Tag Archives: golf vacation destination

Club West Golf Course

Posted on by • Posted in Top Golf Destinations • Tagged , , • Leave a comment

There’s no better place to hold golf trips with friends than a golf course that can accommodate everyone’s playing level. The Club West Golf Course in Arizona is exactly this: a versatile golf course with 4 different sets of tees that can stretch the game from 4,985 yards to as much as 7,142 yards in length and is a welcome haven for golfers regardless of playing level. Golfers can play according to their own handicap and desired difficulty in a championship golf course with stunning views of Arizona’s Sonoran desert and the mountains surrounding it.

The 18-hole championship course designed by Ken Cavanaugh and Brian Whitcomb, apart from being so versatile, has some very dramatic elevation changes on each hole. It has all the classic elements of desert golf – of playing over desert foothills and vegetation, as well as some really stunning rock formations – and a lake and a pond to add to the already challenging and exciting layout. Club West Golf Course is the perfect golf vacation destination for golfers who want to add more spunk into their game but enjoy a picture-perfect environment.

Because of its versatility and unique brand of challenge, Club West Golf Course is a consistent member in the top 20 list of Arizona’s Best Golf Courses. Its versatility as well as scenic quality are like open arms that welcome every golfer that comes their way. No wonder it is the site of countless golf vacations, and the subject of many positive reviews from golfers of all levels.

TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course

Posted on by • Posted in Top Golf Courses • Tagged , , • Leave a comment

The pro-tournament that draws the largest crowd attendance in all of the world finds its home in a golf course surrounded by the Sonoran desert and the McDowell Mountains in Arizona. Every year, a huge following of golf fans flock the TPC of Scottsdale’s Stadium Course to cheer and jeer for their favorite pros for the FBR Phoenix Open. The Stadium Course, along with its sibling course, Champions, make up the 36-hole Tournament Players Club (TPC) of Scottsdale operated by PGA Tours. The Stadium Course, because of the Phoenix Open fame, also draws so many golf trip enthusiasts during post tournament season.

Pro- or not, the Stadium Course‘s par-3 16th hole never fails to make a lasting impression and a heart-wrenching impact. Course designers Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish have intended the hole as just a bridge from the 15th to the 17th, but it’s simply the most exciting hole there is on the course. The holes at the Stadium seem easy, like the 17th, but could break any champion’s heart if taken all too easily. The golf vacation destination was made exactly with the FBR Phoenix Open in mind and so the level of difficulty should never at all be surprising.

The best thing about the Stadium Course is its perfect, unparalleled views of the Sonoran desert and the McDowell Mountains. Anyone who visits the course is treated to such breathtaking vista all the while enjoying a fun round of golf or any of the course’s amenities while being serviced by its excellent staff. With or without the tournament, the Stadium course will, without a doubt, be a best seller in golf vacations because of its unique offer of desert golf – complete with a challenging layout and the best of desert scenery.

The Boulders – North Course

Posted on by • Posted in Top Golf Courses • Tagged , , • Leave a comment

The beautiful Sonoran desert has been made even more beautiful by the many tourist destinations built here. Countless golf resorts dot the area all making use of the stunning golden sands of the desert and its many splendor of mountains and natural vegetation. One of the more famous golf vacation destinations in the area that stands out among the others is The Boulders located at the foothills of the Black Mountain. The Boulders is home to two of the most scenic golf courses in all of Arizona, the North Course and the South Course. The Boulders North Course combines a challenging layout that follows nature’s dictates to bring out a top-caliber golf course like no other.

The Boulders – North Course, like its sibling course, is designed by  Jay Moorish. It is an 18-hole, par 71 course that is considered to have one of the most demanding layouts in the Southwest. The course is accommodating to golfers of all handicaps, and they shall each be afforded a different sort of fun-challenge. The North Course is surrounded by huge desert boulders and the most beautiful view of the Sonoran desert, both serving for aesthetic as well as playability purposes. The course and the entire resort were designed to bring out the best in desert golf without doing too much intervention on the natural desert terrain. Golf trips here would bring the visitor in union with nature while playing their favorite sport.

The Boulders Golf Resort completes the golf vacation experience. World class golfing at the Boulders North Course, a relaxing session or two at the famous Golden Door Spa, and an even more pristine communion with nature, viewing the golden sunsets at the Sonoran desert – there is nothing more a nature-loving golfer would want.

Whirlwind Golf Club – Devil’s Claw

Posted on by • Posted in Top Golf Destinations • Tagged , , • Leave a comment

The older of the two sibling courses at the Whirlwind Golf Club, the Devil’s Claw Course has been, for the most part, the inspiration of the younger Cattail Course. Both courses were designed by Gary Pank and were meant to provide a golf vacation destination that both provides a good and challenging layout at the same time preserve the cultural heritage of the Gila River Indians of the area.

The Devil’s Claw Course at the Whirlwind Golf Club plays on 7,017 yards at the tips for a par of 72. The 18-hole championship golf course features sweeping elevation changes, dramatic bunkering and multi-tiered greens. Just like the Cattail Course, this golf trip haven has had minimal landscaping to preserve the natural contours of the desert terrain it stands on. Like its sister course, the Devil’s Claw has five sets of tees to accommodate players of various handicaps.

