Talking Stick Golf Club
two 18-hole courses here—North and South— designed by Ben Crenshaw/Bill Coore spread
across the desert floor, traverse several washes
and serve both daily fee and resort golfers from
the new talking Stick resort next door. Bunkers
blend naturally into the desert sands, their edges
uncut. Crenshaw and Coore may not have had
the most dramatic piece of land to work with
at talking Stick, and the work they did might go
unnoticed. But it is there, like quiet artists painting
beige on sand.
Neither are what you'd call “target” designs, in
that there is grass from tee to green, except for
the washes. You can use your driver on most every
hole. the putting surfaces are large and receptive,
the fairways too. Both are layouts that casual or
resort golfers will enjoy.
It's a close call, but the North is the stronger
of the two, with holes No. 12 through 18 being the
best. It would help to have the putting touch of,
well, Ben Crenshaw on the greens, because even
though they are big and receptive, they are not easy
to read. If you do miss a green, expansive chipping
aprons will collect your ball, so recovery is generally
possible.—GF
Ocotillo Golf Resort
playing ocotillo Golf resort’s trio of nine-hole golf courses, it’s understandable a player might
get the wrong impression: Not every fairway or
green is bordered by a balata-drowning canal…
it only seems that way. Nonetheless, golfers who
intend to challenge this immaculate facility—which
sports water on 22 of the 27 holes—should come
well armed with disciplined course-management
skills, a predictable tee ball and, for insurance,
several fresh sleeves of balls.
opened in 1986 in the phoenix suburb of
Chandler, ocotillo was crafted by prolific golf
architect and waterscape pioneer ted robinson.
this Sonoran desert daily fee experience includes
cascading waterfalls, breezy palm trees, generous
undulating fairways and myriad gardens of brightly
colored flowers that—along with those spike-tightening water hazards—showcase many of the
area’s more distinctive residential homes. and don’t
miss sunset dining at ocotillo’s elegant, award-winning Bernard’s restaurant: the homemade
pastas and grilled angus filets are perfect toppers
to this truly distinctive getaway.—CD
Golf Club of Estrella
Set in the west valley suburb of Goodyear, the Golf Club of estrella sometimes doesn't get the
recognition it deserves as one of the better daily
fee courses in the valley of the Sun. But from the
elevated tee box of the first hole, with broad views
of the Sierra estrella mountains in the background
and the golf course spreading out before you, it becomes clear that you should play here more often.
distinctive (and numerous!) bunkers and
target-oriented play define the design by Jack
Nicklaus II. the par-three holes are particularly
memorable, playing across the native desert
landscape to well-protected greens. with the
Sonoran desert edging the fairways, accuracy
is required for low scoring, but there's enough
room all around so all golfers enjoy their round.
though the course can present a test from the
7,139-yard black tees (73/137), it is also known
as a women-friendly design from the multiple
forward tees.
Set amidst the residential community of estrella,
with its scenic location and dramatic mountain
backdrops, Golf Club of estrella is a popular wedding location. players Grill is available for breakfast
and lunch. —GF
Copper Canyon Golf Club
Copper Canyon Golf Club is found in west phoenix—approximately 45 minutes from
downtown—but the payoff is well worth it, earning
the intrepid golfer daily fee access to an extraordinary—and as-of-yet largely undiscovered—course
designed by Brian Curley and Lee Schmidt.
Nestled amid the rugged, north-face foothills of
the white tank mountains, Copper Canyon has all
the earmarks of a first-class golf property, including
a sumptuous clubhouse, expansive practice area,
strategic bunkering, compelling shotlines, ball-col-lecting mounding, gently tiered green sites, winter
bentgrass overseeding and something seldom seen:
crushed-granite “waste areas” that define much of
the out-of-play zones and minimize the encroachment of noxious weeds and underbrush. the effect
is both visually stunning and ecologically satisfying,
since it saves on water, fertilizer and manpower.
with four sets of tees that range from 5,200 yards
to over 6,800 yards in length, a number of lakes not
only add to the unique beauty, but artfully protect
the integrity of their respective golf holes. plus, the
course sits at an air-cooling elevation of 1,800 feet,
and the greens fee is $89 during peak season. how
good is that?—CD
