Gordon Snyder

DC Ranch Country Club Community

DC Ranch, established in 1997, is a growing and vibrant golf community in Scottsdale. Located at the base of the McDowell Mountains, residents enjoy breath taking views of Scottsdale, Phoenix, and the natural Sonoran desert. Market Street is located just down the road to provide residents with easy access to shopping and dining outside of the DC Ranch community. Once fully finished, DC Ranch will be a fully functioning community with retail, services, school, recreation, golf, and restaurants.

The 35,000-square foot Hacienda club house combines the feel of historic Arizona with the elegant Western resort look from the 1920's and 1930's. Located here are 6 tennis courts, a children's play pool and lap pool, a fitness center, golf shop, snack bar by the pool, a formal bar, locker rooms and lounges, a mixed dining room, a board room, a private dining room, a children's recreation room, and a "grand event court yard" which is used for private parties and club activities. Along with the amenities found at the club house, DC Ranch also includes around 33 miles of paths in the McDowell Mountain Reserve.

DC Ranch has its own 18-hole golf course designed by Tom Lehman and John Fought. The course was designed for all skill levels. Advanced players can be challenged by the course's length, subtle breaks on the green, and deep bunkers; while beginners can still feel comfortable playing the course and greatly improve their game. As a member of DC Ranch, one has many opportunities to participate in different golf activities such as women's golf, Men's golf, mixed golf, junior golf activities, and interclub teams which allow members to compete against other clubs and play different courses. Along with the special events, Danny Edwards is a professional golf instructor that is available to give lessons to members.

DC Ranch contains several different villages that serve as their own community with different housing choices and living preferences. First is the Desert Parks Village that is set up in a classic neighborhood setting. One can choose from a cottage or manor home, to luxury rentals, or single family homes. Second is the Desert Camp Village that borders the Desert Camp community center which is a 9-acre facility with pools, sport courts, fitness and meeting rooms, and a children's playground. Next, Market Street Village is a combination between urban living and quaint neighborhoods. Country Club Village has the feel of the classical country club communities in Scottsdale because of its close knit neighborhood and guard gate. Lastly, Desert Parks Vista is DC Ranch's apartment style living with lofts, town homes, and apartments.

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Desert Mountain Country Club

Desert Mountain is a beautiful gated community that was established in 1986. It is one of the largest country club communities in Scottsdale, comprised of many smaller villages with housing options that range from townhomes to production built homes to custom luxury homes. Prices start at $500,000 on up. This community is located in the mountains of northern Scottsdale and borders the Tonto National Forest. Because of its location, residents enjoy beautiful views of the desert landscape and mountains, along with breathtaking views of city lights from Scottsdale and Phoenix at night. Desert Mountain is also one of the coolest country club communities in Scottsdale because it is 2600 to 4800 feet above sea level, making it about 8 to 10 degrees cooler.

Desert Mountain has six 18-hole golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, each with its own separate characteristics. Renegade has oversized greens with different tee boxes to accommodate players of all different skill levels. Cochise is the course at which the Senior PGA Tour, "The Tradition", is hosted each year. Next, Geronimo is home to large contrasts in elevation along with steep banks. On the other hand, Apache provides golfers with gentle rolling fairways. Out of all six golf courses, Chiricahua contains the highest elevation. Lastly, Outlaw provides golfers with magnificent views of Pinnacle Peak, Four Peaks, and the McDowell Mountains. According to Golf Digest, Renegade and Cochise were rated in the top 100 courses in America.

The clubhouses are as unique as the golf courses themselves. First, Renegade provides typical Southwestern architecture and a casual setting for members to enjoy breakfast, lunch or cocktails. This club house also includes the Hideout serving light lunches of salads and sandwiches or the Men's Grill with heavier lunch options and cocktails. Next, the Cochise/ Geronimo clubhouse combines native styles with a more contemporary appearance. Located here are locker rooms, a pro shop, a small boutique, and member services. There is also a main dining room, a Men's Grill, and a Mixed Grill. Apache is a Southwestern style clubhouse with locker rooms and shops. Here members can eat at a steakhouse with views of the golf course and Apache Peak. Apache also offers a piano bar, open for lunch and dinner. The Sonoran clubhouse is where members come for recreational activities. It includes a spa, fitness center, tennis courts, pools, volleyball and basketball courts, a playground, The Sonoran Boutique, and a youth activities center. For food, the Sonoran Clubhouse contains a coffee bar and sundries shop. For a Tuscan eating experience, members go to the Chiricahua clubhouse which overlooks the 18th-hole and has the appeal of an Old World villa. This clubhouse serves Sardinian cuisine including seafood and pastas and a two-story, climate controlled wine tower containing about 3,000 bottles. Just downstairs, there is an Italian bistro with light meals and beverages. Lastly, the Outlaw clubhouse is designed to resemble a "cowboy" ranch house and serves authentic Mexican-Southwestern food.

Desert Mountain also provides many events that bring members together. There are events catering to only adults, the family, or only children. Some events for adults include golf and tennis tournaments, book clubs and culinary classes, wine tasting, holiday cookouts, and special nights with live entertainment. For children there are art classes, field trips, sporting events, teen nights, and theater performances.

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Silverleaf Country Club Community

Located amongst the McDowell Mountains, Silverleaf may be one of the most luxurious country club communities in Scottsdale because of the old world Spain, Italy, and France theme. Silverleaf is located next to DC Ranch, but is separate form DC Ranch by its own guard gate. Established in 2002, Silverleaf is made up of 2,000 acres. Convieniently located just outside of Silverleaf is the Market Street retail area full of restaurants and shopping for resident's convenience.