What makes the Devil’s Claw Course at the Whirlwind Golf Club stand out, apart from the obvious superb playing greens and fairly challenging layouts, is the excellence in conditioning and maintenance of the course. The management has successfully combined that with outstanding service from their brood of friendly and knowledgeable staff – the exact same philosophy applied in the newer Cattail Course. All that and the natural beauty of the area and the interesting Native American heritage woven tightly into the design and golfing principles make the course a favorite for golf vacations. And as with every passing year, there is no doubt the golf facilities at the Whirlwind Golf Club – both the Devi;’s Claw and the Cattail courses – are getting better and better.

Whirlwind Golf Club – Cattail Course

Posted on by • Posted in Top Golf Courses • Tagged , , • Leave a comment

The brains behind the creation of the Whirlwind Golf Club had one thing in mind:FLEXIBILITY. They wanted a golf course that goes beyond the usual scenic, slightly challenging course layout. What they wanted was a golf course that can accommodate players of various handicaps whilst providing the most scenic vistas and the best of services and amenities – a complete and top of its kind course both for the resident golfer and the golf trip enthusiast. And they got that with the Cattail Course of the Whirlwind Golf Club.

Located in Chandler, Arizona, its designer Gary Panks did very minimal and mild intervention to the natural desert terrain of what now holds the Cattail Course of the Whirlwind Golf Club. The golf vacation destination boasts of 5 sets of tee areas, each offering a different golfing experience for the determined player. It stretches to almost 7,300 yards at the championship tees. The Cattail course meanders through natural Arizona wetland areas and canyons that provide natural hazards for the game. The holes at the course have names on the scorecard, written both in English and in Native American language of the Gila River Indian tribe to pay homage to the heritage of the land it belongs to. Twice in the past has the Cattail hosted the Gila River Nationwide Tour Classic – in 2003 and 2004.

Another feature of the Cattail Course of the Whirlwind Golf Club are its superb quality service and world-class amenities. The staff of the course are all friendly, knowledgeable, and bears the same accommodating stance of the course. Every visiting golfer will feel easily at ease at the course and enjoy the wonderful clubhouse and all its many offerings that are even more wonderful. This place makes for the perfect golf vacations for anyone and everyone.

Rancho Mañana Golf Club

Posted on by • Posted in Top Golf Destinations • Tagged , , • Leave a comment

The question of whether a golf course is beautiful or not is not answerable merely by the scenery of the course. Neither is it based on its playability alone. It must be a little of both, and the factor of being able to deliver an unforgettable game of golf, making every golf trip worth taking. Rancho Mañana Golf Club has all that – and more. And for the big names in golf course reviews to recognize that, there’s no way for it not to be true.

The Rancho Mañana Golf Club has been voted on Golf Digest as having one of the most scenic layouts, and listed by the same as one of the top 50 courses IN THE COUNTRY for women. Ranking Arizona ranked it in the top 10 courses in the state. These merits alone are enough to answer the question on whether or not the golf vacation destination is beautiful or not. It has got the most beautiful desert vistas in the state and one of the most challenging, dramatic elevation changes. Golfers could enjoy the heart of Sonoran desert, whilst being treated to captivating views of the Camelback Mountain, Mummy Mountain, Squawk Peak, Black Mountain, and South Mountain, as well as that of the Tonto National Forest. The elevation changes are very prominent, rising on each hole on the front nine. The back nine treats golfers into a very tricky water hole and the most awe-inspiring views.

The course was designed by Bill Johnston, maintaining the natural beauty of the land, following its natural contours and placing the balls perfectly to capture the best sights. It’s a perfect combination of scenery, challenging desert layout, and always a memorable golf vacation for anyone. The Rancho Mañana Golf Club has, no doubt, all the necessary requirements to call it a BEAUTIFUL COURSE.

Sanctuary Golf Club at Westworld

Posted on by • Posted in Top Golf Courses • Tagged , , • Leave a comment

The Sanctuary Golf Club at Westworld is indeed a sanctuary. It is – for desert wildlife and flora, as was certified by the Audubon International when it awarded the club its Audubon Signature Status – the first one in Arizona, and the 17th in the world. But to golfers who want everything easy breezy, and get a good scorecard without so much as raising an arm, the extra challenging desert layout of this golf course is just not for them. There is just nothing pretentious about desert golf in this golf vacation destination. It’s difficult, it’s hot, it’s real. IT’S FUN.

Its course architect, Randy Heckenkemper, worked on the Bureau of Reclamations’ Storm Water Retention area to come up with the Sanctuary Golf Club. The 6,624-yard, 18-hole, par 71 Sanctuary Golf Club is built on the western slopes of the McDowell Mountains adjacent to the Westworld equestrian center. Heckenkemper followed the natural topography of the land, thus creating a purely desert landscape of large saguaro cacti and desert washes. The most prominent feature about this golf vacation spot is not the scenery though, it’s the multiple forced carries off the tee. There’s just no other way to get past the thick desert vegetation.

