HOTELS and things to do...

[richardt]

hey guys, been reading the forums a bit in regards to the golf courses in the Scottsdale area...great reviews!

 

we're looking to plan a trip this September, but which hotel should we go for? i'm looking for a hotel in that area that's under $200/night (the cheaper the better obviously lol).

 

also, we plan to stay there for 5 nights...but we won't be golfing all 6 days. what's there to do in Phoenix or Scottsdale? any good places to shop?

[Zooko23]

Old town scottsdale is nice. You can get in a dbacks game if they are in town.

[richardt]

cool! that's like the dt part of town, eh? maybe i can catch an exhibition hockey game...we're from Canada so ya, we love our hockey lol.

are there any malls where there are department stores?...like Macy's, etc.

and are there any good outlets near by?

[Zooko23]

hockey in the desert.......oh yeah they have a team, not very good ruined by the great one's wife. That is a bit of a drive. Not sure though im from the redheaded step child of phx so I dunno much about it

[MMIX]

Old town Scottsdale is near Scottsdale Fashion Square. You can do PLENTY of shopping in that 3 story, upscale place. You will most likely be staying somewhere pretty damn nice if your budget is $200 and under. haha

The decision is yours on whether to stay in "old town" Scottsdale or "North" Scottsdale... There's a buttload of golf courses wherever you decide to stay. I'd say prices will be slightly higher the more north of Scottsdale you go (as for hotels, golf, etc.)


Just my $0.02.

[Skydiver22]

[quote name='Zooko23' date='28 March 2010 - 10:08 PM' timestamp='1269842915' post='2347511']
hockey in the desert.......oh yeah they have a team, not very good ruined by the great one's wife. That is a bit of a drive. Not sure though im from the redheaded step child of phx so I dunno much about it
[/quote]

First... The Coyotes are one of the best teams in the league this year, they've already clinched a playoff spot.

Second, Your hotel should be decided by what courses you want to play, you can find great shopping and entertainment anywhere you stay here in the valley. The valley of the sun is comprised of over seven cities and 3 million people. It can take around one hour to get from the Eastside to the Westside on the freeway with no traffic, so really the course you decide to play will effect where you want to stay. If you decide Scottsdale, it will be about 35-40 minutes on the freeway to get to the city of Glendale home of the Coyotes and Cardinals since you will be here in September and 30 minutes to downtown Phoenix for the Diamondbacks. Also when you book your tee times make sure to ask them when they are overseeding... courses usually over seed late Sept thru Oct during this time we take our break from golf because the greens and fairways are being transitioned from a summer grass to a winter grass.

Last... Pretty nice outlet store mall, over 40 stores out on I-17 near the super subdivision called Anthem, probably 25 minutes from Scottsdale

[Carolina Golfer 2]

I stayed at the Embassy Suites Scottsdale several years ago, it's a bit north of the Old Town area if I remember correctly. But it is located on Stone Creek Golf club, it was great to have a practice area practically right outside my room. I think we paid in the low 100's at the time for the room, it might be a bit more now. But it was pretty convienent to just about everything we needed.

Another trip we stayed at the Embassy Suites (my favorite brand) at Biltmore, and enjoyed it a lot as well. The Biltmore course is right next door and there is a neat little shopping center right next to the hotel with a great Mexican restaurant and a Ben & Jerry's

[richardt]

once again i'd like to thank you all for you help and your DETAILED responses...really didn't expect this much help!

as for the hotels, i'm really liking Hyatt Summerfield and Hyatt Place in Scottsdale right now...but will have to check out Embassy that's for sure.

and is WeKoPa really that amazing? everyone here is saying it's a must play but the pictures don't seem to be telling me this. and skip out on TPC Scottsdale?

[teejaywhy]

[quote name='richardt' date='30 March 2010 - 06:30 AM' timestamp='1269955846' post='2349847']

and is WeKoPa really that amazing? everyone here is saying it's a must play but the pictures don't seem to be telling me this. and skip out on TPC Scottsdale?
[/quote]

The only reason to play the TPC Scottsdale Stadium course is to say you've played a PGA tournament venue. Otherwise an average course that is extremely overpriced.

