Ha, haven't opened this thread since I made my last post, so just saw this now (two months later). Looks like I missed a lot of golfing.

Did a little last month too. Played TPC Champions. It had been awhile since I'd been out there, and I have always really liked that course. They cleared out a substantial amount of the brush and and raw desert which would punish wayward shots on many of the holes, although the area to the right of the 14th fairway is still raw as I would discover. Greens were OK, maybe a tad slow. With the clearing the course is quite a bit less punitive, which is fine because it's still a ~7100 yard par 71 and the greens are contoured enough that they can be tough to putt.

Also played Papago a couple weeks back. Was a little disappointed that the greens weren't smoother and quicker this close to overseed, but maybe I've been spoiled by how great they've been for so long now. I don't typically bore with details from the round but I had a five on the first TEN holes before breaking the streak with a par on the 11th. I ended up shooting 45 (i.e. 9 X 5) on the front and 34 on the back, which is possibly my best and worst nines on that course, both coming in the same round. Hit 0/9 greens on the front and 8/9 on the back, narrowly missing the green on 17. At least I saved the non-******ed nine for last.

Have a member-guest this weekend at White Mountain (albeit not actually PHOENIX golf) and then am headed up north somewhere next week to play, probably Antelope Hills. durango's TR was great - wish I was playing Forest Highlands...

forgot to mention that Forest Highlands plays so much freaking harder for the average decent to good golfer.....the rough is thick and causes your clubface to go all over the place

chips that look good, just keep on rolling by...same with birdie putts

the fescue on the sides of the hole absolutely eats your ball up and if you are lucky enough to find it you can literally only advance it like 20 yards on a full swing...sometimes less

it's just night and day from the normal courses that I am used to playing. handicaps don't mean much up there. basically if you break 80 on those two courses you are playing pretty damn solid. if you get close to par you are playing out of your mind

crazy to think the scores that some of the tour players put up there though...was talking to the outside guy and a pro (I didn't even recongnized his name) played there a few days before and had 10 birdies and 8 pars....ho hum 62

makes me feel pretty pitiful that I was actually happy with a 77 on canyon.

Dunno, I was up there a few years ago - in September, I think - and didn't find Canyon to be particularly daunting. In fact, one of the rounds a friend of mine who is about an 8 HDCP shot like a 76 having never seen the course before, including like six birdies. Maybe the rough wasn't as thick that year. My problem was with the firmness of the greens. It was literally impossible to hold the sixth (long, downhill par-3)...I hit a (rare) great long iron only to have it land at the front and roll all the way through off the back.

But mostly I'm responding because I certainly agree with your earlier comment about the stuffiness of the membership. After a round we were in the bar and my friend was still wearing his hat. He got a lot of strange looks until a staff member came over to inform him that he wasn't allowed to wear a hat in the bar or restaurant. I'm all for proper decorum but it was a bit ridiculous, especially when just cocktailing at the bar. As our friend who was the member put it, "our rules have rules".

That's at least part of the reason why I definitely prefer Torreon over Forest Highlands, and for as pristine and proper as Pine Canyon is I doubt they're nearly as snooty either.

Took a trip to Palm Springs to play some golf two weekends ago.

We played PGA west Nicholas w/ replay, and PGA West Norman w/ replay. The different mountain views were fantastic. Dodged stadium course which is good because idea of shooting a 120 isn't very fun.

The courses were pretty amazing.

You guys played out there before?

Tuq - yes canyon course can be had if u are playing well obviously and agree the greens get firm and u have to play a big bounce and stop a lot on longer approaches.

Josh - yes tuq more so than me...I played pga west stadium last time and it was our least favorite round of the 4 we played. The Palms (private) was stellar and classic club and Indian wells were very fun.

So......my last golf sound was at forest highlands and today we are teeing it up at encantolololololol

At least they haven't seeded yet so no cart path only bs and should be ok, will report back

Encanto was shockingly decent...fairways were money and greens were decent. Looked slow but rolled good enough. They are open through this Sunday still but I expect them to start scalping down any day this week.

Played Talking Stick north yesterday. Was in ok condition, not worth $100, but the guys I played with said they paid $55 on golf now the day before.

I think this was my 3rd round of the year, and probably my last one for awhile. Going from almost scratch 4 years ago, to sucking tremendously is horrible. Couldn't hit anything, pretty sure I lost strength and need clubs for an old man now. Quit after 9.

