2022 Course Conditions - Phoenix Area

[cbbaron]

Hope all is well here Ill be in town 16-23 my wife might not be able to make trip. I have a Troon 2 some with 4 for 2 for 1s I haven't used a buddy might join me a couple days. I also have a Grayhawk WT card. Anyone wants to meet up DM me.

[AzSuperHack76]

Wigwam Gold Today. Super impressed, first time playing since the overseed. They did a complete wall to wall overseed. Course is in the best shape that I have seen it in a few years now. $60 with the resident rate makes it an awesome value among all the overpriced courses right now. 

[jatrain]

Sundance for $55 today.  In good shape,  some funky holes and a long drive for me but worth it considering cost and conditioning.  

[AzSuperHack76]

Falcon Dunes this morning, overall it’s in decent shape. Fairways were a little shaggy, bunkers thin and inconsistent at times. Greens were rolling well, although a little on the thin side in terms of the over seed, very receptive. Played the front in 1.5 hours and hit a slow down on the back with 2.5. 

[AZ_JHWK]

GCU today. Course was in good shape overall. Greens were really good. Pace was around 4:00. $48.00 walking with a City Card. 

[Sam_Wise11]

Wife & I are traveling to Phoenix/Tempe next week and can't decide if bringing the clubs is worth it. Been tough finding a round under $100 that seems worth it. Got to play Quintero/Troon North/Talking Stick back in February, so trying to keep this welllll under those GF's.

Anyone have any insight on a sub-$100 round that wouldn't leave me disappointed? Or anyone looking for a 4th? Also, what would be the latest tee time one would make to finish by/before dark? Thanks!!

[puttnforthe8]

2 hours ago, Sam_Wise11 said:

Wife & I are traveling to Phoenix/Tempe next week and can't decide if bringing the clubs is worth it. Been tough finding a round under $100 that seems worth it. Got to play Quintero/Troon North/Talking Stick back in February, so trying to keep this welllll under those GF's.

Anyone have any insight on a sub-$100 round that wouldn't leave me disappointed? Or anyone looking for a 4th? Also, what would be the latest tee time one would make to finish by/before dark? Thanks!!

No such thing...sorry...they have jacked up the rates here.  Sub 100 is mostly garbage.  

 

Latest tee time is 1100 -1130 - we have frost delays up to 2 hours already. 

[Sam_Wise11]

53 minutes ago, puttnforthe8 said:

No such thing...sorry...they have jacked up the rates here.  Sub 100 is mostly garbage.  

 

Latest tee time is 1100 -1130 - we have frost delays up to 2 hours already. 

Figured as much, which is a little sad. But out of the following, any opinions or one you'd choose over the other? Guess I'm sticking to under $150 then...

 

McCormick Ranch (either)

Whirlwind - Cattail

Lookout Mountain

Raven GC

Others..? Most of these are in the $125ish range.

[chisag]

28 minutes ago, Sam_Wise11 said:

McCormick Ranch (either)

Whirlwind - Cattail

Lookout Mountain

Raven GC

 

 

... Raven or Cattail off that list. Not a fan of Lookout Mountain at $25 and McCormick Ranch isn't much better. 

[azgolfer44]

3 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

 

... Raven or Cattail off that list. Not a fan of Lookout Mountain at $25 and McCormick Ranch isn't much better. 

 

33 minutes ago, Sam_Wise11 said:

Figured as much, which is a little sad. But out of the following, any opinions or one you'd choose over the other? Guess I'm sticking to under $150 then...

 

McCormick Ranch (either)

Whirlwind - Cattail

Lookout Mountain

Raven GC

Others..? Most of these are in the $125ish range.

For $150, you might be able to get Papago, Legacy, Longbow which should be good options. 

[puttnforthe8]

57 minutes ago, Sam_Wise11 said:

Figured as much, which is a little sad. But out of the following, any opinions or one you'd choose over the other? Guess I'm sticking to under $150 then...

 

McCormick Ranch (either)

Whirlwind - Cattail

Lookout Mountain

Raven GC

Others..? Most of these are in the $125ish range.

 

For 150 - make the drive and play Southern Dunes or Verrado.

Edited December 20, 2022 by puttnforthe8

[Sam_Wise11]

On 12/19/2022 at 9:55 PM, puttnforthe8 said:

 

For 150 - make the drive and play Southern Dunes or Verrado.

Seeing that Southern Dunes is a Troon establishment, I am more confident that will be in better shape than anything else. You said you've had frost delays lately - is an 8am tee time too early then? Or on the other end - teeing off at 1:30 probably doesn't give you enough daylight, does it?

[fore_life]

Book the 8 and then sit and hang by the fire pit and wait out any delays!

