2021 Phoenix Area Course Conditions

[FlashNoonan]

We Ko Pa Cholla today. First time out there. I sure picked a good day to play the course. Poured rain for most of the round. Greens came back nicely from their recent aeration. Course was obviously soft because of the rain and it was CPO. So it made for a looooong round. Definitely going to try and get out there again when it's not raining. 

[AzSuperHack76]

500 Club today. Overall the course is in decent shape, fairways are super lush with dark green summer bermuda, best I’ve seen them in a while, they are usually on the thin side. Greens were disappointing, I’m guessing it was from the storm, shaggy, bumpy, and extremely slow. I’ve never seen them like that before, probably unable to get mowers on the greens due to all the rain, but…. that meant they were holding shots well and even spinning back which is unusual since they typically play firm. One of my best, if not the best ball striking rounds with my irons I’ve ever had, 17 GIR, 3 three putt bogies, no birdies and the one green I missed led to a bogie. Bunkers still in various states of repair after the rains. Tee’d off at 11, finished at 115, 2:15 pace was amazing!! 

[puttnforthe8]

Southern Dunes is in fantastic shape.  However, with all the rains, the mosquitos are the worst I have ever seen.  We all said the same thing.  Used a can of off between 2 of us and it barely helped.  

[chisag]

... If you are interested in playing Aguila where the greens are rolling the best I have ever seen, you need to play this weekend. They are aerating the fairways and greens on Monday. 

[YMark]

3 hours ago, chisag said:

... If you are interested in playing Aguila where the greens are rolling the best I have ever seen, you need to play this weekend. They are aerating the fairways and greens on Monday. 

I just played this morning. Course is in the best shape I've seen it. Might be in the best shape of most courses in the valley.

 

[AZ_JHWK]

Legend Trail today. Another course that is in really good shape. That's really all I'm looking for this time of year. Lots of grass everywhere. Greens look great but are a bit slower than average. Bunkers better than many I've run across this summer. Nice desert layout.  I have steered clear of several courses based on the reviews here. Thanks for that. 

[puttnforthe8]

Played Dove Valley - it is in pretty bad shape - borderline unplayable from the perspective of greens and putting...unless you like and are good at plinko.  

[AzSuperHack76]

Viatancia is in really rough shape. Greens are slow, shaggy and sandy. Multiple dead spots throughout the course. $55, about $35 dollars overpriced for this time of year, played a couple weeks ago and it was in near prefect shape, crazy how things can change so fast. 

[chisag]

... Took a chance on The Raven and was pretty happy with the conditions. Shot 2 under with 4 birdies so while there is still some sand on the greens, they rolled true albeit a little slower than normal. Rest of the course is in good shape. 

Edited August 2, 2021 by chisag

[YMark]

8 hours ago, puttnforthe8 said:

Played Dove Valley - it is in pretty bad shape - borderline unplayable from the perspective of greens and putting...unless you like and are good at plinko.  

 

I don't get this course. Every summer they let it go to s***. And it's way overpriced in the winter. But this course gets a ton of play and don't understand why. The front nine is a normal desert course. The back nine is pretty gimmicky. 

[puttnforthe8]

37 minutes ago, YMark said:

 

I don't get this course. Every summer they let it go to s***. And it's way overpriced in the winter. But this course gets a ton of play and don't understand why. The front nine is a normal desert course. The back nine is pretty gimmicky. 

Captive audience - closest and cheapest in the vicinity.  Plus, even though it is overpriced, there are often deals/discounts.  

 

I would never play it if I didn't have to. :)

[Bonneville85308]

2 hours ago, YMark said:

 

I don't get this course. Every summer they let it go to s***. And it's way overpriced in the winter. But this course gets a ton of play and don't understand why. The front nine is a normal desert course. The back nine is pretty gimmicky. 

 

I always figured their target clientele is North Scottsdale/Carefree/Cave Creek people who aren't club members and don't want to pay up for the other more expensive nearby public options like Troon North, Grayhawk, Legend Trail, etc. Literally everyone I've met/been paired with there fits that description. I like the course, but as you say, too expensive during winter for what it is, and usually poor conditions during summer when it is lower priced. I used to play it on weekdays occasionally but the last straw for me was in 2020 when they jacked up the price bigtime even in summer and stopped allowing singles to book a tee time online.

[Bonneville85308]

Papago this morning. Much improved from my last visit a few weeks ago. The recent rain seems to have really perked up the Bermuda all over in the rough and fairways. I didn't notice really any burnt out fairway spots this time except for one big one under the tree on the inside of the dogleg on #18. Greens rolling well, although they are aerating again next week. Green approaches/aprons still healing from the recent repairs/resodding and the ball just dies if you land on them. Was in a few bunkers and all were fine. 

[azgolfer44]

Agree with this. It is much improved from where it was 4-5 weeks ago. 

