2021 Phoenix Area Course Conditions

[YMark]

Aguila on Monday. Course in great shape for this time of year, especially compared to a lot of courses around the valley. For $17, this has to be the best golf deal in the state right now.

[chisag]

1 hour ago, YMark said:

Aguila on Monday. Course in great shape for this time of year, especially compared to a lot of courses around the valley. For $17, this has to be the best golf deal in the state right now.

 

... I played there all winter with a remote cart, walking for $22 senior rate while everyone else was over $100-200. I agree it is hard to beat the views, layout and conditions for the price. 

[puttnforthe8]

Saguaro at Wekopa today...absolutely horrible condition.  They are closing at the end of the week I believe to start the recovery.

 

Would advise not playing for at least 2-3 weeks.

[Bonneville85308]

A bit beyond Phoenix, but I played both Sedona Golf Resort and Oakcreek CC within the last couple days.

 

Sedona Golf Resort was in decent condition but nowhere near as good as Oakcreek. Entire course was really saturated even in the afternoon and was playing long, very little roll on anything, fire at the flag on every green. Lots of mud holes in the fairways you could lose a ball in. At $100 for a mid morning tee time in July it felt like a poor value. Pace 4:15, had a group in front of us that seemed more interested in beer drinking and finding balls in the junk than actually hitting the ball, but once it looked like it was going to rain on the back nine, they sped up. Also notable, first time I ever heard a customer ask a pro shop attendant at the counter how he was doing today and get a serious aloud response of "I hate being here."

 

Conditions at Oakcreek were impeccable as they usually are. Everything was flawless. Fairways a little wet but nowhere as bad as Sedona GR. Pace was 3:45 for an early morning round. Since the last time I was there 2 years ago, they dried up the creek that crosses the fairway on #6 and filled it with landscape rock. That course is easily worth $100 even though we paid less. I would have played it twice instead of Sedona GR but Oakcreek had an outside event the one day.

 

[AZ_JHWK]

Longbow on Sunday. First group out at 6:20. The other 2 in the group were a no show and we finished in just over 3 hours. Parking lot still pretty empty at 9:30 when we got done. I was hoping for better conditions as I had played many other courses recently that were great for summertime. The greens were pretty good overall. Just a few spots around the edges. Green surrounds were pretty spotty and thin and with wet conditions from the overnight rains it was difficult. Fairways were decent with similar thin spots. Many tee boxes were kind of crowned. Bunkers need some new sand.

[MUNIGRIT]

Played Talking Stick South last week. I can never keep the new names straight but the fairways and bunkers where good. Greens were a mess. They just scalped them or whatever they do that makes them look like a tilled corn field. Probably better shape this week. Playing Kierland on Sat which I'm expecting to be a muddy swamp with all the evening rain lately.

[Bonneville85308]

Papago this morning. Woof. Even worse than it was last week, they've now aerated large swaths of the fairways using thick tines (leaving the plugs laying there) and have topdressed the greens. This is in addition to the issues with dead/completely cut out and removed/recently sodded aprons and collars, last 50' of most fairways completely bare waterlogged dirt, and large fairway bare spots.  I know and understand that they need to do the maintenance and bare spots are normal this time of year, but it all together was just too much for me, even at $23 to walk. I'm going to avoid it until things improve. Just didn't feel like I was playing a normal round of golf.

[AzSuperHack76]

Biltmore Links today, total mess. Tons of bare dirt in the fairways. Bunkers super thin. Greens were atrocious, shaggy, long with weeds/crabgrass coming up. $40, about $25 too much. Adobe looked in much better shape.  

[azgolfer44]

7 hours ago, Bonneville85308 said:

Papago this morning. Woof. Even worse than it was last week, they've now aerated large swaths of the fairways using thick tines (leaving the plugs laying there) and have topdressed the greens. This is in addition to the issues with dead/completely cut out and removed/recently sodded aprons and collars, last 50' of most fairways completely bare waterlogged dirt, and large fairway bare spots.  I know and understand that they need to do the maintenance and bare spots are normal this time of year, but it all together was just too much for me, even at $23 to walk. I'm going to avoid it until things improve. Just didn't feel like I was playing a normal round of golf.

Ugh this sucks. Was hoping it was improved from last couple weeks. Might not see much progress all summer. 

