I knew it was an expensive weekend but we only do these trips once or twice a year and we really wanted to experience the Wasted. We decided it was worth the extra couple hundred in greens fees.

Anybody playing golf these days? After only playing about 3 times over a 3 year stretch and none in about 18 months, it's time to get back after it. Knee issues kept me off the course for a long stretch but now I'm healthy enough(for the time being anyway) to swing a little bit so I've been playing whenever I can as of late.

For now, while I'm working on knocking the rust off and prices are still high, I've been playing some of the cheapest courses in the west valley - Tres Rios, Sundance, Great Eagle, Hillcrest, Granite Falls South, Cimarron - just to be out playing again. Once I'm a bit more comfortable with my swing it'll be off to get fitted for a new driver, 3 wood, and possibly a hybrid. Time to replace the old square head Nikes. Soon after that, it'll be a new putter, then onto the irons. By mid summer I hope to have all new sticks. I'm open to recommendations for a good club fitter if anyone has suggestions.

It was fun to open this thread and read all the TRs from the past couple years and give me a list of courses to plan on playing this summer. The Quinteros and such will definitely get hit. I'm hoping I can put enough pressure on JoshK to get him out on a regular basis too. I'm also wanting to make it a point to meet up with some of you other guys that I've talked about golfing with for years...if you'll have me, of course.

7:30 tee time Saturday at Granite Falls South(a buddy lives in Sun City Grand so it's hard to get him out to play anywhere other than his 4 home courses...though I'm not thrilled with the $94 rate right now) before heading to the Dbacks game that evening. Might try to get out early again Sunday morning before heading back to Chase Field for more baseball.

Anyway, hit me up if you want to get together and play at some point.

hey fellas,

coming out with 5 other guys in July (I know, I know) and am looking for a place to play. we're staying in Phoenix by the South Mountain Park and Preserve and are looking for somewhere that rents clubs and is a relatively easy (25 mins or less) Uber ride away. Thursday/Friday/Saturday are all options, haven't locked down what day we'll be playing yet.

anyone have any suggestions for us?

Legacy golf resort - super close, always in good shape even in the summer and super fun course to play and very fair, avoid the traps and there’s a ton of birdies

Raven South Mtn - right across street from legacy so super close as well, pine tree lined and completely different from what you would expect in the desert

Whirlwind - two courses and on the other side of the mountain and probably 20 minute drive, more of a wide open fun course and right next to wildhorse pass casino

southern dunes - hardest course of the bunch and probably 30-40 minute drive but worth it IMO. Always holds some top level college and AZ events. Hard to describe the course but fair/tough is a good description.

Just google each of those courses for pictures and just inquire about punching as courses punch in June/July due to the extreme heat. It’s 111 today. It’s going to be hot as hell in July likely so my advice is to tee off super early or super late. You can tee off at 3-4 PM and still finish pretty easily in July. I think end of June is longest days of the year but should be light until 8 and obviously courses aren’t that busy and people don’t fart around when it’s that hot. If you hit a slow group just drive on by skip the hole or play it at the end.

tyty durango, much appreciated

Also if you want to take a long drive, Quintero is the best public course in the state and probably an hour drive for you but it’s 1000000% worth it and would be the best course you could play by far.

How was the trip goodbar

Since he probably won't check this thread again I'll answer for him...


Aside from having a putting green in the back yard of their Airbnb, the only other golf that was played was Top Golf. There was a lot of alcohol, a couple Dbacks games, some more alcohol, and a bunch of hanging out at the pool. But no golf.

So anyone done any golfing in the Tucson area ? Looking at doing a golf vacation there next year

Longshot but whatever....

Any of you guys looking to get out tomorrow? I want to play but none of the regular guys I play with can make it. Figured I'd ask on here before booking as a single somewhere. I'm out in Surprise but willing to play about anywhere.

Anyone playing golf in Phoenix anymore?

Played Quintero Saturday. Looked on Golfnow that morning and saw a random afternoon tee time for $65 and couldn't say no. Course was in outstanding condition. I played it 3 times this summer and it was always in good shape, but nowhere near as perfect as it is now. Was cartpath only due to the recent rains which sucked - especially since nobody told me until I was heading to the tee box - but it was fun nonetheless.

Had the best ball striking day I've had in ages. Off the tee and from the fairway. Shot a legit 78 from the gold(or whatever color one box from the back is - 6800ish). This time of year with the high prices I'm usually sticking to the cheapo courses but when a deal like that shows up I'm gonna do whatever I can to take advantage... especially with me living relatively close.

Planning on playing again this Saturday afternoon but not sure where yet. Depends on what deals are showing Saturday morning when I check Golfnow. Leaning towards Verrado since it's only $49 after about 1:00.

Very nice. I need to get out to Phoenix area and play again. I was supposed to be out there for work next week but it was cancelled. I bet it's been about 20 years since I have played out there.

Played Granite Falls North Saturday. Tee boxes, fairways, and greens were in great shape. I guess they didn't overseed the rough this year so now it's just brown dormant bermuda that can be hit or miss.

Shot an 85 with I believe 2 birdies, 5 pars, 7 bogeys, and 4 doubles. Weird round with 3 lost balls off the tee and a lot of real poor iron shots from inside 150. Same ball striking a week earlier at Quintero would've left me closer to 100. But weather was great and the beers were cheap so it was a good day.