Sucks that you quit, hit the range and find your game!

Yeah $100 for talking stick is a beat for sure especially just coming out of overseed (assuming it is)

Hoping to play Quintero on Sunday with my buddy who works there...they seeded awhile ago and stayed closed for like a month I think plus bentgrass greens means no overseed on those so conditions should be pretty solid immediately

I am not sure if it went through over-seeding yet. The other course when you drive in you can see the lush green grass everywhere, this wasn't nearly that green, and there was no rough, everything cut the same length.

I would guess the course u played wasn't seeded yet then...talking stick didn't overseed the greens last year just let them die and painted them green it was like playing in Scotland. Not sure what their plan is this year though

Played 27 holes at whisper rock today, pretty awesome course and service. Will try to upload a few photos from my phone later

^ whisper rock is the toughest course in Arizona to get out at IMO...how did you manage it? You had to have played with a member right?

I played Maryvalelololololol twice in the last week and found it to be pretty good value. They didn't overseed this year so conditions are still solid and not all soggy, wet, thick, etc like a lot of the other overseeded courses.

Saying that...we are just about over the crappy conditions and here in about another 2-3 weeks just about every course should be in solid condition.

Also, stabbed myself bad shucking oysters the other day after "a few" beers so basically been bleeding my way through my rounds which sucks

Yeah basically friend of a friend is a member and he introduced us at the casino and off we went a few days later.

Did u have to pay???

Sick intro to get to play the rock...if u were paying attention there was probably multiple tour pros hanging out practicing or chilling up there

Yeah tbh I don't know what the guest fees are he just told us a round number for caddie tip and fees after and I was way up in the gambling so didn't sweat it. The practice facilities there were awesome, I didn't have too long tho and I wouldn't have recognized any tour guys most likely anyway.

We played middle tees (6600 yards) and I didn't think the course was overly hard. Desert mountain (renegade) last week was way nastier. And yes I've been running hot on invites. Last week played southern dunes, pinnacle peak, renegade and next week ancala I think.

This is a terrible grunch because this whole thread is likely teeming with great info, but I'm heading to Phoenix on Friday for the first time and staying til late Monday.

Just three of us going, staying in a house north of Scottsdale. Google map overview indicates it is an area called Paradise Valley Village.

I know nothing about Phoenix golf aside from TPC. I think the other guys know a bit better than I do, but any recommendations for ones that I would not want to miss, or are really great value? We will play twice each on Saturday and Sunday and a fifth round Monday morning. One guy goes back early and then two of us may get a sixth round in before leaving Monday night.

Again, terrible grunch. Also if any singles would want to join us for one of our times, I could see if we could make that work.

You will have a car? Quintero Quintero Quintero

Paradise valley village isn't north of Scottsdale I don't think? Maybe you mean west of Scottsdale? Anyways, yes Quintero if you have a car is a must play...

It's an extremely busy weekend for golf here so I would make tee times ASAP! Other places I would recommend Whirlwind, Legacy, Southern Dunes (far drive but sweet layout), Vista Verde, etc. All the good courses will be a little bit of a drive unless you really wanna stay central and then u are in the Talking Stick, Camelback Ambiente, etc

Looks like one of the guys booked for us. Here's our itinerary:

Saturday:
Desert Canyon 752a
Eagle Mountain 119p

Sunday
Dove Valley 815a
Legend Trail 1254p

Monday
Lookout Mountain 816a

And probably another round Monday aft for a pair of us.

I know nothing about these courses but I'm sure as it will be my first time I will be happy to play in November no matter what they are like. I think the only tight scheduling is getting from Dove Valley to Legend Trail but they don't seem to far apart.

Can't wait! Will try to make a small TR.

Of those I like eagle mountain and legend trail if it's in good shape. Have fun!

So so lineup IMO but you'll still have fun I'm sure

Interested to hear your reports back. It's a real beat that you guys didn't splurge on Quintero....it knocks the socks off all the ones you listed.

Eagle mountain is fun...legend trails is okay just a little gimmicky, pointe is fun if u never played it but u can barely hit driver after the first 5 holes cuz it gets narrow and short.

Takes no more than 15 min to get to Dove Valley from Legend Trail.

Have a buddy who works at Dove and have played there many times in the past few years. The course is usually in pretty rough shape. However I have not played there since their overseed but drive by the course every day. Back nine layout is pretty fun.