Fairmont Scottsdale Princess

[Phireside]

I will be staying here for 4 nights in late July early August. This is more of a relaxing trip for my girlfriend and I so I will not be taking my clubs. I do have a few questions of the area. Hoping some locals or those familiar with the area can chime in.

 

- How is the shopping and dining in the area? Are there things like Target, Macys, CVS, golf shops, etc?

- Any touristy things worth while?

- If I can get out for 1 round, where would you suggest at a reasonable rate? How are things like club rentals?

 

Thanks

[One_Putt_Blunder]

What can be more relaxing for your girlfriend than 5 hours of relaxation while you are out golfing haha. Ill be back with some real answers in a few too much to type out on my droid.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

[quote name='TheShaun' timestamp='1308369924' post='3316048']
I will be staying here for 4 nights in late July early August. This is more of a relaxing trip for my girlfriend and I so I will not be taking my clubs. I do have a few questions of the area. Hoping some locals or those familiar with the area can chime in.

- How is the shopping and dining in the area? Are there things like Target, Macys, CVS, golf shops, etc?
- Any touristy things worth while?
- If I can get out for 1 round, where would you suggest at a reasonable rate? How are things like club rentals?

Thanks
[/quote]

Ill start with dining Bourbon Steak right there in the resort is fantastic just very very pricey, Sapporro down the street is always very popular, Mastros has alway been my personal favorite. You also have Kierland right down the street with shopping and plenty of good dining options, Ra (sushi), Ocean Club wich is the same ownership as Mastros just more of a seafood menu. Tommy Bahamas has a restaraunt there as well and they just re did their menu. There are also a couple chain type places such as PF Changs and Cheesecake Factory. Right across from Kierland there are another 5-6 good options for food, the names just escape me right now. Those options just cover a 10 min drive from the resort there are tons more if you go into old town Scottsdale.

Shopping See above about Kierland, also close by you have Desert Ridge and about 15 min south of you for the true Scottsdale people watching extravaganza you have Scottsdale Fashion Square mall. Golf shops you have Vans Golf on Frank Lloyd right and Hayden ok shop but worth stopping buy, Golfsmith is across the street by best buy and ok as well. On Shea and the 101 you have a PGA SS and if you hit only one golf shop go there.

Im not really into the touristy thing but some things I have always enjoyed are spending time up in the cavecreek/carefree area pretty cool throwback to the old days with some one of a kind shops and food options. It is going to be pretty dang hot when you are here so that limits some things like hiking camelback mtn.

If you can only get one round in drive out to Wekopa and play the Saguaro course, They should have rental sets availible there or I believe you may be able to rent sets at PGA SS. Do not play the stadium course at TPC unless you have no other options. The conditions in the summer are pretty bad and it is overpriced. The Champions course is a good option if you need to stay close to the resort. The do have rental sets of Titliest gear, I believe 909 series woods and ap2 irons.


I think that about covers it, If you have specific questions feel free to fire away

[Phireside]

Thanks for all the tips. We are trying to watch our expenses on this trip. We got a flight and accommodation package that was hard to pass up. How far is the champions course from the fairmont? I looked at the fees and at $75 it seems a good deal. Will it be easy to get on as a single if I don't make reservations ahead of time? Not being from the area, what time is preferable to tee off, 8-9am range?

Thanks again, one-putt. Much appreciated.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Champions course is pretty much right next to the resort maybe 2-3 min drive 75 is a little much for summer if you jump on golfnow.com you should get a better rate. I would not pay anymore than 50 bucks to play it in the summer and that may be a bit of a stretch. Getting a tee time should not be an issue courses tend to be pretty slow when the temps are north of 100. During the summer I prefer to tee off almost as early as possible and try to avoid going out any later then 8:30am. The heat will take its toll on you especially if you are not used to it.

Edit just checked golfnow and champions is $39.99

[puttnforthe8]

Also Shaun...hit us up near the time you are ready to play...I have an extra set of clubs(save you on the rental) and don't mind getting out. I have the Wekopa pass that I can use to get you on for a good price at Saguaro....and I think I can convince Oneputt or others to join in! Maybe?!!

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Not to hard to talk me into wekopa if its a sunday or monday I'm game. I live right by tpc too so if you need to stay close I can run down the street and play. I have an extra set of irons just no bag or woods

[Phireside]

Thanks guys. If you don't mind hauling a bush wacker around, that good be fun to meet up. Just noticed that the expedia package we booked came with one free day pass to the spa at the fairmont. So I will likely be able to get our for a round while the mrs uses the spa pass. Maybe a round on Monday Aug 1st?

