Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore built two terrific layouts for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community at Talking Stick Golf Club. Due to their location on the reservation, water is plentiful and course conditions are lush and manicured.
The South Course is the pure application of a traditional golf course upon desert land; wide and tree-lined all-turf fairways with rough extend from tee to green. The fairways are routed around bunkers, in the traditional locations, and deliver you to raised and bunkered green complexes. No forced carries over desert or pond here, but to achieve par 71 on the 6,833-yard South Course you might consider a few.
Talking Stick Golf Course
Messrs Crenshaw and Coore created an entirely different experience at the North Course. It’s the same piece of property, same designers, but a completely different type of golf.
The 7,133-yard par 70 North course approximates links golf in the desert. The course is mown tight and the ball runs all over the subtle contours built into the fairways. Don’t be surprised when you find your ball in a bunker you thought you couldn’t reach, or appeared to be nowhere near the spot you landed your ball. The greens take subtle to an even higher level. As your putt loses speed approaching the hole and drifts left or right, just enough to miss, you’ll realize that you need to look a little closer at that next “straight” putt.
Play them both, more that once if you have time, and revel in the rich contrast we so often find in the game called golf.
SunRidge Canyon Golf Club – Arizona Golf Courses: “Stunning” is a word perhaps used too often when describing golf courses, but according to one of its designers, Keith Foster, it fits SunRidge Canyon Golf Club to a tee.
Its rugged setting, deep within rock-faced canyons and weather-worn ravines, provides an elegant contrast to the manicured playing surfaces contained therein.
Together with the famous Arizona “go-on-forever” sweeping mountain vistas which reveal themselves throughout the round, SunRidge Canyon is a day well spent, no matter what your scorecard totals.
Constructed in 1995, SunRidge Canyon was purchased in December 2010 by part-time Fountain Hills residents Don and Cindy Misheff. Their local, hands-on stewardship keeps SunRidge Canyon on the leading edge of the premier daily-fee “member for a day” golf club offerings available in the metro area – its Fountain Hills location makes it convenient too.
Designed by Keith Foster, a devout minimalist before it was popular, SunRidge Canyon displays all the best features the philosophy “less is more” offers.
Instead of a grabbing a bulldozer, Foster laid his work on the canvas Mother Nature provided, relying on the magical effects her wind, water and relentless tectonic pressure worked on the picturesque McDowell Mountains. What she and her disciple created is a par-71 layout that tips out at 6,823 yards from the back tees; 5,193 from the front.
Before you let that yardage start you salivating, be advised: level lies in fairways will be few and straight, flat putts won’t be found.
Your SunRidge journey begins at the high end of one of its rugged canyons and gradually descends through the front nine, offering excellent views of Four Peaks and the Mazatzal Mountains to the east. As you make the turn, you begin a gradual climb to a thrilling string of finishing holes, dubbed the “Wicked Six”, that are among the best golf experiences in Arizona – for players and photographers alike.
We say the highlights of the front nine are the first and the seventh – both reward elegance over brawn. The first, a 318-yard par-4, let’s you pair two comfortable clubs for your first two shots of the day: fairway metal and wedge, five iron and seven iron, driver and putter. Any two solid, accurate shots will do.
At the picturesque, par-4 seventh, 373 yards requires the same artful pairing of tee ball and second shot clubs, although driver and putter won’t be an option.
SunRidge Canyon Golf Club par-3 14th
The entire backside is an uphill thrill-ride that doesn’t end until you reach the clubhouse. Each shot authored during your trip through the “Wicked Six” demands your careful consideration of risk exposure and potential reward.
These six holes at SunRidge Canyon are not tyrants, but rather the perfect opportunity for a player to test their ability to pick a shot and execute it.
Fairways are generous, with clearly defined landing areas, and modest forced-carries over natural desert arroyos are quite manageable – when planned for. Not so much when one chooses to believe this will be the one time out of fifty they will successfully execute their “career” shot.
Particularly entertaining are the 14th hole and the finisher. At the par-3 14th, visual intimidation is the enemy. Your challenge is to fly, bounce or run your tee ball 181 yards to the center of the green from an elevated tee. Ignore the front, left bunker and the glistening lake that wraps the entire right side of the green and you’ll be fine.
SunRidge Canyon Golf Club par-4 18th
The finishing hole is pure golf and includes one last test of your ability to judge a golf shot – playing 432 yards, uphill, it’s a handful for most.
Following a solid tee shot, pay strict attention to what’s staring you in the face: an uphill second to a front-bunkered green complex perched above a natural desert arroyo, that most days plays directly into the prevailing breeze.
Here’s the bottom line regarding club selection for the shot: add two clubs, minimum. It’s a whole lot more fun to finish your round saving par from behind this green than making six from short of it. For those that missed their tee shot a bit: lay-up short of the arroyo – it’s a manageable up and in from there.
