Courses

The Whistling Straits & Sand Valley Experience

Published

5 years ago

Jul 12, 2019

I’d never been to Wisconsin. Neither had my dad. It might not be on the top of mind as a golf destination, but perhaps it should be. Ever since I heard about Mike Keiser (of Bandon Dunes fame) opening his new project at Sand Valley, I was interested. As a Bandon Dunes devotee, I knew I needed to get to Sand Valley sooner rather than later. No better time than the present.

And as I started planning this little weekend excursion to the Northern Midwest, another course quickly came to mind. Whistling Straits…host of the 2020 Ryder Cup and the PGA Championships in 2004, 2010 and 2014. I’d seen the layout and watched the course on TV countless times, and pairing the Straits with Sand Valley seemed like a perfect combination for 3 days of summer Wisconsin golf. And you know what…it was.

We flew into Milwaukee, which turned out to be a shockingly easy place to navigate and rent a car for a city of its size. No shuttle ride required, which means a ton when you are lugging around travel golf bags. From there, it’s an hour-or-so drive due north to the city of Kohler. That’s where you’ll find Whistling Straits…in all her glory.

WHISTLING STRAITS

We checked into the American Club hotel, a bigger-than-it looks building that once served as the dormitories for the workers at the nearby Kohler company factory. The entire town of Kohler revolves around the history of the Kohler Manufacturing Co., famous for its plumbing products. Destination Kohler is the hospitality arm of the company and it handles the tourism activities within the village of Kohler. The town and company trace back to John Michael Kohler, an Austrian Immigrant who began the family business in 1873 by making farm equipment. Since then, the family has operated the company and created what we see today. Herbert Kohler, grandson of the founder and avid golfer, was responsible for bringing golf to the area. The Kohler name owns both courses at Whistling Straits, The Straits and The Irish, as well as two courses at Blackwolf Run, the River Course and Meadow’s Valley. Interestingly, the Kohler family also owns and operates The Old Course Hotel, which borders the Road Hole at St. Andrews. Just an incredible family and company.

The American Club opened in 1918 and the charm has survived all of these years. The rooms are spacious, decor is dark wood and antiquitous, and several great dining options are under one roof. To be honest, I was surprised at how nice everything was. Not just the hotel or the restaurants and shops on-site, but also the town itself. Every yard and garden was perfectly maintained. It felt like the whole town took a great deal of pride it itself. It made you feel good just being there.

Lobby bar at The American Club

Horse and Plow Restaurant

My dad and I got in late on our first night but we still had time for dinner at the Horse and Plow, a casual tavern type restaurant with a sizable beer menu. The food was very much Wisconsin–cheesy and meaty and tasty. They had Spotted Cow beer, from New Glarus Brewing, on tap at the bar. I’d never tasted it before but apparently you can only get it in Wisconsin. It was pretty dang good and would serve as my beer of choice for the rest of the trip. It pairs well with the schnitzel. Pro tip.

We woke up and had coffee in the greenhouse, a coffee shop on-site in the back gardens of The American Club. The weather was perfect and everyone was sitting outside, enjoying the morning sun. We had a few hours before our round at Whistling Straights and we used it walking around the town of Kohler. This is something I highly recommend. The American Club is surrounded on two sides by Victorian-style neighborhoods. Street after street of American charm. And the stroll can take you to a nearby shopping center that is built around Wood Lake. There’s additional restaurants, shops and activities to enjoy here…including yoga on the lake and the Kohler Swing Studio and Golf Shop, full of local course merchandise. Also, this is the location of The Inn on Woodlake, another lodging option within the Kohler family.

We got back to the hotel and enjoyed the full breakfast buffet at the Wisconsin room inside the American Club. Once our legs were sufficiently stretched and our bellies full, we grabbed our clubs and waited for the shuttle to Whistling Straits, which runs on the top of the hour every hour.

Wisconsin Room Breakfast

Whistling Straits is a Pete Dye designed monster that tips out at 7,790 yards with a rating of 77.2 and a slope of 152. Par is a traditional 72 but that’s just a number. The course plays tough. The clubhouse was built in an Irish castle style, with Celtic cross windows that peer over the majestic (and somewhat frightening) 18th hole. Three flag poles frame the front entrance with the American, Irish, and Ryder Cup Flags waving proudly. There was to be no mistake that this course was a tribute to Irish links golf. The inside of the clubhouse is full of memories from the 2004, 2010, 2015 PGA Championships, the 2007 US Senior Open, and with reminders all around that the 2020 Ryder Cup is on its way as well. The pro shop is professional and first-class. Everything you’d want, they have.

A round at Whistling Straits will cost you north of $400 but twilight and super twilight rates are available for nearly half off. And the sun doesn’t go down in Wisconsin in July until 8:30 pm. So the smart play is to book a late afternoon round at a major discount. That being said, this course is a bucket lister. It ranks as the #3 public course in America in Gold Digest’s latest rankings. Sometimes you just have to pay up for one of those. And the rest of the courses out at Kohler are much more reasonably priced to complete your visit. We played on the 4th of July and honestly, the course wasn’t overly crowded at all.

