Southern Dunes 04/03

[One_Putt_Blunder]

In case anyone is interested in a last minute tee time tomorrow I just booked via golfnow hotdeals a spot at 12:50 for Southern Dunes tomorrow 04/03/13 there is one spot left if anyone from wrx wants to grab it. 63 bucks pretty decent deal right now.

[chiromikey]

if i would have seen this a bit sooner i could have made this!

follow up here with course conditions if you don't mind...especially regarding green side bunkers having the proper amount of sand.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

UGH the bunkers are beyond terrible. Basically hard pan crusty dirt at this point. Even with an M Grind Vokey it was a tough go getting out of the few greenside bunkers I was in. The fairway bunker on the right side of 14 was decent but that was about it. Some of the other fairway bunkers reminded me of a salt field, super crusty on top a little softer underneath then hardpan base.

I went super conservative once I realized the bunkers = death went +6 through 5 then 1 over the next 13 holes when I decided playing safe and getting par after par was going to work better than going at the flags.

The outside services guy did say they were supposed to replace the dirt with sand this summer so we will see. I wont go back until they fix them though.

Another pet peeve is the fact that they allowed the collars of the greens to grow out a touch. They used to be cut very short to allow putting from off the green and more bump and run style of play.

[chiromikey]

[quote name='One_Putt_Blunder' timestamp='1365043202' post='6756855']
...The outside services guy did say they were supposed to replace the dirt with sand this summer so we will see. I wont go back until they fix them though...[/quote]

lying scum!! they've been using that bullsh*t line since the beginning of last year! they invited myself and 15 others out for a free round of golf about 6 months ago and offered us a fantastic deal to become members. i absolutely hated to pass it up but i had to on principle. i told them i wouldn't come back until they quit saying they were going to fill the bunkers and actually did it. needless to say, i haven't been back since.

[esketores]

From the week of March 9th. Played Southern Dunes 4 times.
The bunker behind the green on 14. Bull feces on it regarding the sand. Along with several others.
They rolled the greens every day. The speed is one thing. But the pin locations on more than one hole were unfair.
All you did was putt defensively. Rather than try for birdie you were trying not to three putt. I play golf for fun. Not to get beat up.

The group has been going to Southern Dunes for a number of years but as a collective consensus the decision was made to go elsewhere due to the greens and pin locations.
Which is a shame. The layout I consider outstanding.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

[quote name='chiromikey' timestamp='1365046086' post='6757199']
[quote name='One_Putt_Blunder' timestamp='1365043202' post='6756855']
...The outside services guy did say they were supposed to replace the dirt with sand this summer so we will see. I wont go back until they fix them though...[/quote]

lying scum!! they've been using that bullsh*t line since the beginning of last year! they invited myself and 15 others out for a free round of golf about 6 months ago and offered us a fantastic deal to become members. i absolutely hated to pass it up but i had to on principle. i told them i wouldn't come back until they quit saying they were going to fill the bunkers and actually did it. needless to say, i haven't been back since.
[/quote]

Interesting, I have not been out there for about 2 years but after today. I decided I will not go play it anymore either not for what they want to charge and an hour drive from my house. Shame because it was in my Top 5 here in town. To me when the main feature of a course is having acres and acres of bunkers to defend it then those bunkers better be in good shape otherwise it ruins the playing experience.

[quote name='esketores' timestamp='1365046194' post='6757213']
From the week of March 9th. Played Southern Dunes 4 times.
The bunker behind the green on 14. Bull feces on it regarding the sand. Along with several others.
They rolled the greens every day. The speed is one thing. But the pin locations on more than one hole were unfair.
All you did was putt defensively. Rather than try for birdie you were trying not to three putt. I play golf for fun. Not to get beat up.

The group has been going to Southern Dunes for a number of years but as a collective consensus the decision was made to go elsewhere due to the greens and pin locations.
Which is a shame. The layout I consider outstanding.
[/quote]

Pins were tough but fair today I was easily able to get inside 30 feet even from long range today, I have never really had a problem with the pin locations, the bunkers on the other hand for what they want to charge for greens fees it is a joke that they are as terrible as they are. I cannot blame you for not wanting to go back, I am now in the same boat which is sad because it was one of my favorites

[esketores]

15. One day the pin was right front about a pace and a half on. 140 out. Hit a nice high ball in landed about three feet from the pin. 50 foot putt from down in the valley back right. I went into the pro shop and asked the pro's (yes plural) to show this 13 handicapper how to play the hole from 140 out. They ALL declined.
Many pins (not all) almost everyday were more conducive to professional play than amateur play. And we believed the pros would not have been happy with the set-up. The greens were a good 12 on the stimp meter. Maybe 13. So combine the speed with many unfair locations and you end up with some unhappy golfers.