SunRidge Canyon’s practice facilities are first rate and feature the Jim McClean Golf School onsite. Expert club fitters from Hot Stix are here as well so any student of the game will find everything they’re looking for in one spot.
AZGA “Local Hang” SunRidge Canyon Golf Club – Great news – When the last putt drops, you’ll find your golf cart is literally parked next to the Wicked Six Bar & Grill. Rest assured, regardless of what scores you’ve posted so far, everyone cards a few birdies here.
You’ll find a full compliment of food and libation options that play right through the bag – from breakfast and lunch, through post-round drinks and apps, to an entertaining, full evening dining experience. An engaging staff delivers “expressive” dishes, in both taste and presentation, that amps up the great golf experience you’ve just enjoyed.
SunRidge Canyon’s indoor-outdoor patio facilities remain unrivaled as the place to savor the day’s fun amid striking views of the golf course and the locale’s namesake mountain, Four Peaks, in the distance.
The Buzz: With its name, location and the legendary Arnold Palmer as designer, Starfire Golf Club might appear to be one of those ultra-exclusive and dazzling golf experiences that Scottsdale is famous for, at a rate you didn’t expect to find. But in a way, it’s even better than that.
Starfire is a lovely neighborhood golf club, which day in and day out, can be much more appealing than the high-end North Scottsdale knock-your-socks-off golf courses. Starfire, which is managed by In Celebration of Golf, began simply as Scottsdale Country Club, an 18-hole layout in 1953, making it Scottsdale’s first course. Palmer was hired to design a new nine-hole layout, dubbed the “King” in 1988 and also re-designed the previous nines, which are named “Hawk” and “Squire.” Since then, some holes have been rearranged, giving them a better flow and allowing them to work within the available space and with a new clubhouse constructed in 2001 that was placed about 500 yards from the original clubhouse site.
The three nines are played in various combinations, and the “King” is the longest and most popular. The Starfire property is relatively flat and winds through mature eucalyptus, pine and cottonwood trees with generous fairways, medium-sized greens and, depending on the 2-nines you play, water can come into play on 13 holes. There are some nice views of the McDowell Mountains and Camelback Mountain, but this is an urban golf experience and can feel a little cramped with holes surrounded by homes and the course bordered by some of Scottsdale’s busiest roads. Those factors also limit its length, so this isn’t the place where you’re going to wear out your driver. Each course has four sets of tees and yardages from the front and back tees with each combination are: Squire/King, 6,040 and 4,362; King/Hawk, 6,098 and 4,467; Hawk/Squire 5,622 and 3,933.
Par-3 holes are the strength of the layouts, especially the eighth on King and the fifth on Squire, which are considered their signature holes. The former plays at 205 yards from the tips to a well-bunkered green surrounded by water. The latter is shorter, at 175 yards, but trickier and plays over water with bunkers on the left and a series of mounds on the right.
The Squire’s fifth starts a very nice four-hole stretch created by strategic use of water hazards. The highlight of that stretch is No. 7, which was the first hole of the original country club. The par 4 is just 324 yards and has a sunken lake in the middle of the fairway with very little grass around either side, and a fountain that shoots water high into the air. Because you can’t see the lake from the tee, it looks like a geyser coming right out of the ground.
The signature hole on Hawk may be the ninth, a narrow par 4 at 339 yards that puts a premium on accuracy off the tee and into the green. The par-4 sixth also has a neat feature with a pair of palm trees, which you must split on the approach, like a field-goal from 150-yards out. The approach shots to both the par-4 seventh and the par-3 eighth are over water.
The clubhouse is reminiscent of those popular in Palm Springs. The 19,000-square-foot facility is tastefully adorned amidst a grove of palm trees with a full-service restaurant, an outdoor terrace and a pro shop with a nice array of equipment, apparel and accessories.
Starfire offers a practice chipping area and putting green but no driving range. It is a popular course with female golfers, hosts many scramble tournaments and offers lower green fees than most of its neighboring courses. With its location near central Scottsdale, there are plenty of quality hotels and dining options in close proximity.
AZGA Golf Buzz: When it comes to quality golf courses in Arizona, Pinnacle Peak Country Club might be the most paradoxical – Virtually everyone in the Phoenix-area golf community has heard of it, yet hardly anyone knows much about it, and fewer yet, have played it.
It’s not easy to be well known and remain a well-kept secret, but that is the case with this gem that was designed by Dick Turner and opened in 1976, making it one of the earliest clubs to spring up in north Scottsdale. In fact, aerial photos of the course when it first opened show no homes or other structures in an area that now is nearly built-out.
Still, the course remains somewhat secluded due to surrounding mountains and a massive hedge that blocks viewing from Pinnacle Peak Road along its northern boundary. This private, member-owned club is limited to 325 members and offers seven different memberships, including social and prospective, for those who remain on the waiting list. Many of its members are residents of other states or countries, leaving local members with plenty of tee-time options on a beautiful layout nestled in the McDowell Mountain Range.
