Special Advertising Section
The Golfer’s Guide to
Spring Training in Arizona
Golf and Baseball
Renewed in the Valley of the Sun
Beautiful Boulders Beckons
Boulders Resort & Spa
coloradoavidgolfer.com
55
Spring 2021 | COLORADO AVIDGOLFER
Spring Training
Special Advertising Section
The We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort includes a new 167,000-square-foot gaming facility. The first casino in the Phoenix area, the redesign officially reopened in October and offers guests a larger casino with a garden court, specialty high-end dining, a sports bar with entertainment stage and other best-in-class amenities. wekopacasinoresort.com
COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Spring 2021
56
The Sonoran Desert landscape of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation is enhanced by the flowing Verde River and the iconic Four Peaks to the east, which rises to more than 7,000 feet. fmyn.org Get a head start on what’s sure to be an eventful 2021 season for the Colorado Rockies. Salt River Fields is the home to both the local nine and the Arizona Diamondbacks. The state-of-the-art facility is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. saltriverfields.com
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SPRINGTRAININGONLINE.COM
ON FIRE Aptly named for its wood-fired grills, Ember provides a smoldering and intimate dining ambiance, exceptional customer service and— of course—the highest quality steaks and seafood.
The folks at We-Ko-Pa Golf Club like to say that at We-Ko-Pa, the Sonoran Desert is your neighbor and the term “high-rise” is either used to describe the ancient saguaros in the foreground or the magnificent mountains in the distance. There are no homes, condos or townhomes anywhere in sight—it’s all about giving you the best chance to experience your best golf. You’ll find it on a pair of award-winning courses, Cholla and Saguaro. Both feature an ideal blend of doglegs and straightaway holes, a mix of slender and ample fairways, a balance between benign and rugged green complexes. Before or after your round, you’ll be captivated by We-Ko-Pa’s magnificent clubhouse— replete with stylized detailing and spectacular views of the McDowell Mountains, Red Mountain, Four Peaks and the Superstitions. wekopa.com
PHOTOGRAPH BY BRYAN ALTENA
PHOTOGRAPH BY LONNA TUCKER
Welcoming We-Ko-Pa
coloradoavidgolfer.com
UNSPOILED. UNRIVALED.
UNBELIEVABLE. 36 HOLES | PL AY SAGUARO & CHOLL A The Coore/Crenshaw-designed Saguaro course (No. 1) and the Scott Miller-designed Cholla course (No. 7) have made Golfweek’s Top-10 Best You Can Play for a decade. And you can experience both within a 3-day period with the 36-hole package. Located minutes from Scottsdale, Arizona in the pristine Sonoran Desert of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation.
CALL 800.660.7700 OR VISIT WEKOPA.COM
AN ENTERPRISE OF THE FORT MCDOWELL YAVAPAI NATION
Mark & Cathy Wiebe
“After many years of hectic travel on the PGA Tour and PGA Champions Tour, we discovered the peaceful sanctuary that is Rio Verde and Rio Verde Country Club. We could not be happier, not only are the views and surroundings spectacular, the people are truly warm and genuine.” M a r k W i e b e i s a 3 x w i n n e r o n t h e P G A To u r, 5 x w i n n e r o n t h e P G A C h a m p i o n s To u r a n d currently in the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame.
Golf
–
Tennis
&
Pickleball
–
Bocce
Proudly Managed by Troon Privé
–
Pool
Rio Verde Country Club provides membership opportunities to fit almost any lifestyle. With an all-inclusive membership structure, there is no need to worry about cart fees, trail fees or minimum spends. Rio Verde makes membership life simple! To learn more about our full and individual golf memberships please visit RioVerdeArizona.com Membership Director, Megan Liborio (480) 471.3410 mliborio@rioverdecc.com
Fitness
–
Arts
–
Hike
–
Bike
Global Golf Benefits - TroonPrive.com
–
Trails
Spring Training
Special Advertising Section
There’s nothing like a 5,000-year-old technique to make one feel brand new. The Boulders Spa in North Scottsdale offers Ayurvedic massages enriched with locally sourced healing clay. Call ahead to book one of their signature treatments for a truly enchanting spa experience. theboulders.com
When you’re not on the golf course, Rio Verde offers a wide variety of activities. The three-million-acre Tonto National Forest and 21,000-acre McDowell Mountain Regional Park borders the community. maricopacountyparks.net
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MASTRO’S STEAKHOUSE
PHOTOGRAPH BY KENNY STEIL
Rio Verde is the Answer
Mastro’s Steakhouse in North Scottsdale features a menu filled with the highest quality steaks and seafood, with exceptional service in a cosmopolitan and entertaining atmosphere. After your unforgettable dining experience, get a “Weekend at Home” grill kit to go. mastrosrestaurants.com COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Spring 2021
When he founded Rio Verde Country Club in 1973, Ray King’s vision for the community was a simple one—to be “the Arizona you come to Arizona for.” Mission accomplished. Located just northeast of Phoenix, Rio Verde checks all the boxes, for those who may seek a piece of big-city life amidst the seclusion of their own fetching enclave. Of course, one of the main attractions is the golf: British Open
champion Tom Lehman has created a pair of courses designed to both challenge and entertain golfers of all skill levels. Quail Run has all the elements of a traditional golf course, and White Wing plays more as a links style course. Both feature meticulously groomed fairways, greens loaded with personality, and outstanding mountain views. rioverdearizona.com
The par-3 4th hole at Quail Run is the signature hole of the golf course, which features a large lake coming into play. Quail Run offers scenic views of Four Peaks and the Mazatzal Mountains, and on certain holes the Tonto National Forest can be seen. rioverdearizona.com
60
coloradoavidgolfer.com
JOIN US! 2021
Monday and Tuesday
August 16--17, 2021 for an Exclusive Golf Tournament held at
The Country Club at Castle Pines featuring
• • •
Competitive and Non-Competitive Flights Pairings Party Cocktail Hour and Dinner Party after Day 1
• • •
On-Course Food & Cocktail Stations Player Gift Bags Much More!
