Ak-Chin Indian Community to buy Southern Dunes

[fore_life]

Per this weeks issue of GolfWeek, the Ak-Chin Indian Community, owners of Harras Ak-Chin Casino, is set to buy Southern Dunes Golf Club. I dont know if this is old news or not, but it will be interesting to see how the community's ownership will affect the course conditions. Ive also heard that this year will be the first time that they overseed the greens.

[teejaywhy]

Seems I've let my GW subscription lapse... Interesting news. Thanks for the heads up. This is the first I've heard about it.

Which issue ? (May 14?)

If they are able to put some money into the course, that will be a good thing. Not keen on the overseed thing, but if they want to attract more people, that seems like what they have to do.

[Clueless]

I know an employee out there and he said they are going to overseed wall to wall out there next year and that the casino is going to pour a bunch of money into the course to help draw to the casino. I guess the advertising budget has quadrupled for next year and they will leverage their players card etc. to make it more of a destination resort. I still think the course design is goofy, but it should be in great shape for the winter season next year. Pricing is heading upward also as casino play increases so the bargain hunters better enjoy the current rates while they last.

[EnglishBob]

One of the better public courses around here was recently bought by the Indian Casino across the road from it... they are spending money on it, but first thing they did was up the Green Fees 10%.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

hmmm not sure what to think, part of me loves the dormant look of the dunes and really enjoy playing during the winter. I just dont know I will be able to justify paying anymore than they already charge to drive and hour out of my way to go play a round of golf.

[fore_life]

Tom, its the May 21st issue and it just has the smallest little blurb about it. I love the course but it seems like every time I play it, the course is in worse and worse shape. Im just glad that someone is stepping in to keep it open and hopefully restore it to fantastic condition. The first thing I thought when I read it was how much the green fees would shoot up.

I hope they dont do anything to change the design to make it more "resort" friendly.

[TitleistOnTheTee]

It's my understanding it took effect May 1. I have seen no improvements
since, however.

[teejaywhy]

[quote name='Clueless' date='21 May 2010 - 08:37 AM' timestamp='1274456267' post='2457796']
I know an employee out there and he said they are going to overseed wall to wall out there next year and that the casino is going to pour a bunch of money into the course to help draw to the casino. I guess the advertising budget has quadrupled for next year and they will leverage their players card etc. to make it more of a destination resort. I still think the course design is goofy, but it should be in great shape for the winter season next year. Pricing is heading upward also as casino play increases so the bargain hunters better enjoy the current rates while they last.
[/quote]

I just hope they don't turn it into an overwatered slog fest.

As for the "goofy" design, I think we discussed this before and I'm starting to understand where you are coming from, after all, you are Clueless.

Unfortunately, they probably will have to dumb it down to attract resort type players.

[fore_life]

lets get a group to go play it before its 1000000 degrees outsided

[teejaywhy]

[quote name='fore_life' date='21 May 2010 - 03:43 PM' timestamp='1274481795' post='2458712']
lets get a group to go play it before its 1000000 degrees outsided
[/quote]

It officially hit 100 yesterday. I happened to be walking 18 with a 2:30 tee time. Wasn't bad.

[gotj1]

[quote name='fore_life' date='21 May 2010 - 08:59 AM' timestamp='1274461145' post='2457920']
Tom, its the May 21st issue and it just has the smallest little blurb about it. I love the course but it seems like every time I play it, the course is in worse and worse shape. Im just glad that someone is stepping in to keep it open and hopefully restore it to fantastic condition. The first thing I thought when I read it was how much the green fees would shoot up.

I hope they dont do anything to change the design to make it more "resort" friendly.
[/quote]

You're right, I hope they leave it alone. If we wanted to play a resort course, there's Wild Horse Pass down the road. It would be nice to have some good conditions out there, it's too good of a course.

[mohacker]

Played there 2 weeks ago and it looked like no maintenance had been done to it. The greens were like roller coasters. It's pretty apparent it is on it's way out til someone takes it over and does some work to it.

[teejaywhy]

An update on the Southern Dunes situation on Bill Huffman's AGA blog:
"[i]Ak-Chin Tribe 'saves' Southern Dunes[/i]

[i]7-26-10
[/i]

[i]By BILL HUFFMAN
[/i]

[i]Call it a stroke of poetic justice, the recent sale of Southern Dunes Golf Club – Arizona’s first and last(?) all-men’s club – to the Ak-Chin Indian Community. Some might even say it was a long time coming.[/i]

[i]The $9 million deal that was consummated July 16 included an additional 145 acres of land that borders the 175-acre golf facility in northwest Pinal County. The Ak-Chin Tribe, which is centered near the small farming community of Maricopa, is the fifth owner of the club since it opened its doors in the fall of 2002.[/i]

[i]...[/i]"

Full story:
[url]http://www.azgolf.org/LiveLearnPlay/articleDetails.asp?Category=37&Article=425&CategoryID=4&SubCategory=2[/url]

[birdieboy52]

[quote name='tjy355' timestamp='1280446426' post='2607275']
An update on the Southern Dunes situation on Bill Huffman's AGA blog:
"[i]Ak-Chin Tribe 'saves' Southern Dunes[/i]

[i]7-26-10
[/i]

[i]By BILL HUFFMAN
[/i]

[i]Call it a stroke of poetic justice, the recent sale of Southern Dunes Golf Club – Arizona’s first and last(?) all-men’s club – to the Ak-Chin Indian Community. Some might even say it was a long time coming.[/i]

[i]The $9 million deal that was consummated July 16 included an additional 145 acres of land that borders the 175-acre golf facility in northwest Pinal County. The Ak-Chin Tribe, which is centered near the small farming community of Maricopa, is the fifth owner of the club since it opened its doors in the fall of 2002.[/i]

[i]...[/i]"

Full story:
[url]http://www.azgolf.org/LiveLearnPlay/articleDetails.asp?Category=37&Article=425&CategoryID=4&SubCategory=2[/url]
[/quote]


With the change in ownership does it no longer pay real estate or sales taxes?

