Troon North
arizona is the sixth largest state
in the united states. it is about
the same size as italy. it has more
mountains than switzerland and more
golf courses than scotland.
the 36 holes at troon North have long been held aloft as the archetypical desert golf courses, combining majestic boulder formations, judicious use of
grassed areas creating a “target” golf experience, and
expansive vistas across the valley of the Sun. the
monument course opened for play in 1990, with the
newer pinnacle coming on line in 1996.
In late 2007, troon brought tom weiskopf—
the original designer of the pinnacle course and
co-designer (with Jay morrish) of the monument
course—back to re-route and improve these two
highly-ranked gems. In some ways, the decision to
alter troon North was like deciding the seating order was wrong in “the Last Supper” and bringing
Leonardo da vinci back to rearrange his painting.
the two courses were so well known and so well
liked that any major changes—such as rerouting
them—was a big risk.
“making changes of this magnitude to two of the
game’s most highly acclaimed courses was some-
thing we studied and took very seriously,” troon
Chairman dana Garmany said at the time. “In
the end, we are confident we have improved both
courses and enhanced the player experience sig-
nificantly.”
“If you could go back in time,” weiskopf said, “both
courses would have been this way from the begin-
ning. Both courses can now be played exactly as the
land dictates.”
a welcome side effect of the change was that the
pinnacle course became more walkable, and plays a
bit tougher than its sister. to some, it is now a better
“players” course. the monument, meanwhile, be-
came the more dramatic of the two, with spectacu-
lar views, driveable par-4s and dazzling views and
terrain.
also better than before is the 210-room four Sea-
sons Scottsdale, nestled in the foothills of pinnacle
peak two miles from the entrance to troon North Golf
Club. while accommodations, dining and service at
this highly-awarded property have always been su-
perb, recently completed enhancements to guest
rooms, restaurants, lobby and other common areas
have elevated it to another level.
Colorful desert flora and local artwork accentu-
ate the territorial architecture that blends western
traditions with contemporary elegance. New color
schemes in the guest rooms show dusty desert rose
mixing with sandy gold in the linens and soft goods;
comfy furniture, flat screen televisions, in-room fire-
places and delightful valley views provide plenty of
incentive to lounge around your room, particularly
after a day on the golf course.
the signature restaurant, talavera—named for a
type of brightly colored, hand-painted mexican pot-
tery—sports a bold design that incorporates the col-
ors of the Sonoran desert in full bloom and boasts
wide city views. Not to be missed is the regular
thursday evening tequila tasting, where guests are
able to sample the nectar of the agave while hearing
the story of how it is made.
