2021 Phoenix Area Course Conditions

[fore_life]

On 10/26/2021 at 6:16 PM, Bonneville85308 said:

Beautiful day for golf today.

 

Orange Tree: Great job on the fairway overseed. Fairways weren't too wet and the ball rolled some. Greens were slow but in nice shape. Bunkers absolutely terrible, very thin layer of sand over rock hard compacted dirt, and I was in probably 10 of them. No CPO, finished in 4 hours as a foursome in the morning with some waiting. First time I played this since probably summer 2019 and it looked like at some point they got rid of a lot of the tall "marsh grass" around the ponds on 9 and 18. They also added a rated combo tee between the 6344 whites and 5666 copper, it was just shy of 6,000 yards.

 

Mountain Shadows: Excellent condition all around, with one exception. The green on the "Forrest Wager" hole (aka the 17 1/2 hole) looked in poor condition and was actually closed for play, which was disappointing. Played as a twosome in the afternoon and only waited once or twice briefly. They are closed for some kind of tournament for the rest of the week. Fun round on a course I always enjoy, but only play maybe once per year because the price is nuts for what it is due to the neighborhood.

Played a scramble at  orange tree today for the first time, I thought it was pretty fun. Actually reminded me of Az golf resort/San Marcos but with a scottsdale budget

[puttnforthe8]

Southern Dunes yesterday (1st day open) - it is in very good shape for 1 day out.    Greens are slow of course but roll good; fairway grass came in nice.

 

Course played long with no roll.  They did nothing to improve the bunkers, which was disappointing.  

 

Note:  they have torn up the entry road and parking lot to redo.  If you have a car / low vehicle, drive slow when you make the turn in or you will bottom out.

 

 

[jatrain]

GCU this morning.  2nd day open (I believe).  Greens were very good with a hint of sand (didn’t affect anything).  Tees/fairways pretty shaggy.  Pace as great.

 

[azgolfer44]

Aguila is great after overseed. Really no issues at all. Greens were quick and smooth.

[chisag]

25 minutes ago, azgolfer44 said:

Aguila is great after overseed. Really no issues at all. Greens were quick and smooth.

 

... Since I play twilight 4-5 times a week during the winter at Aguila they let me know there would be college tournaments Monday and Tuesday and most likely 5+ hour rounds so I booked Encanto for 2 days. Exactly the opposite with very shaggy, soggy fairways and slow greens and I mean S-L-O-W. I cancelled Tuesdays round and back to Aguila Wednesday. 

[AzSuperHack76]

Wigwam Blue Yesterday, decent shape for being out of overseed for less than a couple of weeks. Greens are on the slower side but will be amazing this winter. The overseed took great, wall to wall lush overseeded winter rye including the rough. After everything is settled it will be in amazing shape. Gold looks to be in the exact same shape and they just opened up a couple days ago. 

[jatrain]

Encanto today.  I played early, so it was pretty dewy, but I’d say it had dried out some since the last report.  A little soft in the fairway, but nothing that affected playability other than roll, definitely no plugging or mud balls. Still a little shaggy.  Greens were really nice and putted well.  I’d say give it another week or so and it’ll be at typical winter form.  Played in 3:45.  

[AZ_JHWK]

Aguila today. Greens were really good. Plenty of grass in the fairways. I did pick up a fair amount of mud on those fairways. Cart path only on #9 & #18, otherwise 90 degree rule.  Teed off at 10:40 and took about 4:45. Starter said the tee sheet was packed until 2:20. Good luck to those trying to get done at that time. 

[puttnforthe8]

SD today....fairways still a bit shaggy and greens slower than normal, but playing pretty good.  

[FlashNoonan]

Played a few rounds this past week.

 

Corte Bella, pretty good post over seed. Played kind of soft and greens rolled true. Bunkers look like they need a refresh. All of the staff is super friendly. 

 

Palm Valley - West & North. I believe I was on the first day post over seed last Thursday. CPO and pace was good under 4 hours. Greens were shaggy and was hard to keep a putt on line.

 

Sterling Grove this past Friday. Course was surprisingly pretty firm. Balls took a big first bounce in the fairways and rolled out quite a bit. Sandy greens. Greens did roll true. They were faster than Palm Valley but slower than normal SG greens. Greens seem like they're softening up a bit but I still had a few approaches bounce over the green. 

