Hole Profile: Pointe Lookout No. 10 Begins the Point
of No Return
By Shannon Gazze
GolfArizona.com Valley Editor
PHOENIX, Ariz. - On a course where every proper noun has an extra
"e" tacked onto the end, The people at the Pointe Golf
Club at Lookout Mountain mercifully left off the vowel from the
title of their signature 10th hole, The Point of No Return. Then
again, perhaps it dropped off on its own from the headstone atop
the 150 foot-high tee box.
From this height, you get a stunning view of the Northwest Valley
hills behind you and Squaw Peak dead ahead to the south. The smog
laying thickly in the distant valley is a not-so-subtle contrast
to the hole's breathtaking beauty as you look out over the left-to-right
slanting fairway below.
Tee boxes set up 419, 339 and 278 yards to the pin, back to front,
and the winding cart path quickly disappears into the depths.
You'll be tempted to muscle up on a driver and watch your ball
sail majestically out into the open air, but pull out a club that
you know you won't slice into the desert bordering the 14th green
to the right. A slight hook is actually preferable, as it will
curve into the hill and give your shot some extra run.
The fairway is about 50 yards across at its widest point, which
includes a patch of green that juts out like a thumb to the right.
It narrows to about 30 yards across as you press into the territory
of the long hitters.
Like the rest of the course, the Bermuda grass fairway is pristine,
thanks to the cart-paths-only rule. Most drives will tend to find
the low point of the valley on the right half of the fairway,
which is fine because it gives you a level lie and a good look
at the slightly raised green.
The green is well protected, with bunkers sitting front left,
right and back left. A hill with a more-exaggerated slope than
the fairway banks the entire left side of the putting surface,
which is narrow and about 45-yards deep.
The hole boasts the fourth highest handicap on the course for the
men. It's only the 14th handicap hole for the women because they
are hitting from a much lower elevation and from less than 300 yards
away.
In my opinion, this is one of a handful of memorable holes on
the Point course, which includes a challenging and picturesque
8th hole, two great doglegs in 12 and 14 and a quality 512-yard
closing par 5. The 10th stands out from the rest, however, because
it truly is the lookout point of the entire Lookout Mountain course.
For more information on The Pointe at Lookout Mountain or to
make tee times, contact:
The Pointe Golf Club on Lookout Mountain
11111 North 7th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85020
(602) 866-6356
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