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Northern Arizona Page

Lake Powell National Golf Course

Arizona Golf Authority AZGA Golf Course Buzz: Looking over this northeast Arizona landscape, or is it “moonscape,” you might wonder if you’re playing golf on another planet. The answer is “no, it just appears that way” as Lake Powell National is constructed on a high mesa outcropping of red sandstone that contrasts with the lush green fairways to create a surreal scene.

More difficult is figuring out how they convinced that green carpet to grow here. Turns out, it took a few sticks of dynamite and several years of nurturing to accomplish the task and the result truly is one of Arizona’s hidden golf course gems.

Lake Powell National bills itself as the “Crown Jewel” of golf in northern Arizona and that’s not just hype. Having most likely driven to this part of Arizona, one of the first things to strike you is the golf course features the only grass you’ve seen in some time, as this is where the federal government chose to build Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River, creating Lake Powell.

Lake Powell provides water storage for drought-plagued Arizona, but a major side benefit was creating a recreation paradise featuring 186-miles of boating waterways, with 96 major canyons and 1,960 miles of shoreline.

The golf course, designed by Tempe architect William Phillips, takes full advantage of what nature and man created here, with a golf course that opened in 1995 and has received as many as four stars from Golf Digest.

Here’s more good news: Lake Powell National is officially deemed a municipal course owned by the town of Page, which translates to reasonable green fees. The permanent population is rather sparse in these parts so you can often tee it up without even scheduling a tee time in advance.

Lake Powell National overlooks the dam, Lake Powell and Vermillion Cliffs; the course is loaded with stunning vistas and excellent, challenging golf holes. From the tips, which stretch to 7,030 yards, Lake Powell National is rated at 73.4 with a slope of 145, which means you need to pay attention to something besides the surroundings. There are four sets of tees, with the shortest playing at 3,850 yards.

The two nines are known as the Upper and Lower Mesas, with a 300-foot elevation change between them. The back-9 is the most memorable but the course starts pretty strong with a 524-yard par-5 that has a lake in play on the tee shot. The par-3 2nd demands a 203-yard tee ball that must carry water.

The views on the back-9 are captivating and the four-hole stretch starting at No. 11 is the highlight of the round. This workout begins with a 510-yard par-5, the 12th is a 394-yard par-4, then a 207-yard carry at the par-3 13th, to a green that appears to be suspended in mid-air, and finishes with the (gulp) 508-yard par-4 fourteenth.

For many players, the par-3 15th is considered the signature hole. Called “Cliffhanger,” the par-3 plays to 191 yards with a 175-foot drop to the green below and has an official looking sign warning golfers: “Caution! Cliff Edge.”

It should read “Go to your golf bag, grab all your old balls and use them here.”

Next up is the par-4 458-yard 16th called “Widowmaker” that’s framed by the Mesa of the Dead. The 17th wins the thrill-ride award; it’s a monster par-5 that rambles 641 yards down the hill and over a creek, twice!

The finishing stretch may wear you out, but that just makes the 19th hole even more inviting; the Veranda Bar & Grille offers up great fare and some incredible views, particularly at sunset.

Lake Powell National also has excellent practice facilities, including two putting greens, and offers stay-and-play packages with several nearby hotels. If you have extra time to spend in the area before or after your round, time on and around Lake Powell is worth every minute you can spare.

Arizona Golf Authority AZGA “Local Hang” for Lake Powell National is right where you are; the Veranda has you front and center for one of the finest sunset shows Mother Nature and man have produced anywhere in the world.

Read the Arizona Golf Authority AZGA Golf Course Buzz for every golf course in the State of Arizona at http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/

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Central Arizona Sun City

Sun City North Golf Course

Arizona Golf Authority AZGA Arizona Golf Course Buzz: Sun City North is one of the oldest golf courses of the 8 golf facilities managed by Recreation Centers of Sun City, Inc. The RCSC is the private, non-profit corporation that owns and operates approximately $80 million of recreational facilities in the Sun City retirement community northwest of Phoenix.

Designed by Del Webb Corp., the course opened in 1960 and is known as a player-friendly design with relatively flat terrain, large trees and numerous dogleg holes, with two lakes bringing water into play on four holes. There are three sets of tees at 6,451, 6,154 and 5,625 yards, with a rating of 69.5 and slope of 117 from the back tees, which means there are plenty of birdies to be taken on the par-72 layout.

The challenge starts early because the second hole, a 422-yard par-4, is the No. 1 handicap hole. The course also ends strong with a par-5 at 573 yards that is the longest hole on the course and features a sweeping dogleg-left and a green heavily guarded by bunkers on three sides.

Among the highlights in between is the 12th hole, a testy little par-3 that some consider the signature hole. It plays at 170 yards and requires a tee shot over a small lake with a large bunker guarding the left side of the green.

