Roll call: Phoenix/Scottsdale

Yes, it is a solid deal, and another added bonus too is you don’t have to use all 6 rounds on yourself…you can buy one six pack and use it for a foursome and then a two ball…so no obligation to go down there 6 times

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Anyone looking to play Sunday?
Might grab a tee time at GCU or open to play anywhere.

Welcome to Tukee! Not too much insight on your question though, unfortunately.

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From my experience, the only courses that are hard to get a tee time is Kierland, Phoenician, Troon North & Boulders. The courses outside of those are pretty open especially in the summer.

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Had a friend drop out of a tee time at Sterling Grove this Sunday at 9:10 so I have one opening if anyone is interested. Fair warning, I’ve played once in the past three months and one of my friends plays about 1-2 times a year. If someone is down to put up with a few of us hacks then we’d love for a Nesticle to join! I believe the greens fee is $99. Let me know.

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we all play in shorts on the weekend

So is that a yes? Lol. I feel like I’m missing something here.

ha! - meaning we are all hacks in reality - but no i cant play

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Lol that went right over my head. Following now.

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If its still open I’ll take the spot.

You’re the first from the Nest to claim it. I know my friends were asking others too as I’ll circle back with them and double check where they’re at. Will let you know as soon as I get confirmation from them.

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Confirming you’re in! Looking forward to it.

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After 36 holes ($95 + $25 replay) Sterling Grove thoughts and overall opinion.

SG is a rope-a-dope. It lulls you in from the tee to the green, and then it punches you in the mouth once you get onto/around the putting surface. The fairways are wide, there isn’t a ton of trouble in or around most fairways. There are a couple holes where water is in play. There are also some hazard areas where IF there were water, it would certainly be a more penal course. As it was, I hit into a couple places that were designated as hazards, but were dry, so was able to play out of them. We played the blue tees, 6500 yards, 70.5/126. Off the tee, I would be very willing to stretch my game out and play from the black tees (7250,74.1/133), but the 2nd shots into the greens would be even more severe and navigating the green complexes with long irons and hybrids could make for a long day.

I can’t put into words how much slope and contour each green has. It is clear the primary defense on this course is the greens.

Thoughts on a few memorable holes

1 - wide fariway with false front green. The proverbial handshake hole.

2,6,16 - drivable (or close to it) par 4s with minimal risk.

4 - Par 5 with home construction all down the right. Can take a big shortcut going thru the construction now. No OB marked, although it should be and will certainly be once the construction is done.

7 – par 3 with a biarritz green – probably the coolest hole on the course.

8 - super narrow landing area with dry hazard left. If this were a true hazard, the only play here is an iron/hybrid off the tee. The landing area with driver is extremely narrow and feeds balls toward the hazard area.

13 - short par 3 over water – pin was in front which made it fairly straightforward and bailing out left away from the water was the obvious choice. If the pin was in the back, this would be a much tougher hole

16 - huge green after a fairly straightforward tee shot. Depending on where the pin is in relation to the center line bunker, you would be well-served to pick your line off the tee accordingly.

18 - fun par 5 with the only staked OB on the course running alongside the driving range. Center line bunkers interrupt the fairway and make you choose the line you want to take into a green guarded by multiple bunkers and water down the right. A good end

If I had one complaint (and really - this is the only one) the bunkers are – not good. For a course that is barely over a year old, the sand in them is wonky and unpleasant to play out of. I understand they should be penal, but when the ability to just chunk a ball out and keep it on the green is taken away it frustrates, especially when the greens are what they are. What should make bunkers a challenge is not what makes these challenging, which is a shame.

Overall, I had a great time playing this course. If it were in the east valley, it would easily be one of my top 2 or 3 courses to play, and would easily challenge Mesa CC or Seville as a premier private club. As it is, for me it’s 60+ minutes door-to-door, which makes it unrealistic to be in the standard rota. If I were going with someone who had never played it before, I would 100% make the trip. Otherwise, there are too many good courses between my house and Sterling Grove to make it worthwhile.

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I’m planning on going to watch the ncaas on Saturday morning. Anyone else planning on going to watch?

The way they maintain some of those penalty areas has varied, even in the short time they’ve been open. When I played there last summer they were growing up lots of areas (not even just penalty areas but all around the course, with thick grass and wayward shots were a lost ball fest. A couple guys went into that penalty area on 8 and it was wet and very reedy and thick, no chance we were finding either ball. Even if you could, no way you could play from there. When I was back in March, that was all cleared out and didn’t look like it would be an issue at all.

I think all of the short 4s are good. 2 isn’t really meant to be drivable per se but gives you options off the tee and has a clever crowded green. 6 has plenty of trouble with water hard left against the green and a series of bunkers on the right. When the hole is in the back, the green gets very narrow. 16 is the most reachable, but the wildest of the greens. You almost have to play it like a redan and come in from way on the right side, even if the hole is on the left because the green is so narrow and it’s virtually impossible to hold the green chipping from short or even from the bunker. I think it’s a clever hole, but the green might be a bit too much. Kinda how I feel about the course overall. Relies too much on greens that are turned way up and I’m not entirely convinced the contours in the greens are actually strategic.

As for the OB issue you bring up, the scorecard notes that OB is defined not just by posts but also by walls and curbs, so it’s likely that the area right of 4 (and all the other soon-to-be residential areas are OB already based on those criteria.

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Ah, I didn’t see the OB reference on the scorecard. Good to know. 16 is definitely the best of the short par 4s. I hit 3 wood into the right front bunker. I bladed my wedge out (see my note on the bunker quality) and ended up in the back left by a drainage where the grass was very wet and there was no angle to get to the right pin. Ended up with a double bogey. My buddy hit his tee shot back right of the green and had a much easier time. He missed the birdie putt, but a very low stress par. It kind of reminded me of 14 at Pacific Dunes (#humblebrag). If you go straight at the green off the tee, you’re going to have a bad time.

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Anyone available for a round up at Vistancia this Friday at 11:15? 3 remaining spots if anyone wants to trek up to the NW Valley.

I called the course, and just a few punched areas in the fairways, rought, and around some greens, but not the greens.

I’m game - count me in. Trilogy, I’m assuming?

Yup. I was able to book one spot of the 11:15 daily deal tee time, but now it looks like deal is gone, but the 3 remaining spots are available once you click on the Tee Times button.

Sounds good - I booked at 11:15 as well.

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