Upstairs in the Straits clubhouse is the Irish Pub, a neat bar/lunch spot that opens at 11. My dad and I had a pre-round meal ahead of our late afternoon tee-time. The bratwurst sandwich was outstanding and just thinking about it now, my mouth is watering as I write this. Do yourself a favor and make this a must-order item. We sat next to a window overlooking that 18th fairway, preparing ourselves for what lay ahead.

View from Irish Pub

Clubhouse Restaurant

Straits Pro Shop

18th At Whistling Straits from back patio

We hired a caddie for this round, and I’m thankful we did. The course is as difficult as you’ve probably heard. In fact, I’d put it up there with the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island as the toughest track I’ve ever played. The wind will inevitably be blowing off Lake Michigan, which is a big deal since 14 or so holes are on the water. And thousands, literally thousands of bunkers surround this course. Pete Dye even put bunkers parallel and eye level with many of the tee boxes, certainly not in play but just a subtle reminder that there is danger to be found around every turn.

But as difficult as this course plays, it is equally beautiful. We were blessed with a clear day and the water on the lake was as blue as the Caribbean. That isn’t an exaggeration. The course felt like we were playing alongside the ocean and only the absence of seagulls and saltwater in the air reminded us that we were, in fact, in Wisconsin.

Nice drive.

The course meanders along the shore with the internal holes often sitting a few feet higher than the coastline. The views from there hide the holes in between and create a shoreline feeling even though you are a couple hundred yards from the water. Its a brilliant architectural design by Dye. The four par 3s all resemble one another…a long carry over beach, sand and tall grass with the lake either on your right or left. Two holes play north, and two play south, making the wind different for each pair. And while my description might sound repetitious, obvious, and dull, the par 3s at Straits were probably my favorite set of “short” holes on any course I’ve ever played. The holes are similar but that’s a great thing because they are all gorgeous and perfect. Obviously, each green complex is unique and the distances on each hole vary (188, 221, 163, 249!) but the theme remains the same…you stand on the tee, admire the view, figure out the wind, build up your courage and swing. I wish I could play them again right now.

Some of the internal holes are also quite scenic. It’s tough to beat the tall grass waving in the wind as a backdrop to all that green space and all those bunkers. The par-5 fifth hole is a bit too quirky for my tastes. A double bending, 600-yard hole that forces the longer hitters to either hit driver over a pond on the right to a narrow fairway, or hitting something less than a driver straight away, making it a guaranteed three-shot hole. But even that hole is beautiful.

5 green

But the best hole on the course is 18. Nicknamed “Dyeabolical” as a hat tip to the designer, the par 4 plays 520 yards from the tips. And it’s so much better from back there. A creek splits the fairway in two towards the hole and, though scenic in front of the clubhouse, 18 is the hardest finishing hole I’ve ever played. You have to keep your ball right and hope long iron is enough to find the sloping green in regulation. I was fortunate enough to walk off the green with a four on the scorecard…something I will always remember.

18 Tee – Straits

We finished off our day at Whistling with dinner on the back patio of the clubhouse. The restaurant there is high quality and several tables were full of non-golfing patrons who came just for the food. My dad and I were exhausted. Walking Whistling Straits (no carts allowed) is a tiring experience…both mentally and physically. But a glass of wine and a nice cut of meat was just what the Irish doctor ordered. A great finish to a truly world-class round of golf.

My overall takeaway: Whistling Straits is a must-play for the true golf fan. High handicappers will struggle mightily, but the experience of simply being there is worth the money once in your life. And when you pair it with the fantastic accommodations at nearby Kohler and the American Club, this place is a must visit. I’m excited to come back and see the other three courses someday….and maybe try to tame The Straits again.

Now it was time to get some sleep and then head to Sand Valley in the morning.

SAND VALLEY RESORT

The drive to Sand Valley is a bit longer this time…taking us every bit of 2 1/2 hours. But, we got to see a ton of the countryside along the way. Each road was lined with black and white dairy cows and red barns and silos. Of course, dairy farming is the state’s claim to fame and they don’t let you forget it. Cheese shops and advertisements are around every corner. My personal favorite was, of course, the “Mousehouse Cheesehaus.”

It was neat to see the state transition from cornfields and farming to pine woods and sandy soil the further we headed west. And as the pine trees grew thicker and thicker, I knew we were getting closer to the spot Mike Keiser picked out for his next great golf mecca.

Sand Valley is home to three (so far) golf courses, each one full of uniqueness and fun. The first course, Sand Valley, was built in 2017 by the design team of Coore/Crenshaw and immediately won “Best New Course of the Year” by Golf Magazine. Not to be outdone, that same award was given one year later to Mammoth Dunes, the David McLay Kidd designed course which sits just behind the main clubhouse and bar. Coore/Crenshaw were back again in May of 2018 to open The Sandbox, a 17-hole par-3 course. And you guessed it…the short course took home the “Best New Short Course of 2018” Award. Three new courses. Three awards. All within the friendly confines of Sand Valley Golf Resort.

