Scottsdale-Phoenix Courses Remodelled

Just in time for the 2015-2016 Winter Season, three top courses in Scottsdale-Phoenix unveil major renovations.

With more than 200 of Arizona’s 300 courses located in the Scottsdale-Phoenix area, the competition to attract golf travellers is fierce.

Last winter saw the unveiling of a revamped TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course, home of the enormously popular annual Waste Management Phoenix Open. The eight-month, $12-million facelift by Tom Weiskopf (who designed the original course with Jay Morrish) saw the repositioning of several greens, the reshaping of bunkers and the planting of more than 250 trees.

Not to be outdone, three more of Scottsdale-Phoenix’s top courses have completed significant remodellings in time for the start of the 2015-2016 Winter Season.

Famed designer Tom Fazio has reshaped the 15^th, 16^th and 17th holes at Grayhawk Golf Club’s Raptor Course. Already considered one of the strongest finishing stretches in Arizona, the revamped holes are designed to be more playable for high-handicappers, as well as to showcase the desert beauty of the former host course of the PGA Tour’s Frys.com Open.

Once ranked among the “Top 20 Best Courses You Can Play” in Arizona by GOLF Magazine, SunRidge Canyon Golf Club has wrapped-up a summer-long project that included the rebuilding and resurfacing of all greens, the redesign of numerous bunkers, and the expansion of landing areas on Nos. 2, 3 and 11.

And the rebranded Verde River Golf & Social Club (formerly Tegavah Golf Club) has completed the first phase of an ongoing facelift by former PGA Tour star and Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman. Lehman is rebuilding green complexes and bunkers, as well as rerouting several holes. Though the plan is to eventually turn this into a private club, Verde River will welcome daily-fee guests for the next several years.