Reviewing a Golf Course - We-Ko-Pa, Cholla Course, Scottsdale, AZ

I play a lot of golf. I also have a golf blog (welcome!), so I figured it would be beneficial to both you and I to begin reviewing golf courses. We'll talk about the course, the conditions, the price, the beverage cart and if it's worth the visit. If you've played, leave some comments. Here we are, golf course reviewing.

This weekend, during all the Ryder Cup mayhem, I found some time to play a little golf with three of my good buddies. One of my buddies girlfriends decided that for his birthday she'd be the coolest girlfriend around and buy him and some friends a tee time at one of the nicer desert golf course in Arizona, We-Ko-Pa. So, we headed out to the Cholla course and tried to conquer the 7,225 yard animal.

I will admit, I have played both course at We-Ko-Pa a few times. One of my good friends worked there during high school so in college we'd randomly head up and try to get on later in the afternoon. For a course that is considered one of the top-100 you can play in the country, this was always a bonus.

When we pulled up, we dropped our bags off and heading into the clubhouse. The pro shop attendant was helpful and informative, and as we headed out to the range, we were met with a challenge. No range balls. A few guests were standing around waiting, so it wasn't like they just run out. Okay, no big deal, we headed to the other range to hit a few tomatoes before heading out. The range and putting green are top notch and the balls are included in the rate.

The starter eventually grabbed us and escorted us to the first tee. While I always play the back tees, my three buddies weren't so excited about it. After some convincing, they decided to play it back, much to the starter's chagrin. Also, during his starter speech, he told us the pin position was "6" when it was really "5" (we hit to 6 the first three holes and on the par-3 third, were very disappointed when we approached the green and realized our "good" shots were 30 feet from the back-left pin position). Also, the beverage cart, while somewhat reliable (we saw her four times over the course of 18 holes) wasn't exactly the happiest lady ever. Her attitude didn't deter our excitement when realizing beers were only $3 each. At a golf course of this caliber, that was like stealing. The service wasn't all bad. The Cholla course has an outside grill at the turn and the lady was very friendly and put up with us. Also, the hot dogs she threw together hit the spot like no other.



It is hard to judge the condition of the golf course because it is a strange time for courses in Arizona. The Cholla course will be over-seeded in early October and you can see the seed is ready to change. Nonetheless, it was still in great shape considering and the greens were flawless like usual. If you can look past a few throwaway holes at the Cholla (like the par-5 2nd and the par-4 15th), nothing is to complain of setup. The first hole can render a birdie or a bogey with just a few yards off your tee shot. The par-5 8th hole, measuring a beastly 605-yards from the tips, makes you needle a drive in between a bunker and some desert just to catch the ridge and maximize your distance. The lay-up might be easy but the third shot takes a very precise short-iron just to find the green. It is a three-shot par-5 that is tough but fair. The back nine throws a solid par-3 (11), a double dogleg par-5 at you (17) and finishes with a risk/reward tee shot on the 432-yard 18th.

After finishing our round one of my head-covers had decided it was sick of me and left unexpectedly. I described the headcover to one of the closers and they found it and put it on my clubs before we left. My pig headcover thanks you.

One of the better things about a round of golf with some of your buddies you don't always get to hang out with is the post-round beer. While the restaurant at We-Ko-Pa is nice, it is far from the "buddies at the bar" feel you'd want. The only television in the entire place is a big screen pointed at the diners, so rolling up to the bar isn't even on option on a football Sunday. The outside patio is nice, but also lacks a television to update yourself on the scores. I guess four 20-somethings can manage to drink even without a TV around. Shocking, I know.

The entire experience was an A. With the group of guys I was with, it would be hard to have a bad time. No matter the few slip-ups by the service (I did it before and I know I slipped up a few times), the course was fabulous and looks to be ready for peak season in the upcoming month.

If you are planning a golf trip to Scottsdale, the Cholla course at We-Ko-Pa better be on your short list. Also, if you'd like to know what a water slap is, email my buddy at aomertwin@gmail.com.

Final Scores
Andrew (14 handicap) -- 95
Joe (14 handicap) -- 93
Darren (20 handicap) -- 100
Me -- 77

Reviewing A Golf Course - Bear Dance Golf Course, Larkspur, CO

I play a lot of golf. I also have a golf blog (welcome!), so I figured it would be beneficial to both you and I to begin reviewing golf courses. We'll talk about the course, the conditions, the price, the beverage cart and if it's worth the visit. If you've played, leave some comments. Here we are, golf course reviewing.

