2019 Phoenix Area Course Conditions

[MackDaddy480]

Anyone play Las Sendas or Dove Valley Ranch recently?

[Arizonalefty59]

Southern Dunes again today. The greens are healing nicely, much better than last week. Everything else was magnificent.

[DrSchteeve]

Southern Dunes. Just a different point of view on the greens, not at all sure they are healing, lots of brown bare patches. Doesn't affect long putts so much (if you are only trying to lag), but short putts can be very bumpy. Green surrounds also with lots of brown bare patches. You really have to play it like a links course because most of the greens aren't holding anything - that's not necessarily a bad thing, just have to get used to it. Teeboxes, fairways, bunkers, all fine. Played in the afternoon, played the front twice, paired up for the second nine, a nice 2 hour round.

[puttnforthe8]

Ambiente is in absolutely rotten shape tee to green. Greens are so bad. Fairways drenched or bare. Bunkers are the best place to be. And for the price....a joke.

[DrSchteeve]

Longbow was fine today. More interestingly, the group I joined was scheduled at Southern Dunes - Troon cardholders, I think - and they were called by Southern Dunes and it was suggested that they change to a different Troon course because the conditions are so poor.

[DrSchteeve]

Saguaro. Pure. Traps with good sand, an adjustment from usual AZ sand. Still very busy.

[AzSuperHack76]

500 Club today. Fast and firm everywhere except for the greens. Greens are at a decent speed but very receptive. Got around in exactly 4 hours teeing off at 0800.

[Rohlio]

Southern Dunes today. f****** pure tee to green aprons. Greens are not good but not terrible. Sand was fantastic.

They called us the night before to advise us that the greens are not up to their standard which is a classy move. If I was playing for money or just really cared about my score I would agree that it was a problem, but they were fine for a casual round.

 

Here is a picture of the worst greens on the course and one of the best to give you an idea.

.for $30/round on the six pack, I was quite happy.

 

[](https://s3.amazonaws.com/golfwrxforums/uploads/editor/j2/bbg2waytxyii.jpg "")

Tas

[Rohlio]

One of the best

 

[Rohlio]

GCU this morning...teed off at 6am and played in 3 hours in a foursome walking...that was the best part. Also the Bunkers are perfect. Greens are currently heavily sanded but growing in nicely, should be really good in about 1 week. Fairways have a lot of thin and burnt out spots.

[vallygolf]

> @Rohlio said:

> GCU this morning...teed off at 6am and played in 3 hours in a foursome walking...that was the best part. Also the Bunkers are perfect. Greens are currently heavily sanded but growing in nicely, should be really good in about 1 week. Fairways have a lot of thin and burnt out spots.

 

It seems like the bermuda grow in this year has been slow and spotty. Im curious if it is because the rye was able to stick around longer because spring was so cool this year. Most places seem to still be recovering from the transition.

[Bonneville85308]

Grayhawk Talon yesterday, twilight time for $48 with tax/fees. First time I played it.

Great condition all around, no wet spots. Seems the summer grass in the fairways and rough came in perfectly. Greens looked a little sandy/gritty but were deceivingly fast and smooth.

I paired with 2 cool guys on the first tee and we initially panicked when we saw a fivesome in the first fairway, but they let us through after the second hole and we finished 18 holes just in time for the 7pm cart return deadline.

The course is really not my cup of tea. Probably one of my least favorite Gary Panks designs that I've played. I wasn't hitting the ball that great, but it just seemed like the course has a lot of features designed to eat balls or kick them off into the junk. #17 was fun to play but just seems out of place and put there to "wow" the winter tourist who paid $200 to play. I'm not a fan of giant greens either. Great facility though, and all staff members I encountered were positive and helpful.

[Arizonalefty59]

Wow those Dunes pics are crazy, they were NOT like that when I played it and that was only 3 days prior to Rohlio.

[mws92]

Wildfire Faldo yesterday - fairways were spotty in a few places but the greens rolled true. Not terribly fast or slow. Great pace too 3:42 starting at 12:30 and we weren't playing all that fast

[Arizonalefty59]

Had the pleasure playing Lone Tree with Fore today. I would steer clear of that course for a little while. The greens were ROUGH.

[fore_life]

> @Arizonalefty59 said:

> Had the pleasure playing Lone Tree with Fore today. I would steer clear of that course for a little while. The greens were ROUGH.

 

Pleasure was all mine, good to see you buddy.

