AZGA Arizona Golf Buzz: Designed by Paul White, who is the course manager, Foothills Executive opened in 2000, and quickly became one of the most popular courses of its kind in the Yuma area.
The nine-hole layout is something of a “tweener” or a power executive course, playing to par 34, and is not to be confused with the Foothills Par-3 Course, which is a true par-3 layout, playing at par 27.
These 2 courses are connected to a championship course layout nearby called Las Barrancas, which stretches to 6,888 yards.
Foothills Executive has four sets of tees at 2,610, 2,350, 2,150 and 1,868 yards. It is rated at 32.0 with a slope of 99. It has one par-5 hole, five par 4s and three par 3s, with few hazards, medium sized greens and some rough desert transition areas.
The combination of holes provides a stiffer test than most executive layouts offer, but can be played in far less time than a championship course.
The No. 1 handicap hole is the seventh, a par 5 that plays at 490 yards from the tips, offering a good birdie opportunity. There are two drivable par 4s with the third playing at 290 yards and the sixth at 280 from the back tees. Par-3 holes range from 120 to 215 yards, and the round ends with a challenging par 4 of 400 yards.
A driving range is available but the clubhouse is a temporary facility. Green fees here are among the lowest in the Yuma area and there are a couple budget hotels – Mircrotel and Comfort Inn – within three miles.
Other things to do in the area include the historic Yuma Crossing Park, Saihati Camel Farm, Paradise Casino and boating on the Colorado River. La Fonda and Julienna’s Patio Café are among the most popular eating places in the area.