2021 Phoenix Area Course Conditions

[Argonne69]

Usual conditions at Cave Creek this morning. There did seem to be more areas marked as GUR in the fairways than usual, though. The 18th was in rough shape. Greens were fine, and rolling 10 to 11. Pace was on the slow side at 4:15.

 

[Argonne69]

Tough day at Papago. The winds grew stronger as the round continued. Conditions were decent. Fairways were fine. Bunkers were mixed. A handful were fine, but a few were thin. Greens were a mixed bag. The practice green was slick as ice, probably close to 12. Unfortunately the actual greens ranged from 10 to 12. Just couldn't make sense of the speeds (adjusted for slope). Quite frustrating. At least the pin positions weren't crazy. Pace was fine at an even four hours. 

 

Edited March 2, 2021 by Argonne69

[ferrispgm]

Played TPC Stadium yesterday.  Course is in absolute pristine shape.....Haven't been there in 12+ years but enjoyed it...I prefer the front over the back with the exception of 16-18.  Started on the back and being into the wind on all the long holes was not fun...I think Champions is actually a better overall course as some holes at Stadium are wonky.  Overall good though...just not $300 good.

[Argonne69]

"Fun" day at Continental. It's my last week here, and I promised my great niece I'd take her out for a final round. She struggled at Cave Creek the last time out, so I figured a fairly straightforward executive course would be fine. Conditions were mediocre. Teeboxes were trash. Little turf and a flat lie was nowhere to be found. Fairways were OK. Greens weren't bad, either. Speed was 9 at best, but given the winds they were appropriate. Pace was poor at 3:45. Not quite what I wanted on a short course. We pretty much had two groups on every tee on the back. Oh well. It was still a good time. 

 

Edited March 3, 2021 by Argonne69

[tcbringhurst]

20 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

"Fun" day at Continental. It's my last week here, and I promised my great niece I'd take her out for a final round. She struggled at Cave Creek the last time out, so I figured a fairly straightforward executive course would be fine. Conditions were mediocre. Teeboxes were trash. Little turf and a flat lie was nowhere to be found. Fairways were OK. Greens weren't bad, either. Speed was 9 at best, but given the winds they were appropriate. Pace was poor at 3:45. Not quite what I wanted on a short course. We pretty much had two groups on every tee on the back. Oh well. It was still a good time. 

 

How long until you return? You've been a great contributor to this thread and will miss you greatly!

[Argonne69]

1 hour ago, tcbringhurst said:

How long until you return? You've been a great contributor to this thread and will miss you greatly!

 

I may be back for a few weeks next winter. My plans are to buy an RV and travel for a few years, so it's unlikely I'll be a snowbird here for extended periods of time. With family here I'll be back in town on occasion.

 

[Argonne69]

Nice day out at Talking Stick (Piipaash). After yesterday's winds, it was nice to have gentle breezes. The course was very wet. I don't know if there was rain overnight, or if they simply had an extended watering session, but in either case the fairways were soaked. I picked up numerous mud balls, and I could hear water squishing under my feet as I walked. Also, there was a ton of debris on the fairways from yesterday's winds. They did manage to clear the greens, though. Bunkers were fine. Greens looked good, but the speeds were inconsistent. On average I'd say 10, but a few were very quick, and a few were nine at most. A real head scratcher. Pace was excellent at 3:45. 

[Argonne69]

Closed out the trip at Foothills. Oy. Conditions were spotty. Bare/thin patches in the fairways. Fairway bunkers were a mess. Greenside bunkers were hit or miss. A few were decent, but others had wet, compacted sand. Greens looked like battlefields. 'Don't recall seeing that many old holes on this trip. Speeds were very inconsistent, ranging from 9 to 11. Pace of play was a joke. Slowest round of the winter at 4:40. The group ahead of us were on every teebox together starting on the 6th hole. On the par 5 17th there were five groups. 'Can't recall the last time I saw that. For such an easy course there's simply no excuse for that pace.

 

I'll likely head back on Monday, or Tuesday at the latest. I'm going to play rounds in Tucson, El Paso, Midland, Dallas, Hot Springs, and possibly Memphis. I played 82 round while I was here, and wore pants once. Lol. A few frost delays, and a few sprinkles, but overall it was near ideal weather. I played 19 new courses in the area, leaving only a small number left to play on a future visit. I'll miss the weather, but it's time to hit the road.

