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07/26/2010 - San Antonio, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - FACTS AND STATS: Course Architect: Keith Foster (1992-94). Year Opened: 1994. Location: San Antonio, Texas. Slope: 128. Rating: 72.4. Par: 71. Yardage: 6,740.
Hole-by-Hole:
1 - Par 4 388 Yds 10 - Par 4 474 Yds
2 - Par 4 453 Yds 11 - Par 4 370 Yds
3 - Par 3 168 Yds 12 - Par 3 205 Yds
4 - Par 4 325 Yds 13 - Par 4 362 Yds
5 - Par 5 544 Yds 14 - Par 4 442 Yds
6 - Par 4 383 Yds 15 - Par 5 528 Yds
7 - Par 4 399 Yds 16 - Par 3 242 Yds
8 - Par 8 158 Yds 17 - Par 4 386 Yds
9 - Par 4 349 Yds 18 - Par 5 564 Yds
Par 35 3,167 Yds Par 36 3,573 Yds
Awards Won: Four stars by Golf Digest - Best Places to Play (2007-10), Ranked 13th by GolfWeek - Best Courses by State [Texas] (2010), Top 100 Women Friendly Courses in US - Golf for Women (1998-99).
Course Record: 64 (PGA Tour player, J.L. Lewis)
Website: www.quarrygolf.com.
HISTORY: Operating as a limestone quarry pit and cement plant for almost 100 years, The Quarry Golf Club emerged from the ideas of well-known San Antonio golf enthusiast Jack Parker. It's the typical success story. "You'll never build a golf course out of that pit," the skeptics bellowed.
Less than 10 years after the plant closed, Keith Foster was brought in to carve out a golf course. Foster, who previously worked with the Arthur Hills design group, went out on his own just a short time before starting his work on The Quarry in 1992.
Known for his renovation and restoration work at Baltimore Country Club at Five Farms, Colonial Country Club and Southern Hills, one of Foster's first original designs was The Quarry, which features a links-style front nine, with many water hazards and a back-nine chiseled inside the old abandoned 86-acre rock quarry.
Rated as a must-play by many, The Quarry has been ranked as one of the top courses in the state of Texas since its inception.
REVIEW: The opening hole at The Quarry is a downhill, dogleg-right par four of just 388 yards. The key here is hitting the fairway, as the landing area runs out, so three-metal or long iron might be the play. The green sits well below your feet, so adjust your approach accordingly. Water guards the entire right side of the putting surface, leaving little room for error. Bail out left and you'll end up in a much-used bunker. Hey, it's better than losing a ball.
Sitting alongside the train tracks, the second is one of the longest par fours on the course, stretching 453 yards. The fairway is very accessible, as long as you bypass the 45-yard bunker down the right. A medium- to long-iron awaits to the longest green on the front nine. Chipping areas surround most of the putting surface. Avoid missing long and left and you'll survive the hole they call "Rails."
The third hole is the first par three on the course and it's a beauty. From the back markers it's just 168 yards, but water covers the left side and the green slopes toward the trouble. To make matters worse, the wind blows from the right, so you'll need to be spot on. A word of caution: a pair of bunkers guard the right and they're quite nasty.
Talk about risk-reward, the fourth is just that. A short par four of only 325 yards, it certainly is possible. The risk is water down the entire right side from tee to green. The reward, of course, is reaching the putting surface and having a shot at eagle. For most normal players, an iron or fairway metal off the tee to a very wide fairway will leave just a wedge to a long and narrow putting surface. The two-tiered green can be tricky, especially when the pin is back-right.
As its name indicates, the fifth is a "Watery Grave." A dogleg-left par five, your opening tee shot must be placed onto a peninsula-of-sorts fairway that is mostly surrounded by water. Your second shot, to the bridge-ajoined fairway, should be relatively stress-free as the landing area is bunker-free, but raised. For those who go for the green in two, the fairway tightens as you get closer to the wide, but narrow, putting surface. Two bunkers front the elevated promised land to even the score. A back-right pin can make this easy hole a real bear.
One of eight par fours under 400 yards long, the sixth is a straightaway hole that features a 60-yard bunker down the left side of the fairway. Shape your tee shot at the church steeple and you'll be left with a short-iron to a green that slopes from right to left. Two bunkers guard the putting surface, but this is a definite birdie hole.
