I love golfing in the desert. The contrast of the emerald ribbons of turf against the stark, rugged landscape, with stunning mountain backdrops to boot, is so completely different from my typical Chicagoland experience. But it can be expensive. Really expensive.
I had been traveling to Phoenix regularly to visit my good friend Axel, who relocated about a dozen years ago to the Valley of the Sun. My usual routine was a short 4 day trip in early December, when the weather is comfortably cool and the green fees are still somewhat reasonable before they rocket up with the snowbird migration after the holidays.
My goal then was to play 4 rounds for under $300 (including cart, but not the taxes and the occasional water fee surcharge). I was able to golf at some really good courses within these limits, including Las Sendas (Mesa), Golf Club of Estrella (Goodyear), Lookout Mountain (Phoenix), Longbow (Mesa) and the Founders and Victory courses at Verrado (Buckeye). But the very best tracks are all well into triple digits at that time of the year, budget busters extraordinaire. So what if I make a trip during the summer? Sure, it's hot, but you play early in the day and you're back home in the pool before the heat reaches its peak. It had been 115 degrees or more for over 30 straight days in Phoenix, a record setting heat wave, so the law of averages say it was bound to cool down at some point, right? I took a daily glance at the Phoenix weather starting in early August and it seemed like the temps were dropping a bit, so I booked my flight to PHX for the week before Labor Day, with my fingers crossed that my temperature observation was more than just wishful thinking.
I spent the next few weeks planning the golf lineup, with the thought to play a morning round Monday thru Friday, with a flight home Friday afternoon. Using Arizona Golfer, Golf Pass and the Golf Digest top public courses in Arizona for guidance, I compiled a list of potential courses in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area, which included Gold Canyon, Grayhawk, Troon North, Quintero, We-Ko-Pa, Dove Valley, Boulders, Eagle Mountain, Camelback, Whirlwind, Wildfire, McDowell Mountain and Kierland. All were priced under $100 except for Troon North, which was around $120. Each would likely cost double (or triple) in the winter and spring.
September 1st is the magic date when the prices start to increase, and almost every course I looked at had a 50% or more jump in green fees that day, so the last week in August marks the end of the summer value season. After a few phone calls and several text messages, Axel and I agreed on the courses that offered the greatest value and would best fit into our schedule. In were Quintero, We-Ko-Pa and Boulders, out were Gold Canyon, Troon North, Whirlwind and the rest.I arrived in Phoenix late Sunday morning, all pumped up and ready to go. My host and golf partner for the week picked me up at the airport and we went straight to lunch at Little Miss BBQ, an outstanding local spot for delicious brisket and pulled pork. After finishing lunch around 1 pm, I asked Axel what we were doing the rest of the day. He knew what I was thinking. "If you want to golf, I'll drop you off and pick you up, but I'm not playing," The high that day was 114. A walk across the parking lot at Wal-Mart and my shoes seemingly melting into the asphalt, and I perfectly understood what he meant.
Round 1 - We-Ko-Pa Saguaro $71
We-Ko-Pa is a resort on the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation land to the east of Scottsdale featuring lodging, gambling, a spa and 2 championship golf courses. The Saguaro, ranked #3 in the Golf Digest list, was the vision of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, the first course I've played by the acclaimed design duo. Their minimalist approach uses the natural contours of the land and the layout rolls seamlessly through the pristine Sonoran Desert with very little soil having been moved. Greens and tees are in close proximity so walking is an option (though I did not see anyone choose to in this heat), and nary a home is in sight, 2 rare occurrences in Phoenix golf. The course was very playable with wide fairways and greens that rolled true and were challenging without being overwhelming, and I never really felt overmatched by this layout, even though the desert was always lurking for wayward shots. I stumbled on the back 9, but a mid-90's round on a day when the high temp reached 112 was respectable. We-Ko-Pa also had super deluxe, ultra comfortable carts, an added bonus at this fantastic facility.A chest full of iced water bottles was located just outside the clubhouse, so we stocked up before the 1st and 10th holes. I had a bout with dehydration last summer at Sand Hollow in Utah, so my plan was to drink of couple of glasses of water before the round, and then take a drink every time I sat back in the cart...and it worked! Fortunately, Monday was the hottest day of the week, and this round was an awesome way to start.
Round 2 - Boulders South $79
The Boulders, another 36-hole facility, is an upscale resort in Carefree at the northeast edge of metro Phoenix, complete with a 33,000 sq ft spa to pamper achy muscles after the round (sorry, not included in the green fee). The South course, ranked #12 in state by Golf Digest, is open to the public, with the North reserved for member usage. We started on the par 3 10th hole, which skewed the flow of the round a bit, but this course kicked my butt from start to finish. At least all my bad shots were rewarded with amazing views of the ancient granite boulder formations that are seen at every turn and lends to the resort name.