The Sand Valley clubhouse and lodging are built in a modern farmhouse style, complete with the sleek and attractive necessities only. The rooms are spacious, the windows are large and the golf is just off the back patio. Sand Valley has several different room options but they all are within walking distance of the main clubhouse. And within that clubhouse, you’ll find the pro shop, the caddie shack, Aldo’s restaurant and the Mammoth Bar. Our room was large and on the second floor of the main building’s lodging. Our window overlooked the No. 1 teebox at Mammoth Dunes and the putting green behind the lodge, which had action on both days from 6 am to 9 pm.

Mammoth Bar

Aldo’s Farm & Table

Summer green fee rates are $215 for Mammoth and Sand Valley, but your second round of the day is 50 percent off. Sandbox costs $65. That’s not exactly cheap, but if you don’t mind walking 36 each day (I recommend it) then the price per hole goes down dramatically. And with the limited alternative options at Sand Valley Resort, playing as much golf as possible seems to be the thing to do. There is, obviously, the bar and restaurant to spend your time…and grass tennis courts are available as well if that’s your thing. But lets face it, we come for the golf. Might as well take advantage of that discounted rate for round 2 and get a couple rounds in per day.

The town of Rome, Wisconsin is near the resort and I heard several golfers make plans to travel there for dinner on some nights. As Sand Valley continues to grow, I am sure more dining options will become available but for now, you are left with only Aldo’s and Mammoth Bar as your traditional dining options. Craig’s Porch, on the top of the hill near Sand Valley’s first tee, does serve breakfast and tacos at lunch as well. But it is more or less a halfway snack house with really good tacos and an even better view.

MAMMOTH DUNES

Our first round of the visit to Sand Valley was at Mammoth Dunes. The first tee is steps off the Mammoth Bar patio and putting green, providing entertainment for all to view. The first hole really paints the picture of what to expect with this course, too. The fairway is monstrous and inviting, a slight bend up the hill surrounded by impressive sand dunes and little else. Wiry fescue does provide some natural backdrop between fairway and pine trees, but if you aren’t finding the short grass of these ginormous fairways at Mammoth, you might need to invest in a new driver. Keiser and McLay Kidd share the desire to return public golf to its Scottish roots…beautiful landscapes and strategic, yet fair golf courses. Mammoth Dunes is incredibly beautiful…and also incredibly fun.

Mammoth Bar Patio. First Tee far left.

The sheer scale of Mammoth Dunes can be a bit overwhelming. The fairways are so large, you’re tempted to swing as hard as you can and send it. But there is a course within the course at Mammoth. The ground contours are as important here as any course I’ve played, and each hole provides you with options to take the tight, aggressive line, or the safe play to a not so good angle to the green. The greens are just as big as the fairways, which only helps the confidence grow. Especially after playing a course like Whistling Straits.

Mammoth offers tremendous playability and options. It’s one of those courses I would be happy to play every day for the rest of my life. Fairways and greens, sure…but options, aggressive angles when desired and always the chance for recovery after a miss. Golf as it was meant to be, indeed.

#1 Green

There’s a hot dog/sandwich stand after the 10th hole…serving beer, water, and liquor as well. And after the climb to 10 green, it was a welcome sight. The course offers more undulation than I imagined it would. There are some tremendous elevation changes on the front 9 that provide remarkable views all the way back to the clubhouse. The course offers six different tee boxes, ranging from 6,988 yards from the tips all the way to 4,055 yards from the royal blue tees. It’s a par 73 from all tees, with three par 5s on the back nine, including the gorgeous 536-yard finishing hole to the green just below the patio tables of Aldo’s Farm & Table Restaurant.

18th green just off back patio

The par-3 13th hole might be the best on the course. Only 130 yards from the back tees, the entire hole carries over one of the most dramatic dune complexes on the course. The green, as you might expect, is large but tricky, giving protection to any pin placement on the surface. A tree creates a fear of the miss left. It’s one of those holes that widen your eyes as soon as you step on the tee.

Par-3 13th hole

13th green

The finishing stretch at Mammoth Dunes has some good opportunities to score. The 14th hole is only 325 yards from the elevated back tees, but the hole plays much shorter than that. Aim your ball well right of the green and allow the shape of the fairway to funnel your ball towards the hole. I hit my best drive of the week here but luckily missed right of my target. I walked up to the green and the group on the next tee box were applauding me. My “miss” right ended up 15 feet from the hole for eagle. Looking back towards the tee box, the hole shape really reveals itself. I am not sure it’s possible to be too far right on the fairway on this hole, as everything is going to funnel towards the green. You just need to know where to hit it…or get lucky like I did. Oh, and I missed the putt.

