Golfing at Renegade Golf Course, Desert Mountain, Scottsdale Arizona

12/03/2008

Desert Mountain Golf Courses

Renegade:
I am often asked which course I prefer to play at Desert Mountain or which course is the "best" and my response is almost always, "if you are looking for a good test of your game and a fair test, I would highly recommend the Renegade course for several reasons. 1) Renegade is an extremely walkable course because it is at the lowest elevation, 2) the course offers players of all levels the opportunity to challenge themselves and the course with two sets of pins on every hole." The round can be either short and sweet or long and troublesome. You pick your own
poison from the first tee-box!

The first hole lulls you into submission and then the "reality" check kicks in as you approach holes three and four and you are faced with a menacing "over-water" par 3 with only a miniscule bailout to the left, trouble short, right and long. A series of tricky par 4's test your accuracy left and right and once you approach the ninth, you are more than ready for a wide open par 5 hole. Nine is a birdie hole but don't get too excited as hole ten will humble the best hitter in the group. Playing nearly 600 yards from the blue tees, this hole requires three perfect shots to land on an enormous,
undulated and severly sloped green. A five on this hole deserves high fives for sure.

The back nine at Renegade requires yet more accuracy in your shot making. Twelve puts more water into play short and left leaving the only bail out short and right. This green is so severly sloped that if your approach is not close you could easily be looking at three or four putts or worse, a downhill bunker shot towards the water.

Thirteen through eighteen besides beautiful mountain views provide even more trouble from errant shots. Two tricky downhill par 3's into huge tiered greens are guaranteed to make your knees a little weak. One more par 5 and then home with a downhill, bunker right par 4 which will test whatever nerves you may have left.

Jack Nicklaus surely had "challenge" on his mind when he designed this golf course. Although not my personal favorite I enjoy entertaining clients here due to Renegade's playability and pristine high Sonoran desert beauty.The luxury homes on and around the Renegade gold course range from the 700's to the 12 millions.

The Renegade is also home of the Callaway Golf Learning Center featuring the most cutting edge teaching, technology and practice facility in north Scottsdale.