Category: Sun City

Arizona Golf Authority AZGA Arizona Golf Course Buzz: Riverview is one of the five regulation-length courses, together with three executive courses, in the stable of the Recreation Centers of Sun City, which offers residents plenty of recreation options.

Designed by Jeff Hardin, who was involved in creating many adult-community courses around the state, Riverview opened in 1970 and is known for its tricky, undulating greens. The course has three sets of tees at 6,394, 6,053 and 5,558 yards and is rated at 69.6 with a slope of 116 from the back tees. While it isn’t particularly long, mature trees and a series of small lakes bring water into play on seven holes, placing a premium on accuracy.

Beginning with the third, water is in play on six consecutive holes; highlights of that stretch are the par-3 third and par-5 sixth. No. 3 plays at 147 yards from the back tee with a shot that must carry over a lake most of the way to a green guarded by a large bunker on the right side.

At the 6th you’ll find a sharp dogleg left with two lakes in play, one on the tee shot and another along the right side of the fairway. Several bunkers threaten both sides of the fairway and one more lurks in front of the green. At 534 yards, it is the longest hole on the course and the No. 1 handicap hole which means par is the goal here.

Standouts on the back nine are the par-4 12th and 15th. No. 12 is just 375 yards, but a lake along the right side of the fairway and green, plus bunkers left-front and right-front make for a challenging approach.

No. 15 plays a healthy 404-yards; a sweeping dogleg right where you can cut off plenty of yardage but the inside of the corner is well guarded by a bunker and palm trees.

Riverview has full practice facilities, including a large driving range, and serves breakfast and lunch items at its snack bar. The semi-private club is open to the public, but RCSC members can book tee times five days in advance and the public can book times three days out.

Along with golf at eight courses, club members also have access to fitness centers, spas, swimming pools, tennis and pickle ball courts, bocce ball courts, fishing, boating, shuffleboard, bowling centers and other activities.

Read the Arizona Golf Course List AZGA Player’s Arizona Golf Course Review for every golf course in Arizona at www.arizonagolfauthority.com/coursedirectory.

It’s “All Things Arizona Golf” from the Arizona Golf Authority.

Arizona Golf Authority AZGA Arizona Golf Course Buzz: Sun City North is one of the oldest golf courses of the 8 golf facilities managed by Recreation Centers of Sun City, Inc. The RCSC is the private, non-profit corporation that owns and operates approximately $80 million of recreational facilities in the Sun City retirement community northwest of Phoenix.

Designed by Del Webb Corp., the course opened in 1960 and is known as a player-friendly design with relatively flat terrain, large trees and numerous dogleg holes, with two lakes bringing water into play on four holes. There are three sets of tees at 6,451, 6,154 and 5,625 yards, with a rating of 69.5 and slope of 117 from the back tees, which means there are plenty of birdies to be taken on the par-72 layout.

The challenge starts early because the second hole, a 422-yard par-4, is the No. 1 handicap hole. The course also ends strong with a par-5 at 573 yards that is the longest hole on the course and features a sweeping dogleg-left and a green heavily guarded by bunkers on three sides.

Among the highlights in between is the 12th hole, a testy little par-3 that some consider the signature hole. It plays at 170 yards and requires a tee shot over a small lake with a large bunker guarding the left side of the green.

That same lake comes into play on the 13th hole, a 523-yard par-5, rated the No. 2 handicap hole on the golf course.

Another lake comes into play on the eighth, a 406-yard par-4 with bunkers squeezing both sides of the green, and the ninth, a 368-yard par-4 dogleg-right.

Par-3 holes offer a nice variety, ranging from 143 to 210 yards. The course has a driving range, putting green and chipping area and a snack shop that serves breakfast and lunch items.

Sun City celebrated its 50th birthday in 2010 and continues going strong as one of the country’s foremost retirement communities. A large part of that success is RCSC, which operates seven recreational centers, eight golf courses with five snack shops, two bowling centers, two full-service restaurants and one amphitheater (Sun Bowl).

The five regulation and three executive golf courses span 1,100 acres and are within six miles of each other. North is a semi-private course that is open to public play but Sun City residents receive preferred tee times and rates, which are among the lowest in the metro Phoenix area.

