Arizona Golf Authority AZGA Golf Course Buzz: Maybe you didn’t think there was any golf on the cheap in this high-rent district, but that’s what you get at Coronado Golf Course, which bills itself as “Scottsdale’s oldest and most affordable golf.”
The 9-hole course, which opened in 1966, might be the Chicago Cubs of Arizona golf – an ugly duckling that comes up short in many ways and yet remains beloved by public golfers to the point they fought tooth-and-nail to save it from bulldozers twice in recent years.
Coronado is an unpretentious, no-frills golf experience, devoid of the amenities and carpet-like conditions you will find at the area’s upscale resort courses. Don’t expect to see any signs that say “Proper golf attire required” or holes back-dropped by beautiful man-made waterfalls.
Do expect to find some bare spots and green fees as low as 10-bucks during certain times of the year. Milt Coggins, who played a big role in shaping Arizona golf, designed this course, which was later renovated by professional designers Greg Nash and Jeff Hardin.
Coronado golf course has just one set of tees at 1,850 yards and plays to par 31 with a rating of 28.4 and slope of 75. Relatively flat and wide open, the test is comprised of four par-4 holes and five par 3s, which range from 111 to 160 yards; the longest hole on the course is the par-4 third at 362 yards.
All told, this layout translates to plenty of birdie opportunities but you must pass the “less than perfect” test to bag them. While there is ample room to hit your drives, finding your tee shot resting on a good lie isn’t routine here, so treat the situation as good practice for hitting shots from less-than-ideal conditions; it’s a skill that will sharpen your game.
Perhaps the best feature at Coronado is their popular night-lighted driving range; a putting green, practice chipping area and a snack bar round out the facilities.
Although much of Coronado’s original luster is gone, it remains a diamond in the rough to its loyal customers; a gem worth fighting for.
Back in 2004, government wonks at the City of Scottsdale proposed building a new spring training stadium for the San Francisco Giants on the golf course site and the local citizens “pitched a fit”. The proposal ultimately died when Mr. Henry Galbraith, the gentleman who originally donated the land in 1979, quietly pointed out the deed restriction on his gift stating the property must be used as a “golf course or public park” for at least 45 years. Thank you, Mr. Galbraith, again.
A later attempt to convert the golf course into a park met with another groundswell of objection from the public that killed the proposal. Coronado remains a modestly charming facility that features a pleasant golf course you can play in less than two hours. And if recent history is any indication, the deep affection its players harbor for this course located near the heart of downtown Scottsdale is not to be trifled with.
Read the Arizona Golf Course Directory AZGA Buzz for every golf course in Arizona at www.arizonagolfauthority.com/coursedirectory/; it’s “All Things Arizona Golf” from the Arizona Golf Authority.
