The North Course at Talking Stick is absolutely mandatory. You are staying at a sprawling resort and I do not think I would bother with the Palmer Course.
However, the Faldo course is wonderful. I've been told it bears striking resemblance to another Scmidt & Curley effort in Palm Desert, and if you have played it, I would be interested to know how similar they are.
I was fortunate the play the Faldo course before they began their practice of overseeding the bermuda fairways. It was terrific by any measuring stick as the golf course is a faux links and dormant bermuda is the closest thing we have in this counrty to Scottish fescue.
Unfortunately, they had made the decision to overseed this next year, so it might not be presented to play at its optimum. The bunker work is a bit Crenshaw/Coore-esque and there are all sorts of strategic options and run-up areas in front of the greens.
The only feature that looked a bit strange was the crushed granite mounding that lined many of the fairways. They opted to plant these dorky little bushes and the combination of glaring white and cutsey plant treatments frankly looks silly.
If you are a rater - or can weasel something - I strongly recommend Mirabel CC. It is a private Fazio course and I believe it is better than Shadow Creek. No, that is not a typo and I have not been drinking tequila.
It is not an engineering marvel, but the collection of holes both together and individually are far more interesting and satisfying to play than Shadow Creek. It is certainly far more strategic and there is no comparison in terms of putting surface contouring.
I likened it to a "Lahonton" in the desert. A private, intimate enclave that goes to great lengths not to communicate the slightest hint of nuevo riche excess.
Everything from the pro shop to the golf course seems in perfect concert with the surrounds. I know it is not like me to wax poetic about an overall "experience" at a golf course, but this is an exception that must be seem to be believed.
