Scottsdale golf courses - top 3 courses?

[mci711]

4 hours ago, SilverBullets said:

Quintero absolutely should not have yellow grass in the fairway this time of year. They overseed out here in the winters. Quintero's fairways should be 100% Rye grass which thrives this time of year and is a dark green. Unless Quintero decided not to overseed this year (which would be pretty unheard of for a higher end public), that absolutely is a maintenance issue. 

 

Overseed was hard this year in the valley. It hit over 100* midway through October. It also hasn't rained since September or so. Both of those factors make it a tougher overseed season than normal. 

 

Quintero is a pretty bad layout in general. It's pretty but in my opinion that's about all that it has going for it. They designed it in way which forces golfers into playing every hole and every shot the same way. It doesn't give you options. Every hole is just fly something high into the middle of the green... Most of which are somewhat elevated. Otherwise you're just in a steep faced bunker. They have 3 par 3's which wind up being the same hole (severe drop to the green)... and if I recall, you hit basically the same number on 3 of the 4 par 3's as well. 

 

The service there is trash. Every time you're there you will run into someone who is rude. In the pro shop, the starter, even the people working the grill.  Someone will be rude to you without fail. 

 

I probably played Quintero 12-15 times since living in Phoenix... here hasn't been a single time where I walked away thinking 'I have to go back'.  Every single time something about the trip out there rubbed me the wrong way.  

 

I don't disagree, but painting it changes nothing about how it plays, which was my point. I am against ever painting grass on a golf course. It has to be one of the dumbest things courses have started doing. It is a waste of money, time, and resources, just to please people who think a course has to be neon green to be in good condition. 

[Liquid]

Great reviews and amazing pics from all the best courses. I travel Sunday and have both Troon's, Wekopa's, Boulders South, Sunridge & Eagle Mt booked. I have one round left to book and we fly home at 6:15pm that day. Is Southern Dunes my best choice?

[ahelix]

1 minute ago, Liquid said:

Great reviews and amazing pics from all the best courses. I travel Sunday and have both Troon's, Wekopa's, Boulders South, Sunridge & Eagle Mt booked. I have one round left to book and we fly home at 6:15pm that day. Is Southern Dunes my best choice?

 

raven is right by the airport if that helps. not sure what conditions are like right now. southern dunes seems to have come more highly recommended based on this thread. here's a cool flyover:

 

 

[sabram]

9 hours ago, SilverBullets said:

Javelina are what you saw at Quintero

 

Edited January 29 by sabram

[SilverBullets]

18 hours ago, mci711 said:

 

I don't disagree, but painting it changes nothing about how it plays, which was my point. I am against ever painting grass on a golf course. It has to be one of the dumbest things courses have started doing. It is a waste of money, time, and resources, just to please people who think a course has to be neon green to be in good condition. 

I never said they should be painted. I said they should be overseeded right now. The fairways having large sections of yellow means they had a significant maintenance issue with their overseed. At Quintero, the fairways should not be dormant painted grass unless they decided not to overseed (which would be rare for a high end public in Arizona). 

[SilverBullets]

13 hours ago, sabram said:

 

Yep, Javelina. Cute but mean. 

[mci711]

1 hour ago, SilverBullets said:

I never said they should be painted. I said they should be overseeded right now. The fairways having large sections of yellow means they had a significant maintenance issue with their overseed. At Quintero, the fairways should not be dormant painted grass unless they decided not to overseed (which would be rare for a high end public in Arizona). 

 

I don't want to overflow this thread (too late), but my comment was about painting fairways. You responded directly to me about that, so that is what I am talking about. We agree about the conditioning, there was clearly an issue. My response was to OP saying that painting it isn't the answer. I never said you said they should be painted, I was clarifying my original comment that you quoted. 

[vallygolf]

20 hours ago, Liquid said:

Great reviews and amazing pics from all the best courses. I travel Sunday and have both Troon's, Wekopa's, Boulders South, Sunridge & Eagle Mt booked. I have one round left to book and we fly home at 6:15pm that day. Is Southern Dunes my best choice?

Yes Southern Dunes is the best choice IMO.

[potuna]

I’ve read both these Arizona threads, my take these courses are way overpriced.

[vallygolf]

12 hours ago, potuna said:

I’ve read both these Arizona threads, my take these courses are way overpriced.

All a matter of perspective.  For the GM of the clubs with full tee sheets at these high prices they still see it as underpriced.  For those of us paying the premium it is insanity.

[Liquid]

I managed to get all our times for around $260-$320. I clicked on Grayhawk and it's $515 U.S. which is $750 Canadian. Absolutely craziness, but as others have mentioned the tee sheets are full. I guess it only gets worse when spring training begins.

