Pick One: Vistancia? Verrado? Dinosaur? Ambiente?

[Sportsman16]

Headed to Scottsdale for a few nights in mid-August.  (Yes, I know it will be hot!).  On prior trips I have played several of the big ones....(Quintero, Troon North, Wickenburg, Southern DUnes, We Ko Pa, Boulders, etc.)  I have primarily stayed and explored the SCottsdale and North SCottsdale area.  

 

I am checking another big name off my list this trip by playing Grayhawk.

 

With early discussion of possible owning a home down there some day, I am curious to see some areas that might be more affordable East and West of SCottsdale.  

 

For my second round, I am thinking of Traveling East or West with the idea of a seeing new areas I have not visited that could be potential second home areas some day.  Thus the option of Vistancia or Verrado to see what a "planned community" looks like.  Dinosaur is on the list as I hear its great views and also a potential area to look at owning someday......I put Ambiente on the list as it is close to where I am staying and thought it might be a good option if I scap the whole drive idea and play closer to resort.

 

What say you?  Any opinions appreciated.

 

THANKS!

 

Edited July 18, 2022 by Sportsman16
MORE INFO

[puttnforthe8]

Verrado, then Vistancia, then a lot of other courses, then Dinosaur

 

Ambiente not incl since it seems to be your fallback option.

[Golf Pig]

Since you're interested in planned communities, you should check out Sterling Grove.

[rochestergolfer36]

Only played in winter.
 

Skip Sterling grove. Boring course with awful greens. Conditions are great but can’t make up for greens and layout.
 

Verrado is best course but tee time availability isn’t great for residents according to my friend so something to keep in mind. Pace of play is slow in winter unless you’re first out. Conditions are hit and miss. They are building a 3rd course in next few years I believe.
 

Vistancia is decent, parents live there and I enjoy it. Good condition. Nothing special and won’t wow you but nothing dumb either. 

[puttnforthe8]

14 hours ago, rochestergolfer36 said:

Only played in winter.
 

Skip Sterling grove. Boring course with awful greens. Conditions are great but can’t make up for greens and layout.
 

Verrado is best course but tee time availability isn’t great for residents according to my friend so something to keep in mind. Pace of play is slow in winter unless you’re first out. Conditions are hit and miss. They are building a 3rd course in next few years I believe.
 

Vistancia is decent, parents live there and I enjoy it. Good condition. Nothing special and won’t wow you but nothing dumb either. 

LOL  - bad take!

Edited July 25, 2022 by puttnforthe8

[Sportsman16]

Thanks for the feedback.  Playing Grayhawk and Verrado.  Looking forward to my visit!

 

[Twinsgroupie]

On 7/24/2022 at 4:55 PM, rochestergolfer36 said:

Only played in winter.
 

Skip Sterling grove. Boring course with awful greens. Conditions are great but can’t make up for greens and layout.
 

Verrado is best course but tee time availability isn’t great for residents according to my friend so something to keep in mind. Pace of play is slow in winter unless you’re first out. Conditions are hit and miss. They are building a 3rd course in next few years I believe.
 

Vistancia is decent, parents live there and I enjoy it. Good condition. Nothing special and won’t wow you but nothing dumb either. 

Great to hear I am not the only person with that opinion of Sterling Grove. 

[SilverBullets]

The first time I played Sterling Grove I thought it was kind of whatever.  Thought the layout was OK, hated the greens, and it really just wasn't what I expected.  I didn't really think it was a top 20 course in the valley and I wasn't going to go out of my way to play there again.

 

Then a different group of buddies wanted to play it so I tried again.  Then they were the only course with availability and I played it again (and so on).  The more I played it, the more I liked it.  As I figured out some of the lines and different ways to play holes, I've really come to appreciate the golf course.  I think it's a really fun layout to play.  The greens on 1, 2, the front half of 3 and #7 are pretty ridiculous but the rest of the greens I have no issue with.  Even those 4 greens are visually more ridiculous than they actually play (although 2 is complete turtle shell, that's probably the worst green in my book).  

