Trip Report

[sikoram]

Adventures in AZ golf

Just got back from our golf trip to Scottsdale. Travelled with 3 women for golf, baseball and shopping (them). We started by playing Continental specifically so the girls could have a one hr group lesson (full swing and bunker) then a 9 hole playing lesson with Suzy Urry who was great. We then finished with the back 9 at Continental on our own. Say what you like but we enjoyed Continental (for me it was good to get my yardages and get used to the greens). We are from the Pacific Northwest playing at sea level so I picked up one club on my wedges and about 15 yards on the mid/long irons. My home course 240 yard drives (max) were way up there with my hard hook, laid up into a fairway bunker at 295 yards on 1 occasion...but I digress. We used Golfnow and golfhub for all bookings but one as follows:

Cave Creek $45.00 with cart at noon
Legend Trail $59.99 with cart at 1 pm
Legacy $69.99 with cart at 1230 pm
Estrella $69.99 with cart at 1 pm ( I didn't play, went to a ball game instead)
TPC Scottsdale Champions $79.99 at 1042 am (booked online through TPC website after an ad in the Scottsdale Republican)

All but the Estrella rounds were booked as a foursome. I'm not sure if that affected the pricing or not. We found the golf prices to be very reasonable especially with the cart included, considering we were tourists. Everybody was very friendly and made sure we were having a good golf experience. Our experience was in contrast to golf trips to Spain and Portugal where they couldn't care if you dropped dead on their course as long as you paid up (and through the nose).

I finally picked up a Ping Ranger Cap at the Scottsdale Golfsmith (unobtainable here in Canada) and several reasonably priced golf shirts on sale at various stores. Just a note about the price of gas. Scottsdale is still about 25% cheaper than here in Canada where we grow the stuff (about 91 cents a litre in AZ and $1.23 here in Victoria BC). The freeway system and the loops are great for getting around. Remind your guests/visitors to buy a GPS. It was a lifesaver for getting to various golf courses; mine has all the courses pre-loaded. If you are the guy in the big green SUV moving at 30 miles per hr on last Wednesday's morning commute on the 101 Loop driving with your knees while you were texting, you made some enemies. Not me man, I was laughing too hard. You go to jail for that up here!

All in all, Arizona made 4 friends who are looking forward to coming back next year (and maybe in October) to play some other courses but if we can get Legacy and the TPC at the same price we will do them again.

PS. We didn't meet any other Canadians even at Costco's booze aisles (it's the National meeting place) and that's a good thing. Well done Arizona!