It isn’t always mentioned among the prominent courses in this area of north-Phoenix, but this layout created by Robert Trent Jones Jr. stands just fine on its own merit, and at green fees lower than you will find at many of its neighbors. To some golfers, Jones has a reputation as a designer of the diabolic, but those who think so are in for a pleasant surprise at Dove Valley Ranch, because this one has plenty of playability sandwiched in and around the meat of its challenges.
Its routing shifts gently between open, panoramic views to intimate lush foliage along Willow Wash, with petroglyph-etched boulders marking each hole. The design places a premium on strategy with its variety of holes and was considered Arizona’s best new course when it opened in 1998. It is built on land occupied as early as A.D. 300 by the Hohokam people, who opted for a peaceful existence below Black Mountain and were known as the first farmers of the Southwest. Shards of clay pottery still are found today by golfers in search of errant shots, and Dove Valley’s elegant clubhouse has numerous relics on display.
It essentially is a desert-style track but with many hints of traditional design, including ample fairways, and subtly contoured greens. There is plenty of room off the tees, but a premium on approach shots and course management. The highlight of the front nine is the second hole, a par 4 at 447 yards from the back tees that is aptly called “Fatal Attraction.” This is a quintessential Jones risk-reward hole, a sharp dogleg right with water running down the entire right side and a large bunker guarding the left side of the green. No. 9, called “Watering Hole” is a 419-yard par 4 with a lake running down the left side and the ideal tee shot is to challenge that water, leaving a better angle to the green.
The back nine is much tougher and tighter, highlighted by dense desert vegetation and has several memorable holes. Included are the short par-4 12th with a split fairway, the par-4 14th with a sharp left dogleg and double arroyo and the 17th, a 539-yard par 5 with a left dogleg and a wide arroyo separating the fairway from the green.
Many consider 18 to be the signature hole. The 401-yard par 4, called “Bird bath,” is a slight dogleg right with water running down the entire right side and four large bunkers surrounding three sides of one of the smallest greens on the course. There are four sets of tees, ranging from 5,336 to 7,011 yards and the course is rated at 72.6 with a slope of 128 from the back tees. Dove Valley has excellent practice facilities, GPS-equipped carts, the Kirby yardage marking system in place and a full-service restaurant.
When your round is finished, no matter what roundup you might be headed to next, allow some time to visit nearby Cave Creek’s western-style watering holes. Among the most popular are the Buffalo Chip Saloon, Silver Spur Saloon, Harold’s Corral, Cartwright’s Sonoran Ranch House (“Hoss” will be there in spirit) and the Horny Toad. If ya’ don’t mind sawdust on the floor and brew in a mason jar, these are great spots to settle “yer” bets. And you should demand handicap strokes if you know what Hoss’ real first name was on Bonanza. Made ya’ look it up, didn’t we?