I'm going to look into Tucson. Are there enough public courses in Flag to make a weekend out of? Only course I've played up there is Munds Park.

Not really enough public options in flagstaff besides munds park which is awesome. There's two fun courses in Sedona that are public (Oak Creek and Sedona Golf Resort)

Decided to go with Torreon for the bachelor party. Probably play Torreon and Silver Creek.

I made it out to Poston Butte yesterday. $20 bucks its a great deal right now. I really enjoyed the back 9.

Also drove out to Francisco Grande to check it out. I remember liking that course years ago but man is it a dump.

Recents courses I have played..

Gold Canyon Dinosaur - always ranked super high but I just don't get it. It was okay but definitely not worth the drive at all...and it was free

The Gallery Club North Course - outstanding course and conditions in Marana, enjoyed the north course way more than the south due to elevation and mountain views. Bent grass greens were pure, great time

Arizona Country Club - played there this last weekend, always loved the layout and played in like 3 hours. Greens had been punched a few weeks ago and still showed some marks but rolled decent enough. Played right behind Kirk Triplett which was fun to watch the old guy stripe it around.

Pointe Tapatio Cliffs - outstanding greens, they don't punch ever during the summer and only vertacut occasionally and I love the speed and slope of the greens. Shorter course that plays firm and fast so lots of birdie chances and fairways in great shape as well.

Pinewood (Munds Park) - love that little course right off 17 in munds park. Looks easy but it's really not due to small turtle backed fast greens that make you really hit good shots to score. Perfect weather and 30 degrees cooler so obviously enjoyable.

Copper Canyon - long drive but was worth it. Bent grass greens, solid fun layout, excellent service, cheap drinks. Would definitely go back there again although it was about an hour drive. Good views of white tank mountains

Kierland - always in good shape and fun, not much else to say.

I use to love playing Tapatio. I played it quite a bit in the 90's when I lived on the North side of town. I need to get back out there someday.

My favorite memory at Tapatio, in 95 or 96 they had the skills challenge out there. Arnie, Chi Chi, David Duvall, Peter Jacobsen and John Daly. Can't remember the rest. Maybe Brad Faxon and Hale Irwin. So much fun listening to those guys talk crap to each other and John Daly chain smoking cigarettes and drinking diet coke. Daly hit the most amazing drive on the 18th, where everything took place, over the water onto the green. No one else even made it to the water.

Man I love Munds park. My buddy has a family condo up there so we go every year for his birthday. Wonderful weather and the course is always in great shape.

Been following this thread for quite some time and figured it is time to contribute.

Recently played:

Kierland -- My neighborhood course. Played like 5 times in the past couple months. Always reliable for awesome treatment and great conditions. Fun course but not the peak of architectural creativity.

TPC Stadium -- Got out for $60 a couple weeks back the day before they shut it down. Conditions were terrific. First time playing and did not disappoint. Overall really fun, good treatment, challenging on the finishing holes and aura of playing where the pros do.

TPC Champion -- Everyone told me this was so superior to stadium. Get real. Totally separate facility. Practice area is meh. They charge you for range balls! There are planes flying overhead the entire round. Holes are exposed to the freeway. I mean, cmon. Decent track but would pay extra to play stadium any day.

We-Ko-Pa -- Don't remember which 18. Conditions were terrible. Top quality desert golf design. Nice facilities. Too far really as a scottsdale resident when there are so many other courses near me. Would recommend for tourists looking for AZ desert golf experience.

Playing Greyhawk this weekend...

This gave me a chuckle. Yeah, I guess, but they were sort of hamstrung by the routing to some degree. At least there aren't many houses or apartments on the course for the most part.

Haven't been out there in awhile, but wonder if the change in management companies has led to a decline in quality.

Anyway, haven't posted in this thread in awhile but have played a decent amount of golf in town and otherwise. Here are the courses most worth mentioning.

The Rim - hadn't played it before but heard pretty good things. Played Chaparral Pines a last year for the first time as well. Fun course, it seems that most people who have played both are partial to it over Chaparral Pines. I don't know that I echo those sentiments...Chaparral Pines is clearly the tighter of the two with some goofy holes. On the other hand I also seem to recall many more memorable holes than The Rim.

Wickenburg Ranch - played this last weekend for the first time, and playing it next weekend again by coincidence. Really a phenomenal course, and the greens were in great shape. I definitely like it more than Quintero, which I enjoy but find very punitive with less variety (although the par 3s are unparalleled). Another thing I like about WR is the five par 5s and five par 3s. An interesting thing they're building is a nine hole par-3 course with a bar, and five of the holes will be lighted. The course appears to be done and looks interesting...I just don't know where they'll find the people to play it.

I thought I had read somewhere that they're temporarily starting this course on what will be the 5th hole due to its proximity to the temporary clubhouse. This makes sense because what would have been 17 and 18 (which are now 13 and 14) are the two best holes on the course. Evidently they're building a permanent clubhouse next to the temp one though, so that info is wrong or has been changed. The nine hole course is also out where I thought the clubhouse would be. My guess is it sits where the driving range was originally planned. I guess they didn't feel like people having do what they do at Quintero, which is have a long-ass drive from the temp clubhouse to the range and first tee so just relocated the driving range near the current start and ultimately decided to stick with it.

Mirabel - another course I had never played and it was excellent. I heard it was a Fazio softening of a Norman design, but in any event they have a flair for backdrops since various holes make use of Black Mountain, Pinnacle Peak, Squaw Peak, and other landmarks in the background off of many tees. Interesting layout, fair off the tee with a lot of bunkering and very large greens, which were slow when we played but very smooth. Hope to have the chance to play it again sometime.

