I’ve been lazy lately and have been meaning to finish this blog for the last 3 weeks. Today is December 1st……….
5445 East Lincoln Drive Paradise Valley, Az. 85253 (877) 725-6029
Tee Box Options: Back=2310 Yards. Middle=2065 Yards. Forward=1735 Yards. Total Par=54.
I’ve previously stated my love for short courses and I played a very interesting course last week. Mountain Shadows: The Short Course is an 18 hole short course located on the north side of Camelback Mountain. Built in 1961, it is located at the Mountain Shadows resort. Tuesday was the only day this week I would have for golf. I had commitments in the late afternoon and early evening so I was looking for a round that would work. I didn’t have a short course in mind, but when I found the round on http://www.golfnow.com, it fit my needs to I booked a mid-morning tee time. Plus, this course has been on my radar for the last 2 years. I had heard very good things hadn’t taken the opportunity to play there, yet.
To set the scene, the resort sits among an affluent and upscale neighborhood. In other words….there’s lots of money around here. Everything looks nice. The houses, streets, cars, people, etc. The resort looked great and I was met in the parking lot by an attendant to take my clubs for me/stage my golf cart. At check in, I noticed the clubhouse was spotless. Instead of the normal (I find) rustic décor of most clubhouses, this clubhouse was very bright. Shelves, floors, and the walls were very bright in color. Directly behind the clubhouse is a patio area and bar. There’s a beautiful putting green out back, as well, and an amazing view of the north side of Camelback Mountain. I did have a specific tee time, but being a single, I was told I could go whenever. Luckily for me a nice couple visiting from out of state let me play along. My first impression was how immaculate this course was. Also, all 18 holes are named. With monikers such as ‘Plunge’ (#1), ‘Climb’ (#9), and ‘High Bar’ (#17), I find this to be a classy touch to an already beautiful course.
The first 2 holes go directly towards the mountain. The fairways are very green. The sand is soft and seemed easy to hit out of, but I wasn’t in a bunker during this round. One of my companions for the day said it was good golf sand. He was in a few of them so……I’ll take his word for it. I missed all but 5 greens on tee off. I wasn’t hitting the best shots off of the tee. I can tell you that they take great care of the fairways as any divot had sand in it. Green sand, too, which adds to the appearance. I’ve mentioned in previous blogs that not many Phoenix valley courses (in my experience, so far) have proper rough. Most of the rough is very short and you can see your ball from a distance. The rough at The Short Course was as rough should be. I didn’t lose a ball, yesterday, but I had a spot if trouble trying to hit on a couple of holes.
The greens are a slightly different story. They’re not bad, but the grass isn’t as ‘lush’ as one would expect given the condition of the tee boxes and fairways. The greens were pretty hard and extremely fast. I’m not the best with my putter, but I’d barely tap the ball and it would take off like a rocket. Now, let me say that I am in no way saying this affected my game. I can suck at putting on fast, slow, or perfect greens. On the positive side, these greens are no joke. They put some thought into the design and none were easy. Most short courses I’ve played have a basic green design. They are generally round and flat with, maybe, some sort of bank…but not these. Undulating, wavy, banked…..you name it. The conditions are here. I never tee’d off thinking that I had already seen this before.
Holes 1-6 outskirt a neighborhood and then you enter inside of said neighborhood for Hole #7. ‘Picturesque’ hole #7, (there was a placard that said so), ‘Jutty’, is the first hole you encounter with water. The next Hole of mention is #11, ‘Snyder Burn’. There is water to the right (a very swamp=like area with long reeds. You’re not finding your ball in there) and a green one has to ‘climb’. There is a level surface at the front of the green, but the pin is on top. I would say the next tier to this green is 4 feet or so in elevation so you have to knock your ball right up there. It took me 3 tries and I 6 putted. A 6 putt! I was on in regulation!
Holes #13 (‘Mummy’) & #14 (‘Dell’) share a green, which I’ve only seen on a couple of courses before and I find to be a very unique design. #13 is a straight ahead 125 yard hole. Once finished, you go around the green to the left, and come back for #14. There is a surprise in between #17 and #18 that I have never seen before anywhere……there is a bonus hole that doesn’t count for the round. Hole “17.5, The Forrest Wager is a ‘Par 2’ 30 yard green. According to their website, “The Forrest Wager is a long, flowing green where the object is to play against your opponents in similar fashion to the popular golf game Bingo Bango Bongo. Here, one point is awarded for the closest to the hole on the first shot played. Another for the first player to hole out (the farthest plays first, as always). And a third point for the lowest score. Affectionately described as a par-2, The Forrest Wager can serve to settle bets, solidify a press or determine a tie-breaker”. We all tried and came nowhere near the flag. There is a big mound a few feet in front of where you’re supposed to start from. Beyond that, it doesn’t get any easier.
The day and the round were excellent. Not score wise, but it was a beautiful day with good company. I was happy to get a good price (around $25) for a resort course. I have seen the green fees for The Short Course at least double in the Phoenix winter months. The staff was friendly and so were the other golfers besides the couple I played with that I interacted with. I would be happy to play here again.
Dry Heat Hacker 