[chiromikey]

totally agree, it [i]WAS[/i] easily in my top 3...and what's worse is that i live 5 minutes from it. i used to play there once a week at a minimum but haven't been back in months. it was always one broken promise after another, "oh, they're getting filled during the fall overseed, they'll be finished when we punch this spring, they'll be ready for the mid-am, we'll have them done for the gateway event, etc, etc, etc..."

it seems troon has really screwed up the intent of a fantastic course.

[fore_life]

It's a damn shame.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

I submitted their survey I am hoping it is like the ones we use at work and they go to corporate first, I will be curious to see what they say. I let them know that for a Troon managed facility the bunkers were sub par and no excuse for having a thin layer of dirt on top of hardpan.

[chiromikey]

i hope it goes to corporate too...complaining to on site management has gotten nobody anywhere. i thought about calling troon directly but figured it was pointless.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Well my thought of it going to corporate first looks like it was wrong. Here is the reply I received. Huge props to them for a quick reply especially after 10pm on a weeknight. Service has never been lacking with Troon.
But if I read between the lines it reads.. We have no idea when or if we will fix them. Major bummer I think many of us really enjoyed the course in its natural state dormant in the winter and very firm and fast year round and playing like the closest thing we can get to Bandon out here in the desert.
[quote]


[color=#454545][size=3]Thank you for taking the time to complete our survey. Feedback is very important to us as we are always seeking out ways to improve our golfers' experiences.[/size][/color]



[color=#454545][size=3]First off, let me apologize for us failing to meet the expectations you have come to expect from Ak-Chin [/size][/color][color=#454545][size=3]Southern Dunes Golf Club[/size][/color][color=#454545][size=3] and Troon Golf. We appreciate the positive comments and scores with regards to the team at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club.[/size][/color]


[color=#454545][size=3]As you indicated, we are very aware of the condition of our bunkers and the growing concern with regards to playability. Prior to the Ak-Chin community purchasing the property, a series of decisions were made with regards to the bunkers (sand choice, drainage, etc) that have resulted in our current conditions. While we are in the process of putting together a long term plan for a bunker renovation, we are attempting to mange the current bunker playability to best of our ability within out day to day operations.[/size][/color]

[color=#454545][size=3]While I understand your disappointment today, I hope you do continue to visit our facility as we feel the overall condition of the golf course is better than it has ever been (with the exception of the bunkers). Please rest assured, that everything is being done to address the very concerns you have on both a short term and long term basis.[/size][/color]

[color=#454545][size=3]Please feel free to contact me directly should I be of any assistance with regards to booking your next tee time reservation with us at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club and I hope you visit us again in the near future so that we have the opportunity to reestablish your confidence in us and Troon Golf as a "quality golf experience."[/size][/color]

[color=#454545][size=3]Again, thank you for the feedback. We appreciate you as a guest and loyal customer.[/size][/color]

[color=#454545][size=3]Sincerely,[/size][/color]
[color=#454545][size=3]Brady J. Wilson, PGA • General Manager • Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club[/size][/color][color=#454545][size=3].[/size][/color][/quote]

[chiromikey]

i find it strange that they blame a "series of decisions before their ownership" that has caused them to halt all replenish of sand in the bunkers since they took over. just put some sand in the damned things! if they're not sure how, i can give them the number to a few muni courses that seem to understand the concept.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

I don't get it at all, but the crusty part of the bunkers does lead me to think they do have a drainage prob. Either way my wekopass rates at wekopa start dropping next week so I certainly won't be driving a hour out of my way to drop 70 bucks at SD anymore.

I would rather see them not overseed the rough and fix the bunkers. Heck skip an overseed all together and put that $$$ back into the bunkers

[chiromikey]

totally agree. i miss the days when they didn't overseed at all. it was like having two different courses depending on the time of year...