Valero Texas Open Course Preview: TPC San Antonio (Oaks Course)
The PGA Tour heads from Houston to San Antonio for this week’s Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio (Oaks Course).
Located 20 miles north of downtown San Antonio, the Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio is a long 7,438-yard par-72 designed by Greg Norman in 2010 that features Poa trivialis overseeded greens. The tees and collars also have a Poa Trivialis overseed, while the approaches, fairways and rough (at 2.25 inches this week) all have a Perennial rye / fescue mix.
The average fairway landing areas are 25 to 30 yards in width, which makes these fairways smaller than the Tour average. There are clumps of trees and rocks that await more errant drives, but some are more penal than others (as Kevin Na can attest to).
"How are we gonna count all the shots?"
That time Kevin Na made a 1️⃣6️⃣ at the @valerotxopen. #TOURVaultpic.twitter.com/Ta1FlbzmPZ
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 5, 2019
The average green size at TPC San Antonio is about average at 6,400 square feet. Water is only in play on three holes, but there are 64 bunkers in play, including the signature bunker on the donut-shaped 16th green.
Mmm donuts 🍩 pic.twitter.com/dAt04lmrhX
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 3, 2024
TPC San Antonio Historical Approach Distances
The course features a full set of four par-5s with three of them playing at least 590 yards, including the 18th hole. TPC San Antonio also has four par-3s and 10 par-4s, with four of the par-4s between 400 and 410 yards and another five of the par-4s playing longer between 445 and 485 yards. Only the shorter 347-yard par-4 17th hole lies outside of these ranges on the scorecard.
Because there are five par-4s playing 410 yards or shorter, five longer par-5s and three of four par-5s playing long, there are relatively more approach shots from 50-125 yards and 250+ yards whereas there are relatively fewer approach shots from 125-250 yards compared to an average course on Tour.
Here are the percentage of approaches from each 25-yard range from the 2023 Valero Texas Open via Datagolf.
| Approach Yardage | Percentage of Approaches in 2023 |
|---|---|
| 50-75 | 4.6 |
| 75-100 | 9.1 |
| 100-125 | 12.4 |
| 125-150 | 13.5 |
| 150-175 | 15.7 |
| 175-200 | 18.2 |
| 200-225 | 3.4 |
| 225-250 | 5.1 |
| 250+ | 18.1 |
Key Metrics for TPC San Antonio (Oaks Course):
- Weighted SG: Approach
- SG: Around the Green
- Total Driving
- Par 5 Birdie or Better %
- Bogey Avoidance
- Greens in Regulation %
- Distance from Edge of the Fairway
- SG: Putting Poa Overseed/Bermuda
