Arizona Course Help

[nocarts83]

If Quintero is your favorite, you may have wildly different views of courses (I'd go 1. Wekopa Saguaro 2. TN Pinnacle 3. Wekopa Chola....Quintero close to last), but....

 

I'm really a fan of Apache Stronghold. Yes, I am well aware that it is a far drive from Scottsdale and, yes, I'm well aware it's terrible conditioned compared to everything mentioned here. Yes, there are many ground-under-repairs in the middle of greens. Yes, I was cleaning dust out of every crevice of my bag and body for weeks.

 

But otherwise, it's hard to ask for more. You get elevation and undulation you're asking for and some of the most unique and interesting holes I've ever played. Some favorites:

-A par 4 where you have to choose between a blind tee shot and a blind approach, or play it as a par 5. Taking 1 of the shots blind allows to play the other straight on.

-Par 3 with what I'd call a 90 degree rotated Biarritz green such that the valley is parallel to the line of play rather than perpendicular. Weak players are thrilled to hit the big green, but better players ticked about 3 putting through the valley.

-Drivable par 4 with a hidden slope and pit to swallow reckless tee balls.

 

If you can overlook the conditioning and enjoy it for what it is, it's a blast. I paid a combined $25 for the round and a polo, so you can balance out your round at the TPC.

 

If there was ever a way to get me to not play a course, you just did it.

 

 

That's cool. You can play Quintero, I'll play Apache Stronghold, and everybody goes home happy. Isn't that what golf's about?

 

Of course. Sorry didn't mean to come off confrontational, just making a joke! Everyone likes different courses and different things.

 

Absolutely, I didn't take it that way. That's also why I was super specific about the issues Apache Stronghold has. If I just said "I like Wekopa, Troon North, and Apache Stronghold!", I guarantee someone would go there and be disgusted. It's not for everybody, just like Quintero is not for me.

[Ninja]

Hello, This will be our 6th year boys Phoenix trip in 2019.

we have played in the past:

Visti Verde

 

Played Vista Verde shortly after it open and LOVED it but heard they had a redesign a couple years ago......what was changed?

[DrSchteeve]

Hello, This will be our 6th year boys Phoenix trip in 2019.

we have played in the past:

Visti Verde

 

Played Vista Verde shortly after it open and LOVED it but heard they had a redesign a couple years ago......what was changed?

 

Vista Verde is now Verde River Golf and Social. When you played it, there may have been a single house on the course. Now most holes have housing, although they have done a good job of not letting the housing feel instrusive, but it's there, so if you remember expansive views without houses those are now good views with houses.

 

The course went through a redesign when the new owners took it over. They felt the need to reconfigure based on where they wanted the clubhouse. Fortunately only a few holes are changed. Unfortunately, it is difficult to imagine that a golf course architect (in this case, Lehman) would actually design the holes that were added - they are just atrocious. The new number 1 (one of the 2 brand new holes) has a cavernous bunker 20 yards in front of the green, and I mean one of the largest bunkers you have ever seen. On some other course, maybe that would be appropriate, but it is absolutely nothing in keeping with the original design - there are no other holes with that degree of elevation change (they dredged out a huge hole to put the fairway and the bunker) and even the sand is completely different from the sand in all the other bunkers on the course. The other new hole, #18, is a complete throwaway that is one of the worst finishing holes I have ever seen. That's all the bad.

 

The good news is that 16 of the original 18 holes are pretty much intact, it is still overall a good layout, and the clubhouse and other facilities are nicely done. If you never played the course and played it now, you would think it is a good track, even very good, and it remains a good value most of the time. It's just one of those things that for those of us who played the course in it's original pristine and houseless version it is hard to enjoy with changes pretty much all for the worse.

[RedWolfWay]

Came to AZ for the first time in Jan, and although I haven’t played even close to the amount of courses I’d like to in the Phoenix area, I have got to say you must play both of the courses at Troon North, and you must play them last. Obviously the golf courses both are spectacular and I gurantee you will love each, but the service and treatment you receive will spoil you. We played pinnacle our first day down, and our lofty expectations for the remainder of the trip could let us down at times.

 

With that said, courses I’d love to play and have considered for our return trip next year: both at WeKoPa, Quintero, Wickenburg Ranch, Soithern Dunes, and TPC to name a few...

