It's officially Masters week, and while there are still some northern destinations enduring colder-than-expected spring weather, in others, azaleas are blooming and courses across the country are rounding into prime condition.
While Florida courses have had a tendency to dominate most of Golf Advisor's weekly Power Rankings this winter, there was a shift to the west this week. Seven of ten courses coming from Arizona, Nevada and California.
Leading the way is The Legacy Golf Club in Phoenix, one of the better courses in the middle-to-upper tier of courses in the Valley of the Sun that can be played for under $100 as the destination's peak season winds down.
One of the more interesting comments coming from golfers at Legacy last week was not just about the golf course but from positive experiences being paired up at the first tee.
"Legacy must also have a reputation for attracting extremely friendly golfers," wrote reviewer u000007030126, a mid-handicapper from Illinois who played the course with his wife. "As every time we play, we are paired with strangers who become friends."
That's what this great game is all about, right?
Top 10 overall golf courses of the week
1. The Legacy Golf Club, Phoenix
2. Rams Hill Golf Club, Borrego Springs, Calif.
3. Arizona National Golf Club, Tucson, Ariz.
4. Candler Hills Golf Club, Ocala, Fla.
5. TPC Las Vegas, Las Vegas
6. Bayonet & Black Horse Golf Course, Seaside, Calif.
7. Hills Course at LPGA International, Daytona Beach, Fla.
8. Chimera Golf Club, Henderson, Nev.
9. English Turn Golf & Country Club, New Orleans
10. Verrado Golf Club, Buckeye, Ariz.
Top 10 course conditions
1. The Legacy Golf Club, Phoenix
2. TPC Las Vegas, Las Vegas
3. The Preserve Golf Club, Tucson, Ariz.
4. Boulders Resort Golf Club, Scottsdale, Ariz.
5. Crooked Cat at Orange County National Golf Center, Winter Garden, Fla.
6. Bayonet & Black Horse Golf Course, Seaside, Calif.
7. Candler Hills Golf Club, Ocala, Fla.
8. English Turn Golf & Country Club, New Orleans
9. Ambiente Course at Camelback Golf Club, Scottsdale, Ariz.
10. Maryland National Golf Club, Middletown, Md.