[YMark]

23 hours ago, puttnforthe8 said:

SD today....fairways still a bit shaggy and greens slower than normal, but playing pretty good.  

 

South Dakota or San Diego?

[puttnforthe8]

39 minutes ago, YMark said:

 

South Dakota or San Diego?

If you need to ask, you can just go back to the basement and into your cage and enjoy your broth.

[YMark]

15 hours ago, puttnforthe8 said:

If you need to ask, you can just go back to the basement and into your cage and enjoy your broth.

 

My point... that sailed right over your head is that a lot of people (like winter visitors). don't know what course SD is. So your post would be much more helpful if you spent 5 more seconds and hit a few more keys on the keyboard. You sound like a fun guy.

[chisag]

9 minutes ago, YMark said:

 

My point... that sailed right over your head is that a lot of people (like winter visitors). don't know what course SD is. So your post would be much more helpful if you spent 5 more seconds and hit a few more keys on the keyboard. You sound like a fun guy.

 

... True dat. I have lived here one year now and played Southern Dunes several times but it took me a few minutes to figure it out. 

[DCI71]

19 minutes ago, YMark said:

 

My point... that sailed right over your head is that a lot of people (like winter visitors). don't know what course SD is. So your post would be much more helpful if you spent 5 more seconds and hit a few more keys on the keyboard. You sound like a fun guy.

Ive never golfed in the area, but have been reading up utilizing this Southwest forum for the past 3 weeks... and I figured it out!   Puttinforthe8 seems to be one of the more active and helpful members, you're comment seems a bit petty.

 

[puttnforthe8]

2 hours ago, YMark said:

 

My point... that sailed right over your head is that a lot of people (like winter visitors). don't know what course SD is. So your post would be much more helpful if you spent 5 more seconds and hit a few more keys on the keyboard. You sound like a fun guy.

 

The forum is AZ course conditions - So you questioning with South Dakota or San Diego is simply a troll! Which you have proven yourself to be with this additional post. 

 

I had posted the previous week about SDs reopening, so there is some recency bias on my part assuming a read of a post 6 posts earlier.  I will create special posts just for you moving forward.

 

And, I am a seriously f*&^%^n fun guy, except in the 2-3% of the time when someone is so obviously being disrespectful to me or others!  That, I will never tolerate and will call anyone out on!

 

p.s.  Since it is AZ course conditions, Southern Dunes is the only acronym of SD in the state of AZ! Well, unless you unmerge Sundance.

[YMark]

37 minutes ago, puttnforthe8 said:

 

The forum is AZ course conditions - So you questioning with South Dakota or San Diego is simply a troll! Which you have proven yourself to be with this additional post. 

 

I had posted the previous week about SDs reopening, so there is some recency bias on my part assuming a read of a post 6 posts earlier.  I will create special posts just for you moving forward.

 

And, I am a seriously f*&^%^n fun guy, except in the 2-3% of the time when someone is so obviously being disrespectful to me or others!  That, I will never tolerate and will call anyone out on!

 

p.s.  Since it is AZ course conditions, Southern Dunes is the only acronym of SD in the state of AZ! Well, unless you unmerge Sundance.

 

You do have a point there, my bad. Thanks, but no need for a special post moving forward. I don't think I was disrespectful, but apologies if you took it that way. You probably are a f*&^%^n fun guy, maybe we'll tee it up sometime. 🍻

[fore_life]

Hey why did everyone want to play golf with the mushroom?

 

Because he’s a fungi.

[puttnforthe8]

35 minutes ago, fore_life said:

Hey why did everyone want to play golf with the mushroom?

 

Because he’s a fungi.

Some on this forum will eat said mushroom on the golf course too!  🤪

[Bonneville85308]

[Bonneville85308]

Kenny Mac this morning. For being only about 10-11 days out of overseed, I was happy and impressed that the fairways were somewhat firm and not drenched. Fairways did have some small spots where the overseed didn't take. The Bermuda rough is starting its winter slumber. Greens were what I'd call "average" speed for this caliber of course, smooth roll but a lot of grass clippings on them. They seemed to pick all the tough hole locations today; either close to the outer perimeters or on ridges. The greenside bunkers I was in were in great condition. This course really needs a rated set of tees between white and red, and a set even shorter than red, but I've complained about that before on here. Pace was under 4 hours. No CPO, carts could go in the fairways. $35 to walk. When I walk this course, I pray there is a single in a cart in the foursome to give me a ride from 9 green to 10 tee and 16 green to 17 tee.

