Richard Oliver from the Express-News wrote about the visit as well. Click here to read his article.
Richard Oliver from the Express-News wrote about the visit as well. Click here to read his article.
For Immediate Release
Jimmy Terry named director of business development
at the PGA TOUR’s TPC San Antonio
Twenty-year golf industry veteran Jimmy Terry has been named director of business development at the PGA TOUR’s TPC San Antonio, a private club now under development in the Texas Hill Country. In his new role, Terry will be responsible for helping to spearhead the opening of the club as well as overseeing membership sales, corporate partnerships and other business opportunities.
A native of Texas, Terry brings with him extensive experience in the management of high-end private, resort and daily fee golf properties. Most recently, Terry was a managing partner for The Club at Waterford in Marble Falls, TX, where he was responsible for the planning, construction, grow-in and maturation of the recently opened property. Previous experience includes serving as general manager at Falconhead Golf Club in Austin, TX; The Club at Comanche Trace in Kerrville, TX; TPC Tampa Bay; and Barton Creek Resort and Country Club in Austin, TX.
A Class A Member of the PGA of America for 20 years, Terry has been active in the Southern Texas PGA Chapter, having served as an officer, vice president, secretary, junior golf committee chairman, tournament chairman and member of the Board of Directors. Terry earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Tarleton State University in Stephenville, TX.
Scheduled to open in the spring of 2010, TPC San Antonio will feature 36 holes of golf designed by two of the game’s most innovative architects: Pete Dye and Greg Norman. Champions Tour member Bruce Lietzke collaborated with Dye on the design of the AT&T Canyons Course, while PGA TOUR member Sergio Garcia assisted Norman on the design of the AT&T Oaks Course. Both layouts are being built with the infrastructure to serve as host venues for PGA TOUR tournaments.
TPC San Antonio will be accessible to private club members and guests of the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa. For membership information, please visit www.tpc.com/sanantonio.
About the PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR is a tax-exempt membership organization of professional golfers. Its primary purpose is to provide competitive earnings opportunities for past, current and future members of the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour; to protect the integrity of the game; and to help grow the reach of the game in the U.S. and around the world.
About The TPC Network
Licensed by the PGA TOUR, the TPC Network is comprised of 28 premier private and resort golf properties designed by some of golf’s most elite architects, 17 of which are operated by the PGA TOUR. Each TPC has hosted or has been designed to host TOUR-sponsored golf tournaments.
Since the TPC Sawgrass first opened its world renowned PLAYERS Stadium Course in the fall of 1980, TPCs have provided the PGA TOUR with rent-free venues for tournaments, helping to boost championship golf purses and increasing charitable donations to grass roots non-profit organizations. At the same time, TPCs have provided recreational golfers with the unique opportunity to test their skills on the same layouts where the world’s best golfers compete.
Distinctive in character but consistent in quality, TPCs are known for their outstanding conditioning and amenities, as well as a commitment to environmental excellence. To date, 15 TPCs operated by the PGA TOUR are certified as Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary Systems. The TPC Network is also distinguished by its unwavering commitment to further the PGA TOUR’s giving back mission through support of charitable and community-based programs. For more information, please visit www.tpc.com.
A couple of great articles mentioning the movement of the Valero Texas Open into a coveted Spring date...
Texas Open to swing to spring
The Valero Texas Open finally has a coveted slot on the PGA Tour spring calendar.
Now the historic tournament will work on bringing in some coveted players.
Tony Piazzi, head of Golf San Antonio, confirmed Monday that the event will shift from its current October spot to May 14-17 in 2009, out of the lightly regarded Fall Series and into the high-profile FedEx Cup points chase.
While the PGA Tour has not unveiled its complete schedule for next season, Piazzi will officially announce the Texas Open move today at a sponsor outing at La Cantera Resort.
“We're absolutely thrilled,” Piazzi said. “This is fun.”
The fun may be just beginning.
The San Antonio stop, which raked in a PGA Tour-record $8.4 million in charity dollars in 2007, will be held Oct. 9-12 this year at the Resort Course at La Cantera, then again seven months later on the same site. In 2010, the Texas Open will relocate to the AT&T Oaks Course at the TPC complex under construction in far north Bexar County.
Beginning with its flagship TPC Sawgrass, the PGA TOUR’s TPC Network of clubs introduced everyday golfers with the opportunity to “Play Where the PGA TOUR Players Play.” And now, thanks to a one-of-a-kind contest announced by the TOUR, one talented amateur golf course architect will have the opportunity to “Design Where the PGA TOUR Players Play” by designing a hole at TPC San Antonio, which is scheduled to open in the spring of 2010.
The TOUR is inviting aspiring golf course designers to submit an original, hand-sketched design of the 13th hole on the AT&T Canyons Course at TPC San Antonio, which is being designed by renowned architect Pete Dye. Entries will be judged by Dye and Steve Wenzloff, Vice President of PGA TOUR Design Services, Inc. One winner will be selected from all entries received to have his or her design integrated into the project, and will also receive a trip to TPC San Antonio to tour the course with Dye prior to the club’s grand opening.
