alright I'm sure there's some other guys on here that would play. I have my normal sunday group but saturdays are usually open and then any week day after 1:30-2:00 PM

Getting ready to tee off at Quintero...we have two open spots for just a tip to the outside guys but I figured it was too short notice to invite anyone on this forum....my bad guys, I will keep everyone in mind next time!

Yeah. A little notice and I would've been all over it. Haven't been out in over a month.....work/family has been keeping me busy.

Played kierland yesterday and it was super juicy. Played mesquite/ironwood since they had acacia closed for aerification. Conditions were awesome.

Took today off to watch US open and heading out to Whirlwind for a 7:45 AM tee time tomorrow. Not sure which course we are playing but every time I have played there its been in perfect shape so I assume it will be tomorrow. Will report back with a TR

played whirlwind devils claw on sunday morning for $39 and I can't rave enough about it. Even though I played terrible, the course itself was a blast to play and the fairways are about as wide as I have seen in Arizona. Greens were 10/10 condition although I believe they are going to start punching them this week which is basically a crime considering how good they were rolling.

Whirlwind's courses are a million times better than Talking Stick's two courses and it's not even close imo

Yeah can't argue with that. Just wish I didn't live about 3X closer to Talking Stick, that is a factor.

On Saturday late afternoon played We-Ko-Pa (Saguaro). For $26 after tax including cart and range balls it was a great deal. Greens were OK but unspectacular - pretty firm and rolled fairly smooth. Plus with that layout it's easy to jump around when coming up on a group, which was necessary as we were a twosome.

One annoying thing is that they wanted us off the course at 7PM and don't even have tee times after 2:50 to help accomplish that goal. But since we were just a twosome they let us out at around 4:00. I love twilight golf so it sucks to force us off the course with more than an hour daylight left. We complied though and weren't the last ones to finish.

yeah I hate when courses do that...I mean I worked at a golf course for a while but still the last hour or so of daylight is so damn nice and it's a shame that a lot of courses try to kick you off at the end.

they should just prepare the staff to stay late and expect to stay past dark (which I always did) and if you have a problem with that as an employee then you should switch your shift to the morning shift and/or split shifts in half between people so someone isn't working like an 11 AM - 9 PM shift in the 110 heat.

We Ko Pa is definitely a sick track. Just gotta watch out where you play these days because of aerification as discussed earlier. I have made it a habit to call the shop and ask if they have aerified yet and if so when they did it. I'm not interested in playing any course until it's had AT LEAST two weeks recovery after aerification. Luckily a lot of the courses have it staggered around at different times so you can always find somewhere with good greens....but it literally breaks my heart when a course is in absolutely perfect shape and then they go and blast the greens with holes (even though I know it's necessary).

Okay enough with aerification rant lol

Not sure where my sunday group is playing this weekend. Thinking about making the trek out to Triology at Vistancia to check that place out since I've always liked that track.

BTW Whirlwind isn't that far at all if you live near Papago Tuq...just a straight shoot down the I-10 to gila river casino...can't be anymore than a 20 minute drive total....seems like it would be just a few more minutes further than driving up to Talking Stick up Mcdowell or Camelback?

Whirlwind was easily the best place I played when I was in Phoenix. They had just opened the 2nd course I think.

I remember they had a Web.com event there and they shot ungodly low, I didn't think it was difficult, but it wasn't a push over either. Just shows you how ridiculously good those guys are.

Talking Stick is straight down Lincoln / Indian Bend for me so it doesn't take all that long. In truth the difference between the two is probably only like a 10-15 minute difference each way but it looks a lot farther on a map.

Yeah I remember them crushing Devil's Claw. But Cattail was eventually stretched out to like 7400 yards and not nearly the pushover. It has a horrible horseshoe of its own - the 10th is like a 245 yard par-3, the 11th is par-4 of around 485 yards with a tricky green, and the 12th is like a 610 yard par-5 that usually plays back into the wind with water down the right by the green.

Anyway, they probably still killed that course but the scores probably weren't quite as low.

well I guess trilogy at vistancia on sunday has now turned into a comped round at Desert Highlands lol....I don't know how my buddy does it. He knows someone high up in Troon Golf and this guy literally calls wherever and just keeps getting us out at these ridiculous places.

Tuq - I believe I remember you mentioning you played there? It's frickin' nice right?

played desert highlands at 1:30 pm on Sunday...my buddy ended up getting us comped so just a nice tip to the outside guys

I had never even seen this course or the area right there around pinnacle peak but it was top notch. Service was outstanding, the views were awesome and the golf course was in a great shape.

