I finally had a chance to play a round of golf here in San Antonio at The Republic Golf Club. Yesterday I got out and shook off the rust during an afternoon round.

The Course

The Republic Golf Club is located in the southern part of San Antonio, TX. It is currently a qualifying site for the U.S. Senior Open and was voted the number one course in San Antonio by the Express-News in 2006.

From the green tees, where I played from, the course plays 6,622 yards, with a course/slope rating of 71.6/125. From the tips, it weighs in at just over 7,000 yards.

I found The Republic to be first-class all the way. For under $50 (mid-week), it was a tremendous value. The staff was friendly and helpful. The pro-shop and club house have an inviting western flair. The practice facility is terriffic.

I found the course conditions to be excellent. It is extremely well groomed from tee to green with fairways that are like carpets. With generously-sized holes, I definitely didn’t feel claustrophobic out there like I do on my home course sometimes.

I was particularly fond of the par-5 11th hole, which features a 200+ yard carry (from the two back sets of tees) over a deep gorge to a slightly elevated fairway. I choose a more direct route on the dog-leg left hole gambling with a longer carry. It paid off and I bombed a 300 yard drive that left me in range of the green (which I missed).

I was very impressed with the greens. They were hard and fast, just how I like them, and they rolled very true. They also have excellent character, presenting a nice challenge with both putting and when hitting approach shots.

The course was harder and faster that I’m used to. The weather here is hotter than normal for this time of year and it was late in the day, so it’s to be expected.

My Round

I wish I could say I had a good round, but I didn’t. I had a great time, but played some bad golf. I’m not too concerned though, because I had several things working against me.

I hate to make excuses, but… heat, travel fatigue, and an unfamiliar course got the best of me.

Ok, enough whining. I still managed to squeeze in a birdie and several pars. I had a handful of blow-up holes where I was smothering my drives. I lapsed back into my lateral hip slide problem. I made a couple of tweaks and had a mostly decent second nine.

I’m having a blast on vacation, but part of me is looking forward to getting home to work on my swing. I was playing well before I left and am looking forward to continuing my improvement.

All in all, The Republic is a great course, well worth the price. Here’s a shot of me enjoying a moment of shade:

I definitely recommend The Republic Golf Club if you’re in the area. I’ll be playing it again next time I’m in San Antonio.

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