Visit the complete Arizona Golf Authority Golf Course Directory to read the Arizona Golf Authority AZGA Golf Course Buzz about every golf course in the State of Arizona at http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/

Here are the direct links to each of Sun City’s 8 golf courses, enjoy:

Championship Golf Courses

Sun City Lakes – West Golf Course: http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/

Sun City North Golf Course: http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/

Sun City Riverview Golf Course: http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/

Sun City South Golf Course: http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/

Sun City Willowcreek Golf Course: http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/

Executive Golf Courses

Sun City Lakes – East Golf Course: http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/

Sun City Quail Run Golf Course: http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/

Sun City Willowbrook Golf Course: http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/

Arizona Golf Authority AZGA Arizona Golf Course Buzz: Willowcreek is one of the most popular layouts among the eight courses, five championship and three executives, that comprise the Recreation Centers of Sun City’s golf stable. Built in 1973 and designed by well-known architects George and Tom Fazio, Willowcreek is known for its great conditioning and undulating fairways that can produce some tricky lies. The layout’s five lakes bring water into play on nine, that’s right, 9 of the 18 holes.

The course is laid out so that most of the holes run parallel to each other, with an out-and-back loop configuration on both nines. So as long as you spray in the proper direction, you’ll have a chance to visit with other groups playing the course.

The relatively flat terrain and traditional design make the course walkable, as is its little sister, Willowbrook, an 18-hole executive course located on the same property.

In 2011, the property underwent a $700,000 improvement project to the bunkers, tees and driving range, which was overseen by Gary Brawley of Tripp Davis and Associates. Three sets of tees are now in play at 6,366, 6,040 and 5,551 yards, with a rating of 69.4 and slope of 119 from the back tees; level par is 72.

Plenty of birdie opportunities are available, but the water hazards and mature trees require careful attention to score well on this seemingly docile layout. The back nine is the most interesting of the two nines and the last six holes providing a fun but tough stretch; standouts are the water-threatened 14th and 15th.

The 14th is a drivable par-4; bunkers and a lake to the right of the fairway create a risk-reward scenario here for those who have a go. The lake must then be carried off the tee at the 15th, a 181-yard par-3 featuring an undulating green that produces a lot of 3-putts.

Willowcreek shares a fine driving range and putting green with little sister Willowbrook. The clubhouse is a full-service facility and provides standard fare. Public play is encouraged, but RCSC members receive preferred rates and tee times.

Read the Arizona Golf Course List AZGA Player’s Arizona Golf Course Review for every golf course in Arizona at www.arizonagolfauthority.com/coursedirectory.

It’s “All Things Arizona Golf” from the Arizona Golf Authority.

Arizona Golf Authority AZGA Golf Course Review: The Willowbrook executive golf course is part of the Sun City, Arizona complex that also offers the regulation-length Willowcreek golf course. Both courses were designed by the highly regarded father-son duo of George and Tom Fazio and they are two of the more popular layouts in Sun City’s RCSC stable of eight golf courses, three of which are executives.

The facility spent $700,000 in 2011 updating the two courses, their shared driving range and clubhouse. Willowbrook has two sets of tees at 3,800 yards with a rating of 57.8 and slope of 84, and 3,414 yards with a rating of 58.1 and slope of 89.

Willowbrook offers six par-4 holes and three par-3s on each nine. The 10th and 12th holes are the longest at 340 and 339 yards, but the front is longer overall and definitely the more interesting of the two. That’s because of a lake that brings water into play on three holes in a four-hole stretch.

The watery challenge begins at No. 3 with a 184-yard par 3 that has large bunkers guarding both sides of the green. The respite is No. 4, but it stretches 225 yards and is the longest par-3 on the course.

The water reappears at the 5th, a 306-yard par-4 that doglegs right, around the lake. At the sixth hole, a 112-yard par-3, the tee shot must carry the lake hold a putting surface surrounded by three large bunkers.

Willowbrook shares its complete driving range and practice putting green, along with a full-service snack bar that serves breakfast and lunch with its little sister, the Willowcreek course.

Read the Arizona Golf Course List AZGA Player’s Arizona Golf Course Review for every golf course in Arizona at www.arizonagolfauthority.com/coursedirectory.

It’s “All Things Arizona Golf” from the Arizona Golf Authority.