We-Ko-Pa Saguaro is the best in state. Pictures really don't do it justice. Must play.

Mid-September is still a little hot but course conditions are typically the best of the year. Do be aware that by the end of the month, most courses are preparing for the winter "overseed." Some courses start earlier, but you should be OK.

Enjoy your visit!

[silentcmh]

Can't say it enough...We-Ko-Pa Cholla is very overrated. Great scenery, but it's a Mickey Mouse course full of blind shots. Two of the worst par-5s strategy wise. I haven't played the newer Saguaro course but I've heard great things about it. Tough to go wrong with a Crenshaw and Coore design.

TPC Stadium is NOT worth the price at all. Besides holes 15 and 17, it's a pretty boring course. The Champions course, however, is quite underrated. I'd play that if the price was right.

IMHO, Grayhawk is very overrated too.

Near We-Ko-Pa is SunRidge Canyon, also in Fountain Hills. I think it's one of the top 5 courses in the valley but it always gets overlooked on the "Best Of" lists. Check out Papago too. It's the Phoenix muni that was renovated back in '08. It's a hilly beast now at over 7300 yards. Definitely in my top 3.

One note about playing here in September: Besides the fact that it's the end of summer and courses are dry due obvious weather reasons, courses are also drying out and going dormant during the last few weeks of September as everyone gets ready to overseed for the winter. If you're going to come in September, make it in the first week or two. After that and you could be playing in some below average conditions. The Arizona Golf Association (AGA) website should have the overseed schedule for all courses by early summer. Check it out.

[richardt]

the thing that sucks is that the earliest time we can go is from the 17th of September...hopefully most of the courses are still in good shape then.

and ya, i'll definitely have to check out the AGA website, thanks!

[OlyJay]

My Buddies and I got back from Scottsdale about a Month ago.. Stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn.

Nothing Fancy , A nice Pool and free breakfast in the Morning.

Next Year we Plan on Renting a Condo or a Vacation House for the week . Cost Wise it's about the same price.

As for We-Ko-Pa.... Must play ,, I would say yes If you want to play a course that is Amazing shape , Fun layout and Not a single house around. I would play it again and the time of year your going the price is right.

But For us We All Enjoyed Gold Canyon More... Almost the same course conditions but the Elevation changes and Scenery out there was Fantastic.


I cant say much for other things to do down there. We golfed sunrise to sunset all week long.

[richardt]

you know, i'm hearing a lot of good things about WeKoPa...so would that be the course to choose over Troons North?

and as for car rentals...is it better to book now for my September trip or wait till last minute? it looks like hotwire.com is the cheapest for car rentals right now...

[silentcmh]

Hotwire is great for rental cars. I've gotten some ridiculous rates on there before. May as well just keep waiting before booking that and see how far down it goes.

Tough call between Troon and We-Ko-Pa but I'd go with WKP based on the scenery. Troon is a great layout but was somewhat ruined by all the development on the course. Like I said, I think the WKP Cholla course is overrated IMHO, but the scenery just can't be beat.

[Swordfish]

I live in Scottsdale and golf every few days. I look for courses that have good value and don't put me into the poor house. For the money, here are some of the ones I like to golf at:

Desert Canyon - Fountain Hills (Golfnow price is usually around $41-$45) Always in good shape.
The Legacy - Tempe (Golfnow price is usually around $45-$55) Again, always in good shape
Silverado - Scottsdale (Golfnow price is usually around $50)
Vista Verde - (Golfnow price is usually around $60) Good value!
Sanctuary - Scottsdale (Golfnow price is usually around $60)
TPC Champians Course - Scottsdale (Look for Resident specials on Golfnow, you can golf there for about $80 if you can find these)
TPC Stadium Course - Scottsdale (Every now and then Golfnow will have a $99 special, got to be quick if you see them but I have use them)
StoneCreek - Scottsdale (play on Tuesdays because they have Marguarita Tuesdays for $1. You have to be tough to drink three but don't drive!)

