While some might think the Scottsdale golf season doesn’t hit its stride until the PGA TOUR’s Waste Management Phoenix Open comes to town at the end of January, savvy golf travelers know to get a jumpstart on the action and score the best deals by booking trips a bit early.
“November through early January can be a real sweet spot for Scottsdale golf,” said Doug Hodge of TPC Scottsdale. “The courses will be in great shape (if a little damp) coming out of overseeding, the weather is typically perfect, with warm days and cool evenings, and availability and values are easy to find.”
Plus, early season guests get first swing at all the newest offerings the “World’s Finest Golf Destination” has to offer, allowing for bragging rights with friends back home.
BOLD NEW LOOKS
Two of Scottsdale’s most popular golf resorts, Fairmont Scottsdale Princess and The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, have undergone exciting renovations over the summer.
At the Princess, a remodel of its 458 standard guest rooms and 20 luxury suites over the last several months has brought soft, tranquil desert décor with clean, modern lines and furnishings; modernized bathrooms with sleek polished stone and oversized walk-in showers; and technology upgrades, including an Echo Dot with an “Ask the Princess” function and state-of-the-art televisions loaded with more than 1,000 apps via Sonicast.
Additionally, the resort renovated its popular Princess Pool, expanding and redesigning the pool deck, and adding eight new cabanas, as well as a waterside eatery and bar. The new look was unveiled in September, marking the completion of a property-wide renovation that began in 2017.
Westin Kierland is transforming its 732 guest rooms, including 55 suites, and corridors with a design that presents a striking new interpretation of modern eco-luxury. The refined rooms and corridors feature expansive contemporary redesigns, and enhancements and a new color palette inspired by the Southwest to evoke a sense of living amidst the desert. The resort’s new look will be unveiled in early Dec. 2019, ahead of the holiday season.
At TPC Scottsdale, golfers can enjoy the distinctive thrill of playing the famed Stadium Course as it preps for the PGA TOUR. Those looking for a challenge can opt for the outstanding conditioning of The Champions Course, considered one of the best values in Scottsdale golf and then refuel at the recently remodeled Champions Grille, featuring an excellent menu of American classics, as well as a wide selection of craft brews and cocktails.
OUTSTANDING VALUES
Those who just can’t get enough golf will love Scottsdale Camelback Resort’s Unlimited Golf Package. The package provides accommodations at the iconic resort, daily breakfast and unlimited golf on either of Camelback Golf Club’s two outstanding golf courses. Plus, guests enjoy unlimited use of the practice facilities, complimentary club storage and 20 percent off retail purchases in the golf shop, spa or tennis shop. Tee times can be made up to 120 days in advance and rates begin at $249 per night, double occupancy.
Not to be outdone, Mountain Shadows at the base of Camelback Mountain is home to the wildly popular Short Course. It features 18 distinctive par-3 holes that play fast and firm, making for the kind of course a golfer could play every day. In that spirit, Mountain Shadows is offering an Unlimited Golf pass, valid from Oct. 14, 2019 to Jan. 15, 2020. Cost is $450 per player and cart usage is just $5 per round.
For travelers planning a longer-term visit to Scottsdale, Ranch Pass at McCormick Ranch Golf Club is just the place. Located in the heart of Scottsdale, McCormick Ranch Golf Club features two outstanding golf courses, each with its own distinctive style. The Ranch Pass, available for just $109, provides two complimentary greens fees and guarantees the best public rate (average savings is $20 per round), as well as exclusive passholder events, 50 percent off practice balls, and three-day advance tee times. The Ranch Pass is valid from Nov. 1, 2019 to Oct. 31, 2020.
REWARDING EXPERIENCES
Sometimes golf can be more than a game. Sometimes it’s an opportunity to make a difference in the community while enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime experience. One of those opportunities is coming to Scottsdale’s Starfire Golf Club Nov. 15, 2019 when it plays host to the 9th Annual Driving Out Domestic Violence Celebrity Gala and Golf Tournament. Each foursome teeing off in the morning is paired with a current or former professional athlete and the night closes out just as glitzy, with a Celebrity Gala catered by Dominick’s Steakhouse at Ross Aviation in the Scottsdale Airpark. Proceeds will benefit Chrysalis’ domestic violence programs, which serves more than 1,400 people in Arizona each year. To participate in the tournament, visit Driving Out Domestic Violence.
At Grayhawk Golf Club’s Quill Creek Café, the popular Wednesday Night Party is soon to return to the patio. Starting Sept. 25 and running through Nov. 27, guests can enjoy live acoustic performances by local artists from 5-8:30 p.m. The parties also include outstanding appetizer and drink specials on the restaurant’s most popular items, such as the Grande Margaritas, craft beers, prime rib and chicken sliders.
When it comes to putting interesting new twists on the “auld game,” no one does it better than the Boulders Resort & Spa Scottsdale. Starting this fall, the resort’s Birdies, Birds & Beyond experience will combine top-notch golf instruction with one-of-a-kind nature experience. The program begins with a morning of golf instruction followed by a guided tour via golf cart of the Boulders’ two stunningly beautiful golf courses. Along the way, guests will encounter and learn about the indigenous wildlife – ranging from javelina and desert cottontails to mule deer and elusive bobcats – that call the courses home. Cameras are encouraged.
For a different kind of on-course experience, guests can opt for the Boulders Golf Club’s new Golf Fitness Starter Program, taught by LPGA Professional and Certified Fitness Trainer, Nicole Cavarra. The program helps players improve their golf game by increasing their flexibility, strength and biomechanics. It also teaches techniques to improve functional motion and burn more calories while on the golf course. Additionally, students receive a customized Golf Fitness Starter Program to take home, enabling them to continue to make progress. To learn more about both these programs, contact the instruction team at the Boulders Golf Club.
For more information about Scottsdale’s golf scene, visit ExperienceScottsdaleGolf.com.
