David:
Talking Rock is a fine Jay Moorish design but it's not in the same league as what Jay has done with the likes of Stone Canyon -- also in AZ but a bit further south in the Tucson area. The land is generally on the flat side except for a number of holes you play on the back. Your assessment of forgiveness is indeed one of the benchmarks of the course.
There are a few holes of note but nothing that would strike the architectural fancy / preference for many denizens of GCA.
If you are looking for a Prescott alternative StoneRidge (immediately off the main drag when you leave I-17 and head to Prescott) is a better layout primarily because of the terrain. You will encounter roughly 350-foot of elevation change in the property and many of the green sites are well done. For a public layout it gets little attention beyond the immediate area.
P.S. If there's one plus with Talking Rock it's the nature of how the housing doesn't clutter up all the open space of the golf course. From that perspective the overall land plan is well done.
Hope the info helps ...