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TPC Scottsdale… worth it?
Hey! This week’s PGA event was held at TPC Scottsdale, a public course,
and you know I love when the big boys play a venue where you or I can
hack it up there and play almost the same game. Question is… is it
worth it? After all, you’re in Scottsdale, where you can’t spit without
hitting a fairway of some course in the area. Does the TPC merit your
time, and more importantly, your cash?
To clarify, I have spent pretty much zero time playing in the greater Phoenix area, so my info is from others, and my own research (I’ve planned about 8 trips to Phoenix, but it never seems to work out). That having been said, I would have to say no. Peak season (which is now) they want $272 to play… and that does NOT include tax! So, we’re talking $300 to play a fairly average desert-style course. I know it’s a tour stop, but really? There’s no oceanfront holes. No major championship was held there. There are 3 really good holes, and the rest are fairly ok. The 17th was pivotal this year, and that’s a testament to great design by Mr. Weiskopf. A short par 4, half the field can hit the green with a 3 wood. Too easy? Well, because of water in play, smart bunkering, and a crazy green, this is a classic risk-reward hole. You can drive the green and make eagle, but on Saturday and Sunday I saw plenty of bogeys made by guys in contention. Great hole. $300 great for me to play? I say no. Let’s face it… for most of us, a $300 greens fee better be for a bucket-list life-changing round of golf. You can do better… even in the Scottsdale area.
One suggestion… for deals, you have to be willing to drive. Some of the better golf is east of town. Out in Fountain Hills, there are a number of top-rated, yet cheaper options. The best is going to be We-ko-pa, a 36 hole facility on Native American land. Translation… there’s no houses on the course, and a casino nearby. It’s around $200 to play, but they always have specials running, especially in connection with the casino.
The other 36 hole option east of town is Gold Canyon golf resort… a bit older than We-ko-pa, but the Dinosaur Mt. course is consistently rated as one of the best in AZ. It has classic desert-style golf, and with more elevation changes than you’ll see in town. It costs $180, and the other course is around $100, but package deals there drop the price a lot. It’s worth the drive.
Of course, with such an abundance of golf in the area, I would also call a tee-time service if you are flexible on where to play. As with the Palm Springs area, several companies buy up the unused spots on the tee sheets at area courses and sell them at at least 50% off. I found several amazing deals just yesterday at Golfnow.com, one being a $90 round at the Boulders, which is another $275 greens fee in peak season. Those are booked online, so bring your laptop. Otherwise, call Stand By Golf, which is all done over the phone.
To clarify, I have spent pretty much zero time playing in the greater Phoenix area, so my info is from others, and my own research (I’ve planned about 8 trips to Phoenix, but it never seems to work out). That having been said, I would have to say no. Peak season (which is now) they want $272 to play… and that does NOT include tax! So, we’re talking $300 to play a fairly average desert-style course. I know it’s a tour stop, but really? There’s no oceanfront holes. No major championship was held there. There are 3 really good holes, and the rest are fairly ok. The 17th was pivotal this year, and that’s a testament to great design by Mr. Weiskopf. A short par 4, half the field can hit the green with a 3 wood. Too easy? Well, because of water in play, smart bunkering, and a crazy green, this is a classic risk-reward hole. You can drive the green and make eagle, but on Saturday and Sunday I saw plenty of bogeys made by guys in contention. Great hole. $300 great for me to play? I say no. Let’s face it… for most of us, a $300 greens fee better be for a bucket-list life-changing round of golf. You can do better… even in the Scottsdale area.
One suggestion… for deals, you have to be willing to drive. Some of the better golf is east of town. Out in Fountain Hills, there are a number of top-rated, yet cheaper options. The best is going to be We-ko-pa, a 36 hole facility on Native American land. Translation… there’s no houses on the course, and a casino nearby. It’s around $200 to play, but they always have specials running, especially in connection with the casino.
The other 36 hole option east of town is Gold Canyon golf resort… a bit older than We-ko-pa, but the Dinosaur Mt. course is consistently rated as one of the best in AZ. It has classic desert-style golf, and with more elevation changes than you’ll see in town. It costs $180, and the other course is around $100, but package deals there drop the price a lot. It’s worth the drive.
Of course, with such an abundance of golf in the area, I would also call a tee-time service if you are flexible on where to play. As with the Palm Springs area, several companies buy up the unused spots on the tee sheets at area courses and sell them at at least 50% off. I found several amazing deals just yesterday at Golfnow.com, one being a $90 round at the Boulders, which is another $275 greens fee in peak season. Those are booked online, so bring your laptop. Otherwise, call Stand By Golf, which is all done over the phone.
Bob Hope - Desert Golf Classics
This week the PGA Tour stops in the Palm Springs area… La Quinta, to
be precise. Perfect golf conditions are leading to record scores… 20
under in 2 days? Sheesh. But, I’ll take perfect golf conditions any
day… 75 degrees, no wind, perfect greens… sign me up. However, this
year for some reason, 3 out of the 4 courses used are private… only
Silverrock is a public course. (I haven’t played it, but some friends
highly recommend it.) Where do you play down in the desert?