14th green towards tee box

18 fairway

SAND VALLEY GOLF

I knew Sand Valley was going to be a different test than Mammoth Dunes. Having played several Coore/Crenshaw designs in the past, I was well aware that the “send it” mentality wasn’t going to work on this course. The fairways, while still bigger than most, are littered with dangerous slopes, pot bunkers and awkward distances that require thinking off the tee rather than reaching for the one wood on every hole.

The first tee is a long walk or a short shuttle ride from the main clubhouse, up the hill toward’s Craig’s Porch, the cabin bar/restaurant/starter’s shack. From the porch’s patio, you can see half the holes on Sand Valley, as well as a beautiful view back down towards Mammoth Dunes and the main clubhouse. The tacos at Craig’s Porch are $1.50 and the beers are $2.00. Life is good at Sand Valley.

The course itself plays 6,938 yards from the tips and is a par 72 (35/37) layout with three par 3s on the front and three par 5s on the back. The first hole is a short par 4 at 335 yards where longer hitters can vie for the green in one. Smart play is to lay your spoon out on the right for the best angle into this green with a wedge. Danger all down the left side and and a push with the big dog will get you in trouble through the slight dogleg left fairway. And that, in a nutshell, is Sand Valley. Pick the right club off the tee first…and then make sure you hit it to the right spot.

The second hole is no different. A 431-yard par 4 with an intersection midway through the fairway created by large bunkers and an elevated second half of the hole. Driver will get you in trouble with a very narrow landing zone. But iron off the tee creates a very long approach uphill. Choose wisely. Coore/Crenshaw make you think.

Number One Tee. Green is behind my head.

Driveable 9th hole from tee box.

View of 18 Green from Craig’s Porch.

The green complexes at Sand Valley are still very much epic in size. Even on this course, which I believe is the tougher of the two Sand Valley layouts, the playability and fairness is still ever-present. Not a ton of lost balls on the property. Greens can be hit in regulation from pretty much anywhere on the hole. The bunkers are prevalent but playable. The true test is in the angles and I have a feeling it would be a much better track the second and third time you play it because you can begin to see what the choices the architects were wanting you to grapple with on each hole. If I had more time at Sand Valley, I would devote my extra rounds to this course rather than Mammoth Dunes. Use Mammoth as your “fun” round and Sand Valley as your true test of golf.

Drive-able 9th green

THE SANDBOX

And finally, the short course. The other Coore/Crenshaw design on site, the Sandbox is simply 17 holes of uninterrupted fun. And that is evident as soon as you walk to the first tee, a hop-skip-and-a-jump from the main clubhouse, and see a giant canoe filled with ice and $2 beer waiting for you. You only need three or four clubs, as the shortest holes are 50 yards and the longest is 150. Most players grab their wedges and a putter and then use the Seamus carry bags that are provided to you on the first tee.

The Sandbox allows tee times right up until sunset, with many golfers using it as a third round of the day. You can get around the course in less than two hours and the beer canoe is accessible about five times during your round. It’s a great place to unwind, hit some fun shots and get a few swings in before sunset and dinner at Aldo’s. The greens also are just as tricky as the ones you’ll find on both courses, so it’s a pretty solid place to tune your short game, too.

This was our last round of the trip. In fact, my last full swing was a 100-yard sand wedge to 12 feet on 17 at the Sandbox. I didn’t even attempt the putt. The ball was purely struck and it was a ton of fun watching it land close to the hole and stay there. And that’s what golf at Sand Valley is supposed to be…fun. It’s not just about scoring well or making birdies…even though that’s always fun, too. It’s about enjoying the walk. Drinking a beer and then hitting your shot. Taking a look around at the beauty of the land and being thankful for a wonderful game. Golf, as it was meant to be, is about enjoyment. And if you are a true golf fan, it’s hard not to enjoy yourself at Sand Valley.

Three days of golf in Wisconsin and we played one of the toughest, most beautiful courses in the world at Whistling Straits. Then we followed that up with three rounds of pure enjoyment golf at Sand Valley, Mammoth Dunes and the Sandbox. If I didn’t believe it before, I believe it now…Wisconsin is a golfer’s paradise.

If you want to hear more about my experience, have questions, or want help planning an experience of your own, t weet at me here @FWTXGolfer or message me on Instagram here! I look forward to hearing from you!

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Courses

The Scottsdale Experience, Part II: Boulders, Troon North, and Camelback

Published

4 months ago

Dec 22, 2023

Johnny Newbern

It’s been four years since my last desert golf trip in Arizona. For an area so rich in good golf, that’s too long to wait for a return trip.

Our last visit to Scottsdale brought my family to the Fairmont Princess during the Christmas season. We just like to visit this time of year because everything is decorated for the holidays. While there, I was able to play at TPC Scottsdale, Grayhawk, and We Ko Pa–all stunning tracks for every handicap level.

For this trip, now four years removed, we wanted to experience two different types of Scottsdale resorts: The first two nights at Boulders Resort and Spa, about 30 minutes north of town, surrounded by (you guessed it) boulders and nature. For the second two nights, my wife wanted to be a bit closer to the city life so we picked the JW Marriott Camelback Inn, minutes from Old Town Scottsdale.

