By Shannon Gazze
GolfArizona.com Valley Editor
Chip Shot: Arizona Golf Resort and Conference Center is showing
it can hold its own with newer, wealthier golf destinations thanks
to a commitment to service, a solid traditional golf course and
some great golf packages.
MESA, Ariz. - With multi-million dollar golf destinations springing
up everywhere you look around the Valley these days, it's a wonder
that any of the older, more traditional resorts can hold their
own. But Arizona Golf Resort and Conference Center is showing
that it can be done.
Built in 1960, Arizona Golf Resort doesn't dazzle the eye with
its brilliance. Nor does it's Jack Snyder design feature drool-inducing
views and architecture. Instead, the resort relies on the quality
of the facilities it does have and uses a little resourcefulness
to put together some great vacation packages.
"It seems like every limited service property is in the
golf business now," says Gerry Ashland, the resort's Director
of Marketing. "Every hotel in town has a golf package, so
we have to be a little more aggressive."
The most impressive package resulting from that aggressiveness
is Arizona Golf Resort's Players Choice special. With this deal,
visitors can set up camp at the resort, then golf till their heart
is content on over twenty different Valley courses.
The Arizona Golf Resort course itself is not long for the men
or the women - 6,574 yards from the blue tees, 6,195 from the
whites and 5,782 from the reds. Its traditional layout is similar
to that of the Orange Tree Resort in Scottsdale. Down to the houses
and condos that line their courses and their various deciduous
trees, the two could be siblings. In fact, they are competitors.
It's perhaps just a coincidence that Head Pro Don Parker used
to work at the Orange Tree.
Arizona Golf Resort is unique in some ways, however. For one,
when the fairways were widened several years ago, the original
cart paths were left unscathed. Now, those cart paths play a predominant
role in both the aesthetics and play of the course.
Paths cut across fairways and in some cases press right down
the middle of them. Some golfers might complain about the intrusiveness
of the paths, but most will find them delightful. It gives you
another aiming tool and makes the holes a little more memorable.
Another area in which the course stands out is its conditioning.
Unlike other courses that pride themselves on their pristine fairways
but keep them that way by keeping you off them, Arizona Golf Resort
allows carts to roam free on the grass and makes up for it by
sheer hard work and determination from the grounds crew. The course
is well-manicured and well-watered, with everything including
the tiny, rolling greens cut low and fast.
The greens are tough targets and there is not much room in foul
territory thanks to the housing developments (one brazen homeowner
set up his satellite dish in his back yard, about 100 yards from
the pin and simply begging to be hit).
Thankfully, there is very little trouble on the course. One to
three sand traps modestly protect most of the greens, and fairway
bunkers are sparse. Water comes into play on four holes on the
front nine as well as on the signature 14th, a 175-yard par 3.
Some holes dogleg leaving a few blind shots, but overall it is
not a difficult layout.
Most golfers could leave their drivers in the bag on this course
and score a better round. Accuracy is preferable to distance in
many cases. Nevertheless, your low irons will get a workout and,
if they are not working out for you, you will get plenty of chipping
practice as well.
A final touch that makes the course a little more fun and exciting
is the variety. Only on holes 5 and 6 will you ever see the same
par back-to-back. Long par-3 and -4 holes make up for five short
par 5s and vice versa.
Arizona Golf Resort is midway through its overseeding process
right now. Ashland says rye grass to the tune of 21,000 pounds
per nine holes is being applied throughout the month of October,
leaving only one nine at a time open until early November. Of
course, when the overseeding is complete and the course is again
immaculate, the higher prices of the Winter season are ushered
in. But Arizona Golf Resort remains one of the more reasonable
resort courses, especially for vacationers. Here is a complete
fee schedule for daily play:
January: $55; February - March: $65; April: $45; May: $40; June
- August $30; September - October: $35, November - December: $45.
As the name implies, the Conference Center plays a large part in
the business of Arizona Golf Resort. Meetings and conventions up
to 250 people, as well as a full schedule of tournaments that run
from roughly April through September make up much of the clientele,
but the resort caters to smaller groups as well. Arizona Golf Resort
offers two-bedroom, two-bath condos, tennis, practice facilities,
instruction, pool and patio, and a full-service restaurant and bar.
Superstition Springs is approximately 30 minutes from Scottsdale
and about 45 minutes from Downtown Phoenix. And, more importantly,
all the golf courses in the Players Choice package are within
45 minutes of the facility.
Just about every course on the list is worth mentioning, but
some worthier than others are the Grayhawk courses in Scottsdale,
the Karsten course at ASU, Kokopelli, Las Sendas, Talking Stick,
Kierland, and The Raven. The package also includes the practice
facilities and a 1/2 hour golf lesson.
The New Year's bash advertised on Arizona Golf Resort's web site
includes night golf and a party and looks like it will prove to
be a success as well, but you'll have to look into it for yourself
to find the details.
The point, though, is clear. Arizona Golf Resort has responded
to the competition from newer, wealthier golf resorts and courses
by making a commitment to service that puts the traveler, and
the golfer, first.
For more information on Arizona Golf Resort's tee times and
packages, contact: Arizona Golf Resort and Conference Center
425 South Power Road
Mesa, AZ 85206
(480) 832-1661
1-800-528-8282 (Reservations)
www.azgolfresort.com
Whirlwind Golf Club - Devil's Claw