[puttnforthe8]

Devils Claw in decent shape - there were wet patches, bare patches, but with a small move you could get some good grass.  There are quite a few areas where they had to bring in new sod because the areas were dead.  This affects play mostly around the green if you land short.  Greens did roll great though.

[fore_life]

toka sticks yesterday...recovering from heavy storm damage still, lots of BIG fallen trees, lots of mud, lots of turf issues with the greens, LOTS OF MOSQUITOES!!!! id avoid it for at least a month or two

[AzSuperHack76]

Talking Stick North today, fine shape. Greens were aerated on 7/5, have recovered nicely. Lots of little gnats and flies out but nothing that bites thank goodness. Tee'd off around 8 and finished in 345. 

[AZ_JHWK]

We-Ko-Pa Cholla today. This course is in great shape for Summer. Only saw a few bare spots in a couple of fairways. Only one green had a small spot of trouble. Greens were of a normal summer speed and looked dry but very receptive to shots of any length. The rough cut was very healthy. This was only my second time playing Cholla and it really makes you think your way around on some holes. The guys at the course said Saguaro was in even better shape. 

[tcbringhurst]

Southern Dunes today. Holes 8 and 12-17 were flooded, so only 11 holes total were playable. Got off work early and was able to play about 30 holes before dark. Conditions are good considering the recent aeration. Hopefully the rest of the course will be playable as I plan on playing 36 on Saturday. 

[AzSuperHack76]

Sterling Grove, overall in good shape. Agree with previous reviews that the greens are softening up a bit and holding better. A few repair patches on a couple greens on the front nine, nothing too major, looked like from the new thin grass on a couple ridges that got burnt out with the heat this summer. Greens were rolling very well, true and fast. They are watering the new grass/seed that was recently planted where the old fescue was taken out. Wish I could tell you guys about the back 9 but I didn't get to play it. 

 

Always an adventure when you book as a single. A 4 some was open for a 0730 time this morning on the SG website so I booked as a single last night. Got paired up with a couple of out of towners, they stayed up all night drinking, reeked of booze on the first tee. One of the guys whiffed it 5 times on the first tee box(not an exaggeration). Had to tell the guy to "lets just drop one 150 yards out". No clue who these guys were but I literally had to baby sit them for 9 holes, nice guys but just a drunken mess and had to keep them on track. Nowhere to go in front or behind me so I stuck it out for 9 holes then walked off. I can't imagine how backed up it got after it left as I was keeping them on pace, 😞. 

 

Kudos to Sterling Grove though, the guy at the cart drop asked why I was coming in after 9 hole, he walked me to the pro shop and they gave me a rain check, solid customer service in my opinion. 

[Bonneville85308]

34 minutes ago, AzSuperHack76 said:

 

Always an adventure when you book as a single. A 4 some was open for a 0730 time this morning on the SG website so I booked as a single last night. Got paired up with a couple of out of towners, they stayed up all night drinking, reeked of booze on the first tee. One of the guys whiffed it 5 times on the first tee box(not an exaggeration). Had to tell the guy to "lets just drop one 150 yards out". No clue who these guys were but I literally had to baby sit them for 9 holes, nice guys but just a drunken mess and had to keep them on track. Nowhere to go in front or behind me so I stuck it out for 9 holes then walked off. I can't imagine how backed up it got after it left as I was keeping them on pace, 😞. 

 

 

Reminds me of an experience I had a few years ago at TPC Scottsdale. I had the first tee time, 6:30am in the middle of July. I'm paired with three young bachelor party guys from out of town who show up drunk at 6:27am and are still drinking. Pretty sure I saw one guy snorting something too. They were hitting the ball either 25 feet straight ahead or 200 yards off line into the junk on every shot and moving like absolute molasses. After 4 holes we were on about a 5 hour pace even with me doing as much as I could to move them along and rushing myself, and the ranger had warned us once with the rest of the course stacking up behind this. I decided to just ditch them and go ahead on my own (the course wasn't paying me to babysit these clowns). I proceed to shoot the lowest round of my life. My swing is normally awful but somehow it all came together and I couldn't miss. Flew around and never saw those guys again. When I get done with the round, I chatted with the staff a bit about the group I had been paired with. The staffer told me that the group quit on #9 and one of them had to be taken away in an ambulance. Yikes. It was a round I'll never forget.

[YMark]

3 hours ago, Bonneville85308 said:

 

After 4 holes we were on about a 5 hour pace even with me doing as much as I could to move them along and rushing myself, and the ranger had warned us once with the rest of the course stacking up behind this. I decided to just ditch them and go ahead on my own (the course wasn't paying me to babysit these clowns).

I would have done that after one hole. 

[chisag]

On 8/13/2021 at 12:24 PM, AzSuperHack76 said:

One of the guys whiffed it 5 times on the first tee box(not an exaggeration).

