Squeeze in a quick 18 on the Short
Course at Mountain Shadows,
a trove of par 3s decorated with
desert scenery.
DIAMONDS IN
THE DESERT
enjoyable layouts daily. The South Course
is where you will see more massive exam-
ples of the resort’s namesake looming over
tee boxes and standing guard behind a few
greens. None are more jaw-dropping than
Rosie’s Rock, near the tee on the par-3
seventh. The North Course is fun in its
own right and comes with wider fairways
than its counterpart.
TWO NEWCOMERS TO THE VALLEY
Completely new courses are a rare occur-
rence in the Valley these days, but there
are two now to consider. The Phoenician ,
one of the area’s iconic resorts, will debut
a brand-new 18-hole layout (a more
cohesive version of the 27 holes pre-
viously in place since the mid-1990s)
this November created by architect Phil
Smith, who previously worked with
Tom Weiskopf on his 2014 renovation of
After a 10-month renovation period, The
Phoenician is set to debut a bold new
redesigned course this November.
TPC Scottsdale. Smith is using existing
fairway corridors in many cases, but
reshaping the land, creating new greens
and renovating various water features.
Relish, the clubhouse restaurant, is also
getting a new look but will fortunately be
keeping a lengthy roster of outstanding
hamburgers and shakes.
A perfect first-day or last-round option is
The Short Course at Mountain Shadows ,
an 18-hole par-3 course in Paradise Val-
ley within the shadows of Camelback
Mountain. Part of a swanky new resort
that opened in 2017, the course is a blast
to play w ith holes ranging from 75 to
193 yards. Short doesn’t mean pushover,
either—not with challenging greens like
the Biarritz (a deep swale bisects that sur-
face) on the fourth hole, the Punchbowl
on the 10th, plus a bonus “par-2” between
the final two holes.
COURSE INFO
Troon North:
troonnorthgolf.com | 480-585-7700
Westin Kierland
kierlandgolf.com | 480-922-9283
The Boulders
theboulders.com | 480-488-9009
TPC Scottsdale
tpc.com/scottsdale | 480-585-4334
The Phoenician
thephoenician.com/golf | 480-423-2450
Mountain Shadows
mountainshadows.com/golf | 855-485-1417
TRAVEL
Downtown Scottsdale is just a 15-minute drive
from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
TO DO
In between rounds, check out Old Town
Scottsdale for art, shopping and nightlife. Take
on the numerous hiking trails in the region,
such as Tom’s Thumb, Pinnacle Peak and
Camelback Mountain. Breweries, botanical
gardens and MLB Spring Training games are
all crowd-pleasers. Take a day trip up to the
stunning resort town of Sedona, surrounded by
canyons, buttes, forests and more!
Sedona is just a two-hour drive from downtown
Phoenix, well worth the breathtaking views.
vsga.org
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