There are many differences between the two resorts, but both somehow maintained the vibe of being in the Valley.

BOULDERS RESORT AND SPA

The Boulders Resort and Spa sprawls out across an enormous piece of property, which includes two award-winning, Jay Morrish-designed golf courses that both rank well as playable golf courses in the state. When you check in, they give you a map and a flashlight to help you navigate the grounds at night. The rooms (or casitas) are villa-esque, complete with your own fireplace and wood to burn on cold nights. The place just smells like fresh air and chimineas.

The lodge itself is nestled beneath a small mountain with accessible hiking trails along both sides. Behind the main lobby sits a good-sized pool, which was heated when we visited and allowed for swimming in November. Temperatures this time of year are typically pretty chilly, especially for early morning golf, so to be able to swim in warm water was a nice treat.

The two courses are both on the property, making Boulders Resort a truly ‘never have to leave’ type of resort. There are also multiple restaurants on-site, including Bogey’s Bar near the pro shop and 18th greens for both courses. Boulders is home to about 400 golfing membership families but also remains open for public play as well. The members and public alternate courses each day, which apparently works great and keeps a high-season traffic light on both courses. I played the North Course but also walked the South to get a good feel for each.

View from clubhouse over 18 of South Course

Boulders Pro Shop

Number one tee- Boulders North

The North course tips out at 6,959 yards but can play as short as 4900 from the red tees. There are six tee box options in total, which helps on a desert course like this because between the frequently watered green grass come many different varieties of wasteland carries and sandy ravines. With options on tees and course length, many of the challenging shots can be added or taken out depending on skill level.

You can expect a lot of uneven lies at Boulders, as most of the fairways and playing surfaces undulate to blend right in with the surrounding mountains. Saguaro cacti are in every site line, but the predominant feature of both courses is the elephant-sized boulders on nearly every hole. Some appear to teter on their end, ready to roll down into the bunker where your ball is resting.

Of course, like most desert-style courses, errant shots are findable in the sandy soil, but not without risk of being pricked, poked, or bitten. My general rule is that if I can’t see it from the green grass, I’m better off not wandering too far out in search of what might be painful to find. Drop a ball and take my medicine. That proved to be true at Boulders as well. There are many thick areas just off the fairway where man should not be. And a better golfer than myself would only look in that direction to view the beauty of the Sonoran Desert.

Both courses do have a few splatters of water hazards here and there. Most folks I spoke to on the property noted that the South Course has a couple more breathtaking views and elevation changes than its counterpart North, but the North Course provides a wider array of shot-making options for the more serious golfer. I thought both courses were stunning to the eye, but it wouldn’t shock me if, had I played South, I found it a bit easier and more resort-style friendly.

Non-member tee times can be booked online or through the pro shop but if you are staying at the lodge, you’re more than likely going to get a better hotel rate to play. In November, which is almost peak season, mid-week greens fees range from around $100-$200 with dynamic pricing throughout the day. Both courses are incredibly walkable and a caddie or pushcart can be available upon request.

After my round, I took my son on a hike up the mountain above the lodge for some pretty stunning views of both courses. My wife escaped to the spa for a 90-minute hot stone massage, which was my way of saying thank you for another golf trip for the family. The least I could do. She said it was incredible and unlike any other massage she has ever had in her life. They even put hot stones between her toes, which I suppose feels good.

We wrapped up our stay at Boulders with a fantastic dinner at Palo Verde, located at the resort headquarters. We were able to sit outside under the stars with the help of a few closely placed heaters. With the golf, the restaurants, and the natural activities available, Boulders proved to be a wonderful spot to relax and get some swings in. If your partner is a fan of spa days and calm settings, this is the golf resort in Scottsdale to stay at. The food, drinks, and lodging are all upscale. I would say it is a perfect couples’ getaway resort. We didn’t see any other kids so there may be better places to stay if you’re bringing the little ones along, though. With kids, I’d stay closer to town (see below) and head up to Boulders for a round of golf only.

Palo Verde dining room at Boulders

TROON NORTH

The next morning, I took an Uber just a few minutes away to the Troon North campus for a round at the Pinnacle Course. Troon North is home to two tracks, both designed by Tom Weiskopf and both immaculately maintained year round. The Pinnacle course is more links-style than its sister, the Monument Course, which is widely considered the signature course between the two.

The clubhouse is first class, with a well-stocked 2,200 square foot pro shop, and a legitimate locker room for public use. And the logo is fantastic.

Troon North offers a membership plan as well as public play, and daily fees are dynamicly priced.

Pinnacle course plays over 7,000 yards from the back tees but provides seven different tee boxes allowing you to play the course as short as 4831 yards. Though more links style than Monument, the course still provides a very Sonoran desert feel and carries over thorny brush on nearly every hole.

Both courses were ranked in the “Top 10” best courses you can play in Arizona by Golfweek.

