Remodel of Golf Club of Texas Finishing Up


A renovation that includes a total re-grassing of the Golf Club of Texas in southwest San Antonio is nearing completion. Overseen by original course designer Roy Bechtol, the project involves various upgrades, including the installation of Zoysia turf on the tees, greens and fairways.

Opened in 1999, the course was closed in 2013 after the long-lasting Texas drought caused the playing surfaces to suffer. In 2014, the facility was purchased by the Outlaw Golf Group and Bechtol was retained to make key changes.

"The Golf Club of Texas has always been one of San Antonio's favorite courses," Bechtol said. "We had a great piece of land to work at the start and the course has always had great bones. The changes we have made only enhance what was there in the past and address maintenance and conditioning issues that affected the course in the past few years."

The renovation, which stripped the course to dirt, cost more than $4 million as Bechtol reworked the putting surfaces, bunkers and tee boxes. He added movement and more bunkers to the fairways. The front and back nines have been flipped to create a more dynamic finish and new water features have been installed. Irrigation has also been updated, even as the renovation has reduced the amount of irrigated turf by more than 20 percent.

The addition of Zoysia, a versatile, drought-resistant and hearty turf, will also help reduce water usage. "Zoysia allowed me to add slopes and mounding to the overall routing in places that other turf wouldn't allow," Bechtol said.

"The ability to completely sod this course, 91 acres in all including 10 for the practice area, rather than sprig the turf and water it to make it grow and spread, allowed me to vary the fairway lines, meander where the grass went, which helps with the overall look and the edges."

The Golf Club of Texas is located within the Briggs Ranch development near the Hill Country. Following a meandering creek, the layout enjoys wide playing corridors and is enhanced by indigenous plants. "Where else can you get a golf course that's four-holes wide with plenty of room in between those holes?" Bechtol said.

"You stand on the deck of the clubhouse here and see nothing but golf across the wide plain to the south. There's the feeling here that golf was the most important aspect of the site."

Also new is an expanded and lighted practice area, which includes a dual-sided driving range and a "wedge world" short game zone - one of Bechtol's favorite design concepts - as well as a private teaching area. Two new practice putting greens have been built next to the updated clubhouse.

"It's great to see this course spring back to life," Bechtol added. "We have made design changes and construction to make the Golf Club of Texas more fun to play and, most importantly, responsive to the wise and judicious use of water and as a reduction in maintenance costs."

The revamped course is expected to reopen in July 2015.

For more information, call 210/677-0027.