That same lake comes into play on the 13th hole, a 523-yard par-5, rated the No. 2 handicap hole on the golf course.

Another lake comes into play on the eighth, a 406-yard par-4 with bunkers squeezing both sides of the green, and the ninth, a 368-yard par-4 dogleg-right.

Par-3 holes offer a nice variety, ranging from 143 to 210 yards. The course has a driving range, putting green and chipping area and a snack shop that serves breakfast and lunch items.

Sun City celebrated its 50th birthday in 2010 and continues going strong as one of the country’s foremost retirement communities. A large part of that success is RCSC, which operates seven recreational centers, eight golf courses with five snack shops, two bowling centers, two full-service restaurants and one amphitheater (Sun Bowl).

The five regulation and three executive golf courses span 1,100 acres and are within six miles of each other. North is a semi-private course that is open to public play but Sun City residents receive preferred tee times and rates, which are among the lowest in the metro Phoenix area.

Visit the complete Arizona Golf Authority Golf Course Directory to read the Arizona Golf Authority AZGA Golf Course Buzz about every golf course in the State of Arizona at http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/

Here are the direct links to each of Sun City’s 8 golf courses, enjoy:

Championship Golf Courses

Sun City Lakes – West Golf Course: http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/

Sun City North Golf Course: http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/

Sun City Riverview Golf Course: http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/

Sun City South Golf Course: http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/

Sun City Willowcreek Golf Course: http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/

Executive Golf Courses

Sun City Lakes – East Golf Course: http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/

Sun City Quail Run Golf Course: http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/

Sun City Willowbrook Golf Course: http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/

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Central Arizona Phoenix

Paradise Valley Park Golf Course

Arizona Golf Authority AZGA Golf Course Buzz: This is basic golf on an executive course with few frills and some of the lowest green fees in the north Phoenix area. Paradise Valley Park, which was designed by Jeff Hardin and former PGA of America president Brian Whitcomb, opened in 1986 with a traditional design, relatively flat terrain and generally hard surfaces, which translates to lots of run-out on most shots.

The par-61 layout has three sets of tees at 4,145, 3,789 and 3,404 yards, with a rating of 52.9 and slope of 88 from the back tees. There is just one par-5 hole, the ninth, which plays at 475 yards. The course has five par-4s with the longest at 335 yards and the shortest at 288, and the par 3s range from 113 – 212 yards.

The finish is the most demanding part of the round as water comes into play on the last two holes. A lake guards the left side of the par-3 17th, which plays at 150 yards and the par-4 18th, at 327 yards, features a menacing pond along the left side of the fairway. The course has a handful of bunkers but they aren’t prominent obstacles.

Paradise Valley Park doesn’t serve up many challenges for the low-handicapper, but works great for less-experienced golfers, short hitters and those looking to work on short- and mid-iron play. Natural grass driving range facilities are provided, along with a putting green and chipping practice area, and a small grille with refreshments available.

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Central Arizona Phoenix

Stonecreek Golf Club

Stonecreek Golf Club - No. 14
Stonecreek Golf Club - No. 14

Arizona Golf Authority AZGA Golf Course Buzz: Many avid golfers in the Phoenix area consider this golf course to be the metro-area’s most convenient high-value play. Stonecreek Golf Club, conveniently located near the point where Phoenix, Scottsdale and Paradise Valley all intersect, lacks the prestige and accolades of many of its neighboring courses, and yet offers many comparable services and amenities. The best news is it offers them at a much more affordable rate.

The layout originally was created by Gary Grandstaff and Roy Dye, the brother of legendary designer Pete Dye, in 1983 and four years later was re-designed by Arthur Hills, who created a stone-bedded creek that winds through the property, coming into play on 13 holes.

Together with the 5 green-hugging ponds on the course, they combine to create plenty of challenges with that pesky creek often appearing to have magnetic ball-luring properties. Treacherous bunkers, some as deep as 15 feet, are scattered about to mess with you and your scorecard as well.

The layout lies within and follows the contours of the Indian Bend Wash; that explains all the elevated green complexes. The course motif here is links-style play, with fairways bordered by trees, water and that pesky stone creek-bed. Green complexes feature a lot of undulation and smooth putting surfaces.

The greens themselves were re-shaped and renovated in 1996 using a Bermuda hybrid that is well-kept. The par-71 layout has five sets of tees, from 5,018 to 6,871 yards with a rating of 72.8 and slope of 131 and has hosted several prestigious tournaments, including local qualifying for the PGA Tour’s Phoenix Open, held at the Tournament Players Club of Scottsdale’s Stadium Course.

