Jet Lag Open: Talking Stick Golf Club



Talking Stick Golf Club: South Course: April, 2011
A Classic C&C Bunker

 

Good Friday came in early under the darkness of the morning as I hopped in my partner-in-crime's car at 5:15am and cruised to the airport getting half-buzzed with a strong cup of early morning coffee. We were heading down to Phoenix for the day to play 36 holes of golf at Talking Stick Golf Club with a return to Omaha later in the evening.

"Let's do this," I muttered to Dave as we rolled up to the airport still waiting for our caffeine to kick in.

And away we went.



The Fixer:
The Infamous "Wild Bill"

 Our "Fixer," an esteemed golf junkie himself who we call "Wild Bill" hooked us up with not only a ride from the airport, but tee times at Talking Stick, and a great stop on the way home for some local margaritas and guacamole....but more about that later.

Talking Stick Golf Club is located in Scottsdale roughly 20 minutes from Sky Harbor airport. Its a 36-hole complex located on a reservation owned by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community which also includes what appears to be a hotel/casino. Designed by Coore-Crenshaw, I came in with certain biased expectations given that I have always enjoyed their designs I have played. The prevelant patterns you seem to find with C&C designs feature wide fairways with multiple strategies and angles to holes, unique bunkering, and open green complexes that promote the ground game along with a variety of shots.

I have to imagine that when the tribal leaders brought Coore & Crenshaw out to the site to design both courses, their first response had to be "Are you crazy? This land is an absolute piece of sh&t!"Let me tell you. If you have ever come accross a more featureless and bleak plot of land to design a golf course, speak now. Ok, maybe a cruise west on Interstate 80 through my home state can provide an equal delivery of poor drama, but that's how bleak this land was.

And that's how good these guys are at designing great courses.

Prior to checking in, we were made aware that a large golf outing was taking place on the North Course and we would be relegated to the South. If the average golf award-snob received this news, they would normally throw their arms up in disgust by not being able to play the "best new modern" list winner.... (more on the overall golf publication award system later)but hey...this is C&C's work on what appeared a tragic property. I was interested to see what they could do with such a handicapped site.

The South course gave us a great taste of strategic golf ala C&C design principals as I mentioned above. Wide fairways and minimal rough provided you with the chance to make poor shots and recover with heroics. To me, the most challenging aspects of the lay-out were the numerous false-front green presentations along with depressions prior to the green that were often deceiving from the 120-yard and in approach game. The bunkering featured on the lay-out provided players with the rustic look you are always looking for in their design, but without the common "eye lash" look over the top-lines of the bunkers which are becoming all too popular in golf. The design maximized angles off the tee to provide variety and challenge. In addition, the size of the greens (or lack thereof) really demanded accuracy form 150 yards, and punished poor shots with trips to steep bunkers or pitching situations to undulated greens.The back 9 was by far the stronger set of the lay-out, and will provide the golfer with some good options. Overall, the course design worked other than a few items:

First, the conditioning. Now, I know that the western world has a perennial infatuation with green turf, but this course wasn't mean't to be soft and lush. The ground game options that C&C were trying to provide the golfer were consistently eliminated throughout my round. In numerous attempts to bump and run an 8 iron to an open green site, the ball consistently met over-watered turf which killed the execution of the shot. The management company prides themselves on providing world-class course conditions...just think if it actually honored the design and gave people a unique links experience as the deisgners intended....what an idea! Its amazing to me that people have to travel accross the pond to play links as it is intentioned when a modest change in maintenance practices could give guests a unique opportunity to hit different shots and enjoy the course as it was designed. An opportunity missed in my opinion, but a course that is giving the public what they want: green, predictable, and boring.

Second, fake water features piss me off. You need to have water retention ponds at golf courses, but when they collide on 1-2 holes when the rest of the experience provides a tranquil desert setting, what gives? Having he 16th hole named "Wee Burn" with an imitation burn running across the fairway during the approach was classic cheese at its best and totally un-needed. Hole 17 and 18 felt like a bad trip to Florida and were a disappointing finish to say the least.

