2023 Course Conditions- Phoenix Area

[AZ_JHWK]

1 hour ago, Double K said:

Aguila today. 

 

FU to the guy who took a couple divots out of the second green. 

 

Yeah, that divot has been there for at least 3 weeks. I'm surprised they haven't repaired it with a couple of hole plugs by now. 

[Bonneville85308]

Sundance early this morning. Fairways and greens had much better winter rye coverage than they did on my last visit a few months ago but still played firm, the greens especially. Seems they have fully recovered from the water pump problem that happened right after overseed, and the course is in good condition especially given the beating it takes from a full tee sheet every day. Numerous holes had continuous ropes along the cartpath to indicate carts were to stay on the path, but based on the marks in the fairway, lots of people were ignoring the ropes and just driving over them.  I was in two bunkers, one was hard as a rock and poorly kept and the other was normal. Pace 3:40. They had a traveling league shotgun go off the back nine but we never ran into them.

 

Between the strong wind, cloudy conditions, and no windshields on the carts, my body got chilled pretty fast and I was hitting the ball weakly by the back nine. I have walked this course numerous times before, but with my short legs and some of the green-tee transitions on this course, I found it hard to keep up with a sub-4 hour early AM pace without rushing between holes if walking but playing with people in carts, hence riding today.

[Double K]

Kenny Mac tomorrow to wind up the trip. Lost a round to Wednesday's nonsense and took a side trip to Sedona with the wife. 

[Double K]

Kenny Mac this morning. Pace of play was brutal. Left after the 16th hole almost 5 hours in. Not sure what the marshall was doing today, apparently everything but his job. When we teed off on 12 we could see an open hole on 15. The groups behind that hole were at least a half shot out of position. 

 

Course was in ok shape. Greens were pretty chewed up on some holes and not sure if the Bermuda is coming back already or they have a Poa problem. 

 

I wasn't exactly striping my irons so had a fair amount of bunker shots. Sand was excellent, was a bit concerned that they would be muddy from all the rain but that wasn't the case at all. 

 

All in all a pretty decent trip to the valley. See you guys in November. 

 

Tense up and swing hard!

[parkleo]

Whirlwind will no longer be managed by Troon starting on April 1. I am not sure who will be managing it but got the email from Troon saying the troon card rates will be honored for the remainder of the year. 

[AZ_JHWK]

Superstition Mountain Golf Club today. Greens were pure, fairways flawless, tee boxes flat and divot free. Sand traps were the best I've seen. Oh, I didn't play, I was just out there to watch the LPGA event. What a contrast to the WM PHX Open. You could walk side by side with any player from the green to the next tee if you wanted to. Also got a free 10 Minute lesson from one of several LPGA teaching professionals. She diagnosed my issue with my long irons after seeing 4 shots and was spot on. 

[jatrain]

Legacy was a sh!t show today.  3 hours to get through nine.  One group on the green, 3 groups waiting on the tee at 11.

Didn’t see a Marshall until 15.  Only reason we finished in 5 hr 15 min was because the two groups ahead of us on the back got fed up and quit. 

[Fetch07]

hello folks, looking for course conditions for the following:

Estrella

Verrado
AK Chin

Legacy

Raven

 

I have a group of four coming end of April and just wondering how conditions are. TIA.

[puttnforthe8]

1 hour ago, Fetch07 said:

hello folks, looking for course conditions for the following:

Estrella

Verrado
AK Chin

Legacy

Raven

 

I have a group of four coming end of April and just wondering how conditions are. TIA.

This is prime time - conditions are very good at all courses.

[Golf Pig]

On 3/29/2023 at 9:14 AM, Fetch07 said:

hello folks, looking for course conditions for the following:

Estrella

Verrado
AK Chin

Legacy

Raven

 

I have a group of four coming end of April and just wondering how conditions are. TIA.

 

I recently played Verrado (Victory), Southern Dunes, and Legacy. All were in excellent condition.

[puttnforthe8]

Golf Club of Estrella:  Decent tee to green with good fairways, matted down 'rough', and decent greens.  The greens were almost impossible to hold with anything more than a wedge.  Didn't feel that hard, but played very hard.  The only bad item ws the bunkers - horrendous!  No sand anywhere.

 

POP was 4:10.

[puttnforthe8]

Sterling Grove in fantastic shape tee to green.  Only complaint is the previously aforementioned destruction of the large grasses that have been removed and water removed.  The area around the course looks so sterile and barren...really ruined what a great looking course it was.  Lot of new houses have been built, with some even coming surprisingly close to the holes in some areas.  

 

They have a restaurant and a members only putting green which is amazing.  

 

Highluy recommend for really good round at an affordable price.

[Bonneville85308]

On 4/9/2023 at 7:54 PM, puttnforthe8 said:

Sterling Grove in fantastic shape tee to green.  Only complaint is the previously aforementioned destruction of the large grasses that have been removed and water removed.  The area around the course looks so sterile and barren...really ruined what a great looking course it was.  Lot of new houses have been built, with some even coming surprisingly close to the holes in some areas.  

