Arizona Golf Vacation - Hooray! (but sticker shock)

[huskylawyer]

So on Saturday I played 18 holes in 30 degree weather.  On Sunday I played 27 in a light rain.  On Monday I played 18 in cloudy and wet conditions.   I thoroughly enjoyed each session.   Ah, to be a golfer in Seattle.....

Thankfully, I'm headed to Scottsdale Arizona next week.  As a new golfer, I almost started drooling while looking for hotels, as a few of them are on golf courses.   I ended up picking The Westin Kierland ( http://www.kierlandresort.com/# ) and Talking Stick Resort Casino which is next to the Talking Stick Golf Club ( http://www.talkingstickgolfclub.com/index.php ).  Three nights each.   Very excited.   Some questions and comments:

1) After I booked the room, I was super excited, until I checked the green fees.   I paid 18 bucks on Saturday to play 18 here in Seattle (the back 9 was closed because of snow on the course, so we played the front nine twice).    Talking stick is $130 for 18, and Kierland is $200!!!!!  WTF?   I almost fainted.  Is this typical for Arizona?   Are these courses "worth it."?   I already booked the hotel, so I'm going to play each course at least once, but my fantasy of golf everyday probably evaporated after I checked the rates (unless I win big playing poker at Talking Stick lol).   I guess it is the "sun fee".  I mean, to put it in perspective, Chambers Bay, which is one of best new courses in the country (and will host a U.S. Open or other in 2015) is $80 right now.

2) Any recommendations on a travel bag?  I want to bring my clubs, so any input appreciated.

3) Anyone play these courses?

4) Any "cheaper alternatives" near the Scottsdale/Phoenix area?

Thanks in advance.

[granitegolf]

Welcome to Phoenix/Scottsdale golf! For decent courses you are going to pay in that 130+ range. Look at some replay rates which can be half if you are up for 36. They are great courses indeed but I can only play in that areas once a year due to the prices! Enjoy

[Harmonious]

I wasn't a fan of the Kierland course.  Check out Papago in east Phoenix.  ASU Karsten in Tempe. Superstition Springs and Apache Creek out east.  Longbow in Mesa.   They won't be as expensive as some of the big name courses, yet they are good tracks.  After all, the locals have to play somewhere, too.

[ghalfaire]

Originally Posted by Harmonious

I wasn't a fan of the Kierland course.  Check out Papago in east Phoenix.  ASU Karsten in Tempe. Superstition Springs and Apache Creek out east.  Longbow in Mesa.   They won't be as expensive as some of the big name courses, yet they are good tracks.  After all, the locals have to play somewhere, too.

I live here and these are good choices. To keep your wallet intact don't play in Scottsdale this time of year.  The SE valley has some great courses for half of the fees you'll pay in N Scottsdale.  I would personally add Aguila (a Phoenix Muni) and Trilogy @ Power Ranch to the list.

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by ghalfaire

I would personally add Aguila (a Phoenix Muni) and Trilogy @ Power Ranch to the list.

I was in AZ the last weekend of January this year and played Trilogy @ Power Ranch and loved it!  (Have a close family friend that lives at Power Ranch).  Also played at Hill Crest in Sun City West, and Bear Creek in Chandler.  I didn't pay much over $35/18.  Bear Creek (Bear course) was OK, but I definitely recommend the other two.

Trilogy @ Power Ranch:

[AzGolfGeek]

Welcome to greedie golf season. Golf rates drop again come April 1st. If your looking for some decent conditioned courses, Papago and Augila (already mentioned) are two of the better courses in the Valley for the price. Both are city of Phoenix courses but run somewhat differently. Papago has a contracted management, so you have a bag drop person running around with a clip board helping you get to the tee on time. Don't mind the temporary club house (trailer), the AGA promises to build a new one when funding is availabile (yeah right).  Augila in my opinion is a better track, greens have been in great shape all spring. The head pro is Janet Anderson, a former LPGA pro, and she is usually working in the shop. Very nice person to talk to about the course and golf in general.  From the tips, both course about the same distance, however Augila seems to play a bit longer due to 2 up hill tee shots on longish par 4's. Both courses allow you to walk if desired and neither course seems to be overly jammed packed, unlike Cave Creek CC which tries to send 4-sums out every 5 minutes.

[walk18]

Crazy prices huh? I guess that's what the market dictates. I thought the golf industry was hurting, go figure..

[Lofty Lefty]

The only thing that could justify huge green fees is if the course is full, morning and afternoon, every day.

In 3 weeks I go on a 5-day golfing holiday of my own here in South Australia. Can't wait!

Have a good time, dude. Don't think about the money! Just have a ball

[utztech]

This is my first post so I would like to first thank everyone, especially Iacas, for making this forum such a great resource.

