Desert Highlands - 350-yard Par-4 1st Tee
The Buzz: If you’ve ever wondered where desert golf began, look no further. It happened right here in north Scottsdale at this private club, where developer Lyle Anderson hired Jack Nicklaus to design the Golden Bear’s first signature course, launching a building boom that turned the Phoenix area into a golf Mecca.
Anderson had the vision and Nicklaus the creative instincts, along with a couple formidable assistants in Jay Morrish and Bob Cupp, who went on to become formidable architects in their own right. What emerged was a new type of course design that was environmentally friendly by preserving much of the native desert land and using far less water than traditional courses require. It made for more rugged transition areas, but the concept flourished like wildflowers.
That, of course, had a lot to do with the quality of the design, but also with the course hosting the first-ever Skins Game in 1983 with a made-for-TV exhibition that featured Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Tom Watson, who happened to be the top four players in the world.
The event, which was the brainchild of legendary TV producer Don Ohlmeyer, drew millions of viewers around the world, and for many of those fans it was the first look at desert golf and the Phoenix-Scottsdale area. On the 25-year anniversary of that event, Desert Highlands dedicated a bronze plaque with the likenesses of all four men in what amounts to its own Mount Rushmore of golf.
Along with the native desert flora and fauna, Highlands is defined by its true but severely undulating greens, often-deep bunkers, and superb conditioning. It’s little wonder that this place has a list of awards as long as Nicklaus’ victories, including being named one of “America’s Top 100 Golf Courses” since 1984 by Golf Digest.
There are seven sets of tees on the par-72 layout, ranging from 5,008 to 7,066 yards. The course has five par-3 holes and five par 5s, with a rating of 73.8 and slope of 149 from the back tees. Highlands doesn’t have a weak golf hole, but each nine has a stretch of standouts.
On the front, Nos. 5-8 are a wonderful and tenacious mixture of split fairways, multi-tiered greens, massive bunkers and grassy hollows. The eighth, a 444-yard par 4, plays uphill and offers two routes to the green, which is guarded front and left by deep natural hazards.
On the back, every hole from 13 to the clubhouse is a treat. No. 14 is the signature hole, a dramatic dogleg left par 4 at 418 yards with a fairway that narrows to a terraced green, and plays straight at Pinnacle Peak, which provides a stunning backdrop. Up next is a pair of memorable par 3s at 146 and 242 yards, with the 16th providing the course’s most beautiful view of the Valley of the Sun.
Highlands also has what is billed as the first 18-hole putting course in America, which Nicklaus patterned after the one at St. Andrews, the home of golf in Scotland. It covers 60,000 square feet and plays to par 41. The golf alone is a fulfilling experience, but Highland members enjoy many more features and amenities, including a clubhouse regarded as one of the best in the world.
The club also boasts one of the Valley’s top chefs and fine cuisine at The Ventana Room. There is casual dining available at The Grille and the Highlands bar is a great place to relax on a patio and take in the surrounding desert vistas. Members assumed ownership of the club in 1994 and, with 560 home sites across 850 acres, Highlands has maintained a sterling reputation for luxury desert living. Landing an invitation to play here is a challenge, but well worth whatever it takes to do so.