“I'm excited about the opportunity to showcase the TPC San Antonio project through this unique contest,” said Dye, who will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, FL in November. “It will be interesting to see the creations and select a winner to spend a day with me on the project site. I always enjoy sharing my thoughts and suggestions with others on golf course design."
To enter, contestants should visit pgatour.com/tpcdesign and download an entry form. The entry form includes a map of the 13th hole, along with contest rules, judging criteria and mailing instructions. Entries will be accepted by mail and must be postmarked by September 12, 2008 in order to be eligible to win. Entries should clearly illustrate yardages, tee box, fairway, green and other elements, with a clear scale and topography of the hole. The various elevation levels and angles of the hole should be noted, along with a description of landscaping and other design/environmental factors.
Construction crews have broken ground on TPC San Antonio’s AT&T Canyons Course as well as the adjacent AT&T Oaks Course, which is being designed by World Golf Hall of Fame member Greg Norman. A rough design of the 13th hole on the AT&T Canyons Course already has been completed, but there is plenty of room for creativity by contestants. The hole is a 226-yard par-3 with a slight downhill slope.
“With the goal of crafting a course that fits harmoniously with its surroundings, we took full advantage of the dramatic vistas, indigenous flora and beautiful rolling terrain to create a memorable golf experience for members and resort guests,” Dye said.
When complete, TPC San Antonio will offer an exceptional private and resort golf club experience, featuring two premier golf courses designed by two of the world’s most innovative golf course architects, along with an array of accompanying amenities. Champions Tour member Bruce Lietzke collaborated with Dye on the design of the AT&T Canyons Course, a par-72, 7,545-yard layout featuring wide fairways, stands of oak and cedar trees and sweeping panoramic vistas. Numerous environmental elements distinct to the Texas Hill Country were incorporated into the course design, in an effort to minimize its impact on the environment.
PGA TOUR member Sergio Garcia lent his perspective in assisting Norman on the design of the par-72, 7,522-yard AT&T Oaks Course. Like Dye, Norman’s design philosophy is characterized by environmental sensitivity and a deep reverence for nature. Great care was taken to incorporate the distinct nuances and indigenous flora of the natural Hill Country topography into the course design, to create a compelling, strategically diverse layout for golfers of all skill levels.
“The topographic subtleties of the rolling Texas Hill Country terrain, framed by magnificent stands of mature live oaks, create a pristine natural setting that is as playable as it is beautiful,” Norman said.
TPC San Antonio will be accessible to private club members and guests of the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa. For membership information, please visit www.tpc.com/sanantonio. For contest guidelines, printable contest materials and entry forms, please visit pgatour.com/tpcdesign.
About the PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR is a tax-exempt membership organization of professional golfers. Its primary purpose is to provide competitive earnings opportunities for past, current and future members of the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour; to protect the integrity of the game; and to help grow the reach of the game in the U.S. and around the world.
In 2008, the three Tours are competing in approximately 108 events for approximately $355 million in prize money. Tournaments are being held in nine countries outside the U.S. and in 37 states. In addition to providing competitive opportunities for its membership, TOUR events also generate significant funds for local charities. In fact, the three Tours have surpassed the $1 billion mark in overall charitable contributions. The PGA TOUR’s web site address is www.pgatour.com and the company is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.
About The TPC Network
Licensed by the PGA TOUR, the TPC Network is comprised of 28 premier private and resort golf properties designed by some of golf’s most elite architects, 17 of which are operated by the PGA TOUR. Each TPC has hosted or has been designed to host TOUR-sponsored golf tournaments.
Since the TPC Sawgrass first opened its world renowned PLAYERS Stadium Course in the fall of 1980, TPCs have provided the PGA TOUR with rent-free venues for tournaments, helping to boost championship golf purses and increasing charitable donations to grass roots non-profit organizations. At the same time, TPCs have provided recreational golfers with the unique opportunity to test their skills on the same layouts where the world’s best golfers compete.
Distinctive in character but consistent in quality, TPCs are known for their outstanding conditioning and amenities, as well as a commitment to environmental excellence. To date, 15 TPCs operated by the PGA TOUR are certified as Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary Systems. The TPC Network is also distinguished by its unwavering commitment to further the PGA TOUR’s giving back mission through support of charitable and community-based programs. For more information, please visit www.tpc.com .
Contact: Chris Smith
(904) 273-3379
chrissmith@pgatourhq.com
AT&T Canyons 6/23/08
JW Marriott Resort 6/23/08
Kevin Robbins of the Austin Statesman
Geoff Shackelford (one of our favorite blogs despite his thoughts on our naming rights deal)
We've also had a few mentions by Richard Oliver of the Express-News but unfortunately the article links have been taken down.
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Grass selections for the AT&T Oaks Course are as follows:
Here's the official Press Release:
Grassing of Greg Norman’s AT&T Oaks Course begins this week
SAN ANTONIO, June 17, 2008 — TPC San Antonio has announced the hiring of Golf Course Superintendent Tom Lively to oversee all agronomy for the highly anticipated 36-hole facility. Lively comes to TPC San Antonio from Medinah Country Club in Chicago, where he served as Director of Golf Course Operations for the past seven years. His tenure at Medinah included the 2006 PGA Championship, won by Tiger Woods.