Nothing is so ordinary about golf trips at the Sanctuary Golf Club. The layout is too challenging to be that. But not to worry, the golf club’s staff will compliment the difficulty with their superb and friendly service. For the real toughie of a golfer, who finds spells fun with C-H-A-L-L-E-N-G-E, then this is indeed, a sanctuary.

Legend Trail Golf Club

Posted on by • Posted in Top Golf Destinations • Tagged , , • Leave a comment

If it isn’t a classic and a legend already, the Legend Trail Golf Club is definitely on its way there. The 18-hole Championship facility in Scottsdale, Arizona is becoming known as one of the best ones in the state, and in the country. Of course, if the layout was designed by the Rees Jones, nothing less is to be expected. Naturally, it is a premiere and top-of-the-rank golf vacation destination.

The Legend Trail Golf Club is in North Scottsdale, near the Carefree/Cave Creek border. It is set in the very beautiful golden dunes of the Sonoran desert, with all the most spectacular views of the Pinnacle Peak and the nearby desert hills that seem to glisten under the glaring Arizona sun. The golf trip hotspot features a course that simply winds through the wide desert following the natural contours of the desert terrain. Golfers will play on seemingly endless acres of a former desert ranch that now features flawless fairways, perfectly manicured greens, small bunkering and island greens. The course plays on four different tee boxes, and the Long Trail which stretches to 6,845 yards and the Short Trail of 5000 yards may be enjoyed by players of all handicaps.

With its rare breed of quality service, captivating scenery, and challenging layout, the Legend Golf Trail has earned a reputation among its guests, and 4 ½ stars from the Golf Digest’s Places to Play. It is also one of the best, most favored venues for golf vacations, as it is conveniently located just 40 minutes from downtown Phoenix and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Without a doubt, it has all the makings of a legend.

Grayhawk Golf Club – Raptor Course

Posted on by • Posted in Top Golf Destinations • Tagged , , • Leave a comment

The Raptor Course of the Grayhawk Golf Club may be fierce on some shots, but it definitely doesn’t look like it. While the name may sound monstrous, as are its unforgiving bunkers, the Raptor holds some of the most breathtaking vistas of the Sonoran desert, the Pinnacle Peak and the McDowell Mountains which make it a golf vacation favorite in Arizona.

Together with its sibling course, the Talon, the Raptor Course is part of the renowned Grayhawk Golf Club whose ambassadors include 2010 Master’s Champion Phil Mickelson who spent much of his pre- championship days in the facility honing his now world-famous skills. The 18-hole par-72 championship course designed by Tom Fazio bears its designer’s signature large bunkers and daring-play layouts. The most prominent features of the Raptor Course of the Grayhawk Golf Club, apart from the heavy bunkering, is the tricky use of the water hazards that are as beautiful as they are treacherous. The greens are large and fairly undulating, and the fairways are wide with lush desert vegetation. There is that fair share of challenge and beauty to this course, and the ambiance is always fun and never intimidating – it is a powerful combination that makes any golf trip a memorable experience.

It could so easily be said of the Raptor Course of the Grayhawk Golf Club that it is simply one of the best golf courses in Arizona and in the country. This is not some solitary opinion, as Golf Magazine thinks so too. The golf vacation destination has been listed one of the Top 100 Courses You Can Play in the US. Perhaps the fiercest quality of the course does not only lie in its name. Among its counterparts, it is indeed fierce because of its characteristics that make for an exceptional golf course.

Gold Canyon Golf Resort – Dinosaur Mountain

Posted on by • Posted in Top Golf Destinations • Tagged , , • Leave a comment

This is one course that’s on top of the mountain, literally and figuratively. Well, not so much literally, as the Dinosaur Mountain course of the Golf Canyon Golf Resort winds through the mountain of the same name, at the foothills of the majestic Superstitions Mountains in Arizona. The picturesque 18-hole championship golf vacation destination offers not only the best, most challenging desert layout, but of the best views of the Sonoran desert as well. And that puts it at the top of the rankings mountain, as it is the No. 1 rated golf course in the entire state of Arizona.

The Dinosaur Mountain Course at the Gold Canyon Golf Resort offers, by far the most dramatic elevation changes in all Arizona courses. The course is dotted with lush desert vegetation and golden canyons that make for scenic surroundings but highly treacherous shots. At Dinosaur Mountain, you can never be so sure of your shots until you are too sure. Add to it the fact that the fairways are long and loping. Nevertheless, the Dinosaur Mountain Course has completed the requisites for the perfect, memorable golf trip.

Golf vacations have never been more perfect than when it is at the Dinosaur Mountain Course at the Gold Canyon Golf Resort. Visitors are assured of endless rounds of golf kissed by the Sonoran sun, hugged by the Arizona mountains, and serviced only by the best staff. Golf Digest has already rated it 4-stars, and more visitors have raved about the wonder that is the Dinosaur Mountain Course. The visitors cannot be blamed if the course makes it to the top of their own list of the best courses.