 

They have a restaurant and a members only putting green which is amazing.  

 

Highluy recommend for really good round at an affordable price.

 

Any word on how their membership is filling up? From time to time I take a look at their "recallable non-resident" membership since it seems like a fair deal if you get a couple of years out of it before they recall it to sell it to a resident.

Edited April 11 by Bonneville85308

[puttnforthe8]

1 hour ago, Bonneville85308 said:

 

Any word on how their membership is filling up? From time to time I take a look at their "recallable non-resident" membership since it seems like a fair deal if you get a couple of years out of it before they recall it to sell it to a resident.

 

I didn't ask - they were on a skeleton crew due to Easter so it really was only young kids and the starter it seemed.

 

[AzSuperHack76]

GCU Yesterday. Overall in good shape. Same knock as always, bunkers need work. Greens were good, fast and true for the most part, although there seems to be some other type of grass popping up in the existing Ponte Verde. 

[OspreyCI]

I play Dobson Ranch almost every weekend and have to say the tee boxes and fairways are really good. Sand traps are very soft with plenty of sand. Greens are still in good shape for the amount of play they get. Yea, people need to fix their pitch marks, but otherwise they roll pretty good with good speed. 

Edited April 12 by OspreyCI

[puttnforthe8]

4 hours ago, OspreyCI said:

I play Dobson Ranch almost every weekend and have to say the tee boxes and fairways are really good. Sand traps are very soft with plenty of sand. Greens are still in good shape for the amount of play they get. Yea, people need to fix their pitch marks, but otherwise they roll pretty good with good speed. 

 

First time out there in a long time, on Monday.    LOL!!  My wee head couldn't decide whether to pay attention to @fore_life's teaching or start dancing!  It felt like a disco on the range and I felt like I needed a cocktail in my hand! 🤪

 

Will have to go play a round there soon.... 

[OspreyCI]

20 minutes ago, puttnforthe8 said:

 

First time out there in a long time, on Monday.    LOL!!  My wee head couldn't decide whether to pay attention to @fore_life's teaching or start dancing!  It felt like a disco on the range and I felt like I needed a cocktail in my hand! 🤪

 

Will have to go play a round there soon.... 

Haha. Yea, they put a bunch of money into the range and the facilities. Pretty cool city course now. You should be at the range on a Friday or Saturday night. Gets crazy!  I am just too old for all that. 

[bmrowe]

Played We Ko Pa Saguaro and Quintero this past week. Both in pretty good shape. Greens rolled well and were somewhat firm. We Ko Pa's fairways were a little more lush/filled in. On the negative side, I had quite a few mud balls off drives and there were splotchy spots of dead rye grass/bare areas that still need to fill in.

[AzSuperHack76]

Falcon Dunes this weekend, course itself is in good shape, same complaint as always, bunkers are awful, they need to address the issue and hopefully soon. Pace of play was awful, 5 hours, not blaming the course though, there was a tournament out there that held everything up. The Grint Tour, more like The Gimp Tour.... Wow they slowed down what is generally a pretty easy course. 

 

I was able to get out to Blackstone yesterday, what a treat. The course is in immaculate shape, greens were super fast. Such a fun course, I've played it a few times in the past, and my mind is made up, I have to nominate #9 for one of the worst par 5's in the state, haha. 

[toypor]

9 hours ago, AzSuperHack76 said:

Falcon Dunes this weekend, course itself is in good shape, same complaint as always, bunkers are awful, they need to address the issue and hopefully soon. Pace of play was awful, 5 hours, not blaming the course though, there was a tournament out there that held everything up. The Grint Tour, more like The Gimp Tour.... Wow they slowed down what is generally a pretty easy course. 

 

I was able to get out to Blackstone yesterday, what a treat. The course is in immaculate shape, greens were super fast. Such a fun course, I've played it a few times in the past, and my mind is made up, I have to nominate #9 for one of the worst par 5's in the state, haha. 

Thanks for the report!  I actually kind of like 9… Definitely quirky but it’s fun. Although the severe slope of the green is a bit of a mess. I think it would be much better if they took some (maybe a lot) of the slope out of the green and expanded it just a bit. 

[StudentGolfer4]

22 hours ago, AzSuperHack76 said:

Falcon Dunes this weekend, course itself is in good shape, same complaint as always, bunkers are awful, they need to address the issue and hopefully soon. Pace of play was awful, 5 hours, not blaming the course though, there was a tournament out there that held everything up. The Grint Tour, more like The Gimp Tour.... Wow they slowed down what is generally a pretty easy course. 

 

I was able to get out to Blackstone yesterday, what a treat. The course is in immaculate shape, greens were super fast. Such a fun course, I've played it a few times in the past, and my mind is made up, I have to nominate #9 for one of the worst par 5's in the state, haha. 

Haha I’ll bite. What’s your issue with 9?

 

I hear a lot of people complain they end up hitting something silly like gap wedge gap wedge into the green after the drive. I tend to think it’s a good risk reward hole. do I go for it from 230 or lay up with a short wedge and hit another into the green?

