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Carefree Central Arizona Scottsdale

Boulders Golf Club – South Course

The beautiful hole #5 among the rocky boulders on the South Course of The Boulders in Scottsdale, Arizona
Hole #5 on Boulders - South Course

Arizona Golf Courses – Boulders Golf Club South Course

If you have to play one but not the other course at The Boulders, then the South better be your No. 1 choice. Spectacular beyond belief with magical million-year-old boulders — and loaded with signature holes – the South Course is full of the Kodak eye-candy you ogle in national golf magazines. There is one catch to playing The Boulders, however: You must stay at the world-class resort on the outskirts of Carefree (15 minute from Scottsdale) to get a tee time in peak season. Not necessarily a bad thing, considering The Boulders has earned a mountain of rewards ever since the first nine holes opened in 1969.

The beautiful hole #5 among the rocky boulders on the South Course of The Boulders in Scottsdale, Arizona
Hole #5 at The Boulders – South Course

Red Lawrence built the original nine and Phoenix architect Jack Snyder completed the first 18 a few years later. In 1984 Jay Morrish added 10 more holes as The Boulders played to three distinct nines up until 1992. That’s when Morrish returned to add the other eight holes, which were ultimately scrambled into the North and the South.

For some reason, the more fantastic offerings like the par-5 fifth hole, that gives you a choice between two fairways that lead to an incredible green setting snuggled into the rocks, as well as the par-3 seventh hole, where a seven-story-high boulder called “Rosie’’ awaits, turned up on the South Course. Even Morrish, a very honest gent who has since retired, was puzzled by the difference.

“As it turned out, I really like the South Course much more than the North,’’ he said. “I did those opening five holes, and the majority of the 18 on the South. Unfortunately, it’s kind of strung out and doesn’t tie together that well. But if you look at each hole individually, they’re pretty darn good.’’

Nobody at the club argues, nor do advertising production companies that seem to film TV commercial after TV commercial on the South. For convenience sake, the club reserves one course for the membership and the other course for resort play daily.

The Arizona Golf Authority AZGA “Local Hang” for the North and South Courses, following a libation on any of several Boulders patios, includes both the simple cowboy cheeseburgers and cold long-necks at Harold’s as well as the finest in fine-Foodie-dining at Binkley’s, both just up the road a piece in the Cave Creek – Carefree locale.

Click Boulders North Course to visit our Arizona Golf Course Directory List and read the AZGA Player’s Review for every golf course in Arizona.

It’s “All Things Arizona Golf” from the Arizona Golf Authority.

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Carefree Central Arizona Scottsdale

Boulders Golf Club – North Course

Arizona Golf Courses – Boulders Golf Club North Course

Most people love staying at The Boulders as much as playing the two golf courses, which is why Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report, known as the connoisseur’s guide to “peaceful and unspoiled places,’’ once gave it the No. 1 nod in the world for 12 years running. It’s also why The Boulders was named by the Arts and Entertainment Network as one of the top romantic get-aways in the world.

Cool stuff for a golf course! Or should we say courses. A 36-hole day is always a good idea and we think you’ll find the North quite entertaining, even if it’s a bit more inundated with houses and offers a few fewer Kodak scenery moments than the South.

Low clouds over the #16 hole on The Boulder’s North Course in Carefree, Arizona
Hole #16 on the North Course at The Boulders

Certainly the North is more traditional and tight, with white stakes seemingly everywhere along the residence-lined fairways. The heart of the North starts at No. 10, where it reels off three demanding doglegs in a row. If there is a signature hole, it comes at the end of that run, as the par-3 14th is a dicey long iron over water to a tricky green. The course closes out with another strong, dogleg par 4 at the 18th, where water and sand once again complicate matters.

Surprisingly, and somewhat contrary to what Morrish and most visitors say, the club’s members enjoy both courses somewhat equally, which is why they are switched back and forth on a daily basis. Oh, yes, and one more thing to relish about The Boulders is its world-renown Golden Door Spa. Ahhhh – perfect after 36 holes of golf!

The Arizona Golf Authority AZGA “Local Hang” for the North and South Courses, following a libation on any of several Boulders patios, includes both the simple cowboy cheeseburgers and cold long-necks at Harold’s as well as the finest in fine-Foodie-dining at Binkley’s, both just up the road a piece in the Cave Creek – Carefree locale.

