Category: Arizona Golf News

Golf World Magazine Awards Phoenix Country Club Pro Shop “Top 100” Status

Phoenix, AZ – The Phoenix Country Club, an iconic landmark in the heart of Phoenix, was named one of the “Top 100 Golf Shops” in the United States by Golf World magazine. The award, given to 100 Pro Shops annually since 1986, is designed to recognize excellence in the golf retail segment. Criteria used for judging the best include total sales, promotions and merchandise selection available to members as well as the customer service provided by the Pro Shop staff.

According to Adam Brigham, Phoenix Country Club Head Golf Professional, the shop’s level of service is the greatest asset to the Pro Shop. Their high level of service and distinction is credited to the fact that as a private club, their Pro Shop team focuses on building relationships with members and tailoring everything to their needs. “It is our presentation and service expertise that sets us apart; we work closely with people we know so we are able to truly understand their needs and give them excellent, personalized attention,” Brigham said.

The Golf World award is not the first received by the PCC team; Adam also received the 2010 Southwest Section Professional Golfers Association (PGA) “Merchandiser of the Year for Private Facilities” this past January.

Phoenix Country Club Golf Professional Earns PGA Master Status

Byron Shultz, the Director of Instruction at the Phoenix Country Club, recently earned the title of PGA Master Professional of Instruction, a distinction currently held by only 186 PGA members in the world. The PGA Masters Professionals program was created to recognize PGA members who continuously strive to improve as golf professionals and maintain the highest degree of excellence for themselves and their operations.

“By earning this certification, Byron has even more credibility. He isn’t just a member of the PGA, he is now a member of a select group of just a few hundred in the world,” said Phoenix Country Club General Manager Pat LaRocca. Founded in 1899, the Phoenix Country Club (PCC) has seen many of the city’s most influential people enjoy its amenities and activities throughout the years. It is a private club offering an 18-hole golf course, tennis, swimming, fitness center and full-service clubhouse.

Steeped in tradition with a heritage of excellence, Golf Connoisseur Magazine recently rated PCC as one of the “Top 100 Most Prestigious Golf Clubs in America.” PCC was chosen for “the ultimate mix of course, history, membership, tradition and class.” In 2009, PCC was selected by its peers as a Platinum Club of America. It has a redesigned golf course by Tom Lehman and John Fought that harkens back to the traditional city courses of yesteryear.

To learn more about Phoenix Country Club and its membership programs, visit: www.phoenixcc.org

The excellent adventure of playing SunRidge Canyon’s spectacular golf course just got better. A native Red-Tailed Hawk, called Hogan by SunRidge staff, has taken up winter residence at the Club. “Perched atop the Clubhouse roof, Hogan keeps an eye on our daily activities around the Club” reports Derek Crawford, Director of Operations for SunRidge.

Hogan’s choice of residence for the season is no surprise to those familiar with the course. SunRidge is located in the visually stunning canyons of Fountain Hills and showcases the rugged natural terrain and mountain vistas in that locale. The Keith Foster layout is true to his minimalist-design tradition as it gently leads you down into the natural canyons on the front-9, and brings you back up and out on the back; the final four holes are the finest finishing stretch in town.

Hogan’s adoption of SunRidge may make sense on another level as well. You see, in several Native American communities the Red-Tailed Hawk represents the role of Guardian of Mother Earth, and its red-colored tail embodies the familiar elements of Power and Energy of Vision.

Don and Cindy Misheff purchased SunRidge Canyon Golf Club in December 2010, and Don later shared “Cindy and I visualized this for many years during our visits to Fountain Hills”, referring to their long-term commitment to preserve and refine the golf experience at SunRidge Canyon. They immediately chose the veteran operations team of General Manager, Jeff Lessig, Crawford, Superintendent Ron Ruppert and F&B Manager, Brian Gilmore to lead SunRidge into the future.

Perhaps Hogan’s presence confirms the clarity of Mr. and Mrs. Misheff’s vision, and is a simple reminder of what an excellent adventure playing SunRidge Canyon always is – a stunning natural setting, excellent golf course, impeccable service and a day of great fun.