First stop: Desert Willow, in Palm Desert. One community over from La Quinta, Palm Desert contains several high-end resorts, like the Marriott Desert Springs. There are 2 ok courses there, designed by Ted Robinson, but I would suggest going right across the street to Desert Willow. There are 36 holes here, and strangely for the area, not connected to a resort. It’s actually owned by the city, which makes it a municipal course, but you’d never notice it as such by the level of service, and the the level of golf. The Firecliff course is probably my choice, but both are fun to play, and the main thing you’ll notice is the beauty of the courses. Desert golf can be a bit stark sometimes, but here it’s like playing in a desert garden of some kind. All of the cactus is flowering, and colors abound in the waste areas, giving a gorgeous backdrop to the perfect green fairways and greens. This is one of the better deals in Palm Springs, with fees usually around $150, and twilight for under $100. That’s not exactly cheap, but for average costs down there this is way more golf for your buck.
Right up Monterey ave from Desert Willow is Shadow Ridge, a very nice course designed by Nick Faldo. It’s not the usual desert design you see in the area, there’s a lot more grass, and a few less forced carries… if you watch these courses on TV and aren’t sure about constantly having to hit shots over desert areas, Shadow Ridge might be for you. Not to say it’s a pushover, it has plenty of length, and tons of very challenging bunkers. It’s supposed to be inspired by Australian courses… I’ve never played down under, but apparently they like their sand traps bigger, taller, and more numerous. It’s also a good value at around $100-$125 per round, and less if you stay at the resort there, which I highly recommend… very nice timeshare resort, and if you take their tour you can get vouchers for some free rounds! Another benefit there is one of the nicest practice areas you’ll see anywhere.
A bit outside of town, towards Indio, is The Golf Club at Terra Lago, which used to be called Landmark Golf CLub, host of the Skins Game a few years ago. It has 2 courses on site, both classic desert designs, with quite a bit of water in play, and bighorn sheep roaming around on some of the higher elevation holes. They also have a timeshare being built there, so check for the same deals for free golf!
There are too many options in the Palm Springs rotation to mention, but a good way to save some cash on tee times is to call a tee-time service… probably Stand-By Golf (standbygolf.com). They scoop up unused tee times from almost all the courses in the valley, including all of the ones I’ve mentioned, and if you don’t really care where you play the next day, you can grab off-peak times for at least 50% off. I played Terra Lago 1st time out - by myself, for $65, and I got put with a threesome at Desert Willow for under $50. If you have a group of 4 guys, this might not work, but for 2somes and singles, I would give it a shot. Either way, you’ll be warm and playing golf, and I’ll be freezing in Spokane writing blogs at least 2 people find almost interesting.
First stop: Desert Willow, in Palm Desert. One community over from La Quinta, Palm Desert contains several high-end resorts, like the Marriott Desert Springs. There are 2 ok courses there, designed by Ted Robinson, but I would suggest going right across the street to Desert Willow. There are 36 holes here, and strangely for the area, not connected to a resort. It’s actually owned by the city, which makes it a municipal course, but you’d never notice it as such by the level of service, and the the level of golf. The Firecliff course is probably my choice, but both are fun to play, and the main thing you’ll notice is the beauty of the courses. Desert golf can be a bit stark sometimes, but here it’s like playing in a desert garden of some kind. All of the cactus is flowering, and colors abound in the waste areas, giving a gorgeous backdrop to the perfect green fairways and greens. This is one of the better deals in Palm Springs, with fees usually around $150, and twilight for under $100. That’s not exactly cheap, but for average costs down there this is way more golf for your buck.
Right up Monterey ave from Desert Willow is Shadow Ridge, a very nice course designed by Nick Faldo. It’s not the usual desert design you see in the area, there’s a lot more grass, and a few less forced carries… if you watch these courses on TV and aren’t sure about constantly having to hit shots over desert areas, Shadow Ridge might be for you. Not to say it’s a pushover, it has plenty of length, and tons of very challenging bunkers. It’s supposed to be inspired by Australian courses… I’ve never played down under, but apparently they like their sand traps bigger, taller, and more numerous. It’s also a good value at around $100-$125 per round, and less if you stay at the resort there, which I highly recommend… very nice timeshare resort, and if you take their tour you can get vouchers for some free rounds! Another benefit there is one of the nicest practice areas you’ll see anywhere.
A bit outside of town, towards Indio, is The Golf Club at Terra Lago, which used to be called Landmark Golf CLub, host of the Skins Game a few years ago. It has 2 courses on site, both classic desert designs, with quite a bit of water in play, and bighorn sheep roaming around on some of the higher elevation holes. They also have a timeshare being built there, so check for the same deals for free golf!
There are too many options in the Palm Springs rotation to mention, but a good way to save some cash on tee times is to call a tee-time service… probably Stand-By Golf (standbygolf.com). They scoop up unused tee times from almost all the courses in the valley, including all of the ones I’ve mentioned, and if you don’t really care where you play the next day, you can grab off-peak times for at least 50% off. I played Terra Lago 1st time out - by myself, for $65, and I got put with a threesome at Desert Willow for under $50. If you have a group of 4 guys, this might not work, but for 2somes and singles, I would give it a shot. Either way, you’ll be warm and playing golf, and I’ll be freezing in Spokane writing blogs at least 2 people find almost interesting.
