a gorgeous look w/the long gold fescue, desert flora, gnarly mesquite and live oaks.  He left lots of room off the fairways, and cleared out alot of the undergrowth off the rough to find the errant tee shots - which were a few w/me that day      I will say I thought the bunkers were so penally deep though, maybe a minus pt for that, as I'm sure most resort players will really struggle w/those.  I was in the traps all day too!  Greens have great contour to them, very bold.

Course was just over-seeded w/winter rye, fwys & greens, so the greens were REALLY slow - very frustrating.  Some very cool holes here, especially the signature #16 w/the bunker in the middle - which I'm sure will be debated strongly here.  #18 is a tough finishing par-5 too, for sure not a kick-in birdie.  I hope this stays for the Texas Open for awhile, as the tourney needs a good home.

Did not get to see the Dye course, so can't comment on that.  Seems to be aimed at the Champions Tour from what I hear from an employee who I played with.

here goes the tour -
#18 approach


#17 tee


#17 approach


#16 green


#16 tee


#10 greenside bunker - some 10' deep!


#10 approach


#10 green


#12 tee


#12 approach


#12 greenside bunkering - w/limestone walls! ouch


#13 tee, par 3 w/sunlight fading fast


#14 approach - par 5


#08 green


#08 green-close up.


#07 green, double green - shares w/par 5-#2


#03 tee


#02 tee


#02 approach

[Eric_Dorsey]

oh dang!  messed up #14 approach, sorry.   

[PThomas]

nice post , thx

Brad Klein liked it too...certainly looks very worthy if one is in the area

[Derek Dirksen]

Great photos, Thanks for sharing.

[Tim Martin]

Eric-Thanks for the pics. The course looks really fun.

[Sam Morrow]

The facility looks great, the concept was so many years in the making. I think TPC San Antonio is yet another example of some really exceptional golf in the Texas Hill Country. Lots of solid options in that part of the state.

[Bill_McBride]

The facility looks great, the concept was so many years in the making. I think TPC San Antonio is yet another example of some really exceptional golf in the Texas Hill Country. Lots of solid options in that part of the state.

Wyatt and I are still looking for the redan at The bandit in New braunfels.

Love the look of the tee shot on #2.

[Ben Sims]

The facility looks great, the concept was so many years in the making. I think TPC San Antonio is yet another example of some really exceptional golf in the Texas Hill Country. Lots of solid options in that part of the state.

Wyatt and I are still looking for the redan at The bandit in New braunfels.

Love the look of the tee shot on #2.

Bill!! 

I found the Redan!



Hmm...on second thought.  Maybe I didn't.



Bandit still isn't all bad though.

In regards to TPC San Antonio.  Wyatt and I played all 36 there a few months back and I think I can say that we were both underwhelmed by it.  The Canyons course is certainly over some rough terrain, but a few bright spots shown.  The uphill par 4 7th and skyline par 3 8th were pretty good.

The Oaks course is a tournament course.  Period.  I just didn't have a lot of love for it.  I felt that the fairways were to skinny in all but two or three places and some concepts were just obvious in how they screamed for attention.  Namely the poor rendition of the 6th at Riviera at #16 and the double green (not) at 2/7.  The bunkering is very well done though.  It was my favorite part of the golf course.  Though it doesn't play any different than anything in town, the aesthetic of the course is different, and nice. 

It still may be the best in the SA area, but I was expecting more.

[Bill_McBride]

The facility looks great, the concept was so many years in the making. I think TPC San Antonio is yet another example of some really exceptional golf in the Texas Hill Country. Lots of solid options in that part of the state.

Wyatt and I are still looking for the redan at The bandit in New braunfels.

Love the look of the tee shot on #2.

Bill!! 

I found the Redan!



Hmm...on second thought.  Maybe I didn't.



Bandit still isn't all bad though.

Ben, you found what they call "The Redan," but it certainly is nothing like a Redan in any way!

[Sam Morrow]

I don't remember a Redan or a greensite on 18.

[Bill_McBride]

I don't remember a Redan or a greensite on 18.

Sam, although the name of #6 is "Redan," there's nothing vaguely resembling one. That's the joke.

What about #18?

[Sam Morrow]

I don't remember a Redan or a greensite on 18.

Sam, although the name of #6 is "Redan," there's nothing vaguely resembling one. That's the joke.

What about #18?

18 Is a fun hole, it just gives me fits around the green, it's easier for me to blame it.

[Jim Jackson]

Regarding The Bandit, I think it's a real blast to play and has some really strong hill country holes, but not so much those mentioned so far.  The redan (as shown) is a nice idea, a little uphill, but to a green that plays so soft that a low running shot is not encouraged.  In all the times that I've played (maybe 15), I've never seen a shot land on the front and get to the back portion.  18 does have more of the redan playing characteristics, as if an approach is carried past the hump in the first portion of the green, or even to the back section, it will funnel to those back left locations.  It's a great hole to finish a match on, as eagle is definitely in play with a good tee shot.  My favorite hole is the par 3 11th ("Pecan Pie"), a mid-length par 3, relatively flat, with really cool chipping options if the green is missed and a nice slope back to front and left to right.   It's in an exposed area of the property next to the 18th fairway and wind almost always beats my tee shots down leaving a tricky chip.

I am not a fan of the Norman course at the TPC thus far.  I played a few weeks after it opened, and found it to be an penal, penal, penal.  The playing corridor are narrow, with the rough areas downright unplayable in spots (esp off #1 fairway: rocks, snakes, cactus, no fun).  I will say that I liked some of the short par 4s, and thought that the shape of the bunkers fit my eye well (reportedly designed to mimic the look of some of our live oaks).  Overall, I thought it was a really difficult and not as forgiving as I'd like - and I think that the PGA guys echoed that.

[Steve Lang]

  The Norman course looks like an easy walk on a plateau     HOw about the Dye course for walking?

[Chris DeToro]

I recently got back from a short trip to San Antonio where I also had a chance to play the Norman course at the TPC...


I echo a lot of comments that have already been said.  Really solid course, pleasantly surprised.  Despite being one of the harder courses on the Tour, the course is pretty open, very few hazards come into play, great bunkering, lots of variety, two pretty solid short/drivable par 4s (my favorite types of holes) and plenty of tee boxes to ensure that there's a tee for everybody.  My only knock is that it's not very walkable. 


Almost feels like the TPC branding gives this place some preconceived notions that maybe aren't that true. 


What are the criticisms of this place?  Why was TPC ranked by the pros among the worst on tour?   

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