It's a matter of taste but for me Arizona >>>>>>>>> Phoenix. I have friends that actually prefer Phoenix, primarily because of the quality of the greens and challenging green complexes, but it is way too tight of a course, tees are on top of greens, I hear FORE about fifty times / round because everyone is so close together. It's a victim of technology. Hard to believe the tournament used to be there until moving to the TPC, which wouldn't surprise me if the acreage was 3X larger.

As it turns out I have a lot of friends who are members at Arizona and only a couple at Phoenix so I play the one I prefer far more often. One of them told me yesterday that they are evidently going to convert the short par-5 eighth hole into a par-4. Probably move the tees up a bit and play it at like 460. Good idea, that's a weak and really easy par-5 but will be a strong par-4. Par will drop to 71 which is fine.

I'm new to AZ golf, so hopefully those familiar with these courses can help me out a bit. I'm going to Scottsdale for a weekend in late March with my dad for golf, we rented a house in Troon North. We typically fly out Friday, play a round after landing, play 36 Saturday and play a round on Sunday before leaving. We're actually staying until Monday but still only playing one round on Sunday. I'm a 13, my dad is a 30 from the up tees (but plays fast and has fun and enjoys spending time with his less than level-headed-on-the-course son) - last year he took me to Innisbrook and Reunion, this year he wanted to head West - anyway, our plan is to play:

TPC Scottsdale
Troon North Monument
Troon North Pinnacle
Grayhawk Raptor

So questions are:

Given our 1-Friday, 2-Saturday, 1-Sunday rounds that we play what would be your recommended order of play? We want to save "the best for last" on Sunday.

Any other courses you'd substitute? He wants to play the best he can while we're out there - he's paying so I'm playing what he wants to, but want to make sure we pick the best of the best or close to it.

Any recommendations would be very much appreciated.

Well, I'd personally punt any of them for at least one round at We-Ko-Pa (http://wekopa.com/) - I'd actually drop two of them and play both courses out there, maybe on the same day for logistical reasons. The courses have fairly distinct personalities so it wouldn't be like playing the same track twice. Simply put, those courses imo are better than anything on your list and are almost certainly a little cheaper.

BUT, since people like to play where the pros play - TPC, Grayhawk - and Troon North has a certain aura to it, it's hard to talk you into dropping any of those if you have your heart set on them.

That said, the order I'd drop would be Troon North Monument, Grayhawk, TPC, Troon North Pinnacle. Pinnacle is the stronger of the two courses so worth keeping. TPC is a nice change from all the other desert courses you have scheduled and it is fun to play 16 and all the other holes you see on TV. Grayhawk is better than Monument, which I suggest getting rid of first because it has some goofy holes and you'd be better off playing elsewhere.

Also, as price doesn't appear to be an object then look into either the Boulders (http://www.bouldersclub.com/), which is up near Troon North, incredible but pricey or Quintero (http://www.quinterogolf.com/), which is straight down Carefree Highway from where you are staying and spectacular - best par-3s in the state.

Hey Tuq, which wekopa course would you recommend if you were only playing one? Posted this on golfwrx too and got a few replies for wekopa as well, so may do that as our Friday round after we land just for logistical reasons. Thanks for your time.

FWIW I've played both several times and prefer Saguaro over Cholla. But honestly they are both so special, you can't go wrong. Like a 9.7/10 vs a 9.4/10.

Cholla (the original) has more memorable, interesting holes but also a couple of goofy/controversial ones - both par-5s on the front catch a lot of flak for being bizarre. It also seems to me like the desert / waste areas are more filled in and punitive on this course...but maybe I just play worse on it. EDIT: according to the rating/slope this is the easier of the two courses by a couple of shots from the white tees, where your father is more likely to play. It's slightly harder from the tips.

Saguaro may be less interesting in comparison but the last five holes are A+.

Like was said above there is no bad choice. If you do go out there from the airport make sure you get proper directions. You can get there very quickly taking L202 to SR87 and up, like maybe 30 minutes from the airport tops. Then go to Troon North through Fountain Hills and down Rio Verde, that won't take long at all. On the other hand if you go down Shea Blvd either leg you'll be adding like 20 minutes each and I'm afraid some idiot will tell you to go that way and it will take a lot longer.

Hey all. I don't really have anyone to golf with out here so if anyone wants to play a round with me pm me. I'd really like to get to know some fellow 2p2ers.

You should definitely PM durango. Also, that reminds me that this year we should finally make good on a Phoenix-area golf meetup.

Thanks again Tuq, we're doing We-Ko-Pa Cholla on Friday after we land (was at the mercy of tee times, Saguaro didnt have a time we wanted) and then heading to our house in Troon. On Saturday we're doing first tee time of the day at TPC Scottsdale, then heading a few minutes up the road for GrayHawk Raptor in the afternoon. Then on Sunday mid-morning we're doing Troon North Pinnacle.

Really looking forward to this.

I'm down to play but the only days I can really play would be some day during the week at like 2-3 PM.

Monday-Friday = work
Saturday = gf hangout
Sunday = have the same foursome pretty much in stone at pinnacle peak

I played Wigwam Gold on Saturday and it was pretty nice. Course was in good shape and greens were rolling pretty quick. I had never played that course and was suprised at just how hard it was. Some of these long holes with crazy sloping greens were borderline unfair.

Would be interesting to see what the Pro's shoot out there because if you shot a few under par I would think that would be a hell of a round.

Multiple times I hit really good shots into greens and ended up three putting which is rare for me.

Good courses, good efficiency w/r/t scheduling and order, including having the final round there at Troon so you can sleep in a little and not drive very far.

Curious to see what you think and how you ultimately rank them.

someone get at me lets play tomo or fri

bigpot, playing at orangetree today around 2 but we already have 4...sorry man

bump...

one of my buddies played WeKah Pah Cholla on Thursday and said it was a 10/10 condition wise so whoever was thinking about adding it to their rotation should do so.

I ended up having a great weekend. GF officially broke up with me so now I am free as a bird to golf which is kinda nice.

I played OrangeTree on Friday and then Pinnacle Peak on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. First two rounds were pathetic shooting 80-82 but I recovered yesterday a little bit for a 74 at Pinnacle Peak.

Had a pretty interesting run on the back nine. Birdied #10, bogey 11, hit it over the green on 12 which is completely dead all downhill from a buried lie.....no problem chip in.

Next hole is the toughest hole on the course long par 4. I snap my drive left hit a tree and am completely dead. I punch out to the fairway about 40 yards short of the green and promptly pitch it in again for back to back hole outs lol

Not sure if I have ever done that in my career but it was pretty hot

Do any of you guys have a recommendation as to which Greyhawk course to play? Coming to town on Wednesday and was thinking about playing there Friday.