[Sam_Wise11]

I just find it funny that there's frost delays when the overnight temps aren't getting below freezing. I'm from South Dakota, and right now it's -50 out right now. Very ready to get to some sunshine!

[puttnforthe8]

2 hours ago, Sam_Wise11 said:

I just find it funny that there's frost delays when the overnight temps aren't getting below freezing. I'm from South Dakota, and right now it's -50 out right now. Very ready to get to some sunshine!

yeah...a lil odd...We are the desert here...there is zero protection - so the 40 degrees is effectively much colder.  

[puttnforthe8]

2 hours ago, fore_life said:

Book the 8 and then sit and hang by the fire pit and wait out any delays!

Spot on @Sam_Wise11 - you don't want to book anything much past 1130 if you hope to finish.  

 

Book your normal time you want and then just show up, relax, have a hot chocolate with peppermint or raspberry vodka in front of the fire pit!!

[cbbaron]

Lack of wind and no clouds will do it I live south of Boston there is very seldom a frost delay. Ive been here since last Friday every day has had a frost delay

[fore_life]

Buddy and I played Mountainbrook yesterday 722AM and the range was closed due to frost, but the course was open, CPO til 830.

 Course was in nice shape, little damp on the greens, I’m guessing they ran the sprinklers to melt off the frost, but there were still patches of frost in the dormant rough. It’s waaaaay east, but it’s definitely worth checking out if you can score a deal, or I guess it’s not as BS as some of the other offerings. New ownership did some nice upgrades over the summer to the bunkers and agronomy in general.

[puttnforthe8]

Whirlwind Devils Claw in pretty awesome shape.  Greens were rolling so well and a great speed.  Fairways were perfect.  Bunkers has good sand, but a little packed.   

 

The place was packed with both the regular and both sandlots filled.  POP was 445 - with not a single ranger out on the course.  But the day was beautiful - so it was semi tolerable. 

[Bonneville85308]

16 hours ago, fore_life said:

Buddy and I played Mountainbrook yesterday 722AM

 

 

I played it myself for the first time this morning. Really enjoyed it. Definitely a lot of greens that are smaller and more undulating than they appear when you are back 125+ yards in the fairway, I had some work to do to get up and down after missing a few on the approaches. The majority of the hole locations today were around the outer perimeter of the greens. Their normal rate is pretty steep ($80+) for being a housing development course way out east past AJ, but it is easy to score GN hotdeals here for less than half that price which is what I did. The nice mountain scenery makes up for the power lines running along both sides of a few holes.  I didn't really have anything to complain about in terms of conditions. If I had to nitpick, a lot of the dormant rough approaching the greens is worn down to hardpan from carts, but there isn't much they can reasonably do about that. Fairways were thankfully pretty dry so my meager drives were getting some roll. Greens had a very light gritty topdressing that I doubt made any difference in putting. Bunker sand was good and I'm told they were renovated within the last year or two. Finished in 3:40 with a great random pairing of guys, the place didn't seem to be that busy for a Saturday. I probably wouldn't walk it due to the long green-tee transitions on probably 3 or 4 holes. Definitely a course I've put on my list to visit again despite being on the other side of the valley from home, especially if I can get a cheap rate like I did today.

 

 

Edited December 24, 2022 by Bonneville85308

[Bonneville85308]

Christmas morning round at "the course that shall not be named", I had planned this for a while knowing it would be the only easy weekend day of the year to get an early AM tee time at this course.  Excellent conditions all around, zero complaints, they are still doing a heck of a great job on this course. I hadn't played it since last winter but the greens were a bit slower today than I remember them typically being this time of year. Fairways were dry except for a low spot in the middle of 15.

 

 

[chisag]

3 hours ago, Bonneville85308 said:

Christmas morning round at "the course that shall not be named", I had planned this for a while knowing it would be the only easy weekend day of the year to get an early AM tee time at this course.  Excellent conditions all around, zero complaints, they are still doing a heck of a great job on this course. I hadn't played it since last winter but the greens were a bit slower today than I remember them typically being this time of year. Fairways were dry except for a low spot in the middle of 15.

 

 

 

 

... 5 minutes from my house and I play it 5 days a week and the conditions are pretty amazing for a muni. Cut back staff for the holidays and last week kept the same pin placements 5 days in a row.  2 of them on a slope, not near ON a slope. Much like #6 was today for you. But I will say right after over seeding it was the best 2 months I have played there. Anytime I visit Tucson I play here. 😉

... My only gripe is the park district thinks keeping the rough thick and green on 9 and 18 looks good from the club house. Putting aside the fact that the mounds on the sides away from the water are there because Gary Panks gives you a safe side and the ball has always rolled down to the fringe or on the green when dormant, but the last 2 years it has been green and thick. Personally I think the dormant rough next to green fairways is more visually appealing. Wrote to the Director of golf telling him golfers don't like 2 holes completely different than the other 16 and he basically said "Thanks for being such a loyal customer and we will take the suggestion into consideration although many non golfers and visitors really love the look from the patio ..." or in other words aesthetics over rides playability when looking at the course from the clubhouse.

