[Steve_ Shaffer]

For those who are considering escaping the severe winter weather elsewhere and visiting " The Valley of the Sun"  in the Phoenix/Scottsdale Metro area, here is what's happening:


 1. The Phoenician GC


    Total redesign by Phil Smith of a 27 hole course to an 18 hole course.
    https://www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com/in-house/country-clubs/the-new-phoenician-golf-club-now-open


    http://azgolfernews.com/article.php?arid=2695


2. New 9 holes for Palm Valley GC.


   Owned by Phil Mickelson Golf Properties. Designed by Mike Angus of Mickelson Design, the course was formerly       the Lakes Course at Palm Valley, an "executive par 64 course" that was bulldozed for the new 9 hole West Course     at Palm Valley and  residential development.

   http://www.azgolfernews.com/article.php?arid=2678

3. Papago GC  New Clubhouse

   Finally, it replaces a mid-century modern clubhouse that was well liked but demolished in favor of a more                    contemporary design. Home of the ASU golf teams. Very good restaurant for pre or post golf.

   http://www.azgolfernews.com/article.php?arid=2679

4. New 9 holes for Copper Canyon GC

   This Schmidt-Curley design in the far West Valley  managed by Troon Golf expands to 27 holes.

    http://news.schmidt-curley.com/Newsletter/Volume14/?page=16

5. New 9 holes for Pebble Creek GC

   This residential golf community expands to 54 holes with a 9 hole addition- Eagles Nest, is the original 18 hole course, an Arthur Hills  early 1990s design with Keith Foster as the project architect, Tuscany Falls East is the new name for the former Falls/Palms nines designed by Dick Bailey and Tuscany Falls West is the new name for the former Lakes nine designed by Brad Bartell about 10 years ago and the new nine designed by Tom Schroeder.

https://azbigmedia.com/pebblecreek-announces-golf-course-expansion/

6. Renegade @ Desert Mountain

    Renovation


   The original Nicklaus course gets a Nicklaus renovation.

  https://www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com/in-house/country-clubs/jack-back-golden-bear-returns-desert-mountain
   

[PCCraig]

Steve - anything worth playing in Mesa?

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Yes, Longbow is a good interesting and very playable public option http://www.longbowgolf.com/


Las Sendas by RTJ2 is a more difficult public option: https://www.lassendas.com/


I've never played Dobson Ranch but  it's a Red Lawrence design and on my list for 2019:

https://www.mesaaz.gov/things-to-do/dobson-ranch-golf-course


Mesa is not too far from Papago.

[Jason Topp]

Steve:


1 available day to play in January with a somewhat restricted window of time because I arrive on a flight mid-morning.   Setting aside Papago (which is likely where I will go) where do you recommend?

[Steve_ Shaffer]

@Jason


Papago is the easy answer as it's close to the airport and their new restaurant is very good AND take a look at the new ASU Golf Center.
Other nearby possibles near the airport are https://www.golflegacyresort.com/  and https://www.ravenphx.com/. Of those two, I'd recommend Raven.

[Steve Sayre]

Steve:


Do you know much about Stone Canyon, the Jay Moorish design, down in Oro Valley?  I think they may have regrassed the greens recently?  How is the course design and conditioning regarded generally?


Any insights from the treehouse?


Have a chance to visit out there and am curious.


Thanks.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

@Steve


I haven't played Stone Canyon. If I remember correctly Golfweek raters did a few years ago. Perhaps they will chime in and post.

[Brad Tufts]

Stone Canyon is a pretty good design in the boulder/saguaro environment of Oro Valley/Tucson.


There are a couple funky holes, but the vast majority are interesting, and the course really interacts with the landscape, as opposed to some desert courses that have enormous buffer zones.


Totally recommended if you can get out there.

[Matthew Petersen]

Steve:


1 available day to play in January with a somewhat restricted window of time because I arrive on a flight mid-morning.   Setting aside Papago (which is likely where I will go) where do you recommend?

Jason, If you're short on time and looking for something near the airport I heartily recommend Mountain Shadows, an 18 hole par 3 course recently re-done by the board's own Forrest Richardson. It's a really fun little course with great views and some reallyfun holes and a good number of totally wild greens. There's a Biarritz, a Punchbowl, a Dell, and several other really fun holes. Also a nice walk and a quick round in a nice spot on the north side of Camelback mountain.

[Matthew Petersen]

For those who are considering escaping the severe winter weather elsewhere and visiting " The Valley of the Sun"  in the Phoenix/Scottsdale Metro area, here is what's happening:


 1. The Phoenician GC


    Total redesign by Phil Smith of a 27 hole course to an 18 hole course.
    https://www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com/in-house/country-clubs/the-new-phoenician-golf-club-now-open


    http://azgolfernews.com/article.php?arid=2695


2. New 9 holes for Palm Valley GC.


   Owned by Phil Mickelson Golf Properties. Designed by Mike Angus of Mickelson Design, the course was formerly       the Lakes Course at Palm Valley, an "executive par 64 course" that was bulldozed for the new 9 hole West Course     at Palm Valley and  residential development.

   http://www.azgolfernews.com/article.php?arid=2678

3. Papago GC  New Clubhouse

   Finally, it replaces a mid-century modern clubhouse that was well liked but demolished in favor of a more                    contemporary design. Home of the ASU golf teams. Very good restaurant for pre or post golf.

   http://www.azgolfernews.com/article.php?arid=2679

4. New 9 holes for Copper Canyon GC

   This Schmidt-Curley design in the far West Valley  managed by Troon Golf expands to 27 holes.

    http://news.schmidt-curley.com/Newsletter/Volume14/?page=16

5. New 9 holes for Pebble Creek GC

   This residential golf community expands to 54 holes with a 9 hole addition- Eagles Nest, is the original 18 hole course, an Arthur Hills  early 1990s design with Keith Foster as the project architect, Tuscany Falls East is the new name for the former Falls/Palms nines designed by Dick Bailey and Tuscany Falls West is the new name for the former Lakes nine designed by Brad Bartell about 10 years ago and the new nine designed by Tom Schroeder.

https://azbigmedia.com/pebblecreek-announces-golf-course-expansion/

6. Renegade @ Desert Mountain

    Renovation


   The original Nicklaus course gets a Nicklaus renovation.

  https://www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com/in-house/country-clubs/jack-back-golden-bear-returns-desert-mountain
   

I feel like they're overselling the Phoenician work a bit. The current course is still using the routing of 18 of the previous holes, though some of have been changed somewhat. Better overall, no doubt, even though they gave up a few nice holes on the mountain.


The Palm Valleys news is interesting. I am not a fan of their current 18 hole course and I had enjoyed the executive Lakes course, so this seems like a bit of a shame. But if the new nine is not Arthur Hills with all crowned fairways then I suppose it will br an improvement.


Also interested to see the new nine at Copper Canyon. The original 18 there is about as good as a Sun City project can possibly hope to be.

[Doug Wright]

Steve - anything worth playing in Mesa?

Pat/Jason T,


I agree with Steve that  Longbow in Mesa is a good option. I played 36 there yesterday on one of my periodic winter day trip escapes from Denver.  A Ken Kavanaugh design with a solid mix of varied holes, very good greens and decent bunker placement both in fairways and greenside (though the bunker conditions are a sore spot--more dirt than sand it seems); otherwise in good shape too. Some elevated greens similar to Kavanaugh's Vista Verde (or whatever it's called now) that require an aerial approach. One of the reasons I choose Longbow for these day trips is it's only 25 minutes from the airport, a quick drive down 202.

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