Two Arizona golf courses are poised to make their mark on
desert golf in the upcoming months; one will be revisited by old friends, while
another will be experienced by the world's best players in its inaugural
season. The courses will be a contrast in terms of access, but both will add an
important element to the Arizona golf landscape.
Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C., was literally completed by its architect Pete Dye minutes before the inaugural edition of today's Verizon Heritage began in 1969. Fortunately, the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain in Tucson won't be as pressed for time, but the new golf course will be thrown to the wolves shortly after it opens.
The 27-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature design will play host to the PGA Tour's World Golf Championships - Accenture Match Play Championship, which has been held at the Gallery Golf Club in Marana the past two years. The event makes its debut at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain Feb. 23 through March 1, 2009.
The golf courses eventually will be accessible only by resident members and resort guests of the Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, but for a limited time the course will be playable to the public. Open play is available starting January 18, 2009 on all three nines for a limited time during the inaugural year. Tee times must be arranged by a club professional on behalf of non-member golfers. Winter season registration is $225 and includes golf, cart, access to practice facilities and required forecaddie.
The course is Nicklaus' first in the Tucson area since La Paloma Country Club in 1984. The Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain will feature large greens with significant undulation, wide fairways and carries over desert washes. There golf courses have Bent grass greens, while the tees, fairways and rough are Bermuda, ideal for a desert climate.
The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain also features a 50,000 square-foot clubhouse with all of the services expected from a luxury private club (tennis center, state-of-the-art fitness center, steward-serviced private locker rooms and a double-ended practice facility.) The resort also features several indoor and outdoor dining venues.
These facilities are the centerpiece of an 850-acre project on the northwest edge of Tucson. Included are a 250-room luxury resort hotel and spa, to open in fall 2009, as well as The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, an exclusive residential community.
For additional information access the Web site at www.ritzcarlton.com/dovemountain or call (520) 572-3500.
Papago Golf Course
Opened in 1964, Phoenix's Papago Golf Course, long considered one of the finest public golf courses in Arizona, hosted more than 100,000 rounds in its prime. But the wear and tear from all the foot traffic called for an extensive renovation project, which began in April.
The renovation project has been completed, and Papago re-opened for business Saturday, Dec. 6.
The restoration is a direct result of a partnership between the City of Phoenix, the Arizona Golf Association and the Arizona Golf Foundation, a non-profit arm of the AGA.
The project was guided along by golf course architect and former Augusta National superintendent William "Billy" Fuller, and included a re-turfing of all the greens, tees, fairways and rough; the installation of a new irrigation system; removal of trees to improve sightlines and views; and reshaping and adding of bunkers.
Tee boxes have been lengthened on holes 1, 9 and 11, adding nearly 350 yards to the course, which will play anywhere from 5,300 yards to nearly 7,400 yards from five sets of tees.
"This is a special place with a lot of history and character," said Fuller. "My goal from day one was to keep this restoration as close to the original design as possible, and I feel like we accomplished that."
The original design was by well-known and esteemed golf course architect William Francis "Billy" Bell, who learned his craft from his father, William Park Bell. They collaborated on many highly-rated California courses. Perhaps best known among the nearly one-hundred courses to Bell's credit is Torrey Pines in San Diego.
Papago hosted the 1971 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, and also has been home to Phoenix Open qualifying.
Tee times can be booked online at www.papagogolfcourse.net or by calling (602) 275-8428.
Rates in the winter months will be $44 for Phoenix city Cardholder members and $115 for those without the Phoenix City Card. Off-peak summer rates are $20 for Phoenix city Cardholders and $40 for non-cardholders. Carts are available for $15 per rider.
"We are proud and excited to unveil the new and improved Papago Golf Course," said John Ferenchak, President of the Arizona Golf Association Executive Committee. "This has been an exciting project and we are optimistic that Papago will once again be one of the biggest names in Arizona golf."
Papago will hold a grand reopening celebration in February 2009.