[robcha]

19 hours ago, Bonneville85308 said:

Papago this morning. Woof. Even worse than it was last week, they've now aerated large swaths of the fairways using thick tines (leaving the plugs laying there) and have topdressed the greens. This is in addition to the issues with dead/completely cut out and removed/recently sodded aprons and collars, last 50' of most fairways completely bare waterlogged dirt, and large fairway bare spots.  I know and understand that they need to do the maintenance and bare spots are normal this time of year, but it all together was just too much for me, even at $23 to walk. I'm going to avoid it until things improve. Just didn't feel like I was playing a normal round of golf.

 

Well this is extremely disappointing to hear. There was an AGA Scramble tournament there that my buddy and I signed up for this Sunday. Not looking forward to playing with those conditions. 

[puttnforthe8]

On 7/6/2021 at 10:46 AM, FlashNoonan said:

Sterling Grove yesterday. Great conditions all around. The green on 6 was having some dead/ dirt spots but nothing too bad. Everything else was pretty good for the time of the year. Greens will be aerated starting today and tomorrow. 

 

 

How was the tall grass looking??  Was it cut back significantly? Growing back a bit?

[FlashNoonan]

22 hours ago, puttnforthe8 said:

 

 

How was the tall grass looking??  Was it cut back significantly? Growing back a bit?

Tall grass was all gone except for a couple of holes on the back had it still. 

[puttnforthe8]

52 minutes ago, FlashNoonan said:

Tall grass was all gone except for a couple of holes on the back had it still. 

What an utter disappointment!  

[Bonneville85308]

Aguila this morning. Great conditions all around. Fairway bare spots if any are very tiny/minimal at this point. Not overwatered. Greens were receptive and rolled faster than they looked. The grounds crew is doing a great job here. I'm not sure why anyone would play Papago over Aguila right now. ~$21 to walk. Only thing off was the flagstick was missing on #4, but somebody was nice enough to stick a bunker rake in the hole.

[puttnforthe8]

Raven - It is in the worst shape I have ever known it to be.  The greens are not healing and they are brutal.  It is simply not worth playing.

 

The bunkers have no sand and are rock hard.  The fairways are hit or miss.  The tee boxes are horrible - they really need to just tear them down and redo them at this point.

[chisag]

39 minutes ago, puttnforthe8 said:

Raven - It is in the worst shape I have ever known it to be.  The greens are not healing and they are brutal.  It is simply not worth playing.

 

The bunkers have no sand and are rock hard.  The fairways are hit or miss.  The tee boxes are horrible - they really need to just tear them down and redo them at this point.

 

 

... Bummer. I played there the 2 days before the aeration and it was in really good shape. I don't remember a problem with any tee boxes but I don't play the tips, fairways were pretty clean and greens were green and rolling nice, albeit a hair slow. GM told me should be about 3 weeks before it is back to those same playing conditions. Sounds like they aerated and then just stopped ALL maintenance. I really like Raven when it is 105 and above because there is so much shade on the course. 

[azgolfer44]

Papago was much better today than two weeks ago but still some rough spots.  Very wet - No roll whatsoever. Greens have a lot of grain in them. For $24, could do a lot worse. (I saw Phoenician was $110+ next Saturday, Lol.) 

[FlashNoonan]

On 7/16/2021 at 9:48 AM, puttnforthe8 said:

What an utter disappointment!  

Agreed! I thought the tall grass brought character to the course that isn't normally seen in AZ.

[jatrain]

Legend Trail today. $40. Very good shape, greens were a tad slow but putted well. 

[FlashNoonan]

Grandview in Sun City West today. Personally I feel this was the best shape I've seen/played it. Probably all of the rain this past week has helped. Greens were a tad shaggy but nothing crazy. They're growing super fast so I'm sure they can't cut them every day. Grandview is slowly becoming my favorite of the SCW courses. Staff is always friendly and welcoming even though I'm not a regular retiree player. 

[AZ_JHWK]

Raven today for $35 due to aeration on July 7th, regular rates return on Monday. This was my first trip to Raven, so I have nothing to compare it to. Greens were bumpy as expected and the bunkers need sand for sure. Other than that it was in fine shape. Yes, there were some summertime thin spots and it was soft from the recent rains, but it compares favorably others I have played this summer . The layout is really fun and the pine trees set this course apart from others. Our foursome made it around in 3:50. 

[puttnforthe8]

19 hours ago, FlashNoonan said:

Agreed! I thought the tall grass brought character to the course that isn't normally seen in AZ.

