The Buzz: It is billed as the little course with a big feel, and that’s what you get at this gem in the high country, where golfers from the Phoenix and Tucson areas head to tee it up during the scorching months served up by desert climate. Milt Coggins, who is a legend in Arizona golf circles, created the par-63 layout that plays at 4,558 yards from the back tees. Coggins, who died in 1994, was a longtime pro at Encanto Golf Course in Phoenix and designed more than 10 courses around the state, including the nearby White Mountain Country Club. He also was an avid hunter and fishermen, which fits perfectly with Pinetop and the surrounding area in the White Mountains.
Many executive courses are limited by size, but Coggins was given plenty of room to work with here and he capitalized on it, creating a course that doesn’t have a single bogus hole. The wooded area has enough variety to provide a good golf challenge across fairways that are mostly hilly, dogleg holes, elevated tees, medium-sized elevated greens and ponds that bring water into play on three holes. There are even a couple par 5s that allow golfers the chance to hit drivers at 480 and 512 yards.The five par-4 holes average 350 yards and par 3s range from 134 to 191.A fun four-hole stretch starts at the back nine with a 319-yard par 4. The par-3 11th plays over water at 202 yards, followed by a 153-yard par 3 and a 354-yard par 4 at 13, which doglegs its way past two huge, intimidating pine trees.
The country club provides a great family getaway because golf isn’t its only game. It also features excellent tennis facilities and a saddle club for horseback riding, and there are condos along with course and cozy cottages nearby to spend a night or a week. The area around Pinetop truly is a sportsman’s paradise offering hunting, fishing, skiing, hiking, boating, snowmobiling, camping, picnicking and vast array of wildlife that are unsurpassed in Arizona. Stunning scenery and diverse cultures mesh to create a unique experience and are celebrated throughout the year with a variety of festivals, parades, historic celebrations and Native American ceremonials. Examples are art festivals, a wild country expo, pioneer days, a sweet corn festival and an ATV outlaw trail jamboree. To Milt Coggins, this was heaven on Earth, and most visitors don’t need to ask why.