The signature hole is the sixth, a 389-yard dogleg-right par-4 where the stone creek cuts across the fairway in the primary landing area, and the approach shot must find a green protected back and right by a pond, and left by a deep bunker.

But Stonecreek really exposes its teeth at the five-hole finishing stretch. The 14th is a 378-yard par-4 with water reachable from the tee and extending along the right side of the green; a front-left bunker discourages anything but flying an approach onto this green.

The par-3 15th stretches 227 yards with the same water in play, and the 16th, a 609-yard par-5, plays into the prevailing breeze from the west, with a must-carry pond guarding the front of the green.

The 2 finishers are par-4’s which always seem to play longer than their yardages of 419 and 436. At the 17th, the stone creek runs down the full right side and wraps behind the green; another elevated putting surface here.

From the 18th tee, you see the creek bisect the fairway in the corner of the dogleg-right, and wonder if you can carry it. Here’s a tip: decide you can’t and play to the center of the fairway. You’ll be left with a short-iron approach to a heavily contoured green protected left and right by large bunkers.

Practice facilities at Stonecreek are very good and it has some of the best golf instruction programs in Arizona, including Purtzer Golf, created by former PGA Tour player Paul Purtzer.

The course offers stay-and-play packages in conjunction with Embassy Suites, which is adjacent to the clubhouse. After the round, check out the Up The Creek Restaurant, which serves up breakfast and lunch; pleasant patio, great staff, nice place to watch afternoon turn into evening.

Arizona Golf Authority AZGA “Local Hang” for Stonecreek includes Z-Tejas, just down the street on the northeast corner of Tatum and Shea Boulevards, and Ernie’s Inn, at the retail center on the southeast corner of Scottsdale Road and Shea Boulevard.

Categories
Central Arizona Phoenix

Phoenix Country Club

Arizona Golf Authority AZGA Golf Course Buzz: It isn’t the oldest golf course in Arizona, but most would agree that Phoenix Country Club is the most historic in the state. Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater and his brother, Bob, who is known as the “Father of the Phoenix Open,” were instrumental in creating the club. Founded in 1899, the club had modest golf facilities at three sites around the Phoenix area before finding its current downtown Phoenix home in 1919.

Phoenix Country Club hosted its first tournament the next year and later became the host of the Phoenix Open, which stands as one of the oldest events on the PGA Tour. The club hosted the event 40 times between 1932 and 1986 (some years it was played at two other sites) and those who won the title at PCC include Byron Nelson, Jimmy Demaret, Ben Hogan, Gene Littler, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and the “desert fox”, Johnny Miller.

Englishman Harry Collis designed the parkland-style layout that features tree-lined fairways, big, traditional bunkers and subtle greens that vary in size depending on the difficulty of the hole.

The club retained the design team of Tom Lehman and John Fought to refurbish the course in 2002 and they put a premium on preserving its old-school styling.

“It needed to keep that traditional look with elevated greens and strategic bunkering, and at the same time take advantage of new turf grasses that provide a better playing surface,” Lehman said of the $6 million project. “At the end of the day, the goal was to make the course look and feel old, but make it strategic and keep it fun to play with great conditions. It’s something we need to do with these traditional courses that have wall-to-wall grass because we don’t have very many left in the area.”

Greens were resurfaced after the makeover to complete the project on a course that now sparkles. Phoenix Country Club plays to par 71 with two men’s and two ladies’ tees, and is 6,764 yards from the tips with a rating of 72.4 and slope of 129.

The course features some long par-3 holes, demanding par-4s and a pair of reachable par-5s that bookend the layout. No. 1 is a 511-yard par 5 with a long, slender green that offers a birdie to those who avoid a large pine tree along the right fairway and the right greenside bunker. The 18th, at 527 yards, is a classic risk-reward hole where a long drive up the left-center will allow you to reach the green, but water lurks on the right side and bunkers left; both are bogeys in waiting.

Phoenix Country Club has its own “Amen Corner” version with a three-hole stretch starting at No. 13. The par-3, with a hazard on the right, plays at 207 yards to a two-tiered green. The 14th, a 413-yard par-4, features out of bounds left and right, and the 15th is a 166-yard par-3 with water short and deep bunkers guarding the left and back of the green.

Phoenix Country Club also offers tennis, swimming, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a full-service clubhouse that was named one of the top 100 in the country by Golf World magazine in 2010 (Read Phoenix Country Club Article) and locker rooms with historical photos and artifacts on display.

The club offers several memberships, including those for residents and non-residents, golfers and non-golfers. As always, new members must be sponsored by existing members.

Arizona Golf Authority AZGA “Local Hang” for Phoenix Country Club includes Durant’s, on the east side of Central Avenue, just north of Virginia, and TexAZ, on the northeast corner of 16th Street and Bethany Home Road.