(Btw, your photo stumped me for a minute as I play an 8 iron off the tee to the front left of the fairway taking all trouble out of play and it leaves a gw/pw-9i approach so I never get that view of #17) 

Edited December 25, 2022 by chisag

[AZ_JHWK]

👆  👆  👆

 

Yes...Tucson. Well played, Sir.

[Bonneville85308]

2 hours ago, chisag said:

 

 

... 5 minutes from my house and I play it 5 days a week and the conditions are pretty amazing for a muni. Cut back staff for the holidays and last week kept the same pin placements 5 days in a row.  2 of them on a slope, not near ON a slope. Much like #6 was today for you. But I will say right after over seeding it was the best 2 months I have played there. Anytime I visit Tucson I play here. 😉

... My only gripe is the park district thinks keeping the rough thick and green on 9 and 18 looks good from the club house. Putting aside the fact that the mounds on the sides away from the water are there because Gary Panks gives you a safe side and the ball has always rolled down to the fringe or on the green when dormant, but the last 2 years it has been green and thick. Personally I think the dormant rough next to green fairways is more visually appealing. Wrote to the Director of golf telling him golfers don't like 2 holes completely different than the other 16 and he basically said "Thanks for being such a loyal customer and we will take the suggestion into consideration although many non golfers and visitors really love the look from the patio ..." or in other words aesthetics over rides playability when looking at the course from the clubhouse.
 

 

Yep, that hole location on #6 in the middle of the slope drove me nuts. My approach shot left me pin high on the right fringe, I could have tried that putt 1,000 times without getting it in the hole or stopping within 3 feet of it. Fortunately the greens were a little slow otherwise it probably would have rolled back down off the front after missing the hole like it does sometimes when it's real fast and dry. I agree with your 9/18 comment, particularly 18 where my winter play used to be to hit my second shot (fairway wood) at the right greenside mounds. If dormant, they would kick the ball right onto the green or in putting range and be a safer play for me than going straight at the green and having it leak into the bunker. 

[AZ_JHWK]

Great day at Papago today. This was one of those "this is why we live here" days. Most of the changes were not obvious to me as I had only played it once before about 18 months ago. A hard track to get on. The course was in great condition. Pace of play was about 3:50 starting around 8:40. New sand for all bunkers. You definitely sink in when you step in. $48.00 walking with a City Card. 

 

[cbbaron]

On 12/24/2022 at 2:32 PM, puttnforthe8 said:

Whirlwind Devils Claw in pretty awesome shape.  Greens were rolling so well and a great speed.  Fairways were perfect.  Bunkers has good sand, but a little packed.   

 

The place was packed with both the regular and both sandlots filled.  POP was 445 - with not a single ranger out on the course.  But the day was beautiful - so it was semi tolerable. 

I played Devils Claw on Thursday and their conditions were as good and cases better than both Troon and Grayhawk course I also played last week

[FlashNoonan]

Played Lookout Mountain last Saturday. Course was in great shape. Greens were smooth and quick. Really enjoyed it this time around. 

[Mtn_Mikey]

s

On 12/22/2022 at 8:08 PM, Sam_Wise11 said:

I just find it funny that there's frost delays when the overnight temps aren't getting below freezing. I'm from South Dakota, and right now it's -50 out right now. Very ready to get to some sunshine!

 

Out where I play in the West Valley, we've had a number of frost delays already this season. That prompted as bit of research:

 

"Temperatures often continue to fall for a short time after sunrise — though usually only a degree or two, because new heat input from sunlight is still less than radiative heat loss — thereby continuing the formation of dew or frost, or initiating its onset."

 

Plus, we have quite a number of lower/shaded areas where the ambient temperature can be lower than elsewhere on the course.

 

And of course, if maintenance is delayed getting out to prepare the course play will be equally delayed. Just glad we're playing!

[azgolfer44]

Played Whirwind Devil’s Claw today. First 6 holes in the rain, was decent weather after that. I don’t think they did much work on the course this morning but overall very nice shape, even with the rain. I think it would be perfect if the course was dry. Fun course and layout. 

[puttnforthe8]

Southern Dunes - phenomenal; Troon Pinnacle - phenomenal shape; except there were 4 greens where some AHs slammed their club into the green and gouged it pretty bad; also, some tee boxes are covered up to grow out (I guess) so some gold tees were with the black.    

Edited December 30, 2022 by puttnforthe8