DESERT CANYON GOLF CLUB (480-837-1173)
Arizona Golf Course Review 6/16/04
Desert Canyon in Fountain Hills is a true desert mountain layout that features scenery equal to that of the
finest golf courses in the area east of Scottsdale. This section of the state has received the most attention (from e-mails and requests for information) on our Arizona golf site, and Desert Canyon is a
good example of what the area has to offer. Spectacular mountain backdrops are featured from sculpted tees and fairways that wind around high desert barrancas and arroyos - and play to large, well
conditioned putting surfaces. Pick out a hole and check out the view - this is why we love Arizona!
The facilities at Desert Canyon include a grass range with adjacent chipping area. A large putting green
fronts the clubhouse, which features a well stocked pro shop and changing areas with showers for men and women. The restaurant here is quite spacious, and serves breakfast and lunch, and the lounge is a
comfortable place for a post game beverage. The outdoor patio provides an enormous seating capacity - and also affords beautiful views of the golf course. The indoor/outdoor seating arrangements here are
among the best we have experienced at a golf course in the Phoenix area - wonderfully appointed in southwest decor.
On course golfers will encounter oversized greens that are mostly free of undulations - but generally
slope away from the mountains. Figure this out and you can score well. The picturesque rolling, fairways
play through a gorgeous upscale, mountainside residential community, with palms and native trees plus landscaped desert brush in view. Many of the tees and green complexes are elevated - some
dramatically so. Each tee area is marked and 100, 150 and 200 yard markers are visible on each par four and five. The three sets of tees here measure 6415/123 slope, 6045/117 slope and 5352/117 slope.
The downhill, short par four 1st is best played with an iron off the tee, with the line just right of the cart
path and trees leading to an advantageous landing area. The approach is also downhill, and there is about 10 yards of grass behind the green, which slopes front to back. The second also plays downhill
with a left to right shot shape aimed initially at the 150 stake the recommended play. It is easy to drive
through the fairway here, if the shot is left of center. Number three is downhill off the tee, and the tee shot
must be played to the left or right of a small bunker that is situated smack in the middle of the fairway.
The approach plays uphill as it turns to the right. The green complex on four is extremely elevated,
requiring one or two clubs extra. There is some room short and also long left, but anything to the right will
drop straight down leaving an undesirable pitch for a par save. There are nice views from behind the
green here. The tight fairway on the par five 5th slopes left to right and plays uphill all the way. This is
one of the course's higher handicap holes, but if you can keep it on the fairway it is quite score-able. Six
doglegs left with the right center providing the preferable landing zone. There is plenty of room right of
the green on the uphill approach. The 7th is a beautiful par three from an elevated tee, and is followed by
a short dogleg right par four with a layered fairway that inclines all the way to the green. A cut shot to the
120-100 yard area will leave a simple approach. The finishing hole on the front also bends left to right
and plays uphill to a perched putting complex. The fairway ends near the 120 yard area, drops off into a grass ravine, then resumes near the 70 yard zone.
The back side begins from an elevated tee on number ten, which turns abruptly to the left past the 150.
Anything hit long right will carry into the desert, so it is important to aim directly at or to the left of the
stake. The approach is a tight one, with a water hazard situated immediately to the left of the green, with
the fairway sloping towards that side. Eleven is a par three to an elevated green that slopes right to left
and back to front - miss to the right is at all. The tee shot on 12 must breach the 130 yard area, as this
dogleg left features a tree on the left which will block approaches from tee shots not reaching this zone.
Stay right of center to set up the second shot to a raised putting surface that slopes back to front.
Thirteen doglegs left then swerves back to the right for the approach. If the tee shot is long and left over
the tree, it is possible to go for the green in two - otherwise this par five is best played in a zigzag
fashion as a 3-shot hole. Careful off the tee however, as it is very possible to drive through the fairway on
the right side. There is more room than appears off the tee on 14, and the par four 15th is also pretty
wide open, inviting a grip it and rip it mentality. The uphill approach leads to a very well bunkered green
complex. A lay up to the 100 yard area will set up a good scoring opportunity on the short par four 16th,
which features plentiful palm trees and sand greenside. A high arcing iron shot will be needed to hold the
green on the par three 17th, which is saturated with bunkers all around. This 18th ranked handicap is
followed by one of the most challenging par fours of the day. Eighteen begins with a narrow fairway that
turns to the right past the large tree on that side. A tee shot placed past the 150 stake will leave a good
angle for the approach, which plays uphill to a perched green complex that slopes back to front.
Desert Canyon, for some reason was rated as a two star course by Golf Digest Places to Play in 2002/2003. We certainly would rate it much higher. As you can see by the photos in this review, the
layout is not lacking in beauty or aesthetics, and the design is incredibly fun to play. Conditioning? Our
review round was in mid June - not exactly prime time - and the greens and fairways were in very good
shape. As we mentioned, the clubhouse restaurant/lounge and patio are all terrific, and the staff very courteous and helpful. We recommend Desert Canyon without hesitation. For more info on the property
and for a link to their website, visit our page for them on our course listing section - click here
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