 

[Bonneville85308]

Papago this morning. Greens seemed slower than usual, seemed like some weren't cut, and others that were cut had lots of chunks of wet clippings all over them. Maybe the greens mower guy had a rough night or something. Very reasonable hole locations today, though.

 

The large tree just past the fairway bunker on the right of #12 is gone now, not sure why. It used to block out second shots to the green when you hit your tee shot right into the dirt.

[Argonne69]

1 hour ago, Bonneville85308 said:

Papago this morning. Greens seemed slower than usual, seemed like some weren't cut, and others that were cut had lots of chunks of wet clippings all over them. Maybe the greens mower guy had a rough night or something. Very reasonable hole locations today, though.

 

The large tree just past the fairway bunker on the right of #12 is gone now, not sure why. It used to block out second shots to the green when you hit your tee shot right into the dirt.

 

Really dislike the 12th. I've hit driver. I've hit 3 wood. I've hit hybrid. I've hit 6 iron. They all roll off left or right into the junk. Next time out it'll be 8i/8i. Lol. 

[azgolfer44]

2 hours ago, Bonneville85308 said:

Papago this morning. Greens seemed slower than usual, seemed like some weren't cut, and others that were cut had lots of chunks of wet clippings all over them. Maybe the greens mower guy had a rough night or something. Very reasonable hole locations today, though.

 

The large tree just past the fairway bunker on the right of #12 is gone now, not sure why. It used to block out second shots to the green when you hit your tee shot right into the dirt.

Kyle from Cartbarnguys posted on IG that it blew over the other night. Papago has lost a bunch of key trees over the last 5 years. Right on 10 & 18 and left on 14 & 7 come to mind. Helps grow grass but really

opens up the course.  

[AzSuperHack76]

Western Skies today for a game this morning. First time out there, no reason to ever drive out from NW Peoria for it other than to hang with the boys. Just a little ol comfortable neighborhood course. Nothing great but nothing bad either. Obviously not going to win any design awards, very straight forward. Overall it was in decent shape, thin dormant/hardpan rough. Fairways and teeboxes were fairly lush. Greens were rolling true, a little on the slower side. Bunkers had plenty of decent sand but of course still covid rules, nothing raked. Range was a chewed up mangled mess though, imagine that picture of how to make divots and how not to make divots. Just think of the how not to make divots and cover 99.9% of the range with those divot patterns. 😉

[FlashNoonan]

Coyote Lakes on Friday. They seem to have gone away with the covid rules. Group ahead of us was removing the flag on almost every green. No more foam in the cups. Rakes are back in the bunkers so the sand quality has improved a bit but still hit or miss. Greens were furry but rolled quite true. Hole 12 putted against the grain and it sounded like I was ripping velcro apart. Fairways and tees were quite shaggy. Very hard to distinguish a fairway or rough. With the way the fairways weren't mowed basically everything that had grass was in the "fairway". 

[ferrispgm]

Hit the lottery and played Aguila on Saturday at 6:56.  Pace was outstanding at 3:20 as a foursome walking.  Course was in great shape as has been the case.  My only nitpicky grip was the greens seemed about a foot slower than normal but they were in great shape.  Bunkers were all good though you can tell they aren't as full as they once were. Still very playable but a refilling may be in order somewhat soon.

[Bonneville85308]

2 hours ago, ferrispgm said:

Hit the lottery and played Aguila on Saturday at 6:56.  Pace was outstanding at 3:20 as a foursome walking.  Course was in great shape as has been the case.  My only nitpicky grip was the greens seemed about a foot slower than normal but they were in great shape.  Bunkers were all good though you can tell they aren't as full as they once were. Still very playable but a refilling may be in order somewhat soon.

 

You played with me! LOL.  I was the guy playing from the gold tees. Enjoyed playing with you, and yes, we all hit the jackpot with that tee time and the course was indeed in great shape.

[ferrispgm]

4 hours ago, Bonneville85308 said:

 

You played with me! LOL.  I was the guy playing from the gold tees. Enjoyed playing with you, and yes, we all hit the jackpot with that tee time and the course was indeed in great shape.

hahahaha small world....Pleasure playing with you as well...I was the moron on the black tees lol.

[jatrain]

Sterling Grove today. Really fun course, definitely worth the $110.  Fairways were a little wet in places but played well. Greens were rock hard, as expected, and were pretty quick. They putted well. 