 

Man the greens were horrible, pointless to even putt, we had a few that LAUNCHED

[puttnforthe8]

Southern Dunes greens not getting any better....painful.

[Bonneville85308]

I played everyone's perpetual least favorite course on Wednesday, Lookout Mountain. The fairways are in pretty bad shape, especially on the back nine. Several par 4/5 holes were completely cartpath only; 8, 10, 11, 13. #13 is a disaster. A few weeks ago they painted the 13 fairway the color green, now it's all completely dead crusty dried out green dirt. Conditions have deteriorated since I played the prior week.

 

The greens did roll nice, sand good as usual, course had about 5 people total on it. Also looks like they have been clearing out some of the underbrush along the sides of a few of the holes that tends to eat balls and slow down play.

[OspreyCI]

Let me chime in that I been playing Western Skies right by my house. Most people would never step foot at that place, but the greens are pretty good. It’s an easy course and get 18 in on 2 hours for $19. I have actually been enjoying quick rounds and good scores there.

 

Sometimes it helps to play an easy course and gain some confidence even at 6700 yds (and all bunkers being redone). Say what you will, but shot even par the other day and walked away with a big smile on my face.

[DrSchteeve]

Some info from Wekopa, this isn't formal just a ranger who responded to some questions. During the summer they are generally pretty open after 3, earlier on weekdays, and they will give the twilight rate after 11am, and you can pretty much play as much as you want on either or both courses, just have to have carts in by 6:30 (maybe 7). They get a lot of "regulars" who come out at 3 or 4, usually singles, may or may not have to play through the random 3some or 4some. I think it's around $35 for AZ residents. Played a bit of both courses yesterday and they are in very good shape, just some browned out areas on fairways, greens decent though not perfectly smooth. Really nice sand in the bunkers which was fun but took some getting used to.

Now that I'm rereading my post, I realize that this kind of summer policy probably exists at most courses (e.g., got around Longbow in 2 1/2 today), but it is nice to know the option is there at Wekopa.

 

 

[DrSchteeve]

Legend Trail, empty in the afternoon. $30. 2 hours. Good conditions - greens a little bumpy, not bad at all. Very similar to Wekopa and Longbow.

[AzSuperHack76]

Golf Club of Estrella this morning. Good shape overall, fairways are mown super short but not a whole lot of roll out due to damp ground. Bunkers are in good shape, greens are rolling fast. Teed off at 8 and finished in 3:45. Really fun round today.

 

Awesome value right now. $35 to play with a 5 dollar food and beverage credit, plus a $20 dollar bounce back rate.

[DrSchteeve]

Papago typical decent muni conditions, plenty of browned out fairways and green surrounds, greens a little bumpy but decent and very fast.

[puttnforthe8]

Wekopa Saguaro in very good shape, but greens are slowish as they are keeping them a bit longer.

Wekopa Cholla in terrible shape, ugly brown transition, lots of really bad dry spots, greens slow as can be and very bumpy

[OspreyCI]

Anyone play Eagle Mountain lately?

[mws92]

Do they sell yardage books at Southern Dunes or have a yardage card in the carts?

[Bonneville85308]

Any recent Aguila reports? I'm thinking of playing there early this Sunday morning, and basically every single tee time after 6:15am is wide open, which a bit odd for there.

[Rohlio]

> @mws92 said:

> Do they sell yardage books at Southern Dunes or have a yardage card in the carts?

 

GPS in carts... I rember they used to have yardage books. I can ask tomorrow morning when I am down there.

[mws92]

> @Rohlio said:

> > @mws92 said:

> > Do they sell yardage books at Southern Dunes or have a yardage card in the carts?

>

> GPS in carts... I rember they used to have yardage books. I can ask tomorrow morning when I am down there.

 

Thanks that would be helpful. I’m playing in the AZ Open and it’s been a while since I’ve played there. Not sure if I will make it for practice round.

[Rohlio]

> @mws92 said:

> > @Rohlio said:

> > > @mws92 said:

> > > Do they sell yardage books at Southern Dunes or have a yardage card in the carts?

> >

> > GPS in carts... I rember they used to have yardage books. I can ask tomorrow morning when I am down there.

>

> Thanks that would be helpful. I’m playing in the AZ Open and it’s been a while since I’ve played there. Not sure if I will make it for practice round.

 

Ugh sorry man I forgot to ask.

 

Update on the greens. Small tines and sanding yesterday. You can see they are starting to recover, but have a long way to go. Probably 3 weeks out.

 

Sand needed to be tilled, but the rest of course is great.