I'll post my round summaries in the What'd You Shoot thread but just wanted to chime in with a bit more detail of the four courses we played in Phoenix this past weekend. I got the invite to a guys trip that usually goes down for the WMO, but this year they decided to skip it and play a 4th round instead. We stayed at one of the guys' place in Surprise, so we can splurge on the golf rounds. Anyways, in the order we played them...


Palm Valley Golf Club -- for Phoenix standards I'm guessing this is just a pretty run of the mill track, and was our cheapest round. Any golf at this time of year is good golf for a Canadian but it's just average and I imagine a non-WMO weekend it's not very expensive. i.e. trash in a lot of the water features, soggy in areas, etc. Fairly unassuming and not super difficult, you can hit it all over the place really. Right in residential area so very flat.

Verrado Golf Club (Founders Course) -- this was a step up in quality from PVGC, much more of a mountainous-desert course that I was expecting. Pretty nice facility, although there was a 2-3 hole stretch on the back nine that I just didn't care for. I think narrow uphill par 4's with false front greens are just kind of stupid (I still made par). Pretty nice overall though.

Wickenburg Ranch -- OK, pretty much a top 5 course I've ever played I think. It was in immaculate condition, top tier facility, absolutely awesome. It takes something amazing for me to gush over it with how bad I played that day, mind you it was pretty cold (probably 45F) and very windy which made it feel even colder. But just a spectacular yet totally fair design. Top it off, they have a par 3 "Lil Wick" course tucked behind one of the hills that we played 6-man skins on after the round, that they take as good of care as the big course. Unbelievable place, can't recommend it enough. I think we paid $180USD for the full 18 & par 3, and I'd call it great value. Only knack is it is the farthest drive of all four, maybe about 40 minutes from Surprise.

Blackstone -- fully private I believe? Anyways one of our guys had a connection with a local pro at home, who hooked us up with the head at Blackstone and we got in a round. Still cool but more mild conditions. Very very nice track, great design, in great shape minus they had punched the greens probably within a week or so prior so that was a bit disappointing. All the same it was also a top tier facility. I played about as shoddy as I did at Wickenburg, but if you asked me which I preferred I'd say the experience at Wickenburg blew Blackstone away. My major gripe with it is you have to have some course knowledge to succeed -- some holes had very hidden landing areas off the tee that would completely change your approach to a hole if you knew they were there. Whether it's a better design, etc. can be argued but I'd rather play W 20 times more before playing BS again.


Grunching but just wanted to give an outsiders review of a few courses. Great trip, I've only been down to PHX once before for golf and it was in the Scottsdale area so very unrelated. Lots of fun golfing down here even though I didn't play my best. The guys have usually played Verrado and Wickenburg most trips I think, not sure what else they usually play.

Wickenburg ranch is definitely a fun course and black stone gets interesting after you’ve played it 3-4 times because of the quirky holes.

Another hidden gem is los cabelleros ranch in wickenburg. If you’re going to make the drive out there might as well double up and play 36. It’s an old ranch style course with small bent grass greens that is a really fun and interesting course.

Grand Canyon University Course is also pretty sweet after renovations some years back but it’s always so busy that it takes away from the experience for me with a logjam of people.

Palm Valley is better than GCU. That place is a shithole except for the university students working the course.

Bump.

Heading down there 8th-15th, provided we don't get sick in the next 6 days.

Will be staying at a friends place that backs onto McCormick Ranch, likely going to do the ranch pass and play a couple casual rounds there.

Any suggestions for affordable local places? Places like We-Ko-Pa and such that I've heard of sound great, but not at $255 USD per round. Also not looking for necessarily true desert courses, if anything resort style courses that are easy for the wives are nicer.

Just hunt via Golf Now a few days before?

added bump.....i'll be there in February

Based on this post I'm going to try to sell Wickenburg Ranch (and "Lil Wick") to my group hard

Wick was so good if you can convince them. If you teed off on the 18 early enough, you could easily play a couple loops on Lil Wick. Glorious day.

My group has responded with......."Wickenburg Ranch is a must"

We only ended up playing three rounds. Both of the McCormick Ranch courses -- Pine, Palm -- and then got a round in on a GolfNow deal at Talking Stick, where we played the Piishpaash (sp?) eighteen.

Both McCormick courses are pretty benign layouts, and the rough was in that seasonal yellow, dead grass. Courses overall not in the greatest shape. Palm was easier, Pine had a lot more water.

Talking Stick was much better, course was in very solid shape. Green lush rough, greens were in great shape and running fast. Not a super challenging layout. Would recommend if you can get a deal on it.

Solid weather all week, right around 70-73 every day with clear skies, only windy one day.

T -17 days

We have Verrado booked for next Tuesday and Wednesday. Trying to book Wickenburg Ranch for Thursday but can only book 7 days in advance. My buddy did a trial run EARLY this morning and the tee times go fast. Booked Coldwater and Palm Valley as back up plans. Are any of you familiar with either course?

I've played both multiple times(probably 20+ at PV) since they're both on my side of town. PV>>>>>>Coldwater and that may not be enough >...imo. I'd say you won't be disappointed with either, but if they're getting played after Verrado and in place of Wickenburg, almost anything else will be a let down. With Wickenburg it's not necessarily that the times go fast when they get opened up to public, but that all the times are booked by members\residents before ever making it the the public. I hope you guys get on at Wickenburg as there and Quintero are probably my 2 favorite AZ courses.