Best Golf Courses in San Antonio

Updated February 2024 to update booking information.

San Antonio.  Some say it’s where the west was won.  Whether that’s the case or not isn’t for me to decipher.  What I can tell you however, is that it’s a vibrant city with a lot of great golf… Sure, there’s plenty of other cool stuff to see and do but you know me, I care mostly about the golf.

I’ve played some golf in San Antonio but as usual, I wanted to get feedback from our readers in the area to learn more.  With their input, I’ve conjured up yet another list of the ten best public courses in this great city.

Giddy Up Cowboy!

I’m a sucker for any golf course the lays claim to being the course of its state.  The Golf Club of Texas… Doesn’t it just sound regal?  Well I’m here to tell you it is.

This iconic track underwent a major renovation in 2015.  While the original routing was maintained, every playing surface has been resodded with Zoysia grass.  If you’ve never played off of Zoysia, I’m here to tell you it’s the stuff dreams are made of.  Never a bad lie anywhere and if you mishit a shot, it’s your fault.

Even though this layout is fairly wide open, native marshlands and grassy areas make finding your ball difficult if you try to color outside the lines.  Been there, done that. 

While the golf course itself is a masterpiece, the amenities are equally as good.  From the check-in experience, to the practice facilities, to post round brews and grub, this place does it right.

 

Links golf?  Texas?  Do these things go together?  You’d better believe it at the Quarry Golf Course.

With roots dating all the way back to 1908, the Quarry Golf Course has been chiseled from stone and tailings into one of the most memorable golf experiences in the Lonestar State.

Formerly home to the “town” of Cementville, you can almost hear the sounds of picks and dredges that were prevalent here so many years ago. 

Designed by Keith Foster and opened in 1993, this track has wide fairways and large greens.  Don’t venture too far from center though.  Native grasses and rocks are just waiting to gobble up mishits. 

When I’m in town, I always make it a point to play the Quarry on Thursday afternoon.  Why?  Because of the Blast!  For $35 a player, two-man teams compete in fun formats for the first-place gross prize.  Talk about bang for your buck!  The entry fee includes greens fees, cart, range balls, a free beer, chicken wings, KP and long drive prizes, and live music after the round.  If I spend my last $35 and die the next day, I want it to be here on a Thursday.

 

SilverHorn is an upscale public golf course but, the money you spend makes it a great value for the experience that awaits.

A Golf Digest “Best Places to Play,” this Randy Heckenkemper design is a hill country gem.

Tree lined fairways and well positioned bunkers demand accuracy off the tee and into the green.

The signature par four 15^th hole isn’t one you’ll soon forget.  The tee shot demands both distance and accuracy as trouble lurks.  The second shot is a mid to long iron to an elevated green over two creeks.  Big boy hole for sure.  Make par here and you’ll have a story to tell for years to come.

Worth the price of admission and memorable round, don’t miss out on SilverHorn.

When you think of Texas, you think of hill country.  Hence, Hill Country Golf Club.

No less than 27 holes can be found at this premier public facility. 

Designed by infamous architect, Arthur Hills, it’s easy to tell this course was built with the landscape, not carved into it.

Diversity is the word that comes to mind when I think of this course.  It’s all-encompassing in terms of design, landscape, features, and challenge.

This is a great property if you want to stay and play.  The Hyatt Regency Hotel has every amenity you could ever ask for. 

A bit on the spendy side, but a great experience to be had.

When Canyon Springs Golf Club opened in 1998, it was named “America’s Best New Public Golf Course” by both Golf Digest and Golf Magazine. 

The Thomas Walker layout blends seamlessly with the natural hill country surroundings.  Each hole sits on its own and provides a unique experience. 

You won’t be the only ones on the course when you play.  The course can become crowded not with other golfers, but abundant longhorn steers and whitetail deer.

If refining your skills is what you’re after, Canyon Springs boasts one of the premier practice facilities in the area. 

A must play if you’re in town.

 

By now, you probably know that I play an Arnold Palmer course every chance I get.  In fact, I try to play the Palmer Course at La Canterra every time I’m in town. 

There might not be a more majestic course in the San Antonio area than this one.  Set in classic hill country, this course features dramatic elevation changes and glistening waterfalls that might make it hard to concentrate.

Holes four and 18 are especially memorable and will challenge you to judge yardages precisely. 

Another unique feature of this course is the bunker design.  Jagged edges and deep bottoms can make recovery a difficult task.

A must play if you’re a Palmer fan like I am.

 

You won’t find more bang for your buck in San Antonio than Olympia Hills Golf Club.

You’d best be on your game from tee to green out here as narrow fairways and elevation changes make executing full shots all too important.  This is especially true when the proverbial afternoon winds kick up.

If you want to practice, be sure to take full advantage of the full-length driving range and 10,000 square foot short game area.

A great value and a solid test of golf.

 

Landa Park Golf Course is situated on 122 sprawling acres that border the Comal River. 

This daily fee track gets more rounds than maybe any other course in San Antonio.  Most public courses that get this much play are beat up and pace of play is slow.  That’s anything but the case at Landa Park.  Ask anyone who plays here a lot, and they’ll tell you the course conditions are excellent, and people know how to keep moving.

Landa Park isn’t a long golf course.  That doesn’t mean you can put it cruise control though.  Gentle undulations, sneaky doglegs, and well-placed hazards come into play on most holes. 

An excellent value and shining example of what public golf should be.

Designed by Steve Mrak and opened in 1995, Alsatian Golf Club might be one of the most underrated public tracks in San Antonio. 

Even though the course itself is somewhat flat, it lacks nothing in character.  Live oaks line the fairways and the greens are well protected. 

For a public track of this caliber, the amenities don’t disappoint.  The clubhouse has everything you need for your round and plenty of space.  A terraced pool is open to the public and the perfect place for the kids to play while you’re out on the course.

Be sure to grab a bite to eat at Julianna’s restaurant when you’re finished too.  The food is superb and the prices more than reasonable.

There’s a lot more to see and do than just golf at Tapatio Springs.  The Resort Course is the spectacle of the property, however. 

Having undergone a $2 million renovation in 2015, the Resort Course is outstanding.  In fact, it was named the “#1 Most Improved Public Golf Course in the Country” by Golf Inc. Magazine.

Always in tiptop shape, golfers of all levels will enjoy a variety of holes that offer plenty of risk and reward. 

I’ve brought the family to this resort and I’ll be the first to tell you, everyone had a good time.

Conclusion

There’s something about San Antonio that makes it different from every other big city in Texas.  Maybe it’s how extra friendly the people are, the spectacular countryside, or the variety of things to do and see. 

Whatever it is, I know one thing is for certain, there’s more than enough great golf to go around.  That was more than confirmed by the overwhelming feedback I received from our readers.

If you’ve never been to Texas on a golf trip, San Antonio comes highly recommended.  Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and as always, thanks for reading.