JamesCiapa

Pace of play, 4 hours 18 minutes. Good but not great for the heat of 110+. Facilities great, maintained well. Free water on course every 3 holes, practice range included. Only saw cart girl (supposedly there was 2 scheduled w/one calling in) once which was tough but great day. The secret is out, always fun and very challenging. Greens were above average on pace (they punched shortly after 7/3 tho), bunkers of which there are many were pretty solid, fairways and tee boxes great.

A single paired with a family of 3, pace could’ve been better in front as we were waiting basically every tee. Had nowhere to go and got hit into 2~3 times. A Marshall would be nice during busy season. Conditions and amenities great as always.

I’ve played this course on and off for 10+ years. The ambiance is certainly…different. From grabbing your clubs out of your car to walking into the pro shop, there’s upbeat pool party music. Everywhere you turn there’s offers to save via the Ranch card, TopTracer range ads (cool features but becoming more of a TopGolf than driving range for pre-round warm up, about 10-15 slots are first come first serve) and even an on-site food truck ready to quench your thirsty Thursday. 3~4 practice greens of various sizes. The starter was handed a difficult hand with people showing up late but man was he awfully rude for no reason. And with his comment “I’ve been doing this for 4 years, I know what I’m doing” I can assure you, he didn’t. I was a single who got paired with a 4some. Yes, he made up play as a 5. We kept pace for awhile except on the 10th hole which is adjacent to the range and makes you feel like a range target with how many balls fly into the fairway. By the 11th we were told to pick it up. We did. All good. But we’re a 5some keeping up with a 3some in front. Course conditions were fine, they’ve definitely been better. Staff is fine, has been better. Pace of play was 4 hours and just over 20 minutes, again…has been better. Their money maker seems to be the toptracer attraction. If you’re a mesa resident, worth the money. If not…probably not.

Don’t play in the winter/spring often because of pace of play and bang for my buck…however a hot deal at 2:57 caught my eye even with 25+ mph winds and rain in the forecast. Well the rain didn’t come during the round but 40 mph gusts did. Course very difficult with its narrow landing spots and smaller greens in wind but other than that, fun track with superb conditions where it counts. Good spot. 8.9 out of 10

Fun simple, right in front of you course. Staff is always excellent and I was lucky to play as a single. Pace was under 4 hours by a hair in the afternoon. Conditions were acceptable this time of year, greens a little quick. Bunkers tidy. Great time!

Kudos to Longbow, booked as a single at 11:40am on hottest day of year (so far) yet they were plenty prepared. Every three or four holes there was large igloo coolers of over 100 water bottles, chilled. Even had multiple maintenance cree members check that I had plenty of water. Even had two water bottles in the cart’s cooler and ice prior to the round. Cart guys were present. Interior staff smiling and helpful. Hot weather means fast fairways and kinda baked bunkers, the sand wasn’t too bad but it was hot. Fairways rolling forever. Had multiple drives go over 350 (my usual distance is 290-305). Greens were receptive but rolling fast (the sign upon bag drop said running at an 11) and true. No true thick rough to speak of, but enough to make you focus for the fairway. Desert shrubbery was well maintained. Areas around fairways and greens had some inconsistency and burn areas so keep an eye on July/August conditions. Overall fun times, played 18 as a single behind groups in under 3.5 hours. Only downfall of this championship course is the architecture, could be a bit boring/repetitive.

I visit here often. Rain has helped this course. A few tee boxes from tips can be bare but the course is playable in 90% of the land. Bunkers were a little above average after recent downpours. Knowing this course gets flooded with the rain we’ve been getting it’s in good shape. Good price AND… I played 36 holes in under 4 hours. Replay rate is worth the value if not busy.

Greens were still recovering in August 8th from punching. Honestly somehow ran quite fast, not too bumpy like day after but just some slight residue. By this time I’d imagine they’re healed. Every other aspect was above average, tees clean, rough timid and trim, fairways were clipped short. Bunkers were rather maintained. Great price for a fun easy round to shoot a score. My partner and I played 18 holes in under 3 hours on a Sunday. What’s to complain about??

Played at 1:30 on the Sunday that it rained all weekend. The clouds cleared and the course was empty. Course was cart path only but the service, staff and everything in between was great. Water in a couple of bunkers at the time but the course was amazing. Rain helped.

Played with my usual father and father in law group on Sunday. Course was in prestige conditions, nothing notable to complain about that would hamper your ability to shoot a score. Pat in the pro shop is a local icon!! Love this course and love the value it provides. Plush carts, great conditions including pure as carpet greens, water and ice machines a plenty, bathrooms, $2 beers...what’s not to love!

