 WEKOPA GOLF CLUB SAGUARO (480) 836-9000
Arizona Golf Course Review
NEW - Saguaro Course at Wekopa opened on 12/16/06! This impeccable Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw design solidifies Wekopa as one of the top golf
destinations in Arizona, with two extraordinary championship courses. The property also features full scale practice facilities including a beautiful targeted
grass range, putting greens and short game area with sand bunker. The award winning clubhouse (designed by Douglas Fredrickson) stretches to over
21,000 square feet and features a wonderfully stocked pro shop, full service restaurant, bar and private conference room. The outdoor patio provides
spectacular views of the surrounding desert and mountains.
The nearby Radisson Resort is also owned and operated by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, and features comfortable accommodations with amenities
that include a wonderful outdoor pool area with two Jacuzzis, a workout facility, gift shop and spacious meeting & conference facilities. The Fort McDowell
Casino is adjacent, providing a variety of slot machines, as well as bingo, black jack and poker table games and casual plus fine dining experiences. For
more info on this resort, visit our page for the property with direct link to their website by clicking here.
Located on the eastern edge of Scottsdale, the Cholla and Saguaro courses provide exquisite conditioning (cart path only) along rolling terrains with
sculpted tees and bunkers, etched into a terrain that is highlighted by superb desert scenery and mountain vistas. THERE ARE NO RESIDENCES nor
commercial development on either of these course - and there never will be! This is desert golf at its purest! The Cholla Cousre earned recognition as the
# 2 public course in Arizona by Golfweek in 2006, and # 1 public course by Phoenix/Scottsdale PGA golf professionals (Desert Golf Magazine) in
October/November 2003! The Saguaro Course has already drawn national attention as it has been recognized as one of the Top Ten New Courses in the
Nation by Golf Magazine...More honors are sure to follow.
Each course has plentiful sprinkler heads located on the fairways that are measured to the center of the green, and each tee box is also marked. Pin
placement sheets assist golfers with pin locations. The Saguaro Course provides generous landing zones and ample recovery areas near the sloping
green complexes, which are often protected by sand bunkers that are sculpted into the natural topography. There are over 80 sand traps situated near
the landing zones on the fairways or greenside, and the finely landscaped desert is always present. No water comes into play on the saguaro, but golfers
will find frequent, though manageable desert carries off the tee or on the approaches of many holes.
Four sets of tee areas play to distances and slopes measuring 6912 yards/138 slope, 6603 yards/ 135 slope, 6252yards/128 slope and 5061 yards with a
slope rating of 112 from the forward tees. Some of the carries are uphill and are challenging from the back sets, but the abundant exquisitely conditioned
fairways are inviting from the white and green tees.
The layout varies from the original design in that the tees are fairly close to the green complexes and the terrain - though some elevation changes are
featured - is quite gentle. This makes for a good walking experience. There are no containment mounds or slopes, as very little dirt was moved in the
creation of this course. The cart paths resemble manicured desert hiking trails, made from decomposed granite rather than concrete.
We visited to photograph the Saguaro on opening day..actually early in the evening on 12/16/06, with rain clouds looming over the mountains. The
scenery was spectacular, and course conditions were outstanding! This is one beautiful golf course that will come to be known as one of the states finest.
Golfers visiting Arizona are remiss if they do not include a round on the Saguaro at Wekopa on the planned itinerary. Pricing is upscale - but the
experience here is memorable and difficult to match.
For more info, visit our page for the course, with direct link to the Wekopa website by clicking here.
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