The Buzz: In recent years, several high-end clubs have grown up around this area and, rightfully, have dazzled their clientele, but if you’re looking for a public course that paved the way in Fountain Hills and has stood the test of time, then check out Desert Canyon. Designed by John Allen, it opened in 1970, the same year that the community of Fountain Hills was developed. It takes its name from the world’s largest man-made fountain, spraying plumes of water 560 feet into the air. Those eruptions are the only water you’ll see, as Desert Canyon doesn’t have many water hazards. Instead it features fairways that are tighter than they appear and wind through desert arroyos and barrancas with strategic doglegs, elevated tees, terrific mountain backdrops and oversized greens that offer mild undulations and slope away from the mountains.
There are four sets of tees, ranging from 5,230 to 6,489 yards on this course that gets its challenges from hazards and other design features rather than length. It is rated at 69.9 with a slope of 125 from the back tees. In recent years, the course has been enhanced by new tees, reshaped bunkers and the addition of trees and plants. Also, the clubhouse was completely renovated and is now home to the acclaimed Steakhouse at Desert Canyon.
The course gets off to a nice start with a 373-yard par 4 from an elevated tee with a sharp dogleg left, and it’s easy to run tee shots through the green and into the desert. The approach is tight with a lake running along the left side and, a bunker between the hazard and green, and a fairway sloping in that direction. The finishing hole, a par 4 at 393 yards, doglegs to the right and plays uphill to a perched putting surface with a bisected fairway that drops into a grass ravine.
Between those two, other memorable holes are the par-5 fourth, a left dogleg that is reachable with two well struck shots, and the par-3 13th at 185 yards to an extremely elevated green and the toughest up and down on the course if you miss the green right. The views behind this green are among the best on the course.
Practice facilities here are very good, including a grass range, chipping area and a large putting green that fronts the clubhouse. The restaurant is spacious, the lounge comfortable and a large outdoor patio offers excellent views of the course and surrounding terrain.