Silverleaf includes a 50,000 square foot club house with the style of a Mediterranean village combined with the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert. From the club house, one can see the lush green fairways of their golf course, breathtaking sunset views, and unbelievable city lights. Dance lessons, wine dinners, holiday festivals, and golf outings are all held at the clubhouse. Also offered are classes pertaining to foreign language, photography, painting, meditation and yoga. These are only a few of the many events members have the opportunity to participate in as members of the Silverleaf Country Club community. The club house includes a driving range, pools, locker rooms, a dining area, and spa. Silverleaf has two pools. The first is a resort-style pool with in-water lounge chairs designed for relaxation. Next is a separate lap pool located in a more private area of the club house. The Tom Weiskopf designed golf course is a par 72 with 7,322 yards of challenging golf which features multiple tee lengths that cater to a variety of skill levels.

With a variety of venues ranging from a cosy library feeling to the luxurious Member Patio, Silverleaf becomes the perfect place to host any event, whether it is a casual get together or an elegant celebration. When putting on an event, the host has the chance to chose the menu with the help of the Executive Chef Michael Patton and Certified Specialist of Wine, James Kane.

One unique characteristic of Silverleaf is its spa, created with a simple elegance, which combines new techniques with traditional therapies. One can find an escape from everyday pressure by taking advantage of Silverleaf's peaceful renewal, therapeutic baths, and massages.

All Silverleaf estates are custom home sites ranging anywhere from 1-35 acres. Prices start at $750,000 a lot and go up to $7 million a lot. Architecture includes housing styles of casitas, park villages, and verandahs.

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Ancala Country Club

Located in the McDowell Mountain foothills, away from the busy city, Ancala one of the most private country club communities in Scottsdale. They enjoy the beauty of the natural desert, but are not far from shopping centers.

Ancala provides many different housing options for residents. Homes can be anywhere from 3,000 to 6,000 square feet. They have lots located in the mountains with breath taking views of city lights or luxury homes lining their Dye-Designed golf course. Prices start around just $500,000 and can exceed $2,000,000.

Being a member of Ancala Country Club comes with many privileges and opportunities. First, there are two, fully lighted, tennis courts to be used at leisure or for tournaments, private or group lessons, and social events by members. Next, there is a community pool which includes two "Junior Olympic-size lap lanes" for aerobics, but also has an area for members to enjoy at leisure. The pool is always heated during the winter so that members can take full advantage of the pool year round. The pool also contains easy access to a snack bar, restaurant, and fitness area which was just upgraded in October 2010. For members who enjoy being involved in committees, Ancala provides committees such as a Rules Committee, Social Committee, Greens Committee, Ambassador Council, and MGA/ACCWGA. Ancala Country Club has spacious banquet halls and meeting rooms that can seat up to 400 people all together. These rooms can be used by members to host a variety of events such as weddings, anniversary celebrations, birthday parties, holiday parties, office parties, and many more. They have their own catering professionals and staff to help planning parties as easy as possible on the host.

Ancala contains a magnificent desert course 7,000 yards long that features a target style layout. The course was designed to offer five different sets of tees which cater to the different skill levels. There is a lake which runs through two of the holes and desert ravines throughout the entire course. The greens are known for their undulation and speed while the course as a whole can be challenging and long at some times. Along with the golf course, Ancala Country Club also provides members with three golf professionals for instruction. The country club community provides members with complimentary golf lessons for all members, or one can choose to pay for a more private golf lesson for just himself or a few his friends for family. Also, Ancala includes a driving range, a putting green for practice. and a golf shop.

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10959 E. Winchcomb Dr. Scottsdale, AZ 85255

If one is looking at Scottsdale Luxury Real Estate, this property is one to consider. It is a famed Talavera floor plan, built in the year 2000 by Coventry, finished to the highest level with 3,801 square feet. This is a traditional sale with a listing price of $649,000 located in McDowell Mountain Ranch.

This two-story house contains a three car garage, a loft, and a media room. The master bedroom and one other bedroom are located downstairs while three other bedrooms are upstairs. The master bedroom has a walk in closet and a bathroom containing two sinks and a separate shower and bathtub. It also has many upgrades and additional options such as: granite surfaces and backsplash in the kitchen, gas cook top, built-in oven and microwave, built-in desk, custom cabinetry, hard wood floors in the family room, custom tile throughout, wood floors in the study, and a wood and wrought iron banister. Also, the previous owners installed many things to help keep the energy use to a minimum. Some of those things include sunscreens, ceiling fans, multi-pane windows, and a recirculation pump.

The property has NAOS (natural area open space) directly to one side and the back yard giving residents privacy, beauty of the natural desert, and magnificent views of the McDowell Mountains. The front yard has a natural desert landscape while the backyard is a combination of desert and grass. The backyard includes a covered patio, outdoor speakers, a fire pit, and a Pebble Tec pool with a water feature.

Because this house is located in McDowell Mountain Ranch, residents have access to a community center with two community pools and a daily-fee golf course. It is also near tennis courts, volleyball courts, basketball courts and a playground. There is also access to many miles of walking and hiking paths throughout the McDowell Mountain Researve and access to the Gateway Trail system.

Because of McDowell Mountain Ranch's location, residents have easy access to downtown Scottsdale where they are able to enjoy shopping and many dining options. Just down the street are places such as the Ice Den and Crackerjacks. There are also events such as the Barrett Jackson Classic Auto Auction, an Arabian Horse Show, an Annual Art Fest, and the McDowell Mountain Music Festival. Residents are just 15 minutes away from downtown Scottsdale and 25 minutes away from downtown Phoenix.

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