HOLES OF NOTE:
Hole 4: "Right is Right"At 327 yards, this hole was a great short par 4 (Have I said yet how much the short par 4 is missing in golf?) with a centerline bunker roughly 215 yards out and an inviting green without bunkers. The entire hole is hugging the barbed-wire on the right hand side out of bounds. Playing a mid-iron off the tee provides you with angled options around the bunker with some tree obstruction for those who take it off-line on the right. The driver is an excellent play for the daring....and who the hell is laying up after flying 1,000 miles in the morning with another 1,000 in return? Lay-up another time my friends!

Hole 5: "Fortress"Just when you got done celebrating your birdie on hole 4, "Fortress" comes around and slaps you in the chops. At 471 yards, this beast gives you a greatest hits of C&C's design in a single hole. Light elevation change on a horizon tee shot with a preferred angle of approach on the left. The open green features a severe decline in front along with a false front and plenty of bunkers to devour errant shots.



Visually deceptive bunkering



Hole 9: "Saddle"This is what I love about C&C-- if they see a site for the ninth hole and its a par 3, THEY DO IT. In addition to sticking with the integrity of what's given to them (and once again...NOT MUCH!), the 177 par 3 played short due to a southern wind, but gave you plenty to think about with bunkers that visually intimidate you and another false front green site that has a ton a pin placement opportunities.

Hole 14: "Dylan's Ravine"One of the only natural features of the property was a desert wash that C&C integrated perfectly into this 541 yard Par 5. Bust a drive out 260+ and you will be faced with a decision to go for the open green in 2 over the wash, or to continue to play up the lateral fairway to improve positioning for your third. The open green site provided me with a ton of options when I missed the approach short. I ended up bumping a 7 iron onto the open green, which then treated me to a 3-putt experience on what continues to be small ans subtle greens...what a great defense. I muddled some various curse words before being interrupted by the course host.



"Trouble on the 15th"

 Hole 15: "Gauntlet"By far the strongest hole on the course. The 443 yard par 4 provides a dictated left-side draw navigating around bunkers that will KILL any chance of par if you decide to take a quick tour...believe me...I didn't enjoy the vacation. The long approach shot will come into yet another green that is open with a false front. Once again, a failed bump and run from 80 yards was cut due to wet turf--a damn shame.

As we stood ont he 18th hole, a "Guest Assistant" aka "I volounteer for free golf and don't do anything to help pace of play guy" stopped and informed us that we were were late for our turn time for the second round and could pick up and head to #1 otherwise they didn't know what to do.

You've GOT to be freaking kidding me.



The Kilt Lifter: A Solid Local Brew

 If I haven't said it before, golf marshals/guest assistants are THE most wasted position in American golf. They do absolutely nothing for the pace of play and absolutely EVERYTHING to piss people off....but this rant is for another time.

So, we decided to play an additional 9 and have Wild Bill take us to a local spot called the "Salty Seniorita" for some margaritas, homemade guac, and tacos. Yes, it was perfect. She was one fine senorita for a post-round meal and I highly recommend the outdoor area. And oh yeah...I can't forget to mark off my checklist another wonderfully quaffable local brew: The lovely "Kilt Lifter." A beautiful Scottish Ale that quenched my thirst in the desert sun and paired wonderfully with my Alec Bradley Tempus robusto...no complaints here!



The Holy Trinity: Carnita Tacos, Guacamole, and Maragaritas.



I strolled off the airplane and had a few more laughs with Dave about our adventure for the day. In 18 hours, we flew 1,000+ miles, played 27 holes of golf, enjoyed some great food/drink, and made it home safely. Talking Stick South was a great example of a successful course design with little to work with. It can give everyone an enjoyable round of golf--I wish they could fix the turf conditions, but the American fixation on green tiurf continues. Scotland/Ireland...you're safe. We haven't figured out what "real" golf is over here yet except for a few places.

The Verdict:A horrible site with minimal features showcased C&C's true creativity and gives the customer a fairly decent exposure to their design philosophies. It was priced fairly at $140 for 36 holes. Not too bad when you consider their course at We-Ko-Pa gets $200 consistently. If you are in Phoenix looking for a quick round prior to hitting Sky Harbor, I'd say go for it.I would love to play it in the summer with firmer conditions and would also like a swing at the North course which I am told is even more minimalist but presents additional links-style strategy. Check it out for yourself and let me know your thoughts.
I do miss those carnitas tacos and Kilt Lifters.