Editor En Route » Arizona Golf

2010 Golf Rates Announces at Phoenix’s Wildfire Golf Club

Hayley — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:08:34 +0000

Wildfire Golf Club at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa announces its 2010 golf rates, which promise to keep Valley residents and visitors hitting the links all year long.

Golfers will enjoy year-round warmth and endless sunny skies at the Wildfire Golf Club, which offers two 18-hole championship courses. The par 71 Faldo Course was designed by three-time Masters and three-time British Open champ Nick Faldo and features a total of 6,846 yards, generous fairways and ample landing areas.

The 7,145-yard, par-72 Palmer Course, designed by Arnold Palmer, is situated in the rugged Sonoran desert and meanders through picturesque arroyos with centuries-old Saguaro cacti and sweeping views of the McDowell Mountains.

From Jan. 15 until March 28, golf rates start at $199. As the weather warms up, Wildfire Golf Club rates go down. From March 29 until April 25, spring golf rates start from $159. From April 26 until May 16, rates start at $119; May 17 until June 13 golf rates start from $79.
Summer golf rates start at $69 from June 14 until Sept. 16.
Fall and winter golf rates start at $99 from Sept. 17 to 23 and at $149 from Sept. 24 until Dec. 16. Golf rates start at $179 from Dec. 17 until Dec. 31.

Wildfire Golf Club, a certified member of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program, is the desert gem of Phoenix and Scottsdale’s resort golf courses offering exciting play as well as a luxurious Arizona getaway.
Home to the Nick Faldo and Arnold Palmer championship courses, Wildfire Golf Club is located in the picturesque setting of the Sonoran desert featuring century-old Saguaro cacti and sweeping views of the McDowell Mountains, providing a spectacular setting for golfers.

Wildfire Golf Club features state-of-the-art practice facilities, including a driving range, putting and chipping greens and a green-side practice bunker.

The two courses of Wildfire Golf Club are an integral part of the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, named one of Travel & Leisure Golf’s “World’s Best Golf Resorts” and voted one of the “Top 75 Resorts in North America” by Condé Nast Traveler readers.

For more information about golf rates or lessons, call 480-473-0205.
The largest luxury resort in Arizona features 950 guestrooms (including 81 suites), 240,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, 10 dining experiences, Marriott’s first Revive Spa — a 28,000-square-foot facility — eight tennis courts and four acres of elaborately landscaped pools including the Lazy River with serpentine slide, two championship golf courses and Wildfire Golf Club. JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa is located where Phoenix meets Scottsdale, just 20 minutes north of Sky Harbor International Airport, with easy access to the Loop 101 freeway.

For more information about JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa located at 5350 E. Marriott Drive in Phoenix, call 480-293-5000, toll free at 800-835-6206 or visit www.jwdesertridgeresort.com.

Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain Opens Tomorrow

Nichole — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:52:39 +0000

The Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain property is all abuzz in anticipation of its opening day less than 24 hours away.

The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain is the 72nd hotel and the first Southern Arizona property within The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. The resort is located northwest of Tucson, Arizona, in the scenic town of Marana situated in the Tortolita Foothills.

In preparation for the opening day, the property has been abuzz with non-stop activity. More than forty Ritz-Carlton leaders from around the world have arrived to assist in the orientation and training of the 300 plus, Ladies and Gentlemen recently hired to work at the world-class resort. The key to a successful property is their indoctrination into The Ritz-Carlton culture. This is enlivened through the new gold standard, producing an unwavering commitment to excellence.

“It is about providing an experience that creates memories that last a lifetime through refined, personalized service and attention to detail,” stated general manager, Allan Federer. “This is a resort that is true and authentic to the unique surroundings and we are focused exceeding guests’ expectations. This setting coupled with a spirit of adventure permeating the entire guest experience, sets us apart.”

On December 18, the doors will be open to welcome the public at 4 p.m. All of the dining outlets and spa will be open for business on that day. Further, a gala opening celebration is scheduled for New Year’s Eve. This event will benefit Angel Charity for Children, Inc. For more information on attending this special evening, please contact www.angelcharity.org.

The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain features 250 guest rooms and suites, and secluded, multi-bedroom casitas – ideal for families and friends. Also featured are 27 holes of championship golf, designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus and host to the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

The resort sits upon 850 acres of spectacular desert and foothill terrain for guests to explore and discover their own personal adventures. The property’s 20 miles of world-class hiking trails, biking, jeep tours, and stargazing are only the beginning. Guests can enjoy the “True American” menu of CORE Kitchen and Wine Bar or pass the time in the Ignite lobby lounge enjoying an extensive array of smoky single malt scotches and whiskeys from around the world. The whiskeys are served in a traditional manner with Hildon Natural Mineral Water from England to maximize the tasting experience. This unique Tucson experience can be found only at Ignite.

For spa enthusiasts, The Ritz-Carlton Spa is a secluded, 17,000 square-foot retreat embracing the enchanting natural beauty of Southern Arizona’s Tortolita Mountains. Spa guests can choose from a selection of treatments influenced by the balancing elements of wood, fire, earth, water and metal.

