2022 Course Conditions - Phoenix Area

[jatrain]

Does Falcon Dunes still open in the summer for civilians?

[Bonneville85308]

1 hour ago, jatrain said:

Does Falcon Dunes still open in the summer for civilians?

 

I was wondering the same thing recently. I played it back in 2018 as a civilian during the summer and really liked it. Their websites/facebook/tee time site make no mention of civilians being allowed this summer. If nobody else chimes in with an answer, I may call them and ask.

Edited April 17, 2022 by Bonneville85308

[AzSuperHack76]

51 minutes ago, Bonneville85308 said:

 

I was wondering the same thing recently. I played it back in 2018 as a civilian during the summer and really liked it. Their websites/facebook/tee time site make no mention of civilians being allowed this summer. If nobody else chimes in with an answer, I may call them and ask.

@jatrain

 

Ill be there tomorrow fellas, I’ll ask and follow up after my round! 

[Miker20890]

On 4/16/2022 at 6:13 PM, tw422 said:

Agreed on this point that no course in the area is worth $200 more however, I just played both last week and I would spend the money to play Grayhawk Raptor over Talking Stick every day of the week.  That is if you only have 1 day to play and have no other choices.

Right now have dinosaur mountain and tpc champions. Played Quintero, southern dunes and saguaro last night I was there so want to explore others. 

[AzSuperHack76]

@jatrain @Bonneville85308 I talked to the guys in the pro shop today. No plans to have public play this summer. He said they have had more play than ever and no need to open it up. 

 

I'll send you guys a message sometime and would be happy to put couple groups together and get out there. 

 

Played today, no change in condition, still in great shape. Only issue was is that we ran into an eightsome today on the back, drunken idiots. I'm guessing they were dependents, defiantly not service members, vets (too young) or first responders. Marshalls came out and they tried to turn into tough guys, just amazing how some people act. Once that debacle settled down we finished in exactly 4 hours. 

[jatrain]

2 hours ago, AzSuperHack76 said:

@jatrain @Bonneville85308 I talked to the guys in the pro shop today. No plans to have public play this summer. He said they have had more play than ever and no need to open it up. 

 

I'll send you guys a message sometime and would be happy to put couple groups together and get out there. 

 

Played today, no change in condition, still in great shape. Only issue was is that we ran into an eightsome today on the back, drunken idiots. I'm guessing they were dependents, defiantly not service members, vets (too young) or first responders. Marshalls came out and they tried to turn into tough guys, just amazing how some people act. Once that debacle settled down we finished in exactly 4 hours. 

Thanks for checking, I’d love to jump on out there with you some time.  Thanks!

[jatrain]

Aguila today, in great shape.

[Soloman1]

Do you know if veterans can play, or just active duty, dependents and retired military?

[lvlites]

Veterans can play.  Bring a copy of your 214 

[AzSuperHack76]

Aguila today with @fore_life, course is still in great shape, fairways are firm with a lot of roll out. Greens are rolling great. Only complaint today was the pace, 445 with a 952 tee time. Other than that it was great! 

[azgolfer44]

Papago’s greens are not very good right now. Doesn’t seem like they will be decent for a while with the construction starting soon. Most of the course is pretty rough on the edges, even for Papago standards.

[fore_life]

That’s surprising since this weekend is the city championship 

[Bonneville85308]

14 hours ago, azgolfer44 said:

Papago’s greens are not very good right now. Doesn’t seem like they will be decent for a while with the construction starting soon. Most of the course is pretty rough on the edges, even for Papago standards.

 

They are changing the area around #9 & #18 greens to construct some kind of building, correct? Do you know if they are just going to put temporary greens in the fairways on those holes during construction, close those holes completely, or what? Their website makes no mention of it. Thanks.

[azgolfer44]

Yes, what I know for sure is a new building on 18 green, moving 9 and 18 greens and 10 tees (likely double tee with 1) I’ve heard a bunch more stuff like new cart paths, bunkers, changing holes 6 and 8, adding 400 yards in length.  I I don’t know if they were going to do temp greens or just have a limited number of holes open during the construction. Everyone seems to be in the dark on this which is troubling since this is a municipal course on land owned by the city of Phoenix. AND this starts in like 5 weeks. 🤷

[teejaywhy]

3 hours ago, azgolfer44 said:

Yes, what I know for sure is a new building on 18 green, moving 9 and 18 greens and 10 tees (likely double tee with 1) I’ve heard a bunch more stuff like new cart paths, bunkers, changing holes 6 and 8, adding 400 yards in length.  I I don’t know if they were going to do temp greens or just have a limited number of holes open during the construction. Everyone seems to be in the dark on this which is troubling since this is a municipal course on land owned by the city of Phoenix. AND this starts in like 5 weeks. 🤷

 

Hmm...  any word on who is the consulting architect on this?

 

[AzSuperHack76]

GCU today, fast and firm other than a few wet spots throughout the course. Greens were holding shots fine, they were fast but not rolling true, really bumpy today. They seem like they need to be rolled. 4 hour pace today teeing off mid morning. 

Edited April 27, 2022 by AzSuperHack76
sp.

