Featured Golf Course November 2007
By Shane Jensen
on Nov 02, 2007

Sunridge Canyon is not an overly long golf course, at only slightly over 6,800 yards from the back tee, but accuracy is the name of the game on this layout. This Arizona golf course includes a good collection of short and long holes that give the players a chance to either score well or make a big number. Like most desert golf course in the Scottsdale area, Sunridge Canyon uses the desert areas to intimidate the golfer into making poor swings.

Good architects like Keith Foster are able to take a large area of fairway and make it look smaller by adding undulations and slopes, along with desert areas to frighten the golfer. Most of the landing areas on this Arizona golf course are generous and it may take playing the golf course once or twice to find the right line on several holes.

The first hole at Sunridge Canyon will tempt many of the longer hitters to make a swing that might get them into trouble. This is a short par-4 that measures only 318 yards from the longest tee. There is a set of bunkers down the left-hand side that further tightens this already narrow fairway. The best play off this tee is a long iron or fairway wood to the right side of the fairway.

Longer hitters will want to take the driver out on this hole, but the risk here is often not worth the reward. This is one of the smallest greens on the golf course and is surrounded by an unforgiving desert area. Balls hit into this area are tough to find and hitting them can easily damage a club. When playing golf in the desert, be sure to carry your "rock club." This is an old golf club that has seen better days and is used only when you need to hit out of the rocky desert areas.

There is nothing wrong with making a par on this easy hole. Making par will put the golfer into a good frame of mind and there are many other holes on this golf course that will be an easy birdie for the long hitters.

The signature hole at Sunridge Canyon is the par-3 17th hole. This is a unique hole because one day it can play 209 yards, and the next, 152 - all from the back tee. This hole features both a right and left tee box, but beware - the left tee box is the more demanding and difficult position to play.

This green is in the shape of a mini horseshoe with a bunker that sits in front of the green. The green is fairly large and, with any luck, the pin will not be positioned directly behind the bunker. This is a multi-tiered green that is easy to three-putt. No matter where the pin is, the best place to hit the ball is into the middle of the green.

Sunridge Canyon was designed to best compliment the limited space that was available. Keith Foster has done a great job of using the natural terrain to create a layout that seamlessly blends in with the landscape. This golf course is usually in great condition with green speeds that border on too fast. Putting is a premium on this golf course because length is not much of a factor.

Sunridge Canyon Golf Club sits at the base of the McDowell Mountain range and is surrounded by desert landscape. The giant saguaro cacti can only be seen in this part of the country and stand as guards to snatch any golf balls that are hit into the desert. Sunridge Canyon Golf Club is located in Fountain Hills, Arizona and was designed by Keith Foster.

The next time you are in Scottsdale, Arizona, take the trip out to Fountain Hills and try this desert track. Playing golf in the desert requires skill, nerves and lots of water. Happy golfing.

 

Related Golf Courses

• Sunridge Canyon