BIRDIES & BOGEYS: ARIZONA TEE
Gainey Ranch Golf Club offers a different kind of winter wonderland.
Some of the most high-profile golf courses in the western United States are in the Phoenix-Scottsdale area of Arizona. And one of the best options in the area is Gainey Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale, an Associate Club that provides an ideal resort experience for vacationers or business groups. The 27-hole layout presents enough challenge to keep golfers on their toes, yet not such an ordeal to make them start checking with travel agents about earlier flights home. Golfers staying at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort at Gainey Ranch have only a short five-minute stroll to the club along a walkway lined with flowering and fragrant oleanders.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is a wonderland — in winter or any other time of year.
Design elements devised by the team of Brad Benz and J. Michael Poellet — wide landing areas, large and receptive greens, few forced carries, numerous dogleg-lefts with ample room to “miss it” on the right — amount to a slicer’s nirvana.
Gainey Ranch is comprised of three separate nine-hole courses — Lakes, Dunes, and Arroyo. Lakes, as the name implies, features the most water, including a dramatic waterfall backdrop at the signature ninth hole.
Nine on the Lakes course is a par-5 that doglegs left and can be reached with two shots provided players avoid a lake to the right of the green. Last year, the lake contained a floating faux alligator head, used to scare off nettlesome coots and geese hoping to establish squatters’ rights on the property.
The Dunes has more roll than a lumpy mattress, bearing witness to the fact that more than 3 million cubic yards of dirt were pushed around to sculpt the three courses. The Dunes also features fairways lined with native grasses and waste areas filled with small stones. The recovery shot from pebbles at Gainey Ranch serves as Arizona’s equivalent to the pine needle recovery at the Pinehurst courses in the Village of Pinehurst, North Carolina.
The shortest of the three layouts at just 3,238 yards from the gold (back) tees, and by some accounts the most docile, Dunes can, nevertheless, sneak up on golfers who put their brains on cruise control and shut down their strategic thinking.
Arroyo is regarded as the toughest nine, its most difficult stretch coming in the middle. Five is a daunting double-dogleg par-5 with trouble lurking on either side, while six is a demanding par-3 with its green guarded by a lake. When the cup is set back-right on the upper shelf, none but the brave shoots at the stick.
Arroyo’s finishing hole is a terrific three-shot par-5. Players must take care to avoid water down the left side with the first two shots, after which the fairway makes a hard turn to the left and heads directly toward the Hyatt Regency resort. Awaiting is a large green framed by towering palms with plenty of slope and a wicked falloff at the back.
Lakes ranks as the prettiest layout, though the others aren’t far behind. Its toughest stretch comes at the end. Seven calls for a solid drive from an elevated tee to a fairway slanting downhill left-to-right. The approach asks for a medium iron to a well-bunkered green guarded on the front by water. The eighth hole is a par-3 that can give accomplished players fits, especially when the pin is placed back-left, behind a yawning bunker.
The aforementioned ninth serves as a serious swing hole. “When we set up our major club tournaments, we use the Arroyo/Lakes combination,” says Jim Murphy, Gainey Ranch’s director of golf. “Finishing on the Lakes course puts a lot of pressure on players to hit good shots down the stretch.”
THE EXTRAS
Another of Gainey Ranch Golf Club’s prime assets is wall-to-wall grass,
landscaping that suggests the look and feel of Palm Springs, California. By
contrast, because of legislated water restrictions, newer Scottsdale golf
courses — some with price tags for green fees of $250 and up in high season
— have become extreme exercises in target golf.
Such courses, their sashes of green fairway contrasting with the brownish hues of the desert, provide challenge and visual appeal. But the numerous forced-carries over desert gunch inevitably lead to lost balls, re-loads, and enough penalty shots to foster those dreaded (and dreadful) six-hour rounds. At Gainey Ranch, by contrast, golfers who take more than four hours to complete 18 holes are dawdling.
Golf vacationers headed to America’s legendary West in search of a splendid setting with ample challenge need not look beyond Gainey Ranch. In addition to the variety provided by three distinct layouts, another major plus is its conditioning. Superintendent Bill Rupert and his staff use recycled water to keep the courses buffed, polished, and in tiptop shape.
Finally, there’s the pro shop, Outlook, widely hailed as one of the best in the West. Spacious and stocked with designer labels in men’s and women’s wear, Outlook has been cited by leading national golf magazines for its overall excellence in merchandising.
ONE-TWO PUNCH
Gainey Ranch Golf Club combines with the 500-room Hyatt Regency resort to
provide an experience that adds up to a memorable Arizona getaway.
Punctuating the richly textured landscape of the Hyatt Regency are swaying
palms, huge saguaro cactus, fir trees and native shrubs, outbursts of
geraniums, petunias, and bougainvillea, as well as conversation-piece
sculptures of Native American warriors, chieftains, and earth mothers by
such acclaimed western artists as Craig Dan Goseyun and Martha Pettigrew.
