Quintero (Rees Jones) in Peoria, AZ goes public...

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Just in time for all you winter visitors to The Valley of the Sun:


http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2011/11/28/20111128peoria-golf-club-exclusive.html

[Adam Clayman]

The marketing guy was a member here in this forum. Wasn't he? Can't recall the name. I remember hi stessing how painstakingly Rees worked to make sure none of the houses encroached on the course. Then he went and built at least two par 3's, where the main access road was in the LOS.

At least one was over a pond, complete with rock (brick) wall. In the words of a beloved photographer, what a pity.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Quintero was formerly in the GW Top 100 Modern. Now it's 118.

Here's a Brad Klein article from 2004:

http://www.golfweek.com/news/2004/sep/28/2004-quintero-reaches-new-frontier/

The course opened in 2002 in the middle of nowhere. The developer thought continued growth would reach his location. He was wrong and lost it. Quintero is still in the middle of nowhere.

My wife had her 2nd hole in one there.

[Tyler Kearns]

Steve,

I'm heading there in early March for the first time and plan on playing Talking Stick (N & S) and We-Ko-Pa (Saguaro), and would like to venture out to see Desert Forest and/or Apache Stonghold.

Would Quintero be better architecturally than the above mentioned courses?

TK

[Steve_ Shaffer]

@Tyler

Apache Stronghold may not be in decent shape in early March to make the schlep out there. This course needs much warmer weather for the grass to grow out there in Globe. Otherwise, your choices are good, particularly if you have access to DF.

Another course to consider is Ken Kavanuagh's Vista Verde. It's definitely worth a play.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

I assume that Quintero will jump into the Top 10 Public in GW's ratings. Where?

Arizona

1.) We-Ko-Pa (Saguaro), Fountain Hills (No. 85 m)

2.) Troon North (Monument), Scottsdale (m)

3.) We-Ko-Pa (Cholla), Fountain Hills (m)

4.) Ritz-Carlton GC at Dove Mountain (Saguaro/Tortolita), Marana (m)

5.) Superstition Mountain GC (Prospector), Superstition Mountain (m)

6.) Southern Dunes GC, Maricopa (m)

7.) Tallking Stick (North), Scottsdale (m)

8.) TPC Scottsdale (Stadium), Scottsdale (m)

9.) Troon North (Pinnacle), Scottsdale (m)

10.) Boulders Resort (North), Carefree (m)

I'll put it at at 4.

[Mark Smolens]

Got to admit that the greens fee at Apache Stronghold is pretty darned attractive ($25, including a cart). Maybe if they could get more, they could spend more on maintenance? Too bad that doesn't appear to be possible.

[Andy Troeger]

I don't think any of those other publics are listed 101-200 in the GW Modern listing, so I'd guess it would come in at #2 depending on how much the list changes. I like Saguaro, Dove Mountain, and Southern Dunes better than Quintero personally.

[Matthew Sander]

Andy,

I agree with your preferences (at least SD and Saguaro - I haven't played Dove Mtn). I also prefer Raven at Verrado to Quintero, but it isn't a part of that current top ten list. Quintero does carry a pretty good reputation out there...I enjoyed it, but I prefer quite a few area courses to Quintero

[Steve_ Shaffer]

I'm a big fan of Raven@Verrado. It should be somewhere in GW's Top 10 Public.

[Tony Weiler]

Steve,

I'm heading there in early March for the first time and plan on playing Talking Stick (N & S) and We-Ko-Pa (Saguaro), and would like to venture out to see Desert Forest and/or Apache Stonghold.

Would Quintero be better architecturally than the above mentioned courses?

TK

Tyler, I've looked at the Doak option as well, but the 75 mile drive made me think I have a whole lot to see in greater PHX before that.  Why not play WKP Cholla as well?  I think it's worth it.  I also love Vista Verde, as was mentioned above. 

[Andy Troeger]

I also like Vista Verde and Apache Stronghold better than Quintero, assuming at least borderline ok conditioning at AS. Quintero is a different style from most of the ones we discuss regularly--target, desert golf. There are some really pretty holes, but nothing too architecturally significant. Like many desert courses, I found it a little narrow given the desert means a lost ball on both sides in many places. I think I made 8 pars and 8 doubles or worse--its that type of course. If you're going up that direction and have access, I like Engh's Blackstone much better.

[Mike Hendren]

The neatest thing about Quintero was the par three course incorporated into the range.  The range has an extremely wide hitting area and the first hole played from one end of the range to the other.  The greens were small and pushed up and virtually indistinguishable from the range other than the shorter cut.  I believe they let a landscape architecture student / wannabe golf course architect design the course.  Most folks probably weren't even aware it existed.  A great example of a large playing field not unlike the Sheep Ranch.

Bogey

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

It is a pretty fun course to play. that is certainly not my usual comment about a Rees course. I do not see it as top 100. I hope it is maintained. It is not an easy cart drive much less a walk.