Silverado Scottsdale Golf Club

The Buzz: One of the newer courses to the Scottsdale golf scene, Silverado also is one of its most player-friendly, a par-70 at 6,313 yards from the back tees that filled the last parcel of a green belt along Indian Bend Wash. That’s not to say that Silverado is exactly “easy,” just that it won’t beat you up nearly as much as the high-end layouts further north. While they offer mountains and rugged desert terrain, Silverado serves up a tamer Southwestern feel with mild desert transition areas. This is the place where husbands and wives can play together and both have a good time on a course they can manage. Created in 2000 by designers Ross Graves and Jack Gilmore, it has a unique ownership co-op between local businessmen and the City of Scottsdale. Along with playability, it provides excellent views of Camelback and Mummy mountains and gained a quick following among public golfers, who appreciate its excellent conditioning. It has an unusual mix of holes with six par 3s, ranging from 157-209 yards, and four par 5s, from 514-535 yards. Regulars at the course like its elevated tees, which allow them to clearly see the layout and hazards in front of them, including lakes, nature areas, strategic bunkering and hundreds of trees that were planted during construction and now are starting to mature. Many fairways run parallel with the front playing in a north-south direction and the back situated in an east-west pattern, creating a greater demand for a variety of shots on windy days. The back nine is the more interesting of the two, highlighted by the 14th and 18th holes. No. 14 is a demanding par 5 at 535 yards, and the finishing, signature hole is a 157-yard par 3 that plays from an elevated tee to a large, well-guarded peninsula green encompassed by a 2-acre lake and backdropped by Mummy Mountain. That green complex is in full view of the clubhouse, which means you can relax there after the round and watch your fellow golfers attempt to keep their tee shots on terra firma. The course restaurant serves up an excellent club sandwich and some of the best prime rib in the Valley of the Sun. It also offers monthly specials and an affordable all-you-can-eat buffet. And with the course location near the heart of Scottsdale, there are plenty of dining, lodging and clubbing options available in close proximity.