Arizona Golf Authority AZGA Golf Course Buzz: Deer Valley golf course is the newest, and the most popular, of the 7 courses managed by the Recreation Centers of Sun City West, Inc. in the retirement community for active adults located northwest of Phoenix.
Deer Valley, designed by Billy Casper and Greg Nash, opened in 1994 as a private, non-equity club but is now open to public play, although members receive preferred rates and tee times. During peak season, public tee times are available only as twilight golf.
This 18-hole championship course features mild desert terrain with water in play on five holes and four sets of tees with the longest at 6,547 yards and the shortest at 5,317. It is rated at 69.8 with a slope of 120 from the back tees, which means there are plenty of birdie opportunities available.
The highlight of the front nine is the sixth hole, which is also rated the No. 1 handicap hole. The par 4, which measures 405 yards, is a dogleg left with water in play on the tee shot, three bunkers along the inside of the dogleg and four large bunkers guarding the green.
The back nine features a nice three-hole stretch starting at No. 11, a 397-yard par 4 that has three ponds in play and a massive bunker wrapping around the left side and behind the green.
The 12th, a 367-yard par 4, also has three water hazards in play, a huge bunker along the right side of the fairway and another bunker guarding the left edge of the green. Next up is the 511-yard, par 5 13th with three large bunkers along the left side of the fairway and three more around the right side of the green.
No. 18 provides a solid finish – the 351-yard par-4 doglegs right from the tee with a series of five bunkers along the left side of the fairway. The green complex is pinched by large bunkers at the left-front and left-rear of the green; a lake guards the right side of the green and the end of the fairway.
Deer Valley has a driving range, putting green and snack bar, and offers popular men’s and women’s leagues. It also is Arizona’s home course for the AimPoint Green Reading System, which is used on golf telecasts to show putting lines, and regularly holds clinics using the technology.
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.