Maryvale Golf Course – Arizona Golf Course Reviews: Maryvale is one of three Phoenix municipal golf course treasures designed by William Francis (Billy, Jr.) Bell, who collaborated with his father, William Park “Billy” Bell, who had his hands on the classic layouts at Riviera Country Club, Bel-Air Country Club and L.A. North Country Club.
At Maryvale, Mr. Bell provides 6,646 yards of classic tree-lined fairways that dogleg in both directions around a fair amount of water and his trademark flash-bunkers. Sure, it’s rough around the edges, it’s a muni. But be advised, it’s a complete examination of traditional golf skills that’s no pushover. Our advice? Be ready to play from the start and save something for the finish.
The 1st is a birdie hole that produces an awful lot of bogeys, a gently sweeping 492-yard 5-par dogleg-left. The treachery here lies in the fact it’s reachable in two for most. Just don’t be a little short right or you’re bunkered, a bit left and the putting surface runs away from you, and above the pin on the small contoured green is a false-positive. It looks makeable and you’ll try to. Remember, par’s a fine start anywhere.
The 2nd is a straightforward 213-yard par-3 with an enticing opening between two bunkers to allow you to run the ball onto the multi-tiered green; read it carefully – the large tier undulations tend to grab your attention, causing you to miss the subtleties of each individual tier around the cup.
The 3rd presents a 421-yard tree-lined 4-par, sweeping left to right to an elevated green, playing directly into the prevailing breeze. Congratulate yourself if you’re even par through 3, you’ve earned a pat on the back and the pals in your group aren’t going to say anything.
The finishing stretch is a test too, so save some game. The 438-yard par 4 16th bends right to left, off a lake, to a smallish contoured putting surface. Trees and a fairway bunker inside the dogleg protect the left side of the landing area; the green is bunkered front-left. Long is the play here, both off the tee and on the approach; the back of the green allows a straightforward up and in.
The par-3 17th plays 206 yards and any shot pushed right will find the lake. The hole plays longer than its yardage as the large sloping green is elevated above the level of the tee.
The dead-straight 18th brings you 410 yards back home between two fairway bunkers flanking the fairway landing area, and two more guarding each side of the green. The front of the green narrows between them and a front pin here is the most challenging.
It’s another subtle nuance, the drive at the 18th, one of the many you’ll find scattered throughout this golf course. Mr. Bell has had you shaping tee shots both ways, all day long starting at the first hole, and yet when you reach the 18th he demands what may be the most terrifying shot in golf, whether a drive or a putt: the dreaded straight shot.
Maryvale municipal offers a full assortment of pleasant practice facilities, instruction programs and league play. An on-site snack shop provides all the expected menu items for food and beverages at the course.
Maryvale can be fairly described as “a wolf of a golf course, in sheep’s clothing.” Although modest in appearance, when you total your scorecard for the day don’t be surprised if Mr. Bell’s traditional layout has you wondering just exactly how all those bogeys climbed aboard your card.
Assemble the complete Phoenix-rota of Mr. Bell’s municipal golf courses by playing Papago Municipal and Encanto Municipal as well, and revel in the enjoyable era of golf course design that today’s “bomb and gouge” layouts have lost.
Arizona Golf Authority AZGA “Local Hang” for Maryvale includes Max’s Sports Bar, just south of Glendale Avenue, on 47th Avenue, and TexAZ, located on the northeast corner of 16th Street and Bethany Home Road.