The Buzz: Hale Irwin designed this “power executive” layout with five lakes, although water only comes into play on four holes and only then if your errant shots are far off line. It plays to par 62 and has eight par-4 holes, with six of them longer than 400 yards, which means you get to hit drivers more often than executive courses typically afford. The idea for this course, which opened in 1999, was to provide a quality alternative to the Palms Course and one that could be played in less time. Irwin delivered on that demand. It has four sets of tees, ranging from 3,199 to 4,745 yards, and is rated at 61.8 with a slope of 95 from the back tees. The length makes it player friendly, but Hale, who is one of the most prominent USGA champions ever, didn’t make it a pushover. He built the challenge into the greens, which can best be described as three-putts waiting to happen. They are tiered, quick, severely undulating and sometimes tough to read, making pin location crucial and placing a premium on approach shots. If you walk off this course without a three-putt, you have reason to celebrate.
Among the best holes are the seventh and ninth. No. 7, a par 4, is the longest hole on the course at 432 yards from the tips and is a slight dogleg left with a horseshoe-shaped bunker surrounding the back of the green, which saves “air-mailed” approach shots from reaching a water hazard. The par-3 ninth, at 182 yards from the back tee, might be the signature hole. It is a scenic spot that features a water hazard running along the left side and bunkers left of, and behind, a very undulating green. If your time is limited, but you still want a challenge instead of a pitch-and-putt, put this one on your short list.
Palm Valley Golf Club was hosting avid players long before professional sports stadiums dotted the landscape on the western side of the Phoenix metro area. Palm Valley, a master-planned community that began development in 1987, added golf courses in 1993 and ’99. The golf complex offers two complementary courses, playability for all skill levels, affordability and nice facilities, including a recently remodeled clubhouse. That latest project included converting the pro shop to a Callaway Signature Shop and converted the Fairway Grille into a virtual sports bar with wide-screen TVs and patio seating on the Waterfront Pavilion facing the club’s signature hole.
Palm Valley is now right in the thick of things, drawing those who attend Arizona Cardinals NFL games at University of Phoenix Stadium, Phoenix Coyotes NHL games at Jobing.com Arena and MLB spring training games at Goodyear Ballpark and Camelback Ranch. In fact, it’s common to see baseball players from the Reds, Indians, Dodgers and White Sox organizations teeing it up at Palm Valley. The facility also is known for the quality of its junior golf programs, and it offers a loyalty card, called the Palms Card, with substantial discounts on green fees and merchandise.