 

... I'll see your 5 whiffs and raise you several more. We stayed at La Paloma during a free golf special between Christmas and New Years when I lived in Chicago back in the 80"s (If I remember correctly). Marla Maples and trump rented out an entire wing of La Paloma and rented the restaurant as well. We went to eat there and were informed it was rented out for the week. They had not eaten there but just in case they wanted to, it was closed to the public. There might have been 20 people max staying at the hotel in that window between Christmas and New Year.

... We went to check in for out round and one of trumps body guards was there with a "lady" wearing a halter top and high heels that wanted to "try golf" Kid behind the counter said proper attire was needed. The guy peeled off 2 $100 dollar bills and the kids eyes grew big. Sorry sir but the rules are the rules. The guy peeled off 3 more $100 bill and slid them to the kid and walked to the first tee. The kid watched him go and then picked up the five $100 bills. Now remember this was the 80's so that was a ton of cash. Who wouldn't? 

... The "lady" proceeded to miss the ball at least 10 times but honestly we lost track. The kid came out and told them they would have to let us tee off and the guy says "No we paid for the hole and we are gonna play it. They can wait." We was figurative since he had no clubs. So we started on #2 and played #1 at the end of the round. Never saw trump or Maples and the restaurant never opened. Golf was great though because we basically had the 3 nines to ourselves for 4 days. 

Edited August 15, 2021 by chisag

[azgolfer44]

Aguila greens were bumpy and grainy yesterday but not sure if they were mowed after rain. Course drained very well. I’d think the greens should be recovered in 8-10 days. 

[Bonneville85308]

1 hour ago, azgolfer44 said:

Aguila greens were bumpy and grainy yesterday but not sure if they were mowed after rain. Course drained very well. I’d think the greens should be recovered in 8-10 days. 

 

Thanks. I haven't been there since a week before the aeration and I scored a good tee time for next weekend so I'm excited to get back to my favorite muni.

[AZ_JHWK]

TPC Champions today. Everything looked really good considering all of the recent rains. Carts were off the paths. This course must drain really well as you could see where high water had been. All of the drainage basins and most of the washes had plenty of water in them, but nothing in the fairways. Bunkers looked perfect. 

[AzSuperHack76]

Stone Ridge in Prescott Valley this morning. Just a reminder why I haven't played it in 5 years. What a stupid, stupid layout. Can confirm 18 is still the worst par 5 in the state of Az. Conditioning was pretty poor as well. Overgrown fairways and rough, bunkers are a complete mess, some have been redone, others are just washed out completely. Greens were painfully slow with many diseased spots on them. Hopefully I won't forget how bad it is and have to make this same post 5 years from now.... 😉

Edited August 17, 2021 by AzSuperHack76

[puttnforthe8]

Grayhawk Raptor - relatively disappointed in the course for the price being charged.  Fairways are ok.  Rough is very inconsistent - sometimes very tough, other times ok.  Bunkers quite inconsistent.  But the worst were the greens - terrible and bumpy and very inconsistent one green to the next.   

[Bonneville85308]

Agave Highlands in Cornville. Yikes. But I figured that going in, having played here last summer. It was convenient to a meeting I had in town, and beneath all of those weeds and crabgrass are a few really fun holes. Speaking of crabgrass, the fairways were in mostly terrible condition, mix of weeds, clover, crabgrass, and bare patches. A few tees where the overgrowth in the "junk" area between the tee and fairway makes it hard to figure out the line of play. Most fairways were like in the pic below, see if you can find where my drive ended up in the 8" high patch of crabgrass. Everything off the fairways is just deeper weeds, clover, and crabgrass. I'm guessing their chemical budget for anything other than the greens is about zero. All of the course infrastructure is completely worn out or overgrown looking. The property reminds me of Foothills in Ahwatukee. 

 

HOWEVER...Bent grass greens were in great, impressive condition given the rest of the course, which usually is the case here. 

 

Besides the greens, the positives were the extremely helpful guy working in the pro shop who helped me get ahead of a group on the first tee and showed me a couple of other courtesies, and the fact that the course was generally empty and I played in less than 3 hours. Still, it is priced at probably $20 more than it is worth this time of year, and I'm guessing that's why it is usually empty. Perhaps a chicken and the egg dilemma; people don't play the course because it's in bad shape, but the course is in bad shape because they don't have the money since nobody plays it?

 

 

[AzSuperHack76]

Wigwam Gold is in really good shape, tee boxes, fairways and rough are in the best shape I've seen in sometime. Greens were painfully slow but held their line for the most part.

 

They are doing some renovation work since they lost a bunch of trees recently, adding bunkers to replace the trouble that the trees had created. The holes that stick out to me are 8 and 18, but there are a couple other holes getting new fairway bunker's as well. Really changes the way you have to play those holes. 

Edited August 20, 2021 by AzSuperHack76