Major League Baseball wrapping up spring training signifies a kind of beginning of the end for Arizona's peak golf season. As teams head off to their home cities for opening day, the snowbirds migrate back to their Northern hubs.
In this week's Power Rankings, four of the top 10 courses of the week hail from the Tucson and Phoenix-Scottsdale areas, showing the latter half of March was a great time to play golf in the desert.
The Boulders Resort features some of the desert's most stunning scenery on each of their two courses in North Scottsdale. Those boulders, here for billions of years, wow every first-timer. Wrote this reviewer last week:
The Boulders South course did not disappoint. Spectacular golf holes and views. You do not see another hole while you are playing your hole. No 2 holes are the same. Greens were in perfect condition and VERY consistent hole to hole. Was paired up with 2 great guys and had a marvelous day of golf.
Top 10 golf courses of the week
1. The Boulders Resort Golf Club*, Carefree, Ariz.
2. Rams Hill Golf Club, Borrego Springs, Calif.
3. Arizona National Golf Club, Tucson, Ariz.
4. Waldorf Astoria Golf Club, Orlando, Fla.
5. Ventana Canyon*, Tucson, Ariz.
6. Timacuan, Lake Mary, Fla.
7. Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club, Maricopa, Ariz.
8. Desert Falls Country Club, Palm Desert, Calif.
9. The Quarry Golf Club, San Antonio, Texas
10. King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort, Saint Simons Island, Ga.
Reviewer image of the week
So what's golf like in Saskatchewan, Canada, anyways? Well, you can get a little glimpse of Sage View Golf Course, a scenic nine holer, courtesy of top 50 contributor David1684852:
Course review of the week
Ski season is winding down in the mountains but it's never too soon to talk Rockies golf. Top 100 reviewer JeffArenson dispatches this report from Devil's Thumb in Delta, Colo., no. 3 in Golf Advisor's top Colorado courses list for 2015.
Played here twice in the last week. The course has shot options on pretty much every hole. Either the hero carry or the safe play; of course, the hero carry leaves a short shot or a chance to go for the green in two on a par 5. The safe shot off the tee, leaves a longer approach or guarantees three shots on a par 5. I found this to be a lot of fun. The routing is cool and there are unique holes in a quarry-esque area. There are two short par 4s with shot options-most notably on the 13th hole. The par 3s were fun but did not have much variety as far as club needed. The par 5s all had the hero carry option. As for the rest, there is a putting green and driving range to warm up. For the end of winter, the course was in good condition and I anticipate a great summer. There is a restaurant for before or after a round. The staff was great; I showed up and they got me out. Best of all, this course is an exceptional value. It is only 40-45 per round with a cart during shoulder season. They also have great deals during the year and you can play for $65. If you are 55 and up, they have a $30 green fee on some days. Considering that this is considered a top 5 public course in Colorado, all of these prices are a great deal. I would give this 4.5 stars and highly recommend a round here if in the area. It brings the fun back into golf.
*Denotes 36-hole facility.