“We're very pleased to have someone of Tom's stature come on board at TPC San Antonio,” said Cal Roth, Senior Vice President of Agronomy for the PGA TOUR. “Considering the agronomic and major championship experience he developed at Medinah Country Club, Tom is a valuable addition to this exciting project and the TPC Network, and we are confident he will do a wonderful job in his new roll.”
TPC San Antonio will open in Spring 2010 with golf courses designed by two of golf’s most innovative designers, newly announced World Golf of Fame inductee Pete Dye and Greg Norman, a World Golf Hall of Fame player who has established himself as a world-class course designer. Dye is designing the AT&T Canyons Course with player consultant Bruce Lietzke and Norman is designing the AT&T Oaks Course with player consultant Sergio Garcia.
“After working at Medinah C.C. for the past seven years and going through a very successful PGA Championship in 2006, I decided to look toward the future,” Lively said. “I have always wanted to be involved with the construction of a new golf course and when this opportunity came along, I couldn’t turn it down. The project is bigger than I could have ever imagined and presents a very unique and exciting opportunity. I look forward to working with everyone involved and preparing for the opening of two spectacular golf courses.”
Medinah is considered one of the outstanding golf clubs in the country. Its No. 3 course, ranked 11th in Golf Digest’s “America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses,” has played host to three U.S. Opens, two PGA Championships, one U.S. Senior Open and will be the site of the 2012 Ryder Cup.
Also announced are the variety of grasses that will be used on the AT&T Oaks Course, a Greg Norman Signature Design. Seeding has just begun and is projected to be completed by the end of this Summer.
Grass selections for the AT&T Oaks Course are as follows:
Play at the club is reserved for members and guests of the adjacent 1,002-room JW Marriott San Antonio Resort and Spa. Membership information can be obtained at www.tpcsanantonio.com. Deposits for Founder Memberships, the first category of membership available at TPC San Antonio, will be accepted in June, 2008.
More details of golf course construction, including photos and video can be found at TPC San Antonio’s construction blog: www.blog.tpcsanantonio.com In addition, details of the adjacent AT&T Canyons course can also be found on the construction blog.
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"I am surprised and extremely honored to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame and to be included with those who have contributed to the game I love," Dye said.
Dye is one of the most influential golf course architects of the modern era with more than 120 courses to his credit, many of which have hosted numerous PGA TOUR and LPGA events, major championships, a Ryder Cup and a Solheim Cup. His work includes such famed courses as THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, site of this week's PLAYERS Championship; Harbour Town Golf Links, a design with Jack Nicklaus; Crooked Stick in Carmel, Ind.; PGA West at LaQuinta in Palm Springs, Calif.; Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run in Kohler, Wis.; and the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, S.C.
The courses Dye designed consistently rank among the top courses in the country ? many in the top 10 ? according to major golf publications like Golf Digest, Golf Magazine and Golfweek.
A past president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (GCSAA), Dye has an Honorary Doctorate in landscape architecture from Purdue University and has received several awards throughout his career, including the 1995 Donald Ross Award from the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA), 2003 Old Tom Morris Award from the GCSAA, 2004 PGA Distinguished Service Award and the 2005 PGA TOUR Lifetime Achievement Award.
"Pete's impact as a modern golf course designer is indisputable," said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. "His designs are fixtures on the PGA TOUR schedule as they present the world's best players a challenging, yet fair test of golf and often help provide drama to our tournaments."
Born on Dec. 29, 1925, in Urbana, Ohio, Dye was a respected amateur who won the 1958 Indiana State Amateur Championship and the Indianapolis District Championship. He played in The Western Amateur and five USGA Amateur Championships, as well as the 1957 U.S. Open and 1963 Amateur Championship. Following time in the United States Army during World War II, Dye attended Rollins College, which is where he met his wife of 58 years, Alice.
Dye lives in Delray Beach, Fla., and Carmel, Ind., and continues to add to his resume of golf courses. Projects currently underway include the Tournament Players Club in San Antonio, Texas, and French Lick Resort, French Lick, Ind.?where there is an additional course by Donald Ross, which hosted the 1923 PGA Championship won by Walter Hagen.
"Pete Dye's impact and influence as an architect is among the most far-reaching the sport has known," said Jack Peter, the Hall of Fame's COO and senior vice President. "Pete will join the likes of Donald Ross, Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and Alister MacKenzie on a very short list of golf course architects who have left an indelible mark on the landscape of the game."
Dye was selected by the World Golf Foundation Board of Directors Selection Committee. Additional members of the 2008 Class of Inductees will be announced at U.S. Open at Torrey Pines and The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. The 2008 World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Monday, Nov. 10, at 6 p.m. on the Hall of Fame Lawn at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla. For more information about the ceremony, visit www.wgv.com.
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