 

Played today and wow - what an ugly scene.  I pictured in my head, but did not realize just how sad it ended up.  They even scalped in places that are not even in play??   I talked to the guys there and they said they are instead planting bermuda (and apparently a very hearty type) and they will not cut that down and allow it to grow to 6-8 inches.

 

Course was very soaked with 4 CPO holes due to how soaked they were.  Greens were still pretty bumpy.

[MackDaddy480]

34 minutes ago, puttnforthe8 said:

 

Played today and wow - what an ugly scene.  I pictured in my head, but did not realize just how sad it ended up.  They even scalped in places that are not even in play??   I talked to the guys there and they said they are instead planting bermuda (and apparently a very hearty type) and they will not cut that down and allow it to grow to 6-8 inches.

 

Course was very soaked with 4 CPO holes due to how soaked they were.  Greens were still pretty bumpy.

 

I played there for the first time today. Greens were very poor and course was super wet. The course is a fun layout though, very generous off of the tee but will be tricky once they get the greens somewhat normal.

It will be a fun course to play once the grass grows in completely and the greens are fast/smooth. 

[chisag]

On 7/17/2021 at 11:55 AM, Bonneville85308 said:

Aguila this morning. Great conditions all around. Fairway bare spots if any are very tiny/minimal at this point. Not overwatered. Greens were receptive and rolled faster than they looked. The grounds crew is doing a great job here. I'm not sure why anyone would play Papago over Aguila right now. ~$21 to walk. Only thing off was the flagstick was missing on #4, but somebody was nice enough to stick a bunker rake in the hole.

 

... Played a practice round at Aguila today. I probably played there 120 times this winter and I never saw it this lush. Greens are a little shaggy looking since they have so much grass on them but as you said they rolled nicely. I didn't start til 5pm but easily got in 18 playing multiple balls on most every hole. Pi$$ed me off that there were some ball marks on greens that were not repaired. When there are only 1 or 2 on the entire green it is VERY obvious and takes a real dick not to repair them. Still a little shocked at how lush the fairways are LOL. Certainly not getting the kinda roll it did during the winter with dormant rough and hard fast fairways. And another bonus, Aguila is one of the few courses I have played this summer with genuine sand in the bunkers. 

... Picture from my drive on #10 looking at the green and then back at the tee box. If someone would have posted these I probably would not even recognize them as Aguila! 

 

Edited July 19, 2021 by chisag

[Soloman1]

4 hours ago, puttnforthe8 said:

I talked to the guys there and they said they are instead planting bermuda (and apparently a very hearty type) and they will not cut that down and allow it to grow to 6-8 inches.

 

Yeah, that'll really speed up play . . .

[puttnforthe8]

10 hours ago, Soloman1 said:

 

Yeah, that'll really speed up play . . .

Have played there almost 2 dozen times now and there was never an issue with POP with the tall grass when we played.   The places where the grass would be impactful is about 15-20% (3, maybe 4 holes) of the course.  

Edited July 19, 2021 by puttnforthe8

[azgolfer44]

12 hours ago, chisag said:

 

... Played a practice round at Aguila today. I probably played there 120 times this winter and I never saw it this lush. Greens are a little shaggy looking since they have so much grass on them but as you said they rolled nicely. I didn't start til 5pm but easily got in 18 playing multiple balls on most every hole. Pi$$ed me off that there were some ball marks on greens that were unprepared. When there are only 1 or 2 on the entire green it is VERY obvious and takes a real dick not to repair them. Still a little shocked at how lush the fairways are LOL. Certainly not getting the kinda roll it did during the winter with dormant rough and hard fast fairways. And another bonus, Aguila is one of the few courses I have played this summer with genuine sand in the bunkers. 

... Picture from my drive on #10 looking at the green and then back at the tee box. If someone would have posted these I probably would not even recognize them as Aguila! 

 

I think this is the effect of not having pressure to “peak” the course for winter visitors like most courses in town. 

[glenva]

Played Quintero last Friday.  Course was in great shape.  Definitely worth the drive.  

[AZ_JHWK]

Another Aguila fan here.  Just played today for $20 walking. I echo what everyone has said before about this course and price point. Strangely #9 and #18 rough and green surrounds were having the most issues. The rest of the course was in fine shape. They seem to know how to maintain the bunkers here.     

[AzSuperHack76]

Wickenburg Ranch today was in good shape, obviously wet because of the storms but no standing water in the fairways, course drains nicely. Bunkers were nearly unplayable and received quit a bit of damage from the rain. The greens, they were nearly perfect, best greens I've putted on this year, simply amazing.