[AzSuperHack76]

Wigwam Gold today, best shape I have seen it in quite sometime. Tee to green it's great, bunkers are great as well. The rough is thick and challenging. Greens were on the slow side today but that was due to the rain the night before and not being able to cut them this morning. As we tee'd on on 18 the greens mowers were on their way out. 

 

They are getting it in shape for a PGA Tour Canada Q School  at the end of this month and what looks like a couple upcoming big Jr tournaments. 

[tcbringhurst]

Futures Course at 500 club Wednesday afternoon: good, dry conditions. One or two tee boxes need to be leveled, but that’s my only complaint. 
 

Thursday morning: wetter conditions compared to the day before. One of the greens I missed cost me three strokes because I went from one muddy lie to another. Other than that, it’s a good executive course. 

[puttnforthe8]

Copper Canyon Mountain/Vista 9s - fairways and greens were outstanding, bunkers very good.   All around great conditions - albeit a chilly, windy day.   Long drive, but for the price and conditions it was well worth it. 

[FlashNoonan]

GCU on Friday. Course is in great shape. The best that I've probably seen it since the remodel. Greens are absolutely perfect. Took a chance a booked a late round expecting to beat the rain. Arrived at the course and found out it was CPO. Teed off around 220 and finished in exactly 4 hours. Rain beat me up from 12 to 16. Definitely need to add that course back to my rotation.

 

500 Club today. Definitely surprised at the conditions. Overseed has stayed around very well. It's nice being able to chip around the green from nice grass instead of hard pan or dormant bermuda. Sand was hit or miss. A couple of the tee boxes are starting to crown though. I had the worst luck though. I hit 4 or 5 good shots and ended up in divots.

[jatrain]

Encanto right now. Very good conditions. Super slow. Waiting on every shot 4:30 plus pace. 

[puttnforthe8]

Raven on Sunday and it was in fantastic shape.  The greens were outstanding.  Bunkers were all good.  Fairways very good.

[tcbringhurst]

Wigwam Gold today. Great shape. It was fun figuring out if my rough lies would be fliers (spoiler: they were). Greens were a little slower than what I thought they would be, but they rolled true. Sand is in great shape.

 

They lost a lot of trees in the recent storm, so some holes are opened up (5, 17, 18 from off the top of my head).

 

A couple holes were CPO. 

[AzSuperHack76]

Sterling Grove yesterday. Overall it's in really, really good shape, the greens are a little thin in some places and obviously still need some time to mature. 

 

This is my 4th time out there in the last few weeks, the back 9 may be one of the most fun set of consecutive holes you can play(public) in the valley, just a blast. 

[tcbringhurst]

5 minutes ago, AzSuperHack76 said:

Sterling Grove yesterday. Overall it's in really, really good shape, the greens are a little thin in some places and obviously still need some time to mature. 

 

This is my 4th time out there in the last few weeks, the back 9 may be one of the most fun set of consecutive holes you can play(public) in the valley, just a blast. 

Heading there tomorrow! Do you recommend playing to the front of the greens? I’ve heard that’s the best strategy due to how hard the new greens are

[AzSuperHack76]

Just now, tcbringhurst said:

Heading there tomorrow! Do you recommend playing to the front of the greens? I’ve heard that’s the best strategy due to how hard the new greens are

There are a few greens where that is an option. There are also a couple of greens that still leave me scratching my head, if you manage to land and even stay on them, it's a bonus. Some of the greens on the front are just ridiculous. 

[Enzogorlami]

Anyone played ocotillo recently? Father in law lives on course and we’re making the trip to chandler in a month or so. 

[puttnforthe8]

33 minutes ago, Enzogorlami said:

Anyone played ocotillo recently? Father in law lives on course and we’re making the trip to chandler in a month or so. 

 

Enough said!  

[Bonneville85308]

I've played 2 of the nines at Ocotillo and didn't care for the layout whatsoever. Once and done. I'd only recommend it perhaps to an Arizona resident who is originally from south Florida and is homesick for the courses there, that's what it reminds me of. It is the most unenjoyable "South Florida housing development course" of anything I've played in Arizona. I don't know how anyone who usually shoots in the 80s or higher could not leave Ocotillo completely pissed off at the end of the round, if they make it to 18 and don't run out of balls sooner.

 

I'd rather go play one of the Sun Lakes courses right down the street, which does not speak well for Ocotillo.