As a local I feel your pain with prices in AZ this time of year.  The reason they are so high right now is because of the incredible number of tourists here right now.  I have played 1 to 2 times a week the last 2 months on muni, semi private, and resort courses, mostly as a single.  I have been grouped with a grand total of 2 other local golfers in those 2 months.  I have been grouped with mostly snow birds (retirees that live here only in the winter), but also a surprising number of people here for a week or two vacation.  I am grateful for all the tourists though because they make all the great course possible by keeping them in the black, then I play them all summer for a 1/3 or 1/4 the price :)

Having said that, you can find decent prices.  I would recommend you rent a car and get out of Scottsdale on the days you are not playing your hotel courses.  If you are a single you can get on a lot of courses by calling the same day or using Golfnow.  I would not pay $200 to golf Kierland, instead golf We-Ko-Pa for less than $200.  I would play Talking Stick though even at $150.  I also agree with Papago and Aguila which can both be played for less than $100, Aguila quite a bit less.  Skip Apache Creek ($40), I play there a lot in the winter because it is reasonable, but I am not on vacation.  For $20 more you can play a great Pete Dye course called Red Mountain Ranch.  Longbow is one of my favorite courses and can be had on Golfnow for about $90.  I recently played a course called Vistal for $45 on a Saturday morning.  I loved the course layout and architecture, and it has great views of Downtown Phoenix, but it is inexpensive because the condition is rough and it is located in South Phoenix.  I also would not play Superstition Springs.  It will run you about the same as Longbow, but Longbow is a way better course.

I am starting to ramble but in summary, play a couple choice resort courses in Scottsdale (like We-Ko-Pa), but then rent a car and drive a little to play some really good courses for a lot less.  For $40 you'll be playing munis and lesser public courses (Dobson Ranch, Apache Creek, Vistal), for $60 to $100 you'll be playing good munis and good resort courses outside Scottsdale (Augila, Papago, Red Mountain Ranch, Longbow).

[montru]

I go to AZ every September for a little tournament, I would recomend playing The Phoenecian on Camelback Rd in Scottsdale and also there is Camelback GC. not too sure what they charge this time of year though.

[huskylawyer]

Thanks for the great summary.

A friend of mine who is a local booked a tee time on Saturday at Las Colinos.  $49, so feeling a lot better now.  Since I'm staying the Westin, I'll probably bite the bullet and play one round at Kierland, and I'll play one at Talking Stick.   Will be there six days, so hopefully will fit in another round or two at the courses mentioned in this thread.

Gonna be nice playing without wearing a full set of rain gear.

Originally Posted by utztech

This is my first post so I would like to first thank everyone, especially Iacas, for making this forum such a great resource.

As a local I feel your pain with prices in AZ this time of year.  The reason they are so high right now is because of the incredible number of tourists here right now.  I have played 1 to 2 times a week the last 2 months on muni, semi private, and resort courses, mostly as a single.  I have been grouped with a grand total of 2 other local golfers in those 2 months.  I have been grouped with mostly snow birds (retirees that live here only in the winter), but also a surprising number of people here for a week or two vacation.  I am grateful for all the tourists though because they make all the great course possible by keeping them in the black, then I play them all summer for a 1/3 or 1/4 the price :)

Having said that, you can find decent prices.  I would recommend you rent a car and get out of Scottsdale on the days you are not playing your hotel courses.  If you are a single you can get on a lot of courses by calling the same day or using Golfnow.  I would not pay $200 to golf Kierland, instead golf We-Ko-Pa for less than $200.  I would play Talking Stick though even at $150.  I also agree with Papago and Aguila which can both be played for less than $100, Aguila quite a bit less.  Skip Apache Creek ($40), I play there a lot in the winter because it is reasonable, but I am not on vacation.  For $20 more you can play a great Pete Dye course called Red Mountain Ranch.  Longbow is one of my favorite courses and can be had on Golfnow for about $90.  I recently played a course called Vistal for $45 on a Saturday morning.  I loved the course layout and architecture, and it has great views of Downtown Phoenix, but it is inexpensive because the condition is rough and it is located in South Phoenix.  I also would not play Superstition Springs.  It will run you about the same as Longbow, but Longbow is a way better course.

I am starting to ramble but in summary, play a couple choice resort courses in Scottsdale (like We-Ko-Pa), but then rent a car and drive a little to play some really good courses for a lot less.  For $40 you'll be playing munis and lesser public courses (Dobson Ranch, Apache Creek, Vistal), for $60 to $100 you'll be playing good munis and good resort courses outside Scottsdale (Augila, Papago, Red Mountain Ranch, Longbow).