The Buzz:Forget the tennis rackets and the swimsuit. At The Golf Club Scottsdale, it’s all golf, all the time. The private course was one of the last designed by now-retired Jay Morrish, along with Dick Bailey, and is a “pure golf” experience devoid of homes and other structures. What it offers are 95 white sand bunkers, a more traditional feel than most desert courses, spectacular mountain views, rolling terrain and bentgrass greens that are tricky to read. The course, which opened in 2004, is set on 292 acres of Sonoran desert at the base of Fraesfield Mountain and is almost entirely surrounded by preserves, offering views of the McDowell Mountains and Pinnacle Peak. Fairways average about 70 yards in width and the course has no water in play, no hazards and no out-of-bounds, but plenty of challenges. Morrish designed or co-designed such Arizona gems as Troon North, TPC Scottsdale, Forest Highlands, Troon Golf and Country Club and The Boulders. This one, he said, compares favorably. “There are a lot of interesting smaller rock formations that really make you think about your shots. Strategically, it might be the best course I’ve ever been involved with in a desert setting.”
His favorite hole is No. 3, a 465-yard par-4 with a split fairway and a speed slot down the right side for those who care to take the gamble. The fifth hole is a monster par 5 at 641 yards from the back tees but plays downhill and, the majority of the time, downwind. The entire back nine is impressive but the meat of the course, fittingly, is the last four holes, which have been dubbed “Gambler’s Bluff” because of the risk-reward factor. It starts with the par-5 15th, which stretches to 548 yards with a bisected fairway. Going left is a gamble, but if you pull it off, you’ll have a better shot at reaching the green in two. On the approach, the left side is all trouble. The par-3 16th, at 200 yards, plays downhill from the highest point on the course at 2,700 feet and the par-4 17th is pure fun with a 100-foot elevation drop on a 392-yard hole to a split fairway and into a prevailing wind. Catch the speed slot down the left side and it will advance your ball toward the green, but there’s much more landing room on the right side. No. 18 wraps it up with a robust par 4 at 500 yards from the tips and another bisected fairway. Avoid the left side of the green, which is heavily bunkered.
The course and impressive hacienda-style clubhouse both have won several awards for excellence. It has seven sets of tees, stretching to a whopping 7,561 yards from the tips, with a rating of 75.1 and slope of 148. It also has one of Arizona’s best practice facilities, spanning 14 acres. Golf Club Scottsdale introduced a new membership program in February 2011 for families which means there are no more excuses about spending quality together with the spouse and kids. It’s a golfer’s dream.