I thoroughly enjoyed my round at Troon North. The facility is about 35 minutes north of the Phoenix airport so it’s a bit closer to downtown Scottsdale than Boulders. It is also closely connected to the Four Seasons should you be looking to stay nearby.

The course felt pristine and special. You can tell the place pays attention to detail and takes great pride in the condition of the courses. The layout has some elevation changes so it may not be the easiest to walk. The routing never really brings you back to the clubhouse until the 18th hole, either, but there is a comfort station out there and beverage carts making the rounds.

The bunkering is fair and not very deep, but they are strategically placed right where you don’t want them to be. The par 71 has only one par 5 on the front nine but boasts a 609-yarder on the back that plays every bit as long as it reads. The par threes are scenic but lengthy as well, generally playing around 200 yards from the backs except for the short 140-yard 16th.

The fairways are bermuda grass and the greens are bent. Overseeding is done in the fall but the schedule is posted online to help avoid any unpleasant rounds. There are valley quail all over the course that walk in front of you on fairways and tee boxes like schools of fish.

The course is just so scenic and first-class. The mountains are in view the entire time and the course provides a wide array of options and shotmaking opportunities. I played early and alone and I genuinely enjoyed my time on the course. It was my favorite round of the trip.

The 18th green is huge and it blends into the practice green near the clubhouse, snaking around a giant rock to protect the practice green from shots gone long. It is a very unique site from both the clubhouse and the 18th hole but adds some character to the facility.

CAMELBACK INN RESORT AND GOLF

The JW Marriott Camelback Inn is an incredible hotel. I am not really sure how else to describe it. Being there feels the way an in-city Scottsdale hotel is supposed to feel. You’re surrounded by Camelback mountain on one side and Mummy Mountain on the other. The adobe buildings feel like they have been there forever and yet are still perfectly maintained. There are sitting areas near fireplaces around every turn and the landscaping is quintessentially desert floral.

We heard from more than one person that the Camelback Inn is Mr. Marriott’s favorite hotel within his entire company and he spends one month there every year. That is saying something!

Our room was standard size but wonderfully located just a hundred yards or so away from the main lodge and restaurants. Between us was a green space with lawn activities for guests of all ages. There is a playground and putting green on site and several pools (some heated) for swimming year-round. And the views are just spectacular. To be only minutes away from Old Town while still being able to hike up multiple mountains of your choosing is one of the most special things about Scottsdale.

We ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Rita’s Cantina and Bar…simply because the menus change for each meal and the outside patio seating is so incredible. Hoppin’ Jacks at the pool is another dining option but the Lincoln Steakhouse and Bar is the upscale dinner spot…and the gem of the dining options.

The Camelback Golf Courses, Ambiente, and Padre, are not on site, but the resort provides you with a free shuttle service for your tee time. The ride is only about five minutes and they start at 7:00 am.

The clubhouse is large with a spacious golf shop. The Camelback logo, while a bit cartoony, is pretty fantastic in a 1960s Bob Hope Classic kind of way.

I played the Ambiente course, which I was told has a bit more character than the Padre. Ambiente goes straight out for 3 miles, following along a gulch on your right the whole way, and then turns around and comes right back to the clubhouse for the back nine. If you are walking, make sure you’re in it for an entire 18-hole round. There’s no stopping after nine if you are on foot and three miles away from the clubhouse.

These courses are more parkland than desert. That’s especially true of the Padre course. But even Ambiente, which translates to ‘environment,’ is not very ‘deserty’ in comparison to Troon North or Boulders. There are a lot more grassy rough areas off the fairway and very little cactus. The gulch, which is seen on nearly every hole, feels more native and marshy than anything I saw in my previous rounds. It’s a gorgeous course, but not what you imagine when you think of Scottsdale golf.

The course itself, with its unique straight-out, straight-back routing, lengthens out to 7,225 yards from the tips and 5,538 from the forward tees. The par 72 Jason Straka design is not an easy course. Many of the holes require precision tee shots and a bit of course knowledge doesn’t hurt as the driver is not always proper. The par threes play long, with the shortest being 185 from the back tees. The 8th hole can stretch back to 241 yards and then number 15 goes even longer to 245. Of course, you don’t have to hit back there unless you’re a glutton for punishment.

The bunkering is deep in certain areas, which you realize as early as the greenside on the first hole. Playing this course after the other desert layouts I have played made me wonder if this is the true ‘nature’ of the area and perhaps the other desert courses are a bit more…manufactured. Ambiente feels native. I think I enjoy the other desert style aesthetics of the other courses more, but from a pure golf perspective, Ambiente at Camelback is a real deal course.

SCOTTSDALE LIFE

The beauty of Scottsdale as a golf destination is that no matter which courses or resorts you decide to enjoy, you are still always within 30 minutes of a fantastic city center, with great shops and world-class restaurants. Old Town is only one little pocket of what Scottsdale has to offer, but because of the neat stores for our kiddo and walkability, we spent most of our time away from the resort here.

