Best Shortgame Practice Facilties in Phoenix Area?

[TravAz]

Looking for more practice options, especially in the southeast valley.

 

I usually practice @ Whirlwind, but after the recent rate hike to $25, it seems Im 1/2 way to a twilight round. Pretty nice facility though.

 

Who has the best shortgame practice area in town?

[puttnforthe8]

Raven Sth Mtn;Legacy; Southern Dunes; Red Mountain Ranch; Las sendas

[TigerStrong]

[quote name='TravAz' timestamp='1331762673' post='4508797']
Looking for more practice options, especially in the southeast valley.

I usually practice @ Whirlwind, but after the recent rate hike to $25, it seems Im 1/2 way to a twilight round. Pretty nice facility though.

Who has the best shortgame practice area in town?
[/quote]
TPC Scottsdale...whats the $25.oo charge for?

[TravAz]

25$ to use the practice range

[TigerStrong]

[quote name='TravAz' timestamp='1331784024' post='4511281']
25$ to use the practice range
[/quote]
What if you wanted to just chip and putt with your own balls?

[fore_life]

But isn't it 25 for all day use of the range and facilities?

[TravAz]

Yea, it's 25 for all day - great value (better 2 weeks ago at 20$) if you can put in 3+ hours. And no, I don't think you could just roll up and use your own balls to practice short game.

Any other good places ?

[TravAz]

So I'll just start posting pics/ info

 

Checked out foothills golf club today. Located on 24th st between pecos and chandler blvd.

 

Price: 6$ for 75 balls

 

I was actually pretty impressed with the short game area here. First is a large putting green with plenty of space on and around it. Pretty easy to find almost any chipping lie you could want. The green was sandy today and kinda slow.

 

Second is a small green off to the side with a pretty well maintained "fairway" maybe 40-50 yards long. Green is elevated and there are 2 bunkers around it. Perfect for hitting 10-50yd pitch shots.

 

Downsides:

 

- range is a meager 250yds deep, so leave the longer clubs in the bag.

-target pins in really weird locations in a hilly area which made it impossible to see the ball land around 1/2 of the targets.

- today we were hitting off of a "Mat" area. Not individual Mats, but a 100yd by 5yd long stretch of Mat surface. It was actually pretty squishy so not as bad as I thought initially. Fine for 9-3 drill, etc

 

Pics:

 

 

 

[fore_life]

If I'm not mistaken, you always hit off the mat at foothills and the greens are always sandy lol. I've always liked the practice area at the duke down in maricopa. The range is better than southern dunes.

You could also just go to ken McDonald, they have a really big short game area with bunker. Just go into the place and buy a beer and they won't sweat you at all. It's a muni

[silentcmh]

Legacy and The Biltmore off the top of my head. Ken McDonald isn't too bad.

[Thrillhouse]

Legacy would be my vote and they have an all day practice rate as well.

[TravAz]

Alright, I'll check out ken Mac an legacy next... Thanks guys

[fore_life]

The range at Kenny Mac isn't the best but the chipping area is solid. Kokopelli has a cool putting green that had a few holes slightly larger than a golf ball to hone your focus

[natural_one]

travaz- funny as I was at Foothills yesterday. I help coach a high school team and we had a match there. I lasered the back wall and I got 290, but yes the grass ends at 250 or so.

I have to chime in and say that Legacy's facility is top notch, and while I'd like to keep it from being so popular, they have quite possibly the best putting green in town which is why they draw so many mini tour players and college teams.
Vistal just on down baseline has a First Tee facility that has some great pitch and putt holes. I think my buddy said $5 for 18holes or all day or something like that. He said the greens were not great, but a cheap alternative to get some looks at varying pins.
This makes me think back on a business plan a buddy and I were putting together about an ultimate players practice facility with monthly memberships up in north phx we wanted to do. Immaculate greens, a short course, and top tier range. it's needed out here!

[fore_life]

Natural just reminded me of the 9 holer at aguila, the have holes ranging from 50 to 185, with serious contours and stuff, not a flat boring place. Great place to practice your short and midrange game without hitting the same shot over and over. Good on-course variety and it's rarely crowded, you could play a few balls. Greens are great too. It's $7 all you can play or free with a round on the 18 hole at aguila

[phoenix wildcat]

I live in the Desert Ridge area and wanted to see if there are any good practice memberships around here......

[wcb231]

I remember Longbow having a pretty nice practice facility when I played there a few months ago, with the short game area standing out. Long trek out there, though.