Other courses I play depending on price is Orange Tree (nothing special but usually have a replay rate of $15), Eagle Mountain if price is right (don't pay over $85, not worth it to me) Talking Stick South, again, don't pay more than $80, Sunridge Canyon (tough as it is tight) and Rancho Manana in Cave Creek. There is a really nice course down in Florence (~45 minute drive) called Poston Butte. Very nice course and cheap because of the distance. It is a Troon course so you expect it to be good.

I tend to stay away from the Troon North and Greyhawk as they are very expensive and I can never find a deal. I drive by the Hyatt on Scottsdale Road a lot and from the outside it looks like a nice hotel. Never stayed in a Hotel in Phoenix/Scottsdale so can't help much there. As mentioned by others, the fashion center mall is nice if you are bringing the wife. I don't get much out of it myself...

Oh, and BTW, be prepared, September can still be pretty hot here. I think we were still well over 100 last year...

[richardt]

Swordfish, thank you so much for all the input!

How soon should we be booking if we wanted to play Troons North or WeKoPa? The rates seem decent during that time, oh and we also plan on playing twilight. Do you guys happen to know what time that usually is? Is it always after 2:00pm?...I've seen some 11:00am twilight times?...is that just for the summer?

And the Marguarita Tuesdays for $1 sounds great! Do you have to play there to get that deal though? lol

[dgrelecki]

I just played We-Ko-Pa and Troon North (Pinnacle) a few weeks ago. We-Ko-Pa is a must play for the beauty. The Layout of Troon North is better(great design), but there are at least 10 houses on every hole. There isn't one on the Saguaro course at We-Ko-Pa. TPC is completely overrated. We stayed at the Fairmont, that's the resort that houses the TPC courses, and it's a great place. I'm not sure you can get under your $200 / night, but you might want to call. They have a bunch of specials everywhere if you as (buy three nights, get one free etc.) Plus, the Fairmont is only about 10-15 from Troon, 10 from Greyhawk, and you can see the TPC course from the Pool.
Feel free to PM me with questions...

[dgrelecki]

...Oh, almost forgot, the Anthem outlet isn't really great (we stopped on our way to Sedona). The Fashion Square is great, and there is a LOT of upscale shopping...not much discounted anywhere, although in September you might have some sales in the HOT season...

[Swordfish]

In September, I think twighlight is 1:00. Remember, Arizona doesn't change clocks.

You don't need to play Stonecreek to get the Margaurita's. Expect the rates to be much lower than they are right now as not many people are out golfing in the summer months. Not sure how early to book either course. You can book Troon through golfnow but not We-ko-pa. They are both great courses but as a local who wants to spread his money around, I don't golf there.

The Anthem mall has a lot of stores closed due to the economy. Last time I was out there about 1/6th of the stores were closed and other than IZOD store, there isn't many deals to be had. I'm sure the wife could still make a day of it, but I last about 1/2 hour and then have to leave.

If you want to play the TPC courses, play the Champions as it is better than Stadium (IMO). They take the stadium down on 16 over at the stadium course so it looks nothing like you see on TV. As someone already said, 15 and 17 are the best two holes but you will pay a lot to play there for those two holes.

[dgrelecki]

The champions course can be played for a great rate...and it's a pretty nice course. In september, you can probably play it for 50 or 60 bucks I would think. (I paid 85 a few weeks ago) Just mention the "bounceback" rate, and you'll get a rate as if you've played one of the TPC courses before.

[silentcmh]

Agreed on the TPC Champions course - It definitely has more fun holes than the Stadium course.

[Carolina Golfer 2]

[quote name='silentcmh' date='16 April 2010 - 09:04 PM' timestamp='1271466241' post='2384153']
Hotwire is great for rental cars. I've gotten some ridiculous rates on there before. May as well just keep waiting before booking that and see how far down it goes.

Tough call between Troon and We-Ko-Pa but I'd go with WKP based on the scenery. Troon is a great layout but was somewhat ruined by all the development on the course. Like I said, I think the WKP Cholla course is overrated IMHO, but the scenery just can't be beat.
[/quote]

That's true..I had a 3 day trip to Flordia last week and I'm a Hertz Gold Member, but I went on hotwire and found a rate of $18.99 per day. I started to book it but then not knowing what company it was with kind of bothered me. I don't know why, because a mid size Malibu with National is the same as a Mid size with Hertz I guess.