Like any great city, anyone who has visited will be able to give you a list of their favorite places to play, shop, and eat. For us, we loved going to Popstroke, the Tiger Woods-designed miniature golf course, as well as Mavrix for bowling and laser tag. When you’ve got a five-year-old, you do what makes him happy too. We also went to Isabella’s Kitchen for lunch on one of our days, which overlooks the McDowell Mountains and Grayhawk Golf Course. The food is always delicious and it’s a really fun location for the kiddo to run around while mom and dad can have a margarita.

We went to The Montauk in Old Town for our only dinner outside of the resort and it did not disappoint. It’s a really neat atmosphere and the menu was a mix between The Hamptons and Southwest tastings. They had live music and friendly staff. It doesn’t get much better.

And if you find yourself out and about for breakfast, you need to stop in at the Daily Dose for some Cinamon Roll Pancakes or Breakfast Nachos. We made a quick stop here on our way to the airport and didn’t need to eat for the rest of the day!

Having been traveling for golf for some time now, people always ask my opinion on my favorite courses or favorite city to go to for a golf trip. My answer always starts with “It depends on who you are going with…”

If you are heading out for a golf trip with your family, I don’t think you can pick a better city than Scottsdale. The travel itself (airport, rental car, etc..) is always a breeze. The resort options (and spas) are plentiful and offer a variety of different setups for couples or kid-friendly atmospheres. And there are hundreds of golf courses to choose from. All the while, Scottsdale has one of the best restaurant and entertainment scenes in the United States.

I’m sure I will keep getting the question. But if you are thinking of a golf trip with the family, the answer is Scottsdale.

If you want help planning your next golf experience or just have any questions about some of mine, reach out to me on Twitter or Instagram and shoot me a message. And feel free to check out my other golf experience articles. I look forward to hearing from you!

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Courses

PGA Frisco: A GolfWRX first look with Gil Hanse and Beau Welling

Published

2 years ago

Oct 8, 2022

Johnny Newbern

PGA Frisco in Frisco, Texas, is the new home of PGA of America. The two courses on-site, Fields Ranch East and West, are original designs by Gil Hanse and Beau Welling, respectfully, but they aren’t set to open for public play until the Spring of 2023. However, GolfWRX was given an opportunity to take an early look, play both courses, tour the facilities, and meet with the course architects ahead of the much-anticipated unveiling for the golf world.

The PGA Frisco location, which also shares the property with a brand new Omni Resort, a short course called The Swing, and a 75,000 square-foot putting course named The Dance Floor, appears to be joining the conversation as one of the country’s best buddy trip and family trip golf destinations.

The Omni resort is going to be complete with 500 luxury guest rooms and suites, 10 private ranch house residences, 13 different dining options, four pools, including an adult-only rooftop infinity pool, and a full-service salon and spa. They are going big with this place. All the facilities are currently under construction, but the plan is for them to be open by the Spring of 2023 as well.

The Swing is a ten-hole, lighted short course that provides a nice nightlife compliment to the larger courses, Fields Ranch East and West. Collaboratively designed by Hanse and Welling, The Swing is just steps from the Omni hotel, The Dance Floor putting course, both championship courses, and a sports bar with bays for hitting into the driving range. The golf isn’t going to stop when the sun goes down. And no shuttle is needed at PGA Frisco.

“With The Swing, we started off by saying you do five holes and we will do five holes but it turned into a true collaboration,” Hanse said when discussing designing the short course alongside Welling. “When you start to think about designing a golf course with the shot values and how is it going to be perceived, what are the players going to think…then that creeps into your design. But when you are designing something just for unbridled joy, you don’t think about those things and that just makes something super fun.”

As good as the atmosphere and vibes are going to be, people are going to come for the golf. And major championships are coming too.

Fields Ranch East is already set to host the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in 2023, as well as 26 additional championships through 2034, including two PGA Championship events, and the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Fields Ranch West Architect Beau Welling, who is probably best known for his work alongside Tiger Woods on the TGR Design projects, was excited about this property and opportunity right from the very beginning. “The original vision of this idea of multiple golf courses and a short course and practice course and all this fun stuff immediately resonated with me,” Welling said. “I remember thinking that this could be the coolest thing ever. It’s the PGA brand around this super accessible thing where people could not only visit to learn the game but also be the place where major championships are to contend.”

The East Course

The East course is the Gil Hanse design that is set to host all these majors. The course itself could either play incredibly long or as short as you’d like it, with huge flowing tee boxes being a feature that stands out immediately. Big fairways also immediately reveal themselves as the scale of this course is big. Very big.

“You have to think about how you are going to design for a major championship but also make it approachable and playable,” Hanse said. “We worked really hard to create a playing ground where you can accomplish both. The level of precision required to go out and play the golf course should be pretty low. Wide fairways, hit your ball, find your ball, and hit it again. But the level of precision required to score should be off the charts if we are trying to challenge the best players in the world. There are opportunities to tuck pins and lengthen the East course to 7,800 yards. We feel like we have the setup for a major championship course in place.”