Nothing defines a solid Saturday like dew-busting it in the morning and then coming home to watch some college football.

This morning, at 7:39 AM, my father and I headed to the Golf Club at Bear Dance, home of the PGA Colorado section, and about 45 minutes south of Denver. After hearing a lot of good things about the course just outside of Castle Rock and attempting to play it a few weeks ago before getting rained out, I decided it was the spot I wanted to take my father on his trip to Colorado.

The good news is we weren't disappointed. Bear Dance is a beautiful golf course set up and down through a ton of Ponderosa pine trees and gives you views of Pikes Peak, the Rockies and the Front Range. No matter your ability, there are five different sets of tees, from 7,726 to 5,240. I played all the way back while my dad, a 10-handicap that never plays unless I'm around, set his sights on the tees at 6,879.

The clubhouse is fantastic, the staff seemed friendly and helpful and even the merchandise inside the pro shop wasn't that high (it was chilly and we found a nice golf jacket for under $100). Also, the green fees ($110 on the weekends, $89-95 during the weekdays plus some specials on their website) include range balls, on a decent range even though it faces you DIRECTLY into the sun if you're a morning golfer.

Now, when I say the course is long, I mean it. The front nine starts and ends with a 500+ yard par-4, and has a 636-yard par-5 (that I birdied somehow). One of the only complaints I found on the golf course is the random bunkering that never really comes into play. The best example is the par-4 4th, that has four pot bunkers about 20 yards northwest of the green. I told my dad when observing them, "If you hit it in there, you might as well just drive your cart back to the clubhouse because you probably aren't going to have much fun."

The back nine is where the beauty is really striking. Holes 10-12 give you a great shot of the mountains, while the difference in the par-5 yardages on the 13th and 18th (537 to 655) couldn't be more different. Also, the 17th hole at first glance looks like a throwaway hole (145-yard par-3 that we played at 112 yards) but is one of the harder short par-3s you will ever play. I always say, if you can make a short hole just as difficult as a long one, you've done a great job as a designer.

I would vote the entire experience an A. Even though the greens were nearly unplayable fast in some areas (par-3 12th comes to mind), the course was in good condition and the staff was very helpful. After my dad inquired about hot chocolate on the front nine to the beverage cart, the lady actually went and got some even though she doesn't normally carry it on the cart.

The only other complaint I would have lands with the GPS system, which seemed to have some very off yardages at times (even though I'm not sure you can fault Bear Dance for this). For example, on the par-4 16th it said the water in front of the green was 380+ yards and I nearly got there with my three-wood (and I promise you, I'm not that long).

If you have a chance, check out the course. It is a nice little area with a solid golf course playable for all abilities.

Final score -- Shane - 75, Shane's Dad - 83

'The Top 100 You Can Play' Rankings

Personally, I find no better pleasure in playing a new golf course and seeing what exactly it has to offer. From municipal goat track to gem of the West coast, each golf course has at least one golf hole you'll remember, if not for the layout, for your score or great shot.

GOLF Magazine came out with their top-100 courses you and I can actually play without a member or Senate badge, and I decided to give my take on the courses I've played on the list (I promise you, it isn't a lot).

#21 - Troon North Golf Club, Pinnacle Course - A course I actually used to work at, combing the Troon oath to great conditions and customer service with a perfect layout near Pinnacle Peak (pictured) is tough to beat. Although they changed the nines around to better combine the newer Pinnacle course with the older and more traditional Monument, the closing stretch of 15, 16, 17 and 18 leaves for some fun and beauty. The price has always been high for my taste, but if you have the dough, it's work forking over.

#32 - Dancing Rabbit Golf Club, Azaleas Course - If you don't mind getting to Philadelphia, Mississippi, the Dancing Rabbit courses are truly one of a kind. Literally a wedge from the Pearl River Resort and Casino, Dancing Rabbit has a motto "getting lost in the woods is the whole point." If you're looking to take a guys trip that is a little off the beaten path from the regular Las Vegas or Myrtle Beach scene, this is the place to go. Also, the price is right and the casino is solid.

#35 - We Ko Pa, Cholla Course - The first of two great, and distinctive courses in the middle of the desert, the Cholla Course is, in my opinion, desert golf at its finest. While it still has a couple of giveaway holes on the back (14 and 15), the course as a whole might be worth the the steep price of admission (nearly $210 during peak season). If you're doing a Scottsdale trip, the Cholla course is a must play.