I wish they still had bent grass greens because this course is frickin' hard with the firm/fast bermuda/champion tiff blend they seemed to have. There were many spots around the green that if you missed in the wrong trap you literally had a chore to make a bogey.

All in all it was a great time and we only saw one other cart on the course the whole day.

Hope you guys enjoy the pics...FYI a few of them are obv instagramed

Thanks, Durango. Keep 'em coming.

no problem, could possibly be playing 36 in flagstaff on sunday so obviously would have to take some more pics

well another subtle brag....my buddy hooked up flagstaff ranch at 9:30 AM tomorrow http://www.flagstaffranch.com/sites/...900&page=50566

and pine canyon at 2:45 PM...
http://www.pinecanyon.net/golf-course

$18 cart fee at flag ranch and comped at pine canyon

I really don't know how this guy does it! I will try to get some good pics. I have played pine canyon a few times and it's awesome. I don't think flag ranch is on the level on pine canyon but anything in good condition in the pine trees is good for me.

A subtle brag would have been more like, "Oh man I have to drive all the way to Flagstaff this weekend because my buddy hooked us up with great deals at two private courses." Sounds awesome.

Seriously, it's too hot to even go to the pool this weekend. Plus I've been battling a cold for over a week so no golf for me.

Lol yeah we gotta drive two hours but it's only a high of 88 tomorrow in flag...gotta worry about the afternoon storms though...

Too hot for the pool? Hell, the pool has been my main hangout. I'll wait till it's back below 110 before hitting the courses again.

The pool is almost too warm right now it's not even refreshing...too hot for u guys to play? Even early AM???

This cold completely wiped me out for over a week. I'm feeling better but still in recovery mode. Am jonesin to play, especially since every course I drive by is empty, but I'm not up to battle the heat until I'm 100%.

I go to the pool at my condo complex everyday but I went out at 10 this morning and said f' this after 15 minutes. And I'm from AZ.

You working on Monday, Durango?

Yeah gotta work for a few hours yeah lol

I'll play regardless of the temp, buy if it's 110+ out, I choose an 85 degree pool over a golf course.

yesterday ended up being pretty epic...9:30 time at flagstaff ranch for $18 and then pine canyon at 3:00 PM comp.

we got a solid 20 minute storm with hail and rain in the middle of our round at flagstaff ranch and other than just a few other random sprinkles we made it through both rounds relatively unscathed.

Both courses were in fantastic shape. I would give the slight nod to Pine Canyon for better conditions but it's hard to tell from the pics. Pine Canyon had a little firmer turf which made it a lot easier to hit crisp iron shots than at Flagstaff Ranch. Both courses had similar greens, firm and fast..exactly what you would expect and want from courses up there.

First up Flagstaff Ranch









view from clubhouse patio for lunch..solid




Pine Canyon...












left phoenix at 6:30 AM and got home at 9:45 PM so it was a long day, but well worth it

Sweeeeeet

omg Pine Canyon for $18 I hate you so much.

Last year we played those courses in the opposite order. Flag Ranch is a nice course and all but it pales in comparison to Pine Canyon, although the greens are great. It felt like sloppy seconds.

Also, I like to troll Forest Highlands members about how much better Pine Canyon is. The denial is strong with that group. Their putting course is awesome though, I'll give them that, but the courses don't compare.

tuq - it was $18 to play flag ranch and pine canyon was comped lol

yeah flagstaff ranch was nice but definitely not a pine canyon. I can understand your argument on Forest Highlands but my ranking probably goes FH (Meadow), Pine Canyon, FH Canyon. Canyon course also gets so much love...yes there are a few spectacular holes but every other hole is a par 3 (5 total I believe) so it doesn't feel like a normal course rhythm. Also I know this is a ******ed argument but it's always cart path only and being so hard it takes 5 hours to play typically.

The Meadow course is my favorite because I like how the course goes in and out of the meadow so it opens up a big then goes back in the trees, etc. I always feel like Meadow is in better shape too (probably more sunlight).

Saying all of that, Pine Canyon is lined up just a notch behind the Meadow course. Pine Canyon conditions are just about on par with Forest Highlands and I think you get better views from Pine Canyon. Either course is a blast to play and it was so refreshing to be playing in a light shower 78 degrees versus 118.

Also forgot to note that during both of our rounds we saw exactly 5 other golf carts on the DAY! I don't know where all of these members were but it would seem like a perfect sunday to get out there. Perhaps everyone was waiting until this weekend to get up there but I couldn't believe how quiet it was.