Click Boulders South Course to visit our Arizona Golf Course Directory List and read the AZGA Player’s Review for every golf course in Arizona.

It’s “All Things Arizona Golf” from the Arizona Golf Authority.

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Central Arizona Glendale

Bellair Golf Club

Bellair Golf Club - Arizona Golf Course Reviews from the Arizona Golf Authority

Arizona Golf Courses – Arizona Golf Authority Golf Course Review

Bellair Golf Club offers one of the best executive golf courses in Arizona. The design is definitely head-and-shoulders above the usual pitch-and-putt affair as this Bellair features five par-4 holes, genuine strategic bunkering and several tight, tree-lined fairways.

Bellair Golf Club - Arizona Golf Course Reviews from the Arizona Golf Authority
Bellair Golf Club No. 13 - 160 Yard - Par 3

If you are adept at playing long irons and fairway metals, this course will fit your game nicely. If not, Bellair is the place to hone that part of your game. The course is an enjoyable and thorough test, throughout the bag, that will help fine tune your short game as well.

Bellair’s golf course, which opened in 1973, was sculpted by Red Lawrence, Greg Nash and Jeff Hardin, all of whom are well known for their course design work throughout Arizona, and they created a nice variety of holes with this layout. From the tips, par-4 holes range from 254 to 354 yards and par 3s vary from 121 to 217 yards.

The tips are set 3,493 yards and play to par 59. From here, the course is rated at 56.2 with a slope of 90. If there is a signature hole, it might be the 13th, which plays at 160 yards over water. Most of the greens are well protected challenging bunkers, and two water hazards come into play.

Bellair Golf Club features plenty of variety that appeals to all skill levels, and the affordable rates and friendly atmosphere also add to its good reputation. After your round, relax at the IronWorks Restaurant, which overlooks the first hole of the course and its adjoining lake. It offers good food at reasonable prices and has a full-service restaurant and lounge, open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

If you prefer something a little spicier, the nearby Sesame Kitchen serves up some of the best Thai food in the Valley of the Sun. For lodging, the Red Roof Inn and Comfort Inn are good budget choices and within three miles of the course.

If you’re a baseball spring training fan, this is a great place to slip in a quick round on a good course before or after a game, and there are several teams that train nearby. Seattle and San Diego are over at Peoria Sports Complex and Texas and Kansas City train at Surprise Recreation Center. Both complexes are within a 15-minute drive.

Visit the Arizona Golf Authority, it’s “All Things Arizona Golf.”

Click Friends Hole Back-to-Back Aces at Bellair Golf Club’s 12th and 13th for a great hole-in-one story.

Our all Arizona Golf Courses Reviews and Guide List directory has an AZGA Player’s Arizona golf course review for every golf course in Arizona, click www.arizonagolfauthority.com/coursedirectory.

 

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Central Arizona Phoenix

Arizona Grand Golf Course

arizona-grand-golf-course

The Buzz: Originally it was called The Pointe Golf Club at South Mountain and later was known as Phantom Horse, but by any name, this picturesque layout is one memorable golf experience. Created by Forrest Richardson, a well-known Arizona architect who has a passion for design history, Arizona Grand dazzles golfers with its blend of traditional links, desert influences and strategic routing.

arizona-grand-golf-course

Due to legal challenges over a land swap between the developer and city of Phoenix, it took five years to complete the course that opened to great acclaim in 1989 and sets hard on the edge of South Mountain Park. That is no small matter. In fact, at more than 13,000 acres, it is the largest municipal park in the world and provides a spectacular setting for the course that wends its way through the natural desert preserve with arroyos, craggy, rock-covered hills and dramatic elevation changes. The hike alone is worth the price of admission, but Richardson also offers up some memorable golf holes at Arizona Grand, which plays to par-71 at a manageable 6,336 yards from the back tees. The front nine has a more classic approach and the back nine more of a desert-target feel, and it’s not particularly long but has plenty of strategically placed targets to create challenges.

With captivating surroundings, it is fitting perhaps that the two most memorable holes are nicknamed “Jailhouse Steps” and “Alcatraz.” The former is a 538-yard par-5 with a fairway that narrows in the landing area. The nickname refers to three rows of stacked bunkers that guard an elevated green, which isn’t very deep and starts just 15 yards from the crest of the hill where it rests. The approach shot requires an extra club to reach the green.

