Arizona Golf Authority AZGA Golf Course Buzz: Cottonwood Country Club is the 18-hole championship golf course built within the Cottonwood – Palo Verde communities, which are the second and third enclaves – of 5 total, that comprise Sun Lakes, a successful retirement community for active adults located southeast of downtown Phoenix.
Cottonwood Country Club, designed by Greg Nash, is a traditional style layout opened in 1983. The course provides four sets of tees, ranging from 4,791 to 6,737 yards and the course is rated at 71.7 with a slope of 129 from the back tees.
There are birdie opportunities here, but plenty of trouble awaits golfers who flirt too often with the water hazards. Water comes into play on eight holes and strategic bunkering around the greens puts a premium on approach shot accuracy.
Mr. Nash built some nice two-hole combinations at Cottonwood, starting with the fourth and fifth, which are separated by a long, narrow lake. No. 4 is a 379-yard par 4 with the lake wrapping in front and around the right side of the green, which is also guarded by bunkers on three sides. The fifth is a long par 3 at 230 yards, where the tee shot has to carry over that same lake twice.
The front nine ends with a 410-yard par 4 that has lakes pinching both sides of the end of the fairway; prudence trumps valor here.
The 13th and 14th holes also are separated by a water feature that runs the full length of both golf holes. No. 13 is the longest par 3 on the course, at 251 yards and No. 14 is a par 4 dogleg right playing 389 yards with two bunkers guarding the front-right of the green and another front-left.
The 16th, a 324-yard par 4, features a green surrounded by water on three sides and the 18th, at 364 yards, is a dogleg left with an approach shot over yet another lake.
Cottonwood has complete practice facilities with a driving range and chipping and putting greens, and a full-service restaurant. It is a private, equity club that offers annual and seasonal memberships and daily-fee play for homeowners.
Residents also have access to tennis courts, swimming pools, a fitness center, community parks, walking paths and basketball, pickle ball, racquetball and handball courts.
The Cottonwood – Palo Verde community at Sun Lakes also features an 18-hole executive golf course facility, Palo Verde Country Club, which plays at 4,060 yards to level-par 62.
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.