Inspired by the richness and beauty of its lush surroundings, the picturesque Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain offers a rich visual history of the surrounding desert. This is a place where there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Nestled in the high Sonoran Desert, The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain is an invigorating playground where the adventurous can explore the lush desert along the Tortolitas Mountains and majestic Saguaro preserve. The 850-acre property features a 250-room hotel, Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, destination spa, world-class dining, and luxury homes at The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain. The resort also features adventure programming and outstanding hiking, and is home to the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championships each spring in its striking box canyon setting. This is a place where adventure and a gracious spirit of hospitality come to life. For reservation information, please call 1-800-241-3333, visit www.ritzcarlton.com/dovemountain or contact a travel professional.

Tiger to Defend Accenture Match Play Title

Nichole — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:07:56 +0000

“I am now ready to play again,” – the words echo like music in the ears of golf fans worldwide as Tiger Woods, the athlete poised to become the greatest player golf has ever seen, reports that he’ll be defending his title in Tucson next week.

Of all the professional golf tournaments Tiger Woods could have selected to stage his colossal return to the game and his continued and inevitable domination over the sport – he chose Arizona. The Arizona-hosted World Golf Championships- Accenture Match Play Championship will be Tiger’s first competitive tournament since his U.S. Open victory at Torrey Pines last June. Having spent the past eight months rehabbing his knee, anyone with even the mildest interest in golf is curious about his condition and quality of play upon his return.

While the golf world is abuzz with the release of the news just a few hours ago, it is especially meaningful to Arizonans and even more so to Tucsonans, who I am sure are now re-working their plans for February 26- March 1 to accommodate some Tiger-watching time.

Adding yet another dimension to the return of golf’s mega-watt star is the fact that the Accenture Match Play will showcase the world’s top talent on the ultra-fresh fairways of the Ritz Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain in Marana, Arizona. Revealed to the public a little over a month ago on January 17th, the fairways at Ritz Golf Club are primed and prepared to stage the most-anticipated tournament of the 2009 season so far. Tiger’s presence there is just icing on the cake. I imagine tournament coordinators are toasting to Tiger as I write.

Also in the field will be Camilo Villegas and Anthony Kim, the two young guns who have taken advantage of Woods’s absent status. Aside from Tiger, I’ll be watching out for Rory McIlroy, the 19-year-old Irishman, who enjoyed victory at the Dubai Desert Classic earlier this season and is currently ranked 16th on the Official World Golf Rankings. Three-time Major champion Padraig Harrington, also an Irishman and ranked 3rd on the World Golf Rankings, will be onsite at Accenture as well. And the field also includes Sergio Garcia who has yet to play on American soil this season while instead concentrating on several European Tour starts.

Of the top 64 players invited to the match-play format, 17 hail from the United States, eight each from Australia and South Africa and seven from England. Other countries represented are Colombia, Fiji, Germany, India, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Argentina, Canada, Denmark, Spain and Sweden.

www.worldgolfchampionships.com.

- Nichole Brophy, Golf Editor.

Buick Invitational 2010

Arizona Grand Golf Course

Nichole — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:00:14 +0000

It’s quite endearing when a course as well-recognized as the Phantom Horse Golf Course at the newly renovated Arizona Grand Resort (formerly Pointe South Mountain), undergoes a course revamp and renaming in order to better serve its growing clientele.

Having never played Phantom Horse (now the Arizona Grand Golf Course) pre-renovation, I can’t necessarily compare apples to apples. All I know is that the golf experience I had at the club located in Phoenix is definitely worthy of mention.

The course offers up two drastically different nines – the front, a stadium-style layout with wall-to-wall grass and expansive views of upcoming holes and the back nine, a gorgeous journey of memorable shots through the South Mountain preserve. The Arizona Grand Golf Course is one of the only courses in Arizona with holes that meander through a preserved state park. That fact combined with the utter beauty of the back nine’s landscape (fairways and greenery punctuating the base of the preserve), make for a truly enjoyable experience in the foothills of South Mountain.

The best view in the house serves as a backdrop for an inspiring par-3 finishing hole. Director of Golf at Arizona Grand Golf Course, Colby Hutchinson, recommended that we trek up to the back tees on number 18 in order to fully realize the sweeping Valley views. He could not have been more correct. From the tee, we could see on the horizon practically every mountain range that encircles the Valley, Sun Devil Stadium and Downtown Phoenix. We were told that on a really clear day, westward glances could catch a glimpse of University of Phoenix Stadium miles away in Glendale.

Another aspect of the course that was significantly switched up during the renovation process was the transformation of an island green on 18 into the tee box for the starting hole. Though unconventional, the island tee box is a one-of-a-kind accouterment that few courses can claim. The island acts as a centerpiece for a bevy of resort buildings that horseshoe around it. Upon completion, the new pro shop and grill will overlook the first tee and a new residential offering just to the right of the first fairway will afford buyers unobstructed views of the golf course and golfers teeing up on the island green. While all those extra eyes staring at you on the first tee don’t necessarily leave room for jitters, the center stage ambiance adds to the appeal and excitement of this incredible course.

www.arizonagrandresort.com

- Nichole Brophy, Golf Editor.