The major upside of the design is that they put these huge mounds in between all the holes which has the effect of both constantly making you feel like you're the only one on the course and dampening the penalty for a hitting wayward shot, since the hills will funnel the ball into play.


Grayhawk -- Played Raptor for like $50 at 1pm on Saturday. It was brutally hot, no question, but the course was in terrific shape. Aside from 10 (very gimmicky with a creek) and maybe 18 (kinda gimmicky), I thought the course was an exceptional desert design. It is very playable off the tee (something inferior desert designs lack) and virtually every hole has an amazing elevated green complex with interesting bunkering and lots of green undulations. Otherwise, a high-class facility with a great practice area and friendly staff. I'll definitely try to get back out soon, but earlier in the day.

True, it's like an easier version of Eagle Mountain due to the holes running parallel.

Another thing I realized is that with the exception of the 9th hole on Ironwood, there is a hole to the right side of every hole on the course (technically also the 3rd on Ironwood but it's a par-3...). It's a slicer's paradise, which works well for a resort course.

Been on a huge run of playing nice courses...

Seven Canyons
Flagstaff Ranch
Forest Highlands
Pine Canyon
Chaparral Pines


I can give more details or pics if anyone is interested. Chaparral Pines was yesterday and it was absolutely perfect outside up in Payson.

Best Condition out of all those was Forest Highlands Meadow course, just absolutely elite and probably my favorite course in the state.

Forgot how stunning Pine Canyon layout is but fairways were slightly soppy when we played so we didn't get it at elite elite condition but the greens were still gas.

Playing Torreon and Bison Ranch this weekend for my brothers bachelor party.

Haven't had the chance to play torreon yet but heard good things about it. I love that chaparral Pines and Rim club are literally like an 1:15 from Scottsdale. Makes a day trip super easy to get into the pines.

Seen that this hasn't been updated in quite some time - this post is a shot in the dark.

Spent a good amount of time in the Phoenix area having lived there for 6 months when I had dreams of being a tour pro - and have been back many times for golf trips.

Have another one planned for this March bachelor party week- really pumped about it.

8 guys - 2 tee-times per day and a pretty nice looking house in Scottsdale.

Here is our course breakdown

The Legacy 2:04 & 2:12pm $49
Lookout Mountain 1:10 & 1:20pm $65
Southern Dunes 7:52 & 8:00am $84
Ocotillo 1:57 & 2:06 $49
Talking Stick - South Course 2:09 & 2:18pm $75
WhirlWind -- possible

Any comments on these courses and how they have been in shape lately? Or the price we are getting? Should we absolutely not be playing any of these?

For the last day (Saturday) we were thinking of spending up and going somewhere real nice.

Any reccomendations for somewhere public within an hour drive of Scottsdale?
We would probably pay up to $150 per guy if it was really worth it.


Also - best Strip clubs in Scottsdale? We'll probably hit the strip club one maybe 2 nights - the google search wasn't turning up anything noticeably better.

You might not finish the rounds that start after 2. Spring training during that time plus snowbirds.

I've tried to play the last few weeks and these rounds are taking like 5 hours. Can't wait for summer.

Taking stick sucks imo...I would cancel that and book a time at Quintero. I played Quintero yesterday and it was ELITE and is easily a top 3 public course in AZ. Greens are absolutely perfect and fast as hell.

Had a hot weekend trip last weekend in Palm Springs

Friday AM - The Palms Golf Club
Friday PM - La Quinta CC
Saturday AM - Desert Springs Palm
Saturday PM - PGA West Nicklaus Private
Sunday AM - The Palms Golf Club

Will do a write up with pics if anyone is still lingering in this thread

Played the new Verrado course "Victory". Pretty neat course and some interesting holes.

http://www.verradogolfclub.com/golf-...-tour-victory/


Hole 18 is gorgeous. Pretty tough to carry from tips. Have to fly it about 260-270 to make it to the first/second hazard stakes you see in the picture. Come out to the west side and give it a shot.

If you're willing to make the drive to Quintero it's the bees knees. An amazing golf experience every time.

Any people interested in chopping an airbnb in Scottsdale/Phoenix for a month or two around nowish? Or anyone have a room to rent?

Looking to head to the Phoenix/Scottsdale area second week of September.

Suggestions on best areas to rent house?
Best courses to play for value and design
Am I correct that we are looking of highs in the high 90's .?

It's usually right around 100 degrees middle September. You can get 5-10 degrees cooler if you play courses on the outskirts of the valley, especially the north valley as the elevation climbs.

Best area to stay depends on budget and courses on itinerary. Generally speaking the north and east valley (Scottsdale) are going to have higher lodging costs, whether it be renting a house or staying at hotel/resort. However the north and east valley have some of the nicer courses.

Maybe give us a budget or general idea of how much you are willing to spend and someone should be able to point you in the right direction.

Edit: Durango will pop in here soon and he can give you a pretty comprehensive rundown of current valley course conditions. I work at a local club and it may seem crazy but I played more golf before I worked in the industry.

Make sure you don't come end of September has all the courses overseed starting probably September 20th ish and u will not want to play an overseeded course until like 6-7 weeks after.

Devils - where do you work?

I worked at Desert Forest for 3 1/2 years, about 9 months ago I took a position at Rio Verde CC. A little different from DF to say the least but it is a good opportunity.