#44 - We Ko Pa, Saguaro Course - In my opinion, a bit high for the newly introduced Saguaro course. Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw designed this as a walkers course, but maybe not the best idea in a place that can peak 120 degrees. It is playable from the desert as they've cleared out a lot of the shrubbery, but it just isn't what you'd expect after first seeing the Cholla. That said, the 9th is a fun, short par-3 worthy of a closest to the hole competition and the 10th is a drivable par-4 for the big hitters.

#45 - Troon North Golf Club, Monument Course - All they did was this was give the two worse nines of the two 18-holes courses to the Monument, which is really like saying you won $200 on a lottery ticket instead of $205. The back nine (old front of Pinnacle) is one of the best nines ever to wager some cash on. Two par-5s, a risk-reward par-4 and some tricky par-3s make for a lot of up and downs to your final round. They also did a great job of changing the 17th to a par-4, nearly a joke of a hole to play as a par-5 (downhill and only 495-yards from the tips).

#51 - Wolf Creek Golf Club - As you may have seen, I wrote a review of Wolf Creek just a few weeks ago. It is tougher than Avon Barksdale, never a break from the grind and has a drive thru beer barn. Can you beat that?

#86 - Barefoot Resort, Love Course - There is no debating of the beauty and prestige of the Barefoot Resort, with courses designed by Davis Love III, Greg Norman, Tom Fazio and Pete Dye. The Love is the top ranked course in Myrtle Beach, which is about all you need to know in a land with more than 100 courses. The 5th will give just about any golfer the shakes off the team, as water stretches all the way down the right side of this 463-yard beast.

#87 - Grayhawk Golf Club, Talon Course - Pretty incredible that the Talon gets the nod when the PGA Tour hosted a tournament on the Raptor just last year. Never one of my favorites, you will always have an interesting time playing the island green 17th, coined Devil's Drink, even if it is barely a wedge for most players. Way too costly for my taste, especially with all the good golf around north Scottsdale.

There you have it. Not a lot of courses, but a few I have played and enjoyed for the most part. Have you played any on the list?

Reviewing a Golf Course - Wolf Creek Golf Course, Mesquite, Nevada

I play a lot of golf. I also have a golf blog (welcome!), so I figured it would be beneficial to both you and I to begin reviewing golf courses. We'll talk about the course, the conditions, the price, the beverage cart and if it's worth the visit. If you've played, leave some comments. Here we are, golf course reviewing.

The website of Wolf Creek Golf Course has a simple message attached to it -- "Think you're up to it?" After two solid days of Vegas, it was extremely questionable when myself and a best buddy of mine made the 90 minute trip from the strip up Interstate-15 to what looks like a golf course on Mars. (I feel that I need to preface my review of Wolf Creek. For some extremely unimaginable reason, it rained two inches in an hour the day before we hit our tee shots on the Wolf, and being erected through walls of dirt and mud, a downfall like that will lead to some extreme runoff. The course was struggling because of the conditions, but I will keep that in mind during the entire review. Also, the greens were really slow because I'm not sure they could have mowed them.)

When you're out two nights in a row at places like Bellagio, Wynn, Mandalay Bay, and Luxor, it's hard to step to the first tee with complete peace of mind. (Honestly, with the way I was feeling, it might have been hard to successful drink from a bottle of water with any confidence at all.) Nonetheless, when first arriving at Wolf Creek you notice a few things. Nobody was out to greet us when we unloaded our bags and we were the ones that put them on the cart. However, Once entering the clubhouse the crew was polite and helpful. We learned that Wolf Creek is almost always in the top-100 of course to play by Golf Digest and others (No. 25 last year). The pro shop attendee also let us know that a group from Pebble Beach and Spyglass came and said they enjoyed Wolf Creek as much, if not more, than those two gems. "Umm, ok cool, lets get this thing going."

The driving range is pitiful. An irons only slab of grass that might be able to contain a shot 210 yards or more. From there we hit some putts and were off.

Now, here is what I'll tell you about Wolf Creek. A slope rating of 154 from the tips (only 6,939), the nickname "Challenger" graces the back tees for more than just the difficulty (ranked 31 by Golf Digest in '07 as Toughest Courses to Play). Just finding some of the back tees makes for a challenging day in and of itself. The first hole, a par-5 that should make for a confidence building par, has back tees that are so far from the cart path you might want to carry two balls and a fruit bar just for the hike. The second hole has the back tees so far up a mountain that overweight golfers literally couldn't play it.