After working on the renovation at Southern Hills, Hanse drew from his experience on the Perry Maxwell design to utilize the site’s meandering Pather Creek and natural dry outs throughout the par 72 track. The course features smallish greens to contrast with the large fairways, making it a second-shot course to put a premium on accurate approaches. The fairways and rough use the same grass type to allow for flexible widening and narrowing of hole corridors to adjust for championship play.

The course maintains a prairie-like feel throughout the routing, but the back nine really shines with Texas character. The creek comes into play on many of the closing holes, including a gorgeously long par three thirteenth hole, and an 18th-hole par five that will hopefully provide some incredible major finishes.

“When the stage is set, we would rather see positive outcomes to determine champions as opposed to negative ones,” Hanse said. “We really enjoy watching golfers make birdies and eagles to win as opposed to some guy making double bogey and the guy who made a bogey barely hangs on to win. So we set up our finishing holes with some tough stretch of holes to start the back nine and then the driveable 15. Then 17 is the shortest par three on the golf course. And then 18 is a reachable par five. So they will have to make decisions and then hopefully positive outcomes will determine how it unfolds.”

There are also rumors of a Ryder Cup coming to PGA Frisco.

“If we ultimately get the Ryder Cup,” Hanse said, “we thought about most matches not making it to 18. So what can we do with holes 14-16, where generally most matches end. So we wanted to set those up for interesting golf and put it in an amphitheater that is set up really nicely for viewers. So whether it is a PGA championship, LPGA Championship, Senior PGA Championship, or Ryder Cup, we feel like that stretch is going to provide a really interesting way to finish a golf course as opposed to just a long slog to the finish.”

The West Course

The West Course, which is the Welling design, is a playable compliment to the East course, providing another glimpse into big golf in Texas. The expansive fairways average 75 yards in width but the green complexes on Fields Ranch West tend to be much larger than its sister course. The size and scale were both something that Welling wanted to provide as a hat tip to its host state.

“Everything is big in Texas,” Welling said. “There are big weather events and big wind. But there is also incredible passion around the game here in Texas. Frisco is going to get famous because of the major championships on the East golf course, but long term it is going to have such an impact on the game as 28,000 members of the PGA come here to Omni and see golf presented in such a fun and modern way.”

The West Course also plays about 500 yards shorter than the East, tipping out at 7319 yards. The greens are larger but much more complex, with lots of undulation and hills to navigate. While the fairways and greens are big, you need to be in the right spot of each if you want to score. Nearly every green has a false front or false side waiting to shoot an errant approach back down the hillside.

Still, the scale allows for any handicapped golfer to play this course with enjoyment.

The course also uses the local terrain and elevation changes to both challenge and support each hole. The shorter par 4’s are often uphill, adding length where it isn’t otherwise there. The marshland and Panther Creek are more prevalent on the West course as well, utilizing the hazard to create more necessary carries.

The end result for Fields Ranch West is an approachable compliment to its companion course. There is an obvious feeling of connection between the two courses, but the style of play required for each is unique.

With the partnership and resources of the PGA of America and Omni Hotels and the design leadership of Gil Hanse and Beau Welling, the PGA Frisco campus is primed to rival the best in the world as a premier golf destination.

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Courses

Inside Pebble Beach’s “The Hay” Short Course (designed by Tiger Woods/TGR)

Published

2 years ago

Feb 2, 2022

Andrew Tursky

This is my first trip to Pebble Beach since Tiger Woods’ new “The Hay” short course opened up in 2021, so I had to see the new setup for myself. Preferably, I would have actually played it, but the course was closed for maintenance ahead of the 2022 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am festivities.

Luckily, though, I had my camera handy as the fine folks at Pebble Beach’s short course allowed me to walk around and check it out. Below, I’ll take you along my walking tour, but first, some brief backstory and information.

The short course, formerly known as the Peter Hay Golf Course, sits just across the road from Pebble Beach’s driving range, and it’s been a fixture at the resort since 1957. The course was originally named after Peter Hay, the head professional at Pebble Beach and Del Monte. He created the short course to provide a way for junior golfers and families to more easily access the game, regardless of their abilities.

In 2021, Pebble Beach teamed up with Tiger Woods and the TGR Design team to give the course a redesign (without moving any trees or dirt, according to a Pebble Beach representative).

The new 9-hole short course is open to the general public for $65, and juniors under 12 years old play for free. The putting course, which sprawls about 100 yards in length, is open to the public at no cost, as well.

“We know not everyone who comes to Pebble Beach will have a chance to play the U.S. Open course, so we wanted to create the opportunity for all visitors to experience one of its most famous holes,” said Tiger Woods, according to The Hay’s website.

There’s also a restaurant/bar – called “Hay’s Place” – that has views of the entire course, and of Stillwater Cove. It’s not a bad spot to grab a drink before or after the round, and I hear the fish tacos are phenomenal. Just saying.

Enjoy the photos below from Tiger’s new-and-improved Pebble Beach Short Course, called “The Hay.”