[azgolfer44]

3 hours ago, teejaywhy said:

 

Hmm...  any word on who is the consulting architect on this?

 

I’ve heard someone internal at Troon.  Can’t remember his name. 

[backspace1]

4 hours ago, AzSuperHack76 said:

GCU today, fast and firm other than a few wet spots throughout the course. Greens were holding shots fine, they were fast but not rolling true, really bumpy today. They seem like they need to be rolled. 4 hour pace today teeing off mid morning. 

Phoenix city championship here on Friday, also Papago greens are in bad shape  

[AzSuperHack76]

10 hours ago, backspace1 said:

Phoenix city championship here on Friday, also Papago greens are in bad shape  

The greens weren't in bad shape by any means, just need to be rolled. I'm guessing they will be doing that before the tourney. I don't think it would be a good combo to have the greens super smooth for as fast they already are right now for the general public leading up to the tourney. 

[backspace1]

14 hours ago, AzSuperHack76 said:

The greens weren't in bad shape by any means, just need to be rolled. I'm guessing they will be doing that before the tourney. I don't think it would be a good combo to have the greens super smooth for as fast they already are right now for the general public leading up to the tourney. 

I was out there on Tuesday, practice green and front nine seemed half dead and covered in green fertilizer. Very bumpy  from all the bare spots. IDK maybe you’re correct. I would be upset to pay full price 

[Miker20890]

Just had a trip here this past week. Played talking stick piipaash, dinosaur mountain and tpc champions. 
 

talking stick was very blah and 5 hour round waiting on every shot definitely didn’t help. Conditions were decent. 
 

dinosaur mountain had great views. Tough off the tee and fast greens. disappointing mat only range. 
 

tpc champions is a good design. Tees and some of the fairways were punched. Otherwise good. 
 

[Bonneville85308]

Peoria Pines this morning, "executive" layout at about 4,400 yards from the tips. First time I ever played it, the only public course west of I-17 that I hadn't played yet. Intimidating start to the round, #1 is a medium length uphill par 3 with a pond along the side and the teebox immediately adjacent to the starter shack and cart staging area with everyone milling about. Visually unappealing site that has large electric transmission lines running through the middle and is surrounded by rundown houses in need of paint jobs. Back nine was more interesting than the front to me, had more elevation changes, and variation in green shapes/contours. 

 

Conditions weren't as bad as I was expecting for this caliber of course, but keep in mind this is definitely a low-end course. Peoria Pines conditions are similar to what I experienced at Bellair a month or so ago. Fairways were in good condition, I didn't really find any bare patches. Greens were really slow but in pretty decent condition overall despite some brown spots here and here. I guess the speed is reasonable given their target clientele, and a few greens on the back nine would probably lose usable area for hole locations if you really sped them up. I was in a couple of greenside bunkers and the sand was average. No rakes. Dormant rough is starting to come out of its slumber but has a lot of hardpan and random tufts of rye. Tee boxes were seriously unlevel or crowned in most cases.

 

~$43 including tax, cart, and the stupid golfnow convenience fee their website's booking engine charges for every tee time.  I was going to play this a few weeks ago, but the rate they wanted then was over $60 including the tax and fees, which is nuts for this caliber of course. Played as a foursome in just a hair under 3 hours which was a bonus. 

Edited May 1, 2022 by Bonneville85308

[AzSuperHack76]

Wigwam Gold Course today. A few greens were in pretty rough shape, seems like a bad transition from winter rye to Bermuda. It's odd, most noticeable on holes 1-3, patchy and lots of dead spots, the rest of the course seemed fine. Greens were firm and allowing for a lot of roll out. Fairways were the same. Bunkers were in perfect shape. $40 rates are finally starting to come down. Tee'd off around noon, finished in exactly 3 hours, pace of play was awesome. 

[teejaywhy]

A new tact to dissuade folks from Gold Canyon. "It has a disappointing, mat-only range!"

😅

 

[Miker20890]

On 5/3/2022 at 10:19 AM, teejaywhy said:

A new tact to dissuade folks from Gold Canyon. "It has a disappointing, mat-only range!"

😅

 

Paying 200$ ish I would hope to be hitting off a grass range. 

[Bonneville85308]

As a general observation, I play a lot on weekdays, and I feel like the lower-priced courses on the west side are back to where they were in 2019 in terms of amount of play this time of year on weekdays based on the last 3 weeks.

Edited May 7, 2022 by Bonneville85308

[chisag]

8 minutes ago, Bonneville85308 said:

As a general observation, I play a lot on weekdays, and I feel like the lower-priced courses on the west side are back to where they were in 2019 in terms of amount of play this time of year on weekdays based on the last 3 weeks.

 

 

... All winter long we had to wake at midnight to book one of the first 3 twilite times at Aguila. Last week there were 6 days of open tee times at 2pm and that included Sunday. 

[fore_life]

Price has gone up but still pretty solid.

 

 

[teejaywhy]

I know you are just thinking about that bucket hat Mark!

 

[fore_life]

On 5/8/2022 at 7:46 AM, teejaywhy said:

I know you are just thinking about that bucket hat Mark!

 

 Hahah it’s true