Ready to warm up this fall and winter? Phoenix and Scottsdale may have just what you need
It doesn’ t seem like it now, but Dana Garmany actually rolled the dice back in early 1990. That’ s when his newly formed company, Troon Golf, was set to debut its flagship course, Troon North, in a relatively undeveloped part of North Scottsdale accessible then largely by unpaved roads. But he wasn’ t exactly sure if golfers would make the trip away from established golf resorts in an area to try something new.
The answer, however, was a resounding yes. Near flawless conditions and the chance to be among the first to tee it up on an enjoyable Tom Weiskopf design were key factors. But Garmany’ s smartest move just might have been keeping access to the course very limited.“ Once the word started spreading, it became,‘ Can you get on Troon North?’” Garmany recalled.“ We opened with what we thought was a ridiculously high all-inclusive price($ 85) that a lot of people thought was stupid. It was really a product that did not have a competitor. Six or seven golfers would be turned away for each one that got on. The legend continued to grow.”
Massive boulders line both courses at Troon North, while Pinnacle Peak, a popular hiking destination, looms nearby.
DYNAMIC DUO So have the golf options in the sundrenched Scottsdale and Phoenix area. Almost three decades later, Troon Golf manages over 250 courses around the world. And Troon North still sets a high standard for daily-fee golf in the greater Scottsdale and Phoenix area, one rich with options for visiting golfers looking for sunshine rather than snow, or at least warmer winter temperatures. Peak season is December through March, when everything is more expensive. One way to save? Explore 36-hole packages at numerous facilities.
That includes Troon North, where the Pinnacle and Monument lay-
S EPTEMBER / O CTOBER 2018 | V IRGINIA G OLFER 33