 

I've found it to be a very fair golf course which rewards well executed shots in a big way and only penalizes poor shots (and they typically have to be very poor).  It's not the prettiest course in the world, as more houses get built it's going to get uglier but from a overall layout and course perspective I think it's a really well done course. 

 

I think it's better than both Verrado courses.  Certainly better than Victory and I personally think Founders is pretty overrated but I'm also not a long time Phoenician who remembers when Verrado was one of the best courses in the valley a couple decade ago.    

[hackeraz]

On 7/27/2022 at 3:24 PM, SilverBullets said:

The first time I played Sterling Grove I thought it was kind of whatever.  Thought the layout was OK, hated the greens, and it really just wasn't what I expected.  I didn't really think it was a top 20 course in the valley and I wasn't going to go out of my way to play there again.

 

Then a different group of buddies wanted to play it so I tried again.  Then they were the only course with availability and I played it again (and so on).  The more I played it, the more I liked it.  As I figured out some of the lines and different ways to play holes, I've really come to appreciate the golf course.  I think it's a really fun layout to play.  The greens on 1, 2, the front half of 3 and #7 are pretty ridiculous but the rest of the greens I have no issue with.  Even those 4 greens are visually more ridiculous than they actually play (although 2 is complete turtle shell, that's probably the worst green in my book).  

 

I've found it to be a very fair golf course which rewards well executed shots in a big way and only penalizes poor shots (and they typically have to be very poor).  It's not the prettiest course in the world, as more houses get built it's going to get uglier but from a overall layout and course perspective I think it's a really well done course. 

 

I think it's better than both Verrado courses.  Certainly better than Victory and I personally think Founders is pretty overrated but I'm also not a long time Phoenician who remembers when Verrado was one of the best courses in the valley a couple decade ago.    

What is the issue with the greens, put put with elephants buried everywhere? Everyone seems to complain about the greens but nobody actually describes what’s so bad about them. 

[AZ_JHWK]

22 minutes ago, hackeraz said:

What is the issue with the greens, put put with elephants buried everywhere? Everyone seems to complain about the greens but nobody actually describes what’s so bad about them. 

I've played there twice and really like it, not an AZ desert course in any way...well, except the heat. I was paired with a couple of guys the first time I played there, and they said the greens were mostly a collection of designs that Nicklaus had used before in his career throughout the world. Not the entire hole, just the greens. As a result, they don't look like they belong together as a group. There are probably 5 or 6 that have really dramatic undulations or fall-offs. From the fairway the first green looks normal, but when I got to the green, I remember thinking what the hell is this? A massive valley running kind of diagonally with a very narrow plateau/shoulder on each side. Then I putted off the green on the 2nd hole. 🥴

 

There are plenty of resort type courses with round, flat greens in the Valley. If you're up for a challenge, give Sterling Grove a try. 

[hackeraz]

1 hour ago, AZ_JHWK said:

I've played there twice and really like it, not an AZ desert course in any way...well, except the heat. I was paired with a couple of guys the first time I played there, and they said the greens were mostly a collection of designs that Nicklaus had used before in his career throughout the world. Not the entire hole, just the greens. As a result, they don't look like they belong together as a group. There are probably 5 or 6 that have really dramatic undulations or fall-offs. From the fairway the first green looks normal, but when I got to the green, I remember thinking what the hell is this? A massive valley running kind of diagonally with a very narrow plateau/shoulder on each side. Then I putted off the green on the 2nd hole. 🥴

 

There are plenty of resort type courses with round, flat greens in the Valley. If you're up for a challenge, give Sterling Grove a try. 

Thank you for the info! Guess I need to head out that way and give it a try. Can’t be nearly as bad as the bunker green at Chiricahua. 

[DrSchteeve]

Sterling Grove's greens are really difficult for those unfamiliar, not just the greens but the green surrounds since where the "good miss" is isn't obvious.  There are a lot of holes where you can't see the green, or only a portion. Frustrating for the first time or two around the course. For a private course, which it will eventually be, those same features can keep the course interesting.

Edited July 29, 2022 by DrSchteeve