At least my score did not reach the temperature, which topped out at 111, and where the We-Ko-Pa Saguaro course had abundant shade trees available at the tee boxes for relief from the unrelenting sun, this was not so much the case at Boulders. Again, drinking water is in ample supply, with bottle refill stations and ice available every few holes. Overall, another great experience at the perfect price point for the quality offered.
Round 3 - Quintero $96
The crown jewel of my Valley of the Sun summer golf adventure, Quintero sits atop the Golf Digest list of Arizona public courses. Located in Peoria, about 50 miles northwest of Sky Harbor Airport, Quintero winds through the mountains with significant elevation change, plenty of deep, penal sand traps, and large, multi-tiered greens, all typical features of Rees Jones designs. The course stretches to over 7,200 yards with a monster 75.3 / 148 slope / rating. We played the 6,400 yd Silver tees and the 70.7 / 137 was way more course than my skill level could handle. Quintero was originally planned as a private club within an upscale community, with an appropriate clubhouse to be built near the first tee, but the plans never took off (only a few homes were built on the secluded property). So a long, long cart ride is required to get to the driving range and first tee, a weird anomaly at an otherwise golden golf experience.
We played with Ray and Carolyn, a delightful couple who made the hour drive north from Chandler. Both were avid golfers and quite good players, and Carolyn said she once played 197 rounds in a year! I mentioned that I carded my 1st hole-in-one earlier this year, and when asked Ray responded that he had 10 (Carolyn "only" has 4), and he came within inches of scoring #11 on the beautiful par 3 9th hole. The temperature continued to drop, all the way down to...109. But Quintero was by far the hilliest course of the 5 we played with several steep approaches, and it was common for carts to get no closer than 60 yards to the green before shutting down, so there was a lot more walking required. Combine that with the cumulative effect of 3 days of sweltering heat, and this senior citizen was gassed by the end of the round. No matter, this course was worth every ounce of sweat, an outstanding play in every way.
After golf we stopped at Wild Horse West, "Where the Burgers are the Best", and the low frills restaurant did have a pretty darn good burger and oozed rustic western charm, a perfect 19th hole finish to the round.
Round 4 - Sterling Grove $44
A semi-private club in Surprise, Sterling Grove is a recent addition to the Phoenix/Scottsdale golf scene. The Nicklaus design group course is much more linksy than desert, mostly flat with wide swaths of native grasses and quick, well bunkered greens that punished approaches that stopped above the hole. It was a welcome change from the desert landscapes of the previous 3 rounds and was a better fit for my game, and I carded a trip best 40 on the front 9. I reverted back to form on the back but still finished with a more than respectable 87, the one round where I had the upper hand on Axel.
The temperature was 105 and it felt kind of nice, that 5 degrees made a big difference in my comfort index. Am I actually getting used to this weather?
Round 5 - Legacy $51
Legacy is an old school resort located about 15 minutes from the Phoenix airport, a perfect location for an early morning round and time to spare for a 2:20 flight home. Expectations were tempered at the modest price point, but the same deluxe carts featured at We-Ko-Pa was a good sign. The property was once part of the D.B. Heard estate, an early 20th century land owner and county water commissioner who saw the potential of the valley, and the grain silos along the 18th fairway are remnants of the original estate. The course was designed by Gary Panks, a well respected architect in the southwest, and although it may not feature the stunning scenery of the other desert courses we played, there are several excellent views of South Mountain, along with a solid par 71 layout that was a super value and an enjoyable play. I shot a 90 at the Legacy, but Axel scorched the course with an 80, one of his best rounds ever. Dave, an ex-Chicagoan who I used to golf with in a Tuesday night golf league, had relocated to Phoenix a few years ago, and he joined us for this round, and I think the better competition spurred Axel to greater heights.
Storms passed through the area overnight and the temp at our 8 am tee time was in the low 80's, and it didn't get much higher than that through the round, a perfectly comfortable way to end this summer golf odyssey before my flight back to Midway. All told I played the 5 rounds for a total of $341 / $68 average, which included 3 ranked in the Golf Digest top 12 public courses in Arizona. The search for affordable golf in the Valley of the Sun? Mission accomplished! Will I do it again? I'll let you know next summer.
Click Below for Photo Tours
We-Ko-Pa Saguaro Boulders South Quintero Sterling Grove Legacy
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