[fore_life]

[quote name='phoenix wildcat' timestamp='1336592369' post='4882000']
I live in the Desert Ridge area and wanted to see if there are any good practice memberships around here......
[/quote]

I know legend at arrowhead had a good summer membership and I think stone creek has a practice membership, can't say that I know anything about the facilities though

[silentcmh]

[quote name='fore_life' timestamp='1336851063' post='4901614']
[quote name='phoenix wildcat' timestamp='1336592369' post='4882000']
I live in the Desert Ridge area and wanted to see if there are any good practice memberships around here......
[/quote]

I know legend at arrowhead had a good summer membership and I think stone creek has a practice membership, can't say that I know anything about the facilities though
[/quote]

The range at Stonecreek is pretty standard. It gets jam-packed on busy days, but is probably dead during the summer. The putting green is pretty big and mostly flat with slight undulations. The chipping area is just Ok. The chipping green is really narrow and rock hard so it's not the same feel as a normal green.

[XFelon]

Whirlwind & Legacy have the best practice areas in the area in my opinion...

Raven Golf Club - Has a great range and putting green. There chipping area sucks..

San Marcos (Chandler) - I went here one time waiting for my girlfriend to get off wrk. There driving range sucks, BUT, there chipping area is great! Maybe the best I have seen as far as room goes - Picture a green with 2 flages in it, and then a narow fairway going as far as about 150 yds back. When I went there I was the only one, so I set up about 20 balls at 150/100/75/50yds.. . Good little spot

Ocotillo - This is a good driving range and putting area as well. I am not sure on there chipping area as I have not seen one there (I am sure they have one though).

Ahwatukee C.C. - If you like hitting on dirt. UNLESS you go to the back driving range.. Then its "ok". Also, its short.. No driver

Club West - Horrible driving range. Hard to tell how far your drive and shots are going (you hit into a bunker about 20yrds below) chipping here is ok. Putting is ok as well

Foothills - I hate matts. And as stated before its a short range as well.

The Lakes - I just went here for the first time last Sun to try out a new shaft in the driver.. Since its closer to home (like Ahwatukee C.C., it wasnt that bad. I only used the range but at least I could hit my driver..


The Duke & Southern Dunes - If I remember correctly, there range is decent. Just to far for me to go practice at...

[fore_life]

The duke has an awesome short game area and range. Sd has a better short game area but the duke has real greens to hit at on the range.

[ClarkGrswld4]

Longbow very good

[oks871]

I'm reviving this 12 year old thread with the same question. I am going to Phoenix in early April and have some time to kill one of the days I am there, and would like to get some practice in. What are the best spots in the Phoenix area to practice? I'd love something with a good short game area that I can hit longer pitch shots (thinking like 60 yards?) to good targets, but realize that may be tough to come by. Whirlwind looks nice since it is a day pass.

[hackeraz]

On 3/20/2012 at 3:31 PM, fore_life said:

If I'm not mistaken, you always hit off the mat at foothills and the greens are always sandy lol. I've always liked the practice area at the duke down in maricopa. The range is better than southern dunes.

You could also just go to ken McDonald, they have a really big short game area with bunker. Just go into the place and buy a beer and they won't sweat you at all. It's a muni

 Uh, never mind as I see the date now. 

Edited March 19, 2024 by hackeraz

[Baraethon]

I drool over the pictures of the ASU facility at Papago, I wish there was anything like that open to the public. I would spend hours hitting wedges in 15 yard increments.

[hackeraz]

On 3/19/2024 at 6:13 PM, Baraethon said:

I drool over the pictures of the ASU facility at Papago, I wish there was anything like that open to the public. I would spend hours hitting wedges in 15 yard increments.

Same. I spend a bit of time on their public range as it's close enough to my office. That facility they built for ASU is amazing. 

[AZBRONCFAN]

I personally hit the goat ranch of Paradise Valley GC. The chipping green is a little hard but you can get varying distances. Sand trap is fluffy in spots to muni hard pan. You can use the rake to create what you want. Range is a roll of the dice. 

[tcbringhurst]

On 3/19/2024 at 10:42 AM, oks871 said:

I'm reviving this 12 year old thread with the same question. I am going to Phoenix in early April and have some time to kill one of the days I am there, and would like to get some practice in. What are the best spots in the Phoenix area to practice? I'd love something with a good short game area that I can hit longer pitch shots (thinking like 60 yards?) to good targets, but realize that may be tough to come by. Whirlwind looks nice since it is a day pass.

Might be able to do some pitch shots like that at Cave Creek, if not a little shorter than what you’re looking for. 

[fore_life]

On 3/19/2024 at 6:13 PM, Baraethon said:

I drool over the pictures of the ASU facility at Papago, I wish there was anything like that open to the public. I would spend hours hitting wedges in 15 yard increments.

Working on it!!!!

[Baraethon]

On 3/21/2024 at 1:36 PM, tcbringhurst said:

Might be able to do some pitch shots like that at Cave Creek, if not a little shorter than what you’re looking for. 

Cave creek does have a decent area, that's true. I've always sort of been down on pitching to surfaces that aren't greens because I want to know how my ball will react too, but if we're being honest I'm not good enough to care about that 😂