THE BOULDERS North Course
Arizona Golf Course Review 4/22/06
General information
The Boulders in Carefree is a full service luxury resort featuring two beautiful Jay Morrish designed championship golf courses, luxurious accommodations, the Golden Door Spa, fine and casual dining,
banquet/meeting facilities, tennis, swimming pools, and all the amenities expected of a world class property. The environment, with huge boulders scattered about the finely landscaped high desert
topography, is visually stunning. The service is exceptional! For more information on the resort, visit our page for the Boulders, with direct link to their website by clicking here.
The golf facilities include a targeted grass range, short game areas with grass bunkers, and multiple putting greens. Practice balls are complimentary...those staying at the resort can take advantage of
using one of the most complete golf resort practice areas in the country. Lessons of various types are
available from a staff of seasoned professionals. The clubhouse features a fully stocked pro shop, locker rooms with showers, plus a restaurant/lounge.
As indicated by the photo images in this review, the views on both of these wonderful courses are hard
to match. Finely manicured rolling fairways play from sculpted tee boxes to wonderfully conditioned bent
grass greens. There is plentiful bunkering and the surrounding mountains, saguaro cacti, indigenous brush and desert wildflowers make for some post card memories. Desert carries are frequent but
reasonable in length, allowing golfers of all skill levels to enjoy their experience here. The courses are
well marked, with yardage blocks posted every 25 yards from 200 (250 on par fives) to 75 yards in -
providing distances to the front, middle and back of the greens. All par threes also have yardage blocks
on the tee boxes. The putting surfaces on both courses are large, mildly undulating and often protected by grass and sand bunkers, swales and mounding. Conditioning from tee to green is impeccable!
The North Course
The North Course is a par 72 layout with 5 sets of tees measuring in distance and slope 6811 yards/137 slope, 6293 yards/131 slope, 5879 yards/124 slope for men and 132 for women, 5440 yards /126 slope
for women and 4900 yards with a slope of 115 for ladies playing from the red sets.
Water comes into play on just two holes on the North - as ponds rest in front of the green complexes of
the par five third (about 50 yards out) and on the par three fourteenth (all carry). The remaining par threes
(numbers 2, 6 and 17) present carries over desert areas. Several of the par fours and fives demand
carries off the tee or on the approach with significant elevation changes also prevalent. Rock formations that are situated in the middle of a couple of the fairways can also be hazardous. The North is a
challenging experience from the back tees, but resort golfers and high handicappers will find the layout
very playable from the Copper and Gold sets. As the 115 slope rating of the Red tees indicates, ladies and juniors can enjoy a comfortable round from the forward tees.
Hole diagram cards are available for each course, with images of the layouts for each hole along with
yardages to hazards and landing zones. First time visitors will find this information helpful. Standard on
each cart are ball and club washers and ice chests, and a staff of attendants waits to courteously attend
to most of your needs. This is an idyllic setting - stunning landscape, challenging layouts, top notch amenities...we cannot recommend a round here more highly! Prices are upscale - but the experience is
like few others in Arizona. If you have the opportunity to stay on property, it gets even better. The spa is incredible - one of the best in the country.
For more info, visit our page for the North Course, with direct link to the Boulders website by clicking here.
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