SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The 2009 edition of Phoenix area golf getaways is a bit shorter this year than last, as our jam-packed Brewers Spring Training schedule didn't allow us to spend every waking minute pursuing par under pleasant but overcast skies.
Jerry and I did manage to play and review the Phoenician and the Grayhawk Raptor and a third course, The Westin Kierland, (with an all-time fascinating foursome played with a non denominational preacher and the CEO of an airplane company) which we reviewed last year.
Grayhawk Golf Club
8620 E. Thompson Peak Parkway, Scottsdale
(480) 502-1800
Grayhawk Golf Club is located in the northern end of Scottsdale just off I-10, in the shadow of the McDowell Mountain range. It is among the premier daily fee facilities in the Phoenix area, and its Raptor and Talon courses are nationally renowned.
The Raptor opened in 1996 amidst much ballyhoo regarding the Tom Fazio desert design. Raptor and its sister course, The Talon, have matured nicely in the ensuing years, and seem as natural to the terrain as the countless species of cacti which endlessly punctuate the landscape. One of the signatures of Fazio's course design is hiding cart paths amidst the topography, so on each hole, as you look toward the green, the eye is unfettered by asphalt. This is certainly the case on the Raptor, which is a stunner from on top of the tee box.
The clubhouse is a sprawling complex with all of the amenities typical of a high-end golf experience. The first glimpse we got of the building once we hit the bag drop was of a massive lobby, which led us through the open and airy expanse to the locker rooms, the Champions room, Pro Shop and the Quill Creek Café. This friendly and surprisingly affordable bar/restaurant is seemingly built around a massive fireplace. Winged canopies, festooned with lights and patio furniture, welcomed us to kick back after our round, as fire pits warmed the cool air on the day we visited. There are also enough flat panel screens indoors and out to keep even the most rabid A.D.D. sports fan happy.
The practice facilities are exceptional. The putting and chipping greens are meticulously manicured and gave us a good feel for the speed and break of the greens in play. The practice bunker was well-raked and surprisingly underutilized, considering the not insignificant amount of bunker trouble that awaits on the course. What was not expected, and was a pleasant surprise to me (but not to my playing partner), was the music playing from rock-shaped speakers all along the driving range.
Though some will no doubt find it distracting, I like the fact that it broke the monotony of pounding balls into the gray sky. As it turned out on that Arizona afternoon, the sounds of a fugue would've been more appropriate than pop music for what was about to greet my round.
From the tips of the championship tees the course stretches to 7,135 yards with a slope of 143. There are three additional tee boxes, 6,593/137; 6,150/127 and 5,309/127. We played the 6,593 yard Palo Verde tees.
There are no gimmicks or surprises (other than seeing Brewers centerfielder Mike Cameron, then allowing him to play through us just so we could meet him) on this brawny track, but errant shots will cost you dearly. Scrub brush, cactus, trees and rocks imperil you at every turn should you miss the fairway. Raptor demands accuracy, a little bit of length and some shot-shaping ability to pick your way through the panoply of fairway and greenside bunker complexes.
The day we played, I was having serious spray issues with my driver, so I decided to forsake distance for accuracy, opting instead to tee off with a 3 wood. The subsequent loss in distance from the tee made par a real struggle for me on most of the holes. Jerry had no such trouble and was able to negotiate the course without many pitfalls, though they are in abundance.
The greens were smooth and quick and very putt-able, but multi-tiered dance floors on holes 1, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 15 will have you singing the blues if your wedges decide to take the day off.
That's not to say there are no chances to score on this course; on the contrary. The 334 yard par 4 "Horace Greeley" 6th hole and number 7 "Caddywampus," a 474 yard par 5, offer excellent chances to pump your confidence up going into the turn, and the incoming 9 offers you some respite back-to-back with the 379 yard par 4 14th "Serenity" and the 304 yard 15th "Wee One."
The backside shines with spectacular vistas and views of Scottsdale twinkling in the distance, almost making it hard to concentrate on your ball on the 18th tee box.
As with all the courses in the Phoenix area, jackrabbits are as ubiquitous as sunshine -- they are everywhere you look -- so it wasn't a huge surprise when I shouted Jerry down as he was about to tee off on the 8th because there was a coyote meandering across the fairway. Asked later, course employees told us that coyotes are a frequent sight in these parts because "it was one big buffet out here."