A fairly benign hole, the seventh is a relatively straight par four, with just one bunker down the right side. The key here is the approach shot to a minuscule green that's just 27 paces deep. No sand guarding it, but any shot short will kick left away from the putting surface.
Another glorious par three, the eighth is only 158 yards, but water and wind can and will dictate your play. The shot towards the wide and undulating green is a complete carry over water and sand. Being greedy here will only hurt in the long run, so play to the middle of the green and who knows, maybe the flat stick will save you. If the pin is back and to the right, play a second ball for fun and go for it.
The closing hole on the outward nine is a gem of a par four. Stretching just 349 yards from the tips, you'll need to bust a drive to clear the ditch that splits the fairway in two. Although it's just a 200-yard carry, it plays uphill from tee to green, so give it a rip. Favor the right side, as the landing area tilts hard to the left. Just a wedge will remain to a highly- elevated putting surface that's just 27 paces long and very narrow. The two- tiered green slopes hard from back to front, so try and stay below the hole and, by the way, avoid the left greenside bunker. Other than that, piece of cake.
The course really starts to heat up when you reach the Quarry nine. No. 10 is the longest par four on the course at 474 yards. Not only that, it plays uphill, so make sure you add a club or two. The fairway is quite generous and filled with rolling contours throughout. Miss right of the cart path and you'll have little chance of finding your ball. Your approach to the elevated green is quite deceiving, so make sure you take enough stick. Chipping areas front and right can make for a difficult up and down.
In contrast, the 11th plays downhill towards the green and is just 370 yards in length. The left fairway bunker sees plenty of action, as most players bail out due to the sharp fall off on the right. Yours truly can attest to that. A big drive can set up a simple short-iron to a green that runs from left to right with a ridge separating the front and back. A pin position in the back and right will bring more chipping areas into play.
The third sensational par three on the course, the 12th, stretches 205 yards from the tips and is all carry over marsh and water to the green. A nice draw from right to left is the play here, as it takes the water out of play, but be careful, as the green slopes towards sand and water left. The putting surface is minimal at just 29 paces with plenty of contour. Any play short will roll back down away from the green. Aptly named "Alcatraz," you'll need to escape with par.
Water continues to be the dominant trait on the back nine as you reach the 13th. This sharp dogleg-left hole features a full carry over the lake that covers the entire left side of the hole. Although these holes sit down in the quarry, the wind really affects No. 13 in particular. A sweeping draw fits the eye from the tee, as this will set up a simple wedge to the smallest green on the course at just 24 paces in depth. Fronted by a deep bunker, a back-left pin will only be partially in view, so trust your game and go for it.
The most difficult hole on the back nine is the long par four 14th. Named "Stacks" for its aiming point, this brute is 442 yards in length and plays gently uphill. Limestone outcroppings dot the rough, but the fairway is wide and accommodating. Even with a big tee ball, you'll have a medium- to long- iron to the elevated green. Putts move sharply on this small and undulating putting surface, so play enough break or a three-putt could be in the cards.
A really good chance of getting a stroke back comes in the form of the par- five 15th. Just 528 yards, the tee shot plays downhill towards the generous fairway. Although it tightens at the 300-yard mark, most players should have plenty of room. Give it a lash from the fairway if you have the stones, but you'll need to avoid the bunker that fronts the green. Not a bad spot to be in if you have a quality sand game. Just 25 paces in depth, the putting surface is wide but shallow, so your approach must be spot on. Now's the time to make birdie, since the final three holes yield very few.
Sixteen is the most difficult of the four par threes at The Quarry. It's a robust 242 yards from the tips and uphill all the way. When was the last time you hit driver on a par three? Can you say never? Well, there's a first time for everything. The elevated green sits atop a hill, with all putts breaking toward the tee box. Not a good combination, especially if you miss short.
One of the prettiest, yet intimidating holes on the course, No. 17 is called "Reload." For a golfer, that's not a word you want to hear, but it happens quite often. Yes, if you must ask, I hit two. With the quarry wall to your right, you tee off from the highest point on the course, with a panoramic view of the entire quarry. From the back tee, it plays as a dogleg-left with what seems like a sliver of fairway in the distance. The landing area does run out at the 300-yard mark, so three-metal is probably the smart play, as the cart path splits the fairway. A short-iron should remain to the longest green on the course and one of the most slick. With the flag back-left, you'll need an extra club or two and be careful to avoid the bunker duo on the left.