From the top of the stairs in the Hyatt Regency’s breezy, open-air foyer, resort guests can soak up a view that is, at once, enchanting and hopeful. Far in the distance loom the McDowell Mountains, one of many centuries-old formations with names such as Camelback, Superstition, and Mummy that surround the Valley of the Sun. Closer in is the finishing hole of the Arroyo nine at adjacent Gainey Ranch Golf Club.
Closer still are the peaceful waters of the resort’s waterway, through which gondolas glide discreetly and romantically after dark. Closer yet, a swimming pool, part of a massive 2.5-acre water complex — featuring a three-story waterslide within a clock tower — that was far ahead of its time.
In the foreground stands Fountain Court, the resort’s primary gathering place. There, guests sip morning lattes and mochas while working the crossword puzzle in the New York Times. They enjoy alfresco lunches or dinners at the Squash Blossom café or Ristorante Sandolo. They relax after a visit to the Sonwai Spa or wind down after a sumptuous evening repast at the Golden Swan, where chef William Bradley subtly blends Spanish and French influences into his nouveau cuisine, allowing, as he puts it, “the ingredients to speak for themselves.”
In the soft shadows of Fountain Court, Hyatt Regency guests bid farewell to another memorable Arizona day with a cognac or other nightcap while being serenaded by Mosaico, a colorful flamenco troupe.
ONCE IS NOT ENOUGH
Scottsdale, of course, ranks among the premier golf destinations in the
United States. Its inventory of courses is substantial, its climate
conducive for year-round play, its terrain varied and stimulating, its
accessibility via the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport a snap.
Scottsdale has beckoned to this traveling golfer on numerous occasions during the past two decades. As someone (perhaps author Jacqueline Susann) intimated, once is not enough. That phrase aptly describes a golf destination where the list of must-play courses keeps expanding like a waistline during a two-week cruise.
Yet for all the trips to inspect new, imaginatively crafted Arizona courses, one constant in an ever-shifting set of variables remains the Hyatt Regency resort. (Along with the affiliate Wigwam Resort in nearby Litchfield Park, the Hyatt has become something of a second home for this writer’s Arizona excursions.)
Hyatt Regency Scottsdale, which opened in late 1986, also operates an award-winning children’s program called Camp Hyatt Kachina, the popularity of which helps explain why the resort enjoys a reputation as a preferred site for family getaways. For an older, less frolicsome demographic, however, Hyatt Regency also emphasizes cultural enrichment programs.
Masterminded by vice president and managing director Bill Eider-Ortey, and marketed as “Experiential Vacations,” programs at the Hyatt Regency represent vitamins for the mind. On-site, for example, is the Native American Learning Center and Sculpture Garden, where Hopi artisans craft intricate, symbolic “Tihu” dolls, yet are quick to put down their tools to entertain queries about Hopi customs and mores.
Other cultural activities among the resort’s innovative programming include storytelling, sing-alongs, beadworking, flute making, hoop dancing, and horse whispering. While such a holistic approach might seem too highbrow for guests whose idea of entertainment might be measured by the number of margaritas consumed or the amount of tanning oil applied, Hyatt Regency’s programs prove especially popular with international patrons and the intellectually curious. Guests have a thirst for knowledge about this region and its numerous cultural influences.
APRÈS GOLF
Other components of a Scottsdale vacation, in addition to and including
golf, involve brilliant sunshine and fresh air. The Valley of the Sun offers
vacationers ample outdoor attractions and novelties, everything from
off-road adventures to hot-air balloon rides to small-plane excursions
upstate to natural treasures such as the Grand Canyon or the red rocks at
Sedona.
One cautionary note: Scottsdale has spread so dramatically during the past two decades that driving has become de rigueur. Because cruising Scottsdale in hot wheels is more or less mandatory, visitors should consider renting a late-model sports car (such as a Corvette or Jaguar), preferably a convertible. Jeeps are another popular choice, while some uninhibited Arizona-goers might look for a deal on a Harley-Davidson.
Top area activities après golf include:
• Western trail rides. Urban cowboys and cowgirls meander through mountain passes and canyons accompanied by experienced trail guides who share the lowdown on desert plant and animal life, as well as western lore chock-full of characters such as Geronimo, Cochise, and the brothers Earp. Tours typically last two hours (allow an additional hour for commuting) but half-day and full-day trail rides also are available. These trail rides are a huge hit with folks from the East, as well as international travelers, and are ideal for groups of five to seven looking to share an experience — and the occasional saddle sore. Information: Cave Creek Outfitters, 480.471.4635, or www.cavecreekoutfitters.com.
• Hot-air ballooning. Marilyn McCoo and the 5th Dimension once posed an intriguing question about riding in a beautiful balloon. For anyone inclined to answer in the affirmative, these colorful vessels with deep wicker baskets cruise above the Sonoran Desert at 5 or 6 mph, providing 360-degree views of the countryside. From an altitude of about 400 feet or less, riders can observe desert inhabitants — predators, prey, and those pesky scavengers alike — while getting a bird’s-eye view of desert flowers and cactus. Balloon trips typically include signature champagne breakfasts, and lavish picnic spreads with tablecloths and china. Information: Hot Air Expeditions, 480.502.6999, or www.hotairexpeditions.com.