[One_Putt_Blunder]

sounds good, just an fyi my previously mentioned irons may be pending sale though

[Phireside]

No worries. As long as there are some rentals available. Will post here as the time approaches or if any other questions pop up.

Thanks again for the replies!

[fore_life]

I'm in for august, and I have an extra bag/driver/3w/putter haha.

Golfwrx Southwest Section:Never letting tourist pay rack rates again!

[Phireside]

The GF would like to know if there is a good texmex restaurant near the resort.

Cheers!

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Z tejas is the only thing that comes to mind. It is on tatum and shea about 10 min drive

[fore_life]

How far away is the north scottsdale los olivos?

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Not very maybe 6 min, for some reason it is not as
good as the old town location.

[Doublebuck]

[quote name='TheShaun' timestamp='1308369924' post='3316048']
I will be staying here for 4 nights in late July early August. This is more of a relaxing trip for my girlfriend and I so I will not be taking my clubs. I do have a few questions of the area. Hoping some locals or those familiar with the area can chime in.

- How is the shopping and dining in the area? Are there things like Target, Macys, CVS, golf shops, etc?
- Any touristy things worth while?
- If I can get out for 1 round, where would you suggest at a reasonable rate? How are things like club rentals?

Thanks
[/quote]

Check her in to the spa and see her later. Otherwise why go? You can buy jeans and a t-shirt anywhere. While she is at the SPA check out Cool Clubs, get fitted for a new driver and a couple of wedges if shopping is on your mind.

[Phireside]

OK fellas. The time is nearing. Looking at getting in a round Monday August 1st. Anyone want to escort a hacker around a local course?

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Just let me know about a week or so out I can book a time on golf now for the champions course

[fore_life]

I'll join at TPC if possible

[Pargolfr00]

I would be careful at TPC. I played in a afternoon league there last year. (Going on this year but with a new child I stepped down). Still talk to everyone playing out there and I am told the greens are horrible. So much so that they gave this league a fee week of play due to the condition of the greens...... besides there are 20 better courses to play for cheaper right now.

[Phireside]

I'm up for playing elsewhere if that's what the locals suggest, but I don't want to spend too much time driving to get to a course. How far is Wekopa from the fairmont?

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Wekopa is about 40 minutes away, if you want to stay closer we have a few other options, in order of preference Talking Stick North, Grayhawk, Kierland Troon is also about 20 minutes away and a possibility a very good one at that.

[phil.b89]

Troon> Greyhawk, Talking Stick and Kierland combined for me! And apparently its in pretty good shape at the minute! But out of those three I'd go Kierland or Greyhawk above Talking Stick, they are far more interesting courses for a guy from out of town like myself. I struggled to appreciate Talking Stick North I think... there seems very mixed opinions on it- some can appreciate the intricacies of the course design and what they did with a pretty flat bit of land. And some, like myself... just thought it was a pretty flat piece of land!

 

There is plenty of interesting stuff going on at troon on pretty much every hole. Always something to look at. Yes the course is hard (especially from the tips) but I don't mind being beaten up by a course... I mean... playing Wolf Creek up in Mesquite tomorrow! Talk about getting beaten up! haha

 

 

40 minute drive is worth it out to We-Ko-Pa if it is in good shape. I played Saguaro on sunday and it was in fairly good shape (good enough) but they closed it on monday for 2 weeks to punch etc... Played Cholla about 3 weeks before that (about a week before they punched) and it was in absolutely horrible shape IMHO. The guy said it hadn't recovered all that great either and still wasn't in good shape and that they were expecting a few complaints from members.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Poor word placement by me, I would most definatley rather play Troon above all the others I listed. It is just the furthest of the bunch and if a short drive is a priority for Theshaun I wanted to put some other options out there.

Re TSN I felt the same way at first just a boring flat piece of land, but the more I played it the more I appreciated Coore/Crenshaws work on it.

[Phireside]

If Wekopa is that much of a must play then let's do that if that works and they have reopened. I will make the drive. Assuming they have rentals available.

If not wekopa, then I will let the locals who know better make the choice. Troon, greyhawk, whatever.

Thanks to the locals who have provided their feedback and opinions.

who is playing? just one putt? what would you be looking for in terms of tee times? earlier the better i assume.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

It looks like wekopa will be closed/poor condition after the aeration. Next best would be Troon, and yes it would be early as in no later than 845 start. Mark forelife may join as well. The only issue is we are doing a Tucson day trip to play the wgc match play course on Sunday. So I would prefer to keep the cost down

[Phireside]

Keeping cost down works fine for me. So, which course fits that criteria?

[One_Putt_Blunder]

How was Grayhawk Shaun?