Although not the most difficult hole on the course, the 18th requires strategy, not something usually associated with a par five. The reason is because the downhill fairway tightens dramatically at the 280-yard mark, not to mention the rock wall boundary on the right and rough and rocks left. Your second shot is played uphill to a landing area that sits 100 yards from the elevated green. Remember to adjust accordingly to attack the pin. The putting surface is long with several levels, so take enough club for the back-left pin.
FINAL WORD: Located just minutes from the airport and downtown San Antonio, The Quarry Golf Club is a blast (no pun intended) to play.
The front nine is virtually devoid of trees and it winds around several water hazards. Starting with the opening hole, they come into play on five of the outward nine.
When The Quarry was originally built there was very little, if any, housing or commercial areas. Now, of course, it's a different story, as a strip mall runs down the left side of the first hole, taking away a little bit of the ambience.
Although the front nine plays quite shorter than the back, it's still a test, specifically when the wind is up and you need to hit your approach over water, like on the first and third holes.
Pick the right set of tee markers, because when you reach the back nine, you'll be hard-pressed to match your front-nine score.
The inward holes at The Quarry are really the most interesting, especially Nos. 12 and 13 and 16 through 18. Despite being under 400 yards, the 17th not only is quite deceiving, but one of the most difficult holes on the course. No wonder it earned its current moniker.
There are several vital statistics that make The Quarry a required visit.
First of all, the rates are reasonable, from a low of $25 after 5 p.m. to a high of $79 on the weekend. It's not often that a top layout features such affordable prices.
Secondly, the challenge of the golf course is very appealing, and not just from the back tees. Forced carries over water and ravines, uphill marches towards greens, strategic choices off the tee, The Quarry has it all.
The amenities are complete and the staff is very knowledgeable. PGA golf professional Sean Etheredge leads the entourage of helpful staff. A native of the San Antonio area, Sean has spent over six years at The Quarry overseeing all aspects of the operation. In addition, former PGA and Champions Tour player Jim Barker is the Director of Instruction. Barker has received many accolades, including being named one of the top teachers in the country by both Golf Digest and Golf Magazine in 2001.
Affordable, challenging, unique and a great experience -- what more could a golfer ask for?
Foster claims on his website that his aim is "to produce timeless and enduring work" and he certainly delivered on those intentions at The Quarry Golf Club.
Aces, pars or bogeys, send your thoughts to psokol@sportsnetwork.com.
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Terrell Owens will address the media at a 3:15 p.m. ET news conference outside the Cowboys' practice facility after an internal police report indicated he tried to kill himself by overdosing on prescription pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened.
The Dallas police report said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
Owens left the hospital late Wednesday morning, giving reporters a "thumbs up" but making no comment as he was driven away in an SUV.
Michael Irvin said that Owens denied he attempted suicide and said he was rushed to the hospital as a result of an adverse reaction to medication. And a source close to Owens told Michael A. Smith that Owens wasn't attempting suicide.
NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said he spoke with Owens shortly before his release from the hospital and that Owens was in good spirits.
"The fact that it has been reported a suicide attempt, he's laughed at that notion. It was a case that medication that was taken wasn't accepted well in his system with the other vitamins he's on," Sanders said.
The series of events began a little before 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Owens' publicist, Kim Etheredge, said she was at Owens' home when he took pain medicine for his broken right hand. Concerned by how he began acting, Etheredge said in various interviews Wednesday with Dallas-area media that she called 911. Owens was taken to a hospital, with Etheredge saying it was an allergic reaction to the medicine.
But early Wednesday, several media outlets received a police report -- that had yet to be released by the authorities -- saying Owens had attempted suicide by overdosing on the painkillers, even putting two more pills into his mouth after an unidentified friend intervened.
The police document, first reported by WFAA-TV, said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
When officially released by police, about half the document was blacked out, including the phrases "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication" and "a drug overdose," as well as the details of Owens having two pills pried from his mouth and Owens saying "Yes" when asked if he intended to harm himself.