[mci711]

11 minutes ago, Liquid said:

I managed to get all our times for around $260-$320. I clicked on Grayhawk and it's $515 U.S. which is $750 Canadian. Absolutely craziness, but as others have mentioned the tee sheets are full. I guess it only gets worse when spring training begins.

 

When I was there a few weeks ago I played we-ko-pa, troon, quintero all for $150+ less than what grayhawk was charging. Grayhawk is no where near the golf course We-ko-pa Seguero is. Craziness. But like you said, supply and demand I guess. 

[Liquid]

Phoenix area WRX'rs, what time can you golf till, can you see the ball a bit after 6pm?

[teejaywhy]

On 1/28/2025 at 6:06 PM, sabram said:

 

Those look like some well fed javalenas.

[puttnforthe8]

2 hours ago, Liquid said:

Phoenix area WRX'rs, what time can you golf till, can you see the ball a bit after 6pm?

Right now…5:30. And no, you cannot see the ball.

[sabram]

5 hours ago, teejaywhy said:

On 1/28/2025 at 8:06 PM, sabram said:

 

Expand  

Those look like some well fed javalenas.

Only the best victuals for the Javalinas at Desert Mountain😁

[Liquid]

21 hours ago, puttnforthe8 said:

Right now…5:30. And no, you cannot see the ball.

 

How can it be 5:30, sunset today is at 6pm. Usually you can see the ball for 15-20 minutes during civil twilight.

[puttnforthe8]

2 hours ago, Liquid said:

 

How can it be 5:30, sunset today is at 6pm. Usually you can see the ball for 15-20 minutes during civil twilight.

So you ask a question, get an answer and then challenge the response! 🤨 And apparently you already know the answer!

 

I walked off and finished just now - 5:46 pm and the sun was almost set and visibility was low. I would not have wanted to be the next two groups.  

So maybe it will be 6 soon and you will get your 15-20 minutes more!  Enjoy you’re round and Don’t get bit by a rattlesnake!
 

 

Edited February 1 by puttnforthe8

[Bonneville85308]

On 1/30/2025 at 4:45 PM, Liquid said:

Phoenix area WRX'rs, what time can you golf till, can you see the ball a bit after 6pm?

 

Many of the higher end courses will not let you keep the carts out until you can't see the ball anyway, and will enforce a cut-off time well before then.

[orr444]

On 1/28/2025 at 7:06 PM, sabram said:

 

Do they bite??

[ZephyrS4]

They can be quite vicious if you get close……especially if they have little ones around.

[SilverBullets]

On 1/31/2025 at 4:35 PM, Liquid said:

 

How can it be 5:30, sunset today is at 6pm. Usually you can see the ball for 15-20 minutes during civil twilight.

You can MAYBE play till 6 right not but it'll be tough. 6:15 you're in dark.  I was standing out throwing a football in the street with my neighbor's kid and at like 5:45 it was pretty damn hard to see the ball... and we were 30 feet from each other. 

[Liquid]

We're here now and you can see the ball clearly at 6pm. Was getting very tough at 6:15.

[sabram]

On 1/28/2025 at 3:10 PM, mci711 said:

I am against ever painting grass on a golf course. It has to be one of the dumbest things courses have started doing. It is a waste of money, time, and resources, just to please people who think a course has to be neon green to be in good condition. 

In most cases overseeding is also a waste of money, time and resources. Most dormant grass plays well.The problem is that everyone wants green all the time.

[mci711]

10 minutes ago, sabram said:

In most cases overseeding is also a waste of money, time and resources. Most dormant grass plays well.The problem is that everyone wants green all the time.

 

100%

[Liquid]

Is it dark yet? LMAO!!😥

[Schley]

I don't know Desert Forest philosophy now, but they used to be known for not overseeding. Then they started to rotate each year. I was there in 2019 and they did overseed that year. Not many golfers really know much about advantages or disadvantages of overseeding, they associate green with good conditions. Right or wrong.

[Chanceman]

First time we went in 2018 we played one course at each of WeKoPa (Saguaro), Troon (Monument), Grayhawk (Raptor), Boulders (South) and Talking Stick (Oodham). It was a good sample. Next time will be the other one ie Cholla, Pinnacle, Talon, North and Pipaash, plus Saguaro again of course. Ak Chin will also be repeated (but not Quintero).  And Desert Forest if we can wangle it. 

[TKnuth13]

While I agree Phoenix area courses are extremely overpriced, they seem like a steal when it's ZERO degrees in Nebraska when we go down there.