But maybe I'm spoiled and I'm just used to the Gold treatment of going straight to the car and bypassing all the check in lines. So I booked directly on Hertz and ended up paying $40 more for the 3 days. But I would consider Hotwire again in the future if it was a substantial savings.

[dgrelecki]

There isn't any wait at the Phoenix airport for vehicles anyway. We used budget, literally after submitting my credit card and telling them what size vehicle I wanted, they send you to the cars. The attendant says "Pick any car you'd like in row B" (different brands, makes, models) and you drive on your way until you check out at the booth (like a parking garage). It's easy, and pretty cheap.

[OK_Golf]

A few thoughts, that I hope are helpful:

Rental Cars: Try Priceline, close to the time of your trip. On a recent Florida trip of mine Priceline (normal reservation, not "name-your-own-price") yielded a standard size (4-door) Enterprise car for $13 a day when other sites were quoting $45/ day. Watch out for remote radar or camera controlled speed traps in Pheonix. I got a ticket after we got back home from driving around scottsdale

Golf: I played both Troon North courses and enjoyed them very much. In August they had (what I thought) were great deals on a playing two rounds at Troon North. I think it was around $150 total for both rounds. Teeing off around 7 AM on back to back days the weather was good. No experience with other Scottsdale courses, but The Boulders was on my list of possibles as was Grayhawk. They had an insane deal of around $35 when I was there, but I was told to be wary of courses giving you an honest assesment of course conditions in the middle of the summer. This came from an assistant pro at Troon North, though, so he might have been trying to bash his competition so a tourist golfer wouldn't stray off the property. Check out "one-putt-blunders" constantly updated reviews of Pheonix area courses. He's got a "must play" and "good value" list.

Hotels: Last August we stayed at the Four Seasons at Troon North. I've never stayed at a Four Seasons and with a "3rd Night" free deal it fit our budget ~$200 / night. It was fantastic. We mostly did it for my wife, who is a non-golfer and wanted a nice hotel and pool. Laying around the four seasons pool was great. Service is amazing ... on-site food/drinks are pricey. Its' "north scottsdale" or even north of North Scottsdale and puts you far away from We-Ko-Pa or some other courses east of town, but you're relatively close to Grayhawk and TPC and the The Boulders and Vista Verde (both of which I heard great things about) are closer than if you stayed "in the middle of Scottsdale". As another poster said, it might make sense to pick your hotel based on what courses you want to play.

As a side note we ate at two fantastic restaurants: Gianfrancos up by the Four Seasons, fantastic Italian, nice resataurant, a little pricey. Frank and Lupe's Old Mexico in Old Town Scottsdale, no frills Mexican, good value, good food, even better Margaritas.

[richardt]

just wanted to thank you all again! most of the stuff is booked now, including the car rental. look forward to it, even though it's a whiles away lol.

[OK_Golf]

Give us review of everything when you get back. I want to relive my trip through you, because I don't get to go again this year. Best of luck with it all.

[Marrrk]

if you're looking for a cooler/hipper hotel with a good nightlife and such, check out Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale:

http://www.tablethotels.com/Hotel-Valley-Ho/Phoenix-Scottsdale-Hotels-Arizona-USA/63992

i'll actually probably be there in late August/early Sept as well. some great deals in the link above.

[richardt]

OK_Golf, I'll definitely do that for you, you probably won't get a review till October though lol...maybe I'll post up some pics too then.

And Mark, that Hotel Valley Ho looks so nice! I'll have to look into this...

[fore_life]

The valley ho has more tang than a space shuttle!

[richardt]

So far we booked WeKoPa Saguaro at 10:30pm on Sep 26, is that still going to be a very hot time to play?

It's only $85...

And hey guys, if we wanted to book a baseball or football game, or even an exhibition game for hockey when and where should we be doing that? I'm guessing we should get those ahead of time?