Edited November 13, 2021 by Bonneville85308

[puttnforthe8]

Victory at Verrado today.  Off cart path - plus!  Fairways are great, still a little shaggy and wet, so less roll. But almost there.   The biggest surprise was the greens, while slower than normal greens, they roll quite good...however, the greens are soft and hold the ball; it checks well from any distance. No more dropping it short and letting it runn out...fire at the pins. 

 

What a great day out there today - it got to 91 - in November!  Recommended.

 

The only downside is all the new houses going in or getting ready to go in - there is a lot of dirt paths now and some ugly piles of rock and dirt.  

[AzSuperHack76]

Seems like the value tour will be in full effect this winter as rates are already ridiculous and last minute tee times are scarce.

Union Hills Country Club, as you pull in the lot it looks like the course is abandoned. Just dirt and weeds surrounding the parking lot, dilapidated tennis court and some sort of building that is partially torn down. Looks like a scene out of some of the abandoned neighborhoods in Detroit. 

 

If you can get past the above, the course is in actually in decent shape, they have been out of overseed for a week or two by the looks of it. Lush fairways, greens came in nice, a little furry and slow but once they cut them down they will be in good shape for the rest of the winter. Bunkers are average at best. Pace of play was 4 hours with cart path only. 

 

If you can get by the scene as you pull in the course is a solid value at $45. 

 

 

[tcbringhurst]

1 hour ago, AzSuperHack76 said:

Seems like the value tour will be in full effect this winter as rates are already ridiculous and last minute tee times are scarce.

 

I'm wondering if this is because only about 5.5 hours worth of tee times will get a full 18 holes in, assuming 4.25 hour rounds. Fewer tee times and better weather combine to make it difficult on the wallet.

[fore_life]

12 hours ago, tcbringhurst said:

I'm wondering if this is because only about 5.5 hours worth of tee times will get a full 18 holes in, assuming 4.25 hour rounds. Fewer tee times and better weather combine to make it difficult on the wallet.

Canadians and Snowbirds

[puttnforthe8]

Raven - still CPO; fairways pretty shaggy and slow with little roll; greens rolling nice - but geez, utterly marked with divots - felt like none were being repaired and the old ones have not recovered.   The bunkers are absolute junk - either mud or concrete...really should be marked unplayable.  Lot of really bad tee boxes.

[Double K]

Booked a flight for November 25th. Looking forward to playing Aguila again it’s been far too long. 
 

 

[fore_life]

7 hours ago, Double K said:

Booked a flight for November 25th. Looking forward to playing Aguila again it’s been far too long. 
 

 

Book your tee time ASAP, it’s getting harder to find times. I stayed up til midnight to book a sat round with my city card and the earliest I could get was 8am, literally booked before the clock struck 12:01

[Bonneville85308]

2 hours ago, fore_life said:

Book your tee time ASAP, it’s getting harder to find times. I stayed up til midnight to book a sat round with my city card and the earliest I could get was 8am, literally booked before the clock struck 12:01

 

Some of the regulars that always get the earliest weekend times at the city courses that I've met are software developer/engineer/IT types...Intel employees etc...I would not be surprised if they developed a bot to book those times before any human can get them, like what happened in LA. You also have small groups/traveling leagues of several foursomes that qualify as an "outing", they make arrangements in advance of the 9-day window and can get early times blocked off for themselves. Personally I have given up on bothering with the PHX city courses on weekends, it is exhausting, too much of a headache of staying up late, checking, re-checking, re-checking in the following days and praying something opens up.

[azgolfer44]

2 hours ago, Bonneville85308 said:

 

Some of the regulars that always get the earliest weekend times at the city courses that I've met are software developer/engineer/IT types...Intel employees etc...I would not be surprised if they developed a bot to book those times before any human can get them, like what happened in LA. You also have small groups/traveling leagues of several foursomes that qualify as an "outing", they make arrangements in advance of the 9-day window and can get early times blocked off for themselves. Personally I have given up on bothering with the PHX city courses on weekends, it is exhausting, too much of a headache of staying up late, checking, re-checking, re-checking in the following days and praying something opens up.

Exactly.  Almost impossible to get times during the weekends.  Best bet is to join a couple men's groups and sign up early for the tournaments.