Southern California's No. 1 Golf Source
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 These five properties have earned a spot among the world’s top golf destinations, and all are within driving distance of Southern California. The first four months of the year are the peak season for Arizona golf. Prices are more than double now than during the summer, when temperatures routinely soar above 100 degrees. But whenever you go, each of these places is an oasis in the desert. THE PHOENICIAN 6000 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale (800) 888-8234 • www.thephoenician.com Accommodations: 468 guest rooms, beginning at 600 square feet, and luxury suites in the main resort building; 119 luxury casitas on the resort’s tropical lake; 60 guest rooms in the Canyon Building, a boutique resort-within-a-resort. The rate during peak season, January-April, begins at $675 per person, double occupancy. Golf: Three nine-hole layouts designed by Jack Snyder and Ted Robinson Sr., all in the shadow of Camelback Mountain. The Canyon, Oasis and Desert nines are all distinctive, and most play harder than what you may initially think from the tee. Why go there: The Phoenician is a gourmand’s dream. Eleven restaurants are on site, ranging from French cuisine at Mary Elaine’s, which includes a $3 million wine cellar, to poolside dining at any of the resort’s nine pools, one of which offers a 165-foot water slide. The resort’s full-service spa also is a must. What to bring besides your clubs: Your kids. While there is a resort-within-the-resort that offers complete seclusion, the Funicians Kids Club offers child care and programs and activities for children ages 5-12. Don’t miss: The opportunity to take one of the resort’s personalized tours through some stunning areas, including a day trip to the Grand Canyon, the red rocks of Sedona or Western ghost towns. WHIRLWIND GOLF CLUB 5692 W. N. Loop Road, Chandler (480) 940-1400 • www.whirlwindgolf.com Accommodations: This golf property about 11 miles south of Phoenix is built seamlessly into the pristine land of the Gila Indian Reservation. However, the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa, a 500-room luxury resort designed to embody the culture of local tribes, is next to the course. Rates begin at $580 in peak season. Golf: The two 18-hole courses include Devil’s Claw, which opened in 2000, and Cattail, which opened in 2002. Because the courses are on tribal land, they are free of water regulations most new Arizona courses must operate under, translating into a non-target-style golf course with plenty of land. The courses are designed for players of all levels, but Cattail, which is longer and has more water, has hosted a Nationwide Tour event three consecutive years. Rates range from $150 to $170 in peak season. As a Troon Golf property, service is exceptional. Why go there: Its location on tribal land means as authentic a desert landscape as you can imagine. No homes surround the course and the views of mountains are unparalleled. “Everything around us is untouched and natural and it’s not uncommon to see wild mustangs when you’re playing a round,” said general manager Mike Hurd. What to bring besides your clubs: A spirit of adventure. The Wild Horse Pass is only 10 miles from the Phoenix airport, but there are an amazing number of activities for a region so close to a metropolitan center. An equestrian center, Rawhide Old Western Town, Firebird International Raceway, a Native American culture center and several casinos are nearby. Don’t miss: The view from the lobby of the Sheraton resort, which offers a panoramic glimpse of the Estrella Mountains and 30 miles of untouched land. THE WIGWAM GOLF RESORT & SPA 300 Wigwam Boulevard, Litchfield Park (800) 327-0396 • www.wigwamresort.com Accommodations: 331 guest rooms and suites on a recently remodeled property managed by Starwood Properties. The resort is one of Arizona’s most historic, opening in 1929 as a lodge for executives of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. Rates begin around $375. Golf: Arizona’s only 54-hole golf facility, the Wigwam just completed a $5 million renovation of its two Robert Trent Jones Sr. courses, reshaping bunkers, elongating tees and expanding greens. The renovation also included the creation of Arizona’s largest practice facility, which includes the Wigwam Golf University and the Jim McClean Golf School. The rates for all three courses, which can be played by non-resort guests, are $140 during peak season, $76 after 1 p.m. Why go there: “What sets us apart from the rest of Phoenix is mature trees and a lot of turf,” said head professional Ron Heraty. “Most of the desert courses that have come on line recently have a lot of water restrictions, but we were grandfathered in. Where new courses are restricted to 90 acres, we have 450.” What to bring besides your clubs: Your business. With a complete audio-visual department and meeting space for up to 900 people, the Wigwam is a great place for business functions ranging from large corporations to smaller operations. The resort also includes a destination and special event department that can plan every aspect of your meeting, from picking up attendees at the airport to themed dinner parties and tours. Don’t miss: Sunset Point. An Old West theme town near the resort that overlooks the White Tank Mountains, this venue includes a working saloon, a mission building, an elevated band stage and other amenities ideal for an outdoor barbecue or picnic. FAIRMONT SCOTTSDALE PRINCESS 7575 E. Princess Drive, Scottsdale (480) 585-4848 • www.fairmont.com Accommodations: A five-diamond luxury resort with a spa, three restaurants, meeting space and 651 rooms, including two suites, 72 villas and 199 casitas. The resort offers golf packages for $1,245 per person during peak season, which includes accommodations and a round of golf at the TPC at Scottsdale or one of three other courses (Troon North, Grayhawk or We-Ko-Pa). From May-September, the rate drops to $679. Golf: There is no bigger party in professional golf than the PGA Tour’s FBR Open, and the Sta-dium Course at the TPC at Scottsdale is where nearly half a million people watch the best golfers in the world each Feb-ruary. The Stadium Course and the resort’s Desert Course are open to the public, with peak-season rates of $276 and $65, respectively. Why go there: Fairmont is one of the most exclusive names in the luxury hotel business, and the Scottsdale property is one of only two in the continental United States. The ability to play on a PGA Tour course is an obvious incentive for avid golfers. What to bring besides your clubs: Your curiosity. Located near the property are the Arizona Science Center and the Desert Botanical Gardens, which has the largest collection of desert plants in the world. Don’t miss: The opportunity to match Tiger Woods, who aced the par-3 16th hole at the 1997 FBR Open (then known as the Phoenix Open). THE BOULDERS RESORT & GOLDEN DOOR SPA 34631 North Tom Darlington Drive, Carefree (866) 397-6520 • www.theboulders.com Accommodations: Casitas suites, executive suites and one-, two- and three-bedroom villas are available at this highly regarded resort. Stay-and- play packages haven’t been established for 2006, but a one-night stay and a round of golf in December cost $819. Golf: Two courses designed by Jay Morrish: the 6,811-yard North Course, and the 6,726-yard South Course. Each course is nestled in the foothills and offer spectacular desert views. Green fees during peak season are $245 during the week and $270 on weekends. Why go there: If the golf, resort and spa aren’t enough, the location of the resort is reason enough to visit. Granite boulder formations are strewn throughout the resort, which is located on 1,300 acres of unspoiled desert about 16 miles north of Scottsdale. What to bring besides your clubs: Your appetite. The fine dining at the award-winning Latilla is consistently rated among the nation’s best by Gourmet magazine. Don’t miss: El Pedegral, a festival marketplace near the resort that includes more than 40 shops and restaurants, open-air concerts, a Spanish village and a Native American museum. |
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