Alcatraz gets its name from the island green that concludes the round on the 362-yard, par-4 18th hole. It was created when Arizona Grand Resort underwent a $52 million re-development project in 2009 that also created a massive water park. The hole caps off an excellent finishing stretch that offers birdie opportunities with other par 4s at 353, 325 and 307 yards. Sandwiched among them is the par-3 17th at 202 yards, with a tee box perched high on a bluff that provides some of the most expansive views available of the Valley of the Sun.

The surrounding resort offers plenty more activities, including that water park, which features a 10,000-square-foot wave pool, three water slides up to 83 feet high, a lazy river with rapids, a hot tub large enough for 25 adults, an area called Wild Cat Springs dedicated to young guests, speakers throughout the park and a bar and grill serving a variety of treats and libations.

For dining, you can choose among: The Lobby Grill (with an open wood-fired grill and rotisserie kitchen); Aunt Chilada’s Mexican-style cantina; Rustler’s Rooste (with Mesquite-broiled steaks, chops and chicken and hearty chili) or Phantom Horse Sports Bar, with plenty of TVs and video games to complement the bar menu.

The course and resort have received numerous accolades from the likes of Golf Digest, AAA and the Zagat Survey.

Visit our Arizona Golf Course Reviews and enjoy our take on every golf course in Arizona. It’s just a part of “All Things, Arizona Golf” at the Arizona Golf Authority.

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Central Arizona Phoenix

Aguila Golf Course

aguila-golf-course-photo

aguila-golf-course-photoThe Buzz: This was the last of the municipal courses built by the city of Phoenix and has become the favorite of many “muny” players. Designed by Gary Panks, who created several of Arizona’s best course layouts, Aguila opened in 1999 to much acclaim and gets its name from the Aztec word for “eagle.” The $6.5 million project includes an 18-hole championship and a nine-hole executive course on a 210-acre plot that was the former site of the Alvord family farm. It nestles up to South Mountain Park, the largest municipal park in the country, spanning 17,000 acres, and offers excellent views, with the Estrella Mountains and South Mountain in two directions and the Phoenix skyline in another.

In the fall of 2010, Aguila underwent a three-month renovation project in which some bunkers were re-shaped and all were renovated. Greenside bunkering provides numerous challenges on the course that has four sets of tees, ranging from 5,442 to 6,962 yards. It is rated at 72.4, with a slope of 129, from the back tees.

The layout has a sort of links feel with gently rolling fairways, transition areas that meander through the property, supporting native grasses and desert flora. Three lakes bring water into play on five holes. Raised green complexes and generous fairways make it player friendly, but the fairway bunkers can be very penal. Being a municipal course, Panks allowed for recovery shots around the greens. There are plenty of birdie opportunities, but in most cases, you need to hit good drives to take advantage. Panks enjoys creating risk-reward holes and he did that here on Nos. 8 and 17. Both are short par 4s, at 309 and 321 yards, but both have prominent water hazards you must avoid. Both nines have strong finishing holes, which are rated the second and third handicap holes. The ninth plays at 441 yards and the 18th is the longest par 4 on the course at 471. A lake separates the two holes, running nearly their full length and there are some treacherous bunkers on each.

The nine-hole course is your basic pitch-and-putt which works great for kids. It has two sets of tees at 763 and 1,081 yards and just three holes over 100 yards, with 141 being the longest. Aguila has an excellent youth golf program, including a state-of-the-art learning center, complete with classroom, reading and reference materials plus computers. There also are extensive practice facilities and The Eagles Nest Café serves up breakfast and lunch. Being a municipal course, it offers some of the lowest green fees in the state and golfers who buy a discount card through the city of Phoenix receive even lower rates on the five 18-hole and three nine-hole courses in the city stable.

One more thing Aguila offers that you might not find at any other “muny” course is a head pro who has won the U.S. Women’s Open. That’s right, Janet Anderson, who won the title by 6 shots in 1982, heads up the staff here. She had 52 top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour and still has plenty of game, playing on the Women’s Senior Golf Tour when her schedule allows.