Newly renovated Grand Canyon University Golf Course in Phoenix tops Power rankings

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Grand Canyon University Golf Course - 4th hole

William Bell designed Grand Canyon University Golf Course in 1961. The course was renovated by architect John Fought in 2015. Courtesy of Grand Canyon University G.C.

Orange County National - Panther Lake - Hole 13

The Panther Lake Course at Orange County National in central Florida continues to rate highly, finishing the week of Jan. 4 second in the U.S. Courtesy of Orange County National

Hills Course at LPGA International Daytona Beach, Fla. finished the Jan. 4 Power Rankings fourth in the nation. Courtesy of LPGA International

At certain times of year, the Power Rankings helps us shed light on a course that has recently emerged from a major renovation project with a new look and improved reviews.

For our first Power Rankings of 2016, we have that in Grand Canyon University Golf Course in Phoenix. Formerly known as Maryvale Golf Course, the university assumed management of the course from the city and set out to renovate the William F. Bell-designed track in 2015. It reopened in late December after a $10 million investment, and reviews are coming in strong.

For those of you planning a Phoenix/Scottsdale golf vacation who like playing classic courses that are good value, you may want to put GCU on your watch list. Non-residents can play the course in peak season for about $45-55.

One of our most active contributors, jlewis1, posted a detailed review of the course, which he has been quite familiar with over the years.

"I'm so pleased with having such a good course back open on the west side!" jlewis1 wrote, adding that more length and bunkers make the course more challenging than in years past.

You can view the top 10 overall courses of the week below.

Top 10 overall courses on Golf Advisor

1. Grand Canyon University Golf Course, Phoenix
2. Panther Lake at Orange County National, Winter Garden, Fla.
3. Hills Course at LPGA International, Daytona Beach, Fla.
4. North Course at Indian Canyons Golf Resort, Palm Springs, Calif.
5. Royal St. Cloud Golf Links, Saint Cloud, Fla.
6. Las Sendas Golf Club, Mesa, Ariz.
7. St. Johns Golf and Country Club, St. Augustine, Fla.
8. Sewailo Golf Club, Tucson, Ariz.
9. Monterey Pines Golf Course, Monterey, Calif.
10. Riverwood Golf Club, Port Charlotte, Fla.

Top 10 most active courses on Golf Advisor

1. Champions Club At Summerfield, Stuart, Fla.
2. Oaks National Golf Club, Kissimmee, Fla.
3. Palm Beach National, Lake Worth, Fla.
4. The Golf Club At Johnson Ranch, Queen Creek, Ariz.
5. South Course at Indian Canyons Golf Resort, Palm Springs, Calif.
6. ChampionsGate Country Club, ChampionsGate, Fla.
7. Heron Creek Golf & Country Club, North Port, Fla.
8. Misty Creek Country Club, Sarasota, Fla.
9. Highlands Reserve G.C., Davenport, Fla.
10. Mirror Lakes Golf Club, Lehigh Acres, Fla.

Brandon Tucker

Brandon Tucker is the Sr. Managing Editor for GolfPass and was the founding editor of Golf Advisor in 2014, he was the managing editor for Golf Channel Digital's Courses & Travel. To date, his golf travels have taken him to over two dozen countries and nearly 600 golf courses worldwide. While he's played some of the most prestigious courses in the world, Tucker's favorite way to play the game is on a great muni in under three hours. Follow Brandon on Twitter at @BrandonTucker and on Instagram at @btuck34.

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