Scottsdale AZ – The golf experts at XONA have crafted a stay and play package that tees you up on the stellar courses the PGA, Champions and LPGA Tours play when they’re in town. “The XONA TOUR Package is a simple way for the avid amateur player to experience a few days of professional golf’s tour-like conditioning” says Steve Nicodemus, a former PGA Tour caddy and resident XONA Resort Suites golf sage. The package includes three nights at XONA, three rounds of golf, and they even throw in a $20 food and beverage credit for each player. So if you’re thinking about getting out of the cold and into the sun anytime between now and March, connect with Steve at 800.903.4057 or snicodemus@xonaresort.com.

The Tour-host course rota includes the famous TPC Scottsdale (Waste Management Phoenix Open home), Grayhawk Golf Club’s Talon and Raptor courses (first Frys.com PGA venue), Jack Nicklaus’ two signature courses at Superstition Mountain Golf Club (former Champions and LPGA Tour stops) and Wildfire’s two layouts, the Palmer Course and the Faldo Course (new home of the 2011 RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup).

XONA’s premier North Scottsdale location puts you right in the heart of Scottsdale golf. Stay at XONA, located just up the street from the TPC Scottsdale, during the Phoenix Open and you’ll be rubbing shoulders with the guys who play courses like these every day for a living. The hotel is designed for avid traveling golfers and features one-, two-, three-, and 4-bedroom suites, providing plenty of room to relax after golf. When you add in the comfortable indoor-outdoor bar and restaurant, four sparkling pools, soothing hot tubs and a knowledgeable golf staff, you’ll find the only reason to leave the friendly confines of XONA is for your Tour course tee time. Check it out at www.xonaresort.com.

The We-Ko-Pa team rings in the new year with “glad tidings of great joy” for all Arizona traveling golfers. Beginning Friday, January 7th, We-Ko-Pa will allow golf carts on their gorgeous fairways, subject to the familiar “90-degree” rule.

This date marks the earliest point “in season” players have been allowed to ride to their ball. We-Ko-Pa offers some of the most lush and manicured course condition in the State, so please respect this privilege and conduct yourselves as avid golfers always do; leave the golf course better than you found it.

Read the AZGA’s take on We-Ko-Pa, click here

Scottsdale, AZ – The Troon Golf Board of Directors announced on January 5, 2011 that Dana Garmany would return to lead the company, replacing former CEO Hud Hinton. Garmany returns to his familiar role of CEO, a position he held from the company’s inception until last year when he announced his retirement. The company’s current executive team remains in place as Garmany re-assumes leadership of Troon Golf.

“The company is strong and well positioned for 2011 and beyond,” commented Garmany. “Troon Golf’s achievements are based on the extraordinary talents of our employees and we will work together to ensure its success long into the future.”

Scottsdale-based Troon Golf is the world’s largest golf management company, overseeing operations at properties in 31 states and 23 countries. Troon’s portfolio includes 14 Arizona facilities among which are Troon North, Southern Dunes, StoneRidge, Talking Stick, Quintero and Poston Butte.

The Greatest Show on Grass, a.k.a. the Waste Management Phoenix Open, returns to the TPC Scottsdale January 31 through February 6, 2011. While huge galleries, great food and tons of networking opportunities are part of what makes the Waste Management Phoenix Open special, it’s the incredible golf that draws the most attention.

2010 Tournament Champion Hunter Mahan will return to defend his exciting one-stroke victory over rising PGA TOUR star Rickie Fowler. Mahan, 28, is coming off one his best seasons as a professional with two victories (WM Phoenix Open and the World Golf Championships Bridgestone Invitational), three top 10s and eight top 25 finishes. At the 2011 Waste Management Phoenix Open, look for Mahan and Fowler to be joined by other top PGA TOUR stars, such as Phil Mickelson, Kenny Perry and many others.