Plus: A Chance to Win a Two-Year Lease on a BMW and other great prizes
A TWO-DAY COLORADO GOLF EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER! To learn about the full experience or to register, visit coloradoavidgolfer.com/schomp-bmw-cup or contact Mike Carver | 720-493-1729 ext. 15 | mike@coloradoavidgolfer.com
Colorado Section
Spring Training
Special Advertising Section
Longbow’s On Target Located in North Mesa, and just minutes from Old Town Scottsdale, Longbow Golf Club has been honored as one of the “Top 100 Resort Courses in the Country” and ranked as “One of The Top 20 Best Courses You Can Play In Arizona” by Golfweek. Opened in 1997, the Ken Kavanaugh-designed course underwent a renovation and expansion in 2003: the project lengthened the total yardage to 7,050 from the back tees and also included a striking new clubhouse, expanded acreage and totally revamped practice facility. The redesign should appeal to both beginning and advanced players; the layout includes a number of deep, contoured fairway bunkers, as well as rolling, undulating fairways. Its tiered greens mean approach shot accuracy is a must. Longbow has recently hosted events on both the Symetra Tour, the minor-league feeder to the LPGA Tour, as well as the Cactus Tour, a mini-circuit that features top local and regional players. In April 2020, LPGA veteran Mina Harigae won a Cactus Tour event there, besting Sophia Popov—four months later, Popov (who played in the CoBank Colorado Women’s Open) would go on to win a major championship, the Women’s British Open. longbowgolf.com
INSIDER INSIGHT
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ONTHEROADARIZONA.COM
After being dramatically curtailed because of the novel coronavirus, the hope is that fans will be allowed to return to Arizona’s Cactus League in 2021. The Mesa area features a pair of teams that always seem to be in postseason contention—the Chicago Cubs and Oakland A’s. Check for updates at cactusleague.com.
COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Spring 2021
62
FLYING HIGH Longbow was named after the Apache Longbow helicopter, which was manufactured by The Boeing Company, across the street from the Longbow Business Park & Golf Club.
coloradoavidgolfer.com
• Arizona’s first golf course offering Longbow Toptracer Range • View your shot, stats, games and contests in real-time on the range • Gather information on shot length for every club before you play • Reserve practice sessions by the hour or half-hour • Price includes practice balls and use of other practice facilities RESERVE YOUR RANGE TIME
! y a d o T
5601 East Longbow Parkway • Mesa, AZ 85215 RESERVATIONS at 480.807.5400 • ONLINE at longbowgolf.com Another Daedalus Development. Professionally managed by
Spring Training
Special Advertising Section
The fourth hole on the Rancho nine is part of the original back nine at Tubac. It is also affectionately known as the “Tin Cup” hole. A 568-yard par-5, it’s featured in the Kevin Costner film, the site of a heated argument between Costner’s Roy McAvoy and Don Johnson’s PGA TOUR star David Simms. The water (and everything else) is fine following a recent updating of the swimming pool at Tubac. Featuring 8 x 8" cabanas, a new bar with seating for special events and a new lap pool with two lanes, when it comes to going for it, you’ll happily make a splash. tubacgolfresort.com
Tubac’s Got Your Back Originally designed in 1959, the Tubac Golf Resort & Spa is a classic that has only improved with time. In 2006, the original Robert “Red” Lawrence 18hole design was augmented by another nine, courtesy of Ken Kavanaugh. The Anza, Otero and Rancho each present their own beguiling challenges, featuring stately old growth cottonwoods and mesquites throughout. Of course, there’s more to Tubac than golf—the Arizona Spa incorporates Desert earth elements in many of its treatments, while Healing touch and botanical oils comfort and soothe. An Aveda facility, their salon features “the art and science of pure flower and plant essences.”
COLORADO AVIDGOLFER | Spring 2021
The resort also is home to three dining options—Stables Ranch Grille & Patio, Stables Bar and La Cantina. Those planning on visiting both the Spa and dining facilities should check with the resort for the latest local health guidelines. tubacgolfresort.com
FOR LOVE OF THE GAME The head pro at Tubac, Kristie Fowler, is a native of Grand Junction, CO. Named the 2017 LPGA National Professional of the Year, she was raised on a course built by her father.
64
The original El Charro, founded in 1922, is the oldest Mexican restaurant in Tucson; the original owner, Monica Flin, is said to have invented the chimichanga. elcharrocafe.com coloradoavidgolfer.com
Discover the Understated Western Elegance of Tubac Welcome to Southern Arizona’s finest golf resort, a truly great golf experience for everyone. Tubac Golf Resort & Spa is set on 500 acres of the historic Otero Ranch. Made famous by the movie Tin Cup, this Arizona golf course was originally designed in 1959 by Robert ‘Red’ Lawrence. In 2006, nine additional holes were added to the original 18 by Ken Kavanaugh. Our three nines include, Anza, Rancho and Otero and provide very interesting shots that will keep you coming back for more! With architecture reminiscent of Spanish Colonial times, Tubac’s luxurious accommodations, elegant boutiques, galleries and fine dining make for a relaxing Arizona escape.
To book the perfect getaway today, call 800-848-7893.
65 Avenida De Otero Rd., Tubac, AZ 85646 | 520-398-2211 | tubacgolfresort.com