[puttnforthe8]

On 4/19/2023 at 9:41 AM, AzSuperHack76 said:

Falcon Dunes this weekend, course itself is in good shape, same complaint as always, bunkers are awful, they need to address the issue and hopefully soon. Pace of play was awful, 5 hours, not blaming the course though, there was a tournament out there that held everything up. The Grint Tour, more like The Gimp Tour.... Wow they slowed down what is generally a pretty easy course. 

 

I was able to get out to Blackstone yesterday, what a treat. The course is in immaculate shape, greens were super fast. Such a fun course, I've played it a few times in the past, and my mind is made up, I have to nominate #9 for one of the worst par 5's in the state, haha. 

 

Agreed....I think I mentioned it a while back...I think it may only be behind the horrid #18 at Stoneridge.

[AzSuperHack76]

7 hours ago, StudentGolfer4 said:

Haha I’ll bite. What’s your issue with 9?

 

I hear a lot of people complain they end up hitting something silly like gap wedge gap wedge into the green after the drive. I tend to think it’s a good risk reward hole. do I go for it from 230 or lay up with a short wedge and hit another into the green?

Can’t hit driver from the 2 back tees, heck, any of the tees for that matter without risking going into the bunker on the left or into the crap on the right. If you do end up in that bunker the only play is to come out sideways or play it like a standard bunker shot to get out, due to the mounds blocking any reasonable shot. Even if you hit the perfect drive to get down to the end of the fairway the tree on the cliff basically blocks any hitter that can’t hit a high ball in. 
 

Im just not a fan of par 5’s that call for a layup/layup to start the hole. I actually l enjoy the 3rd shot in because you have a chance to hole shots of the pin is in the front, everything funnels that way. 

[puttnforthe8]

39 minutes ago, AzSuperHack76 said:

Can’t hit driver from the 2 back tees, heck, any of the tees for that matter without risking going into the bunker on the left or into the crap on the right. If you do end up in that bunker the only play is to come out sideways or play it like a standard bunker shot to get out, due to the mounds blocking any reasonable shot. Even if you hit the perfect drive to get down to the end of the fairway the tree on the cliff basically blocks any hitter that can’t hit a high ball in. 
 

Im just not a fan of par 5’s that call for a layup/layup to start the hole. I actually l enjoy the 3rd shot in because you have a chance to hole shots of the pin is in the front, everything funnels that way. 

 

What is so odd is this (just think about it) - if the fairways were swapped - how much of a better hole it would be? 🤯

 

PS Don't be jealous of my badass graphic design skills!!

 

 

 

 

[StudentGolfer4]

44 minutes ago, AzSuperHack76 said:

Can’t hit driver from the 2 back tees, heck, any of the tees for that matter without risking going into the bunker on the left or into the crap on the right. If you do end up in that bunker the only play is to come out sideways or play it like a standard bunker shot to get out, due to the mounds blocking any reasonable shot. Even if you hit the perfect drive to get down to the end of the fairway the tree on the cliff basically blocks any hitter that can’t hit a high ball in. 
 

Im just not a fan of par 5’s that call for a layup/layup to start the hole. I actually l enjoy the 3rd shot in because you have a chance to hole shots of the pin is in the front, everything funnels that way. 

Ah you are right. I’ve only played it once and it’s been 4-5 years. Totally forgot I hit 3 wood (poorly) off the tee to avoid running through the fairway. 
 

If the wash/gunch or whatever you want to call it didn’t split the fairway it would be a lot of fun. That bunker would penalize anything that wasn’t a perfect tee ball. I recall the tree you’re talking about because I ended up right by it in 3 lol. I don’t have a problem with it because I think it’s fair to ask the player to hit a high long iron/hybrid/fairway wood if they desire to get home in 2. 

[StudentGolfer4]

@puttnforthe8 I didn’t know we had a graphic design professional among us! And yes I think that would work well too. 

[moostache]

On 4/11/2023 at 10:04 AM, Bonneville85308 said:

 

Any word on how their membership is filling up? From time to time I take a look at their "recallable non-resident" membership since it seems like a fair deal if you get a couple of years out of it before they recall it to sell it to a resident.

👋 Sterling Grove member here. It was growing quickly last year, but slowed down quite a bit. I don't have a count, but last I heard, plans to go private sometime in 2025. With the world being like it is, I can see that easily becoming 2026. This week alone, I was able to wake up and snag an early morning round three times, no problem.

[puttnforthe8]

7 minutes ago, moostache said:

👋 Sterling Grove member here. It was growing quickly last year, but slowed down quite a bit. I don't have a count, but last I heard, plans to go private sometime in 2025. With the world being like it is, I can see that easily becoming 2026. This week alone, I was able to wake up and snag an early morning round three times, no problem.

 

Thanks for the update. 

[Scratch2Plus]

My buddy and I will be heading to Scottsdale for 11 rounds of golf the 1st week in May.

Our first time out there so we're stoked.

Booked Quintero, LongBow, Las Sendas, Gold Canyon (both), WeKoPa (both), TPC (both), and Ak Chin...

Cant wait for 90* temps and playing in shorts 🙂