The course is in one of those unique "the bite is worse than the bark" lists because of the par-3s. Sure, it's pretty impossible to get around the front nine without having to buy golf balls at the snack shack (they literally sell sleeves after the fifth and 14th holes), but it's the par-3s that make the hangover really come on strong. The first is the third hole, a 227-yard par-3 straight up a hill that makes the yardage a true 240+. If you miss the green, you better just stay in the cart, because the designer of this course hate bailouts.

One of my knocks with Wolf Creek comes on the 7th and 8th holes. Sure, the course is tough and you know that before starting, but here it is downright goofy. The 7th is a 302-yard par-4 where you hit a shot around 200 yards and then have a wedge into an elevated green. Simple if you can find the fairway, the 7th is one of the only places on the front you might catch a birdie. The 8th is a 248-yard par-3 to an island green that you can barely even see. Stealing money from a casino and walking out pummeled-free might be easier than making a par here. The reason I'm not a fan of this is because realistically it's easier to make a 3 on the par-4 than the par-3.

The back nine lightens up a little, with some maneuverable holes and some solid views. Number 12 is one of the more fun par-5s you'll ever play, keeping the drive just right of the lake and trying to find a skinny, but lengthy (55 yards) green with a few tiers. Miss the green a yard right and you better be looking for a drop area. The 17th hole is also a great par-5, where you can get to in two with a solid drive, but you're risking a water ball to the peninsula green. I'm not exactly sure what the designers were doing with the 18th, a 307-yard par-4 that is just pretty blah, but I guess the aesthetic waterfall to the left of the fairway makes up for it.

The golf course is a solid track that is very challenging but relatively fair (besides 7 and 8). You're never going to park your rental car at Wolf Creek with a low number in mind, but it's interesting to test your game against a beast like this one.

The yardage book they give out for free is helpful but a little behind the times. A few more yardages to the cut off zones (especially on the second hole) would be helpful in envisioning a shot shape off some tees. Also, the snack shack is awesome (it even has a drive-thru!) but we didn't see a cart girl all day and played on a Sunday. Also, for a place that tips 110 during summer days, it was ironic that the obligatory mid-round hot dog was warm at best.

All in all, if you don't mind the 90 minute drive from Vegas, it's a great course to try and a nice break from the mayhem of the strip. I would recommend the course to anyone that asked and would love to tee it up there again when the conditions were a little more favorable. If you're looking for a course to truly test your game and can't get on Oakmont or Augusta, trying out Wolf Creek isn't a bad plan.

Reviewing a Golf Course - Arrowhead Golf Club, Littleton, Colorado

I play a lot of golf. I also have a golf blog (welcome!), so I figured it would be beneficial to both you and I to begin reviewing golf courses. We'll talk about the course, the conditions, the price, the beverage cart and if it's worth the visit. If you've played, leave some comments. Here we are, golf course reviewing.

When you call Arrowhead Golf Club, the pleasant recorded message lets you know you're headed to "a top-10 most picturesque golf course in the world." You might not totally believe them as you battle the front nine, but boy did they get it right on the back. Right up there with Kingsbarns in Scotland and our own Pebble Beach, Arrowhead is a beaut, and don't worry, they charge handily for your viewing pleasure. Teeing off at 3 PM, we were charged $79 a person, but got all 18 holes in with plenty of sunlight to spare.

The condition of the course is very, very mediocre. I don't know if you can blame Arrowhead as much as the mini-drought Colorado is in, but on numerous holes the fairways were splattered with manual sprinklers just to keep them from completely burning out. The greens were exactly what'd you expect from a top-tier public golf course, nothing extremely special but smooth and receptive to good shots.

A bonus to playing Arrowhead is the wildlife. During our 18 hole adventure, we caught two foxes, a handful of deer (that you can practically pull right up to) and some intense bullfrogs. With your camera obviously around at all times, it's pretty awesome to click some shots of the animals as you are admiring the great par-3s.

Oh, and have I mentioned, it's beautiful.

The cart girl was the best I'd ever had (probably 7-9 views), and always had the cart stocked with whatever you needed. The staff was solid, but they dropped the ball with the bar design. It's perched overlooking the majestic red rocks, but they only have one balcony and when we were there, it was reserved for a wedding. If they had planned for such a thing, two balconies would have been perfect and we would have had the option to enjoy a cold Guinness overlooking their signature rocks instead of having to stare at each other while the bartender was getting her cash in order.

Overall I'd say it was a solid B+. The course is fair, the condition were shoddy but the views were stunning and well worth the price, even if the range makes you hit off mats. You're not going to play Arrowhead three times a year, but if you're in the area, it's worth the trip. Also, forewarning, it's a long way from anything so plan accordingly.