Played The Links at Queen Creek as a single around 12:24 pm off GolfNow for $22 Friday May 8th. This course located in San Tan/Queen Creek off Ironwood and Ocotillo presents itself pretty hidden behind a shopping plaza and Big O Tires. Off the bat, it kind of feels like an old-school municipal course with the parking lot and grill patio/bar situation going on when you walk up. Carts were a plenty with sanitized pre-cautions and the customer service inside sufficed. I was given a course booklet and was on my way. *To note, there is no driving range, just a few mats that direct into a net but there was a decent putting green adjacent to the first tee with 4/5 holes to warmup*

The course is very short, at 5787 from the tips and only 5172 from the forward's men tees at a par 70...the USGA won't be bringing the US Open here anytime soon. The tees were all pretty well lined and trimmed, nothing outrageous as far as divots or being unlevel. The fairways were manicured and had an aesthetically pleasing stripping to them. The rough was rather minimal; notably longer than the fairways but nothing penal and fear inducing from hiding your ball if the fairways were missed. The bunkers were in good condition however there aren't a ton out there. The greens were rather amazing, very smooth and playing difficult (fast and rather firm, though a solid wedge shot or iron will have some bite). The aprons and everything lining the course (trees, water, etc.) were free of substantial eye sores and didn't obstruct play in any way.

Upon my first play, the front nine was where you have to score as there was two par 5's and some rather tame par 4's. This whole course isn't long except one par 3 from the tips however I did use every club in my bag and I was definitely challenged by it's greens whether it was to put my approach shots pin-high or to keep from three putting every green. I wasn't ever bored to say the least. It's an easy course that's short and in present conditions...in good shape.

You won't be astounded by its elevation changes or architectural width but it will be a fun day out in the sun for a good rate.

My usual summertime threesome had a tee time for 9:52 am at a price off GolfNow for $44. The recent developments for COVID-19 has caused this course to take SOME action (foam pool noodle at the bottom of the cups, plastic bags for range balls instead of reusable buckets) however the check in process was the exact same. Not limiting people coming through the clubhouse, I would say is surprising to say the least. Other than those small items, the cartbarn guys were present (but didn't touch our bags to unload) and we were off to the first tee where the starter checked our receipts and led us onto the course a touch past 10:10am. Of notice, that's 18 minutes behind our scheduled tee time...

Onto the course, during this season of Arizona Golf there's been quite a bit of spring showers assisting every course's greenery and this course was no different. The fairways were lined precisely with manicured rough, the tee boxes were groomed crisply and the greens were consistent. I'd say the most notable thing was that this course doesn't have much rough width so the few tens of yards that line each fairway were quickly met with the usual desert shrubbery and rocks. The greens were in fact soft, rather receptive and scarce of any damaging pitch marks so putting was a pleasure. The bunkers were the only downfall on an otherwise pleasant day as they were beyond moist/watered, they were almost a consistency of mud but had been machine raked in the morning.

The course itself has been through its improvements here and there. This course is known for stacking the tee sheet a bit close together which can lead to massive backup during the busy/peak season however we were able to finish 18 within 4 hours. The strong suit of this course is the practice facility, $10 for a large bucket of 110 balls into a range that is rather large allowing for at least 50 golfers or so as well as an instruction area. They also have two putting greens that are rather large allowing for you to practice all types of putts, sloped or straight as well as a chipping green with a full sized bunker.

During the off season, I live nearby so I'm here quite a bit practicing and during the summer the rates can easily be booked for a hot deal of about $14 everyday. It's a fun course and worth a play anytime. I just wouldn't be able to suggest this place as the course you take your out-of-town friends that want to play golf unless they're on a strict budget.

First time out playing, staff (I only saw one or two) were present and checked me out speedily with guidance of directions as a first timer out here. Course is very tame and straightforward, not much in the way to give hazard too...few man made water ponds with a few bunkers scattered here or there. Nothing in way of architectural scintillating but the course conditions made it plenty enjoyable. Greens were darn near perfectly smooth, not too quick and not pitch mark ridden. Tee boxes clean. Played under 3 hours at starting time 8am on a Friday. Quick executive to sharpen pieces of your game and tally a score. Price well worth it.

Summer conditions are kicking in however this course presents plenty of challenge without overbearing, manufactured difficulty. The greens were soft (from last night’s rain most likely) and rolling true around a 11 on the stimp. The fairways had some browned spots and thin lies in some elevated areas, however for the majority of the playing lines was in fantastic May summer shape. The bunkers had a great texture to them to allow for your choice of shot.

The strategy of this course is fun, nothing of the diabolical Pete Dye variety but enough to make you think about your shot before you step up to hit. Doglegs and bunkers in all the right spots (if you play the right tees!) with sloped elevated greens. Fun time out in the desert of Florence. A course that provides fun, tranquility and a true golfing experience in the silence of this neighborhood course.