[Medicaptain]

[quote name='birdieboy52' timestamp='1280446819' post='2607282']
[quote name='tjy355' timestamp='1280446426' post='2607275']
An update on the Southern Dunes situation on Bill Huffman's AGA blog:
"[i]Ak-Chin Tribe 'saves' Southern Dunes[/i]

[i]7-26-10
[/i]

[i]By BILL HUFFMAN
[/i]

[i]Call it a stroke of poetic justice, the recent sale of Southern Dunes Golf Club – Arizona's first and last(?) all-men's club – to the Ak-Chin Indian Community. Some might even say it was a long time coming.[/i]

[i]The $9 million deal that was consummated July 16 included an additional 145 acres of land that borders the 175-acre golf facility in northwest Pinal County. The Ak-Chin Tribe, which is centered near the small farming community of Maricopa, is the fifth owner of the club since it opened its doors in the fall of 2002.[/i]

[i]...[/i]"

Full story:
[url="http://www.azgolf.org/LiveLearnPlay/articleDetails.asp?Category=37&Article=425&CategoryID=4&SubCategory=2"]http://www.azgolf.or...4&SubCategory=2[/url]
[/quote]


With the change in ownership does it no longer pay real estate or sales taxes?
[/quote]

I am NO expert...lemme repeat here to be clear.....Not an expert

I do not believe that their simple ownership makes it eligible for tax free status because it is not "tribal land".....however I believe there is a process that they can go through to expand it to include it into their current tribal land

[fore_life]

Has anyone played SD recently that is able to comment on current course conditions?

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Fingers crossed that they fix the course, but dont jack up the prices. I miss playing out there, its the only chance I have at beating Medicaptain and Ckguy914

[Medicaptain]

[quote name='One_Putt_Blunder' timestamp='1280795756' post='2614284']
Fingers crossed that they fix the course, but dont jack up the prices. I miss playing out there, its the only chance I have at beating Medicaptain and Ckguy914
[/quote]



The ONE...and ONLY chance.....Im gonna go practice putting on a sandy baseball field so I can beat you there.......

[One_Putt_Blunder]

[quote name='Medicaptain' timestamp='1280800543' post='2614451']
[quote name='One_Putt_Blunder' timestamp='1280795756' post='2614284']
Fingers crossed that they fix the course, but dont jack up the prices. I miss playing out there, its the only chance I have at beating Medicaptain and Ckguy914
[/quote]



The ONE...and ONLY chance.....Im gonna go practice putting on a sandy baseball field so I can beat you there.......


[/quote]

Looking forward to making my charitable donation to the skins game on Fri with you and all the other gamers. as the saying goes "if your looking around the table for the sucker and cant find him then your the sucker"

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Just heard on the radio this morning Ak Chin approved a 1 million dollar plan to dump some money back into the course so hopefully things will be changing for the better.

[gotj1]

Are there any other updates on Southern Dunes? Any one played there recently?

[Rohlio]

Overseeding that course will ruin it. It was not made to play during the winter on slow lush green grass. The only thing I would do to "improve" the course is maintain the bunkers better with better sand.

That was my favorite track in Arizona if I show up to play it next winter and it looks like whirlwind I will just put my money back in my pocket and go play somewhere else. Unless it plays firm and fast it will be goofy as hell.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

I hope they stay dormant in the winter as well, as long as they get the greens rolling like they were when they first opened to the public I would be a happy camper well that and the bunkers.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

[quote name='Rohlio' timestamp='1282783424' post='2662041']
Overseeding that course will ruin it. It was not made to play during the winter on slow lush green grass. The only thing I would do to "improve" the course is maintain the bunkers better with better sand.

That was my favorite track in Arizona if I show up to play it next winter and it looks like whirlwind I will just put my money back in my pocket and go play somewhere else. Unless it plays firm and fast it will be goofy as hell.
[/quote]


Well just heard an interview with the GM for Southern Dunes this morning and they will be overseeding this year. He also stated the course is in the best shape its been in for a long time right now so take that FWIW.

They also got hit by a flash flood yesterday he said it didnt really hurt the golf course but shut down the ability to get to certain parts of the course, so much so that they needed to get the FD involved to get golfers off of the course.

[fore_life]

Jesus, I wonder if the water there was as bad as the river that flowed through the duke earlier this year?

[One_Putt_Blunder]

So played out there today for a company tournament. It was in pretty good condition tee to green. I would have prefered it if the greens had been rolled, cut a hair tighter and rolling at the usuall 11-12 but they were rolling right around 9.5-10.

Apparently the bunkers will be worked on during the overseed this year so it should fix that problem. Thankfully I was only in one all day and it was pretty good.

I played ok shot 78 from the black tees managed only 1 birdie on #17 but it won me some skins money so I will take it. Low round was one of my playing partners who shot 73 with 17 pars and one bogey with 16-17 greens in reg all while consuming no less than a 12 pack of miller lite on the course by himself. IMO that was a pretty impressive feet.

I still wish they would stay dormant in the winter, but the conditioning problems they had in the sping and early summer stemmed from not overseeding or so they say. Vista Verde was dormant fairways this winter and the course was in great shape for the summer.