Pinnacle Peak, which is one of Scottsdale’s best-known landmarks, actually stands about five miles away but provides a backdrop for some holes on this course that has a traditional design with tree-lined fairways. Water comes into play on three holes and there are three sets of tees each for men and women, ranging from 4,952 to 7,030 yards, with a rating of 72.8 and slope of 130 from the back tees.
The course underwent an extensive renovation in 1996 that included installation of a new irrigation system, reconfiguration of the bunkering and rebuilding of all 18 greens, which have resulted in pristine conditions. The bent-grass greens, in particular, are among the best in the state.
The front nine is considered the harder of the two and features a delightful six-hole stretch starting at No. 3, a 188-yard uphill par 3 to a green that slopes front to back and is squeezed by bunkers. The seventh, a 450-yard par 4, is the No. 1 handicap hole where even a well-struck tee shot leaves a fairway wood or long iron shot to a green that slopes back to front.
The front nine ends with the signature hole, which at 170 yards is the shortest par 3. Water runs down the entire right side with a pond guarding the front and right of the green and a bunker wraps around the entire back side. A small waterfall and colorful flowers help make this one of the most scenic holes on the course.
The back nine is slightly longer but offers more birdie opportunities. Among them is the par-4 12th that plays downhill at 376 yards from the back tees, but features one of the toughest greens on the course to read and putt. Another is the 16th, a 369-yard par 4, but it features a tight, tree-lined fairway and a nasty pot bunker in front of the green.
The layout presents an excellent finishing hole – a 588-yard par 5 that requires three good shots to reach the green, with out of bounds along the right side, trees lining the left, a lake coming into play down the left side and a shallow green protected by three bunkers.
The clubhouse has undergone extensive remodeling and reopened in 2004 with rustic stone fireplaces, gabled roofs and a Spanish Colonial-style exterior. It houses fine and casual dining rooms, a grille room, locker rooms, a fitness center, golf shop, cocktail lounge and meeting rooms. Pinnacle Peak also features excellent practice facilities and a heated lap swimming pool and tennis courts, although golf is overwhelmingly the activity of choice here.
Phoenician Golf Resort – Arizona Golf Courses
You might come here expecting to play desert golf but what you discover, and delightfully so, is tropical desert golf. The Phoenician golf experience might make you wonder if you veered off course and landed in Hawaii. This world-class resort combines playability with aesthetic beauty that belies its Sonoran Desert locale, with lush tropical scenery and impressive water features. There are three nine-hole layouts – Canyon, Desert and Oasis – which are played in combinations, and you can hardly go wrong with any of them. Photo ops seem to be everywhere you look.
There also is some history to this venue that covers 250 acres skirting Camelback Mountain and once was the site of Valley Country Club, which was razed to make way for the resort. Well-known Arizona architect Arthur “Jack” Snyder designed the new 18 holes, which opened in 1978. Homer Flynt redesigned them in the mid-1980s and Ted Robinson designed the final nine, the Canyon Course, about 10 years later. He also redesigned several of Flynt’s original holes. That’s a lot of input from architects with different design styles and yet it works, and does so splendidly.
Best known for its dramatic elevation changes and awe-inspiring views, the Desert is the most requested course due to its unique layout. Oasis is aptly named with its tree-lined fairways, tranquil water features and traditional layout. Canyon, defined by lush, landscaped terrain, is located on the southern slope of the mountain with sweeping views of the Valley of the Sun and is considered by golf purists to be the strongest nine. None of the courses are particularly long, but take a bit of advice and don’t try to overpower them. Accuracy is the key. Even from the back tees, yardages are 6,258 for Oasis/Canyon; 6,068 for Desert/Canyon and 6,310 for Oasis/Desert. One more tip: Everything breaks away from Camelback Mountain more than you think it will. As for the signature hole, make that plural.
There are enough for a week’s worth of golf, but the pars 3s are particularly impressive. They include a back-to-back pair at Nos. 7 and 8 on Canyon that measure 201 and 132 yards and both play over water to bunkered, picturesque greens. Desert has three strong par 3s, topped by No. 8, which is 120 yards but plays more like 80 because there is an 80-foot elevation drop from tee to green. Many a golfer has managed to air mail this putting surface. The highlight of Oasis is the finishing hole, a dynamic dogleg par 4 at 379 yards to a green that is fronted by water and backed by a palm forest. Another rare treat you will find on Oasis are comfort stations with marble-lined bathrooms and ceiling fans. That’s right, on the golf course.
But that’s nothing compared to the palatial resort, which has been named one of the top golf resorts in America by the Robb Report, Golf Digest and others. Amenities include 474 guest rooms, 73 luxury suites and 107 casitas, 10 restaurants and lounges, numerous retail shops, tennis courts, a spectacular cactus garden and an impressive art collection. Even if you don’t stay here, a tour of the facilities is a great way to cap off your day.