While the actual Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament will be played Thursday – Sunday (February 3 — 6), there will still be plenty of things to see and do at the TPC Scottsdale all week long. Many of the PGA TOUR pros will play morning practice rounds leading up to the tournament. There are also other special activities that will feature PGA TOUR professionals, including the R.S. Hoyt Jr. Family Foundation Dream Day on Monday, the CBS Outdoor Special Olympics Open on Tuesday, the ever-popular FBR/Xerox Silver Pro-Am on Wednesday. Also Wednesday, at 3:30 p.m., the TriWest Healthcare Alliance Shot at Glory will take place on the 16th hole and will feature national and local celebrities, sponsors and two lucky fans in one of the coolest closest-to-the-pin contests in the game of golf. On Saturday, February 5th, the tournament is inviting everyone to participate in the first ever GREEN OUT. You, too, can participate simply by wearing green (shirts, hats, pants, etc.) to the tournament. The Green Out will illustrate to the world the green/eco-sensitive efforts of the tournament.

In fact, in the year since taking over as title sponsor, Waste Management has quickly turned the “Greatest Show on Grass” into the “Greenest Show on Grass” by incorporating a tournament-wide recycling and waste reduction program. Waste Management, known for its leadership in collection, transportation, disposal and recycling, also provides waste solutions like practical and sustainable renewable energy alternatives, comprehensive sustainability evaluations and new technologies to recover the resource in waste. The tournament is a way to showcase these solutions, which will help customers and communities reduce waste while reducing cost and creating positive change for the environment. In future years, Waste Management will continue to implement ways to make the Phoenix Open evolve as the green standard tournament on the PGA TOUR.

In addition to being green on the golf course, the tournament host Thunderbirds are also excellent at raising green for local charities off the golf course. In fact, the tournament hosts have raised more than $70 million for charities in tournament history, with more than $42 million generated since 2004.

For more information or tickets to the Waste Management Phoenix Open, visit wmphoenixopen.com.

Payson, AZ – The Rim Golf Club announced the transfer of the golf club property to its members has been complete following the bankruptcy of the club’s developer, Crescent Resources.

As part of the bankruptcy settlement, the Club and other creditors will also receive 83

residential lots within the community and an 80-acre parcel adjacent to the 550-acre residential golf community. These properties will be sold to further enhance the Club’s balance sheet.

In June 2009, Crescent Resources announced a bankruptcy filing, affecting more than 70 properties through the United States. Club management responded quickly to the loss of developer revenue by improving overall operations efficiency and opening the golf course to limited outside play. Despite these changes, the customer service for which the Rim Club is known, continued to excel.

“Everyone pulled together to make some tough decisions that enabled us to ensure minimal disruption during the bankruptcy period” said Rim Club General Manager David Bosley. “Now that it is behind us, we have resumed selling memberships.”

In addition to regular memberships, the Club has created several other categories, offering both junior and business memberships. “We are seeing a surge in interest from golfers around the Rim Country, Phoenix and California,” said Bosley.

The Rim Golf Club, which has received numerous awards since opening, is a Weiskopf-Morrish design located 75 miles from Phoenix in Payson, AZ. The Club will host two Arizona Golf Associations events and a Southwest PGA Sectional event in the summer of 2011.

To read John Davis’ take on The Rim Club, click here.

For all the avid players looking for a little fun after Christmas, the Backspin Tour concludes its 2010 season on December 26th, at spectacular Gold Canyon Golf Resort, where listeners will get a chance to play the Dinosaur Course and get a bounce-back coupon for the Sidewinder Course.

That’s right, for $75 per player each member of the two-man team will get to play both courses at Gold Canyon as well as receive a sleeve of Bridgestone balls, a $10 Van’s Golf Shops coupon and take part in an incredible “cowboy style’’ barbecue. And don’t forget the amazing Super Raffle and a special visit from Santa! It’s a golden opportunity to work off some of those holiday calories and close out the season with the Backspin Boys.

Register today at www.backspinthegolfshow.com