San Antonio - Willow Springs

Jaywalker · July 7, 2011

Surprisingly good

I scheduled a tee time on Willow Springs last week with a little hesitation. San Antonio's muni courses, with the exception of Brackenridge and Cedar Creek tend to get little love. In general it was a nice course, if a little crowded for a Tuesday morning around here, and I finished right at four hours.

I wouldn't put a tee in my mouth at any golf course, what with all the chemicals they add to the grass, but during the Extreme Drought we have now in South Texas there's another good reason to hold it in my hand, instead - they use "recycled water;" undefined for content, but I think I can guess. Whatever they use, the course is greener than many lawns in the area - the greens, of course, and the fairways, but even some of the rough is green, a reasonably important point for me, given the amount of time I spend there. I dislike choosing between hitting out of gravel or taking a penalty.

Fairways are wide, a wise choice on a muni, in order to speed up play, but there are interesting dog-legs, elevation changes, and creeks through the green to make up for the width. Greens are very large, the largest I've played in the area, and are also slow. This can matter if you just hit the green and the pin is on the other side. I'm normally a two-putter, but this round I was playing 2.5 putts; it just takes some effort to get close to the hole. While there are a few houses and streets visible around the fairways and greens, there weren't many, and they were generally pretty far off. You could convince yourself you were in the country in most spots on the course.

Oddly for a muni, the par three holes are a bit longer than I expected, even from the tee just behind the women's tees. One of the four is 149, but the rest are between 180 and 190, and is probably the reason for the larger greens.

The staff appeared friendly, and the price was cheapest in the area for a decent course. Military/Senior discount weekday mornings riding one of their carts was $26, or $34 without the discounts. I expect I'll return for other rounds.

jsanatx · July 7, 2011

I have to agree. I played the course in May and it was very nice. Can't say anything good about Brack, but compared to Cedar Creek, the Springs course is a nice one. I especially liked their practice putting greens. Pretty crazy doglegs on some of those holes, especially on the back nine. If i remember correctly, number 18 is a par 3, with an elevated green that was not very easy to get to, straight away, but nothing between you and the green, only a huge deep expanse. Really enjoyed my time there.