The Buzz: A traditional design, rolling terrain, mountain backdrops and reasonable green fees make this course northwest of Phoenix a popular spot with residents and visitors alike. Designed by Dick Bailey, it opened in 1997 as the centerpiece of a gated, active adult community near the base of the White Tank Mountains in an area that has boomed with a plethora of sports facilities such as Cactus League baseball parks, the NFL Arizona Cardinals’ football stadium and the NHL Phoenix Coyotes’ hockey arena. Mature trees line generous fairways on a short course that has mildly sloping greens and minimal bunkering; it’s mounding that makes par saves a challenge if you miss the greens on approach.
There are five sets of tees on this par-70 layout, ranging from 4,350 to 6,235 yards and the course is rated at 68.7 with a slope of 115. All of which means it’s a course that you can overpower, but there really isn’t any need to do so. Take a safe approach, pick your spots to gamble and you’ll like the numbers on your scorecard. Desert areas come into play on several holes, but ultimately this is a player-friendly course as the slope indicates, with generous landing areas on tee shots that result in level lies.
There are five par-3 holes at 186, 210, 139, 179 and 178-yards from the back tees and three par 5s that measure 485, 553 and 590. The par-4 fourth at 426 yards is rated the No. 1 handicap hole and the finishing hole is that 590-yarder, which is the longest on the course.
Favorite holes among regulars are the fifth and seventh. No. 5 is par-4 that plays at just 356-yards from the tips but has a nice water feature that wraps from the front left of the green around to the back right corner, leaving little margin for error. No. 7 is a 210-yard par-3 with bunkers left and right guarding a curving green.
Arizona Traditions has a grass driving range, two putting greens and a short-game practice area with sand bunker. The clubhouse features a pro shop and snack bar area. Residents here also enjoy a fitness center, Olympic-style swimming pool, tennis, ballroom, ceramics studio, woodworking shop and sports complex that includes softball fields and pickle ball courts.