• Jeep rides. Guests can personally inspect giant saguaro cactus, visit Indian ruins with petroglyphs (rock carvings), and enjoy spectacular mountaintop vistas during an upland desert tour aboard a four-wheel drive Jeep. Naturalist guides do all the off-road driving, mercifully, allowing guests to soak in the scenery during tours, which typically last four hours. Information: Wild West Jeep Tours, 480.922.0144, or www.wildwestjeeptours.com.
• Hummer rides. Anyone who finds traversing the rugged Arizona terrain in a Jeep too sedate can Rambo up to a Humvee or Swiss Army troop truck. Half-day or full-day adventures await in the form of Moderate, Extreme, and Ultimate Extreme packages, adrenaline-drenched explorations not recommended for the timid or fainthearted. Information: Desert Dog Hummer Adventures, 480.837.3966, or www.azadventures.com.
• Grand Canyon tours (van). Many vacationers in Arizona opt to give the golf clubs a day off and schedule a trip to the big daddy of U.S. geological features. Day excursions from Scottsdale, which typically last 13 hours, include a stopover at the rim of the Grand Canyon, as well as a side trip to Cameron Trading Post on the nearby Navajo Reservation. Overnight Grand Canyon tours also are available. Information: Vaughan’s Southwest Custom Tours, for reservations 800.513.1381, or www.southwesttours.com.
• Grand Canyon (air). For vacationers on tighter schedules, the Grand Canyon is accessible through the air. Allow three hours for an aerial tour that features a 30-minute flight over the canyon, or five hours-plus for an aerial tour that includes landing at the Grand Canyon Airport and taking a walking tour of the southern rim. Another popular excursion by air is a tour of Monument Valley, the setting for many of those classic John Ford and John Wayne oaters. Information: Westwind Air Tours and Charter, 888.869.0866, or www.westwindaviation.com.
• Shopping. For anyone who considers shopping a recreational activity, or a serious sport, Scottsdale fills the bill with the Fashion Square mall (home to major retailers including Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus) and quaint Old Town Scottsdale, where merchants sell Kachina dolls, pottery, blankets, and turquoise and silver jewelry. Walking tours of the numerous shops specializing in western art are extremely popular. Meanwhile, the upscale Borgata of Scottsdale Road offers a bevy of boutiques and the nearby store, In Celebration of Golf, is a must-stop for every serious golfer/golf collector. Guests of the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort will discover within a short walk the Shops at Gainey Village, a combination of specialty stores, trendy restaurants, and wine bars. One recommended stop is Bloom, a bistro where the sampler (three half-glasses) reigns supreme.
• Taliesin West. This architectural masterpiece of Frank Lloyd Wright served as both his winter residence and home to his architectural school. It is the headquarters for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, as well. Daily events, which vary by the season, reveal Wright’s artistry at linking indoor and outdoor spaces, and shed light on the use of shapes, colors, and patterns. Private personal tours also can be arranged. Information: 480.860.2700.
• Dodge Theatre. This outstanding facility with seating of roughly 5,000 opened in Phoenix last spring and has since attracted headliners including Jerry Seinfeld, Robin Williams, Harry Connick Jr., Don Henley, and Gordon Lightfoot. Information: 602.379.2800, or www.dodgetheatre.com.
• Desert Botanical Garden. One of the best venues for learning more about the ecosystem of the Southwest, this landmark in the Papago Park area of Phoenix has one of the largest collections of desert plants from around the world. Interactive exhibits are engaging, and docent-guided tours are available. Information: 480.941.1225, or www.dbg.org.
• Pro sports. The area’s professional sports franchises include the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes, both of which have active schedules at America West Arena during the winter months. By February, Major League Baseball teams such as the Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, and Seattle Mariners are in full swing with Cactus League exhibition games. Ticket information at America West Arena: 602.379.7878.
Golf writer Russ Pate, a frequent Private Clubs contributor, claims he hit one of his career shots at the Lakes course at Gainey Ranch Golf Club in the late 1980s. He promises, however, not to bore anyone with the details.
GAINEY RANCH GOLF CLUB
Location: 7600 Gainey Club
Drive, Scottsdale, Arizona.
Manager: Guy Shelander.
Membership director: Pat
Macdonell.
Director of golf: Jim Murphy.
Amenities: 27 holes of golf,
clubhouse, boutique, snack bar, Terraces dining room, Members Grill,
Daniel’s Bar, and banquet facilities.
Historic note: Property was
once a 640-acre Arabian horse ranch owned by Daniel C. Gainey.
Golf: Golf at Gainey Ranch is open to Associate members, as well as
guests at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort.
Web site:
www.gaineyranchcc.com