The Phoenician
6000 E. Camelback Rd., Scottsdale
(866) 716-8136
The Phoenician Golf Course is the most beautiful course I have ever played. When I close my eyes and think of golf, the holes of the Phoenician will undoubtedly elbow their way into the rotation of my favorite spots, as they parade through my head on cold, wet and/or wintry days. Granted, I have never played Pebble Beach or SpyGlass or Augusta National or Bandon Dunes, but I cannot imagine that they could eclipse this florid beauty.
Created in 1988 and redesigned in 1996, the 27 holes of the Phoenician are a real treat for golfers retreating from the cold. The three loops are named the Desert, the Canyon and the Oasis (Oasis is closed for 2009 because of construction on the resort) and are located at the base of Camelback Mountain just west of Old Town Scottsdale.
No matter how you configure your 18 holes between the three nines, you will not exceed 6,300 yards total -- but do not let that dissuade you. There is plenty of "Tiger Proof" golf available to you in the greater Phoenix area if you just wanna bomb it, but this course requires a little finesse.
The Desert track starts out pretty innocently, a straight-ahead 415 yard par 4 under swaying palm trees. Holes 2 and 3 are also pretty tame, with the main hazard seeming to be finding your ball amidst all the strays that have been misdirected from the driving range.
Hole 5 is where the Desert really hits it stride, though, as the course begins to climb up into the mountain. The views become more and more breathtaking the higher you climb, and as we ascended further up the mountain face we observed a multitude of hikers, mountain bikers, school groups, birders and casual strollers, which add to the refreshing outdoorsy vibe of the Phoenician.
Hole 6 is a nifty little elevated par 3 that requires an accurate mid to long iron to carry all of the brush and boulders between you and the pin. But don't lose yourself in your game to the point that you can't appreciate the view, because it is spectacular.
Another elevated par 3 at 8 is like a Stairmaster workout, as you have a nice bit of climbing to do just to reach the tee box. Once you do, you are rewarded with a large sloping green, which is offset by a large pink stucco chapel that seems to glow in the Sonoran sunlight. The drive to the 9th tee box follows a path that takes you past a vast menagerie of cacti that must contain every species of the genus.
The Canyon 9 is a bit more lush and has a more tropical feel than the desert course. Although you can find rocks with an errant shot, sand and water are the primary deterrents to par on this 9.
Hole 1 starts with an uphill carry over a small lake to a slight dogleg to a well-bunkered green. The contours and design of the course seem a bit tight from holes 4 through 7, but on the upside, errant shots are not particularly punitive, often landing in other fairways with great sightlines to the flag. Back-to-back par 3's on 7 and 8 force you to carry water on both, with bunkers waiting to catch any balls should trepidation cause you to overclub.
Though there isn't a lot of space to work with, probably my only quarrel with the entire course layout is the position of the forward/ladies tee box on 8. It is so close to the green that it is a really tough shot; it requires not much more than a chip. It's a classic "tweener" and it feels forced and a bit of an afterthought.
The par 5 9th is a dangerous 525-yard dogleg right with a road/guardhouse looming on the left, with the entire right side of the fairway flanked by a water hazard resplendent with fountains. Distance control is key here as the isthmus green beckons amidst even more water and trouble. It is a tremendous finishing hole on a vibrant course.
You would have to try very hard to find a bad lie on this property. The grass is amazing in the fairways and on the greens, perfectly maintained and deep, deep green. I've played other courses managed by Troon Golf, and have come to expect a luxurious round whenever I play a Troon property -- but the Phoenician excels even by their lofty standards.
As it turned out, we joined a twosome on the Canyon, Bob and Linda Lee from Kenosha. She golfs and he doesn't. She coaxes him out for one ride-a-long round a year and normally, I would've pitied Bob for missing out on such a great course.
On this day, however, I must confess that I was just the slightest bit envious that he was able to amble along and just take in the flowers and the scents and the multimillion dollar Frank Lloyd Wright inspired architecture on the mountain face, and the sculpted trees all free from the fleeting vagaries of a round of golf.
If you can only play one course during your visit, I would heartily recommend the Phoenician. It is a test of golf, but it won't break you. If you are rusty from a winter of inaction and want to play a course that won't destroy your confidence in an aura of pure pleasure, then this is the course for you.