[loc]

Ok Here is the line up. I need one more course $100 or less.

 

Legacy

??????? (Camelback Padre?)

Wichenburg Ranch

TPC Stadium

TPC Champions

Raven South Mountain

[Chanceman]

If you want inexpensive, then Talking Stick (O'odham) might be your go.

[puttnforthe8]

Ok Here is the line up. I need one more course $100 or less.

 

Legacy

??????? (Camelback Padre?)

Wichenburg Ranch

TPC Stadium

TPC Champions

Raven South Mountain

 

Papago; or look around and see if you can score Legend Trail

[loc]

Papago booked. All set. Thanks all for your help this year. Looking fwd to it.

[loc]

Ok Gang. Staying in old Scottsdale, Chateau de Vie.........looking for some bar restaurants or places to eat and have a few drinks. Thanks in advance

[puttnforthe8]

> @loc said:

> Ok Gang. Staying in old Scottsdale, Chateau de Vie.........looking for some bar restaurants or places to eat and have a few drinks. Thanks in advance

 

Citizen Public House.... drop th mic

[loc]

Bump Back to the Top for 2020, looking for some new ideas or any new changes in AZ Golf for this year's trip.

Last year we played;

Legacy

Papago

Wickenburg Ranch

TPC Stadium

TPC Champions

Raven South Mountain

 

this year need some ideas but looking at these three and need to add three more;

Boulder

LongBow

Eagle Mountain

 

[puttnforthe8]

Time of year?

 

Based on what you have played: Would play Victory Verrado courses; Grayhawk. Estrella, Tonto Verde courses(if available - depends on time of year); Wildfire; Los Caballeros, Las Sendas, both Boulders courses; Consider a Prescott or Sedona day;

[Ram6]

Estrella had some interesting holes, especially 17 and 18

[aakerz24]

Verde River Golf and Social Club in Scottsdale usually has open tee times to the public and is always in GREAT shape, one of my favorites.

 

Ak-Chin is great too, might be a bit of a drive depending on where you're staying.

[puttnforthe8]

Verde River is open to the public - period. It is not a private course yet.

[gsteitz]

Both We Ko Pa courses are fantastic. Grayhawk facility is impressive and I think also worth a look. Los Caballeros is nice but I'm not sure its worth the drive out to Wickenburg, although it looks like you may have done that previously.

[loc]

April 11th week. What’s good in Prescott or Sedona? That’s a long drive up there? Staying in Scottsdale

[puttnforthe8]

 

Oak Creek in Sedona; You could probably also get on 7 Canyons (really good option for visitors); Sedona Golf resort is ok.

 

[loc]

Wow....booking tee times.....why has golf got so high priced this year........back in 2018 Sidewinder was $101 and Dinosaur was $83 in 2017..........now that Troon owns them its $250 and $290.....

 

So far i got

Wigwam, Boulders South (wont give me a deal on both courses), and Long Bow.......

[loc]

If you had to choose one Oak Creek or 7 Canyons which one would it be.....looking for elevation changes an "in the mountains' golf if possible on these

[az2au]

They're not similar. Seven Canyons is much more dramatic. It has some really awkward shots but if you're looking for "in the mountains" it is the correct call.

[puttnforthe8]

Yup..this, for one round for sure. Probably one of the best ranges in the world - view wise.

[loc]

7 Canyons will not take a public tee time.........seem from reading oak Creek does not have any elevation change....but it would be nice to have the Red Rock scenery....mmm

[az2au]

Sedona Golf Resort probably has slightly better scenery (even though they are very near to one another) but Oak Creek is a much better course. Honestly the golf in Sedona is very good at all though so you should just pick scenery if that's what you're into.

[puttnforthe8]

Not completely correct...I played 3 times last year. I even posted the opportunity on one of the forum posts last year for people coming from out of town.

[Dr. Hack]

Lookout Mountain is usually a great deal and has some very elevated tees/mountain feel. Same with Eagle Mountain. I'll also recommend McDowell Mountain for the Grayhawk type feel but much more affordable.

 

7canyons is definitely worth trying if you can arrange it. Like a mini Troon with even better views.

 

 

[ryder2015]

Second that