I honestly don’t even grasp what’s going on with 9 & 18 haha
9 green right over the top of the lake expansion? Or are you hitting approaches in to 9 over 18 green (hopefully this)
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I think they are making 9 green an island or at least waterfront green…
Then 18 Green is gonna be just short of 9 now?
The graphic is just giving me more questions than answers.
So 18 now plays 200 yards straight out to a 90 degree dogleg?
Real play is gonna be to hit up 9 imo.
I believe it’s also to create more space for a building that will go where 18 green currently is. Unfortunately, more of a we’ve got space for a green here rather than let’s improve the hole.
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I guess this could make 9 more dramatic, which is fun on a shot-ish par 5. Otherwise, this looks all bad. Adding trees on 7 and 2? Why? Bunkers on 1? Why?
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They are taking out all the speed slots (aka cheat codes). If you go to a college tournament or just play there a bit, this is where guys are.
#1. Bunkers in the best area to land your tee shot. Hugging the fairway right to keep your angle for your second now brings in bunkers (Good change!)
#2. Hitting it left of the bigger tree left of the fairway left you a 50 yard shot to the green. Trees there make that a much riskier play. Can no longer fade it that way…will need to draw to get closer. (Good change!)
#6. The bunker in the dogleg is useless…everyone can clear it. Adding the bunker behind it at the bottom of the hill takes out where most people are landing their drives. (good change!)
#9. I actually like this. Although I think the blue and white tee box need to be separated. Right now blue and white are 15 yards apart and black is 70 yards behind blue. This is not an island green at all. It’s a green with water short and short left. Not sure what the topo will be but right now that would be a nice bowl around the entire green.
#16. I like the smaller bunker and more grass left. Right now that fairway is soo tiny, the better play is to aim right of the bunker for the trees and hope you have a shot.
#18. If you are playing from the correct tee, this should be a good hole still. Playing to 9 would be hard (way harder than playing 10 down 7). This green should be sloping left to right with bunkers left and a single bunker right. I’m not sure what else they could have done…I don’t love it.
I’d probably prefer the 9’s switched. 1 is a helluva golf hole and 10 is the easiest hole on the course. 11 would be a pretty “tough” second hole (water), but I’d rather play 10/11 to start off then 1/2.
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Personally not a huge fan of the trees on 2. Drive down the left brings desert in play and I think that 30-50 yard pitch to a front pin requires a good, controlled shot. I always find myself playing different plays off the tee there. Also say this realizing it’s completely different for college/tournament play.
Outside of that I’m looking forward to seeing how some of the other updates turn out.
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Thanks for the insight on the bunkers. Sound like they are needed to keep the course as a playable track for the college guys and any professional environment they want to cultivate.
18 is just a weird hole that is still gonna be awkward.
Really appreciate the good detail, haven’t gotten out to Papago as much as I wanted to this year, so the course wasn’t as crisp in my head.
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I love 2 and 12. Short par 4’s. I think 2 is pretty hard for an average or worse player. Right and deep of the green is dead. Short is a bogey. The green itself is tricky. The tee shot has danger left. For a good player though it’s a birdie opp all day. The trees make it a smidge harder but it’s still going to be a green light special unless pin is back right.
I’m going to keep my mind open on 18. I think with the right green complex it could be good. Papago doesn’t exactly have the most interesting green complexes.
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Is there much diversity in how the college players/regulars attach 12? I’ve only played Papago 3-4x, but quickly determined an iron to ~120 out is my personal best option.
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They all go for the green. 3 wood into the front right bunker. Regulars…I’d say being 100 out is your best option. It gets narrow up near the green and hitting driver. Brings 6 into play real quick.
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Sounds like making changes to a muni for (a) infrastructure and (b) the 1% of college players who play the course and hit it stupid long. #2 is a great hole as is and has the best view on the course. In 15-20 years they’re going to be paying someone to come in and take those trees out.
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On the other hand, the muni is getting new bunkers, fresh tee boxes, and a new practice green (badly needed) for “free”. Heard another very interesting consideration as well when it comes to maintenance.
#2 isn’t changing at all for your typical muni player. 80% of people are flaring it right, and a hook is in the desert with a punchout. If the trees are part of your tee shot you are either playing the wrong tees or you hit it 300+.
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I do like that they are working and adding to the course. I hope the improve all the bunkers while they can, but keeping bunkers in good condition in AZ is almost impossible.
The tree on #2 is just gonna add more shade imo. Everytime, I play #2 its a 3H at the teebox of 3.
I hope the rumor you are hearing is that they are gonna bake her out in the summer?
Exactly what I ended up doing - joined the PDP for $99/mo (hoping maybe the summer price drops), especially to get the daily access to a grass driving range. Also joined the AZGA Under 30 Club - need to get an AZ handicap away from Wisconsin and enjoyed the fact that it comes with some other social perks.
Looking forward to seeing some people around. Can’t wait to get back into the game.
It does drop to $49/month June-Sep. My buddy was looking at it yesterday. The one thing I don’t like about PDP is they can be strict on the “dress code”, which is a collared shirt. When it’s 100 out and I’m trying to get a few swings in after work I just want to change into a long sleeve shirt, not wear a collar and mess with sun sleeves.
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This is awesome. Didn’t have this info, but saw tee times were generally available in the 3pm time frame and trusted that the program would work out (especially since I haven’t seen anyone complaining about it online, aside from slow pace of play at TS). Thanks for this.
All of the Papago talk is making me want to go check it out for the first time.
I’m considering the summer Troon card this year. We’re moving to Ahwatukee next month and looking to take advantage of the rates at Whirlwind and Southern Dunes (I’ll be less than 30 min away).
Does anyone know what booking tee times is like? Is it tough to get weekend morning times with the 3 day window?
I got it for this summer. Have only had it two weeks & have only used it once thus far, but there’s been more morning weekend times available than I expected and I haven’t been up at midnight right as the booking window opens. I’d only expect that to grow as we get further into summer.
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I know they’ve got the Summer 6-pack which is $179 for 6 rounds of golf and you have either a 6 or 7-day booking window… fwiw not related to the summer six pack, but I was just able to book for next Sunday for 3 but it was to jump on a 7:20 or 11am or later
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Thanks, great to hear!
Just looked into this and saw the 6 beverages and Southern Dunes bucket hat also included haha