Etheredge, who said she was the friend cited in the police document, told Dallas-area media Wednesday that the police got the story wrong.
The tape of the 911 call could help clear things up. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get its contents, but fire department officials said it would not be available before late Wednesday.
The police report said the 32-year-old Owens told his friend "that he was depressed." Details of the police report were first reported by WFAA-TV.
The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that [his] prescription pain medication was empty and observed [Owens] putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said.
Using her fingers, the friend attempted to pry them out of Owens' mouth. Owens told police he had taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied before the incident.
Etheredge told the Star-Telegram that Owens was "fine."
Etheredge said she called 911 because Owens was groggy and lethargic. After taking some supplements "it kicked in a reaction" with the painkillers, she told the Star-Telegram.
"Here's a person whose body is so clean, it really had a negative reaction to the medication and supplements he was taking," Etheridge told The Morning News. "Thank goodness someone was there to call an ambulance."
Police Lt. Rick Watson said he could only confirm that paramedics called police to say they were taking Owens to the hospital. He said no more details would come from the police because no laws were broken.
It is not a crime in Texas for a person to attempt suicide.
"This is a high-profile person. We looked into it and we determined it is not a criminal offense," Watson said. "This a medical type of situation that occurred."
Watson and fire department spokesman Joel Lavender cited privacy laws for the lack of information they could provide. Lavender said more details could come from the 911 call. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get the contents of the call.
"Let's just look at the tape, review the tape," Lavender said. "I'll give you an honest answer once I know something."
At the police news conference, Watson released a version of the police narrative with certain sections blacked out. The full report was obtained by several news outlets and reported first by WFAA. The AP received the full version from WFAA.
According to the police report, Dallas Fire and Rescue was called regarding someone "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication." Officers arrived to find Owens being stabilized by ambulance workers, who then took him to Baylor University Medical Center.
Owens was hospitalized late Tuesday because of what his publicist said was an allergic reaction to pain medicine he was taking for a broken hand. Doctors reportedly tried to induce vomiting.
Owens, one of the league's top receivers during his 11-year NFL career, is best known for wild stunts on the field and other publicity-seeking antics off it.
When the Cowboys signed him to a $25 million, three-year deal in March, they said their background checks indicated no red flags. In fact, team consultant Calvin Hill -- who mostly deals with troubled players -- said during training camp that his department was not involved with Owens because he didn't have a history of those kinds of problems.
He missed most of training camp, and three of four preseason games, because of a hamstring injury. He was late for work during his recovery and was fined for it, but Owens laughed it off, saying he overslept. He said it had happened before, though not with Dallas, and would probably happen again.
Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger during a game a week ago Sunday. The next day, doctors screwed in a plate so the bone could heal without fear of further damage. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said last week that the pain medicine made Owens ill.
Owens had not practiced since the injury, but because Dallas had a bye this past weekend he did not miss a game. He was expected to practice Wednesday, and Parcells had said there was a chance Owens could play Sunday against Tennessee.
Owens had been especially looking forward to the Cowboys' game after that -- Oct. 8, in Philadelphia, against the team that dumped him midway through last season only months after he helped them nearly win the Super Bowl.
Owens was seen laughing and joking on the practice field Tuesday morning. He chatted briefly with reporters in the locker room in the afternoon and seemed fine. A 2-inch scar on the top of his hand was puffy but not wrapped, and he said the swelling was doing down.
While in the locker room, he took a pill from a white paper bag and looked at another medicine bottle that was in the bag. He also called a business partner about a towel-wrap venture they're starting and joked to TV cameras that he wasn't talking until Wednesday and it was only Tuesday.
"My little boy knows better than that," he said, laughing, as he plopped onto a sofa in the middle of the locker room.
Also Tuesday, Owens was involved in launching a national campaign for the National Alliance to End Abuse, an organization aimed at helping at-risk youngsters. He appeared at a high school Tuesday morning and was scheduled to visit others but had to cancel because of changes in the team's practice schedule.
Owens has played two games for the Cowboys, catching nine passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. For updated football betting lines and Dallas Cowboy Superbowl odds visit online sportsbook MySportsbook.com
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Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.
"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."
Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.
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