The Pinnacle of Mountain Golf
Written: Mar 26 '03 (Updated Mar 27 '03)
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Pros: Layout, Scenery, Course Condition, Overall Good Service
Cons: Service could take some polishing, none other.
The Bottom Line: Troon North is an excellent golf course that any golfer should give a try if they venture to Arizona.
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| p1rana's Full Review: Troon North Golf Club - Pinnacle Course |
Intro
This spring we (my family and I) took a vacation to Scottsdale, Arizona and played many of the areas top courses. One of our stops was Troon North. We first attempted to play but only got 7 holes in due to rain, which led to one of my few gripes about the course. Later that week we came back to give it another try. Overall it was great golf and a very fun course to play. The only areas it lacked in was well polished staff.
If your are interested in playing this course you should know that there are two golf courses at Troon North Golf Club. The one I played was the Pinnacle, while the other is the Monument. From what I have heard the Monument is supposedly the more famous of the two (why I don't know). The Pinnacle on the other hand is a more scenic and fun course. This is only from the word of other people, I don't know firsthand.
Service:
When we arrived at Troon North you stop at the front bag drop where a fairly friendly and courteous staff greeted us and took our clubs down and put them on carts. Once in the pro shop we checked in for our tee time. Again the staff is courteous. They were quick to tell you where to go and don't leave you to find your way around. Once we got down in the staging area we found our clubs already set and ready on carts. The guys working there gave us some help but not quite up to the standards of a $250 a round club in my opinion. This is because they weren't really right there to help you. When we went to the range it had balls already set up in pyramids and there was a decent amount of grass to hit off of. The starter came and found us and they then drive you out to the first tee which would be pretty hard to find if you had never played before.
Our first try at playing was rained out. When we came back in we told the bag drop guys that we were thinking of going back out but weren't sure. We went upstairs and ate some lunch and came back down to find our bags still on the carts. The problem in that is that they had decided to put the carts outside while we were in for lunch. With the fact that it was raining our clubs and bags were soaked. Additionally when we got out there the outside staff was very indifferent to our problem and didn't try to do anything to say sorry or make up for the problem. I found this pretty unprofessional. Other then this it was a good experience as far as service.
The Course
The course was in great condition. It had fairly tightly mown fairways that were good to hit off of. This could be due to the fact that they have a cart paths only facility (which can be a pain). The rough wasn't really anything to be scared of cut, at about and inch and a half. The main hazard on the golf course is of course desert, just as most of if not all the other courses in Arizona. The greens were fairly fast and were smooth. I would guess they were running about 9 or 10 on the stimp meter. The greens had undulations in them but were not overdone.
The course is a fun design by Tom Weiskopf. It is very scenic as it travels through mountains in the Sonoran Desert. It should offer a good challenge to the best players. Also, if an average player keeps it out of the desert they shouldn't feel that they are being battered by the course. Here is the Scorecard (http://www2.ceclients.com/t/TroonNorthGC/monument_pinnacle_scorecard.html) and below is a hole-by-hole (yardages from tips).
Hole 1
This 396 yard par four is a good opening hole in my opinion. It isn't too plain but it offers a fair first hole to get the rhythm. It has a bunker on the left side of the landing area. The second shot is up the hill a little bit to a generous green with a bunker on the right. The left side leads to desert if you go to far astray.
Hole 2
This is a 512 yard par five that is also uphill. Your tee shot goes to a landing area that slants right in between some hills. If you are long enough to reach the green it presents the threat of bunkering before the green but leaves room to miss right. This green again is also of decent size.
Hole 3
A 426 yard par 4, again uphill, provides a challenging tee shot with 3 fairway bunkers on the right and one 286 yards from the tee. Unless you are a truly long hitter you will be left with a mid to long iron in your a hands to a well guarded green with sand surrounding. As a tip if you play the course the green slopes from front to back so it can be rewarding to play a shorter iron to the safer front left portion of the green and let it run a bit.
Hole 4
This 222 yard par three is now downhill, about a club and a half. It is a large green with a two bunkers on the right, and water further right. My tip is play the left, you might even get a kick down the hill on the green.
Hole 5
This 584 yard par five is very challenging. You have a fairly open tee shot except the fairway bunker on the right which is carryable. The second shot doesnt leave a whole lot of options. There is a big rock grouping that blocks you from cutting the dogleg off much. A third shot from the layup area leaves a small green that has some fun putts if you don't get close. There is a bunker short.
Hole 6
This is one of my favorite holes on the course. It is a 299 yard par four. The tee shot has a lot of risk and reward in it. Just before the green on the left is a rock grouping that takes off a little bit of room to hit into the green. On the right is a bunker at 270 yards and desert just after that. If you hit a drive just perfect with enough distance it will get a good kick down the hill and go on the green. The bad part about laying up is that you don't have good vision of the green and you could end up in bunkers short.
Hole 7
This is another very long par 3 of 239 yards. It is also very downhill and you can take off about 20 yards. The green is large and the area surrounding is forgiving and leaves an easy chip into the green.
Hole 8
This par five is 508 yards long. It has bunkers long and on the right side of the landing area. The green has a bunker short and bunkers on both sides.
Hole 9
This 370 yard par four is one of the three holes that has water on it. It has a open tee shot with bunkers left, between fairway and the water. The green has a false front which is trivial when you have a short iron or wedge in your hand. My advice is go long, I came a foot from having the ball roll back and leaving myself a putt that goes up a four foot hill.
Hole 10
A 405 yard par four, this hole requires a precise tee shot although the landing area is fair. It has bunkers right and bad lies if you miss right (especially if you get in the desert). The second shot is then over desert into a green with bunkers surrounding the front half.
Hole 11
This par four is one beast of a hole. Although most of its 468 yards is downhill its hard to get anything but a long iron for a second shot. The fairway is generous though if you want to take a rip, just don't miss right as the desert falls a ways down. The green here is large and has bunkers on the right.
Hole 12
This 416 yard par four presents a good challenge. A fairly open tee shot, with a bunker right leads to a mid iron into the green. The right side is fairly easy to hit to but the left has bunkers short and long.
Hole 13
This 541 yard par five has a landing area that narrows. It has a double fairway for your second shot. the green is guarded by a bunker short right. Two good shots can get you on or close to the green. If the second strays too much you will have desert to deal with.
Hole 14
This par 3 is 206 yards and presents a variable threat. With the pin on the right you have a fairly easy tee shot. when it is on the left there are bunkers short to catch poorly hit shots. The green has two levels to hit to.
Hole 15
A long par four, this hole measures 456 yards. There is a bunker short and right of the landing area. The second shot is into a thin but wide green guarded by a bunker short. Behind the hole is a backstop of rough. Don't let that trick you too much as you will have a touchy shot coming back if you go long.
Hole 16
This par 3 is definetly a relief from the others as far as distance. It is 187 yard and is set between two hills. It challenges you though with a deep bunker short and two more right and lastly one long. The green is average in size and has a tier in the back left.
Hole 17
This 402 yard hole has a tight landing area with a bunker long left. The green is tough to hit into with bunkers guarding the entrance to the green left and right.
Hole 18
You have now come to the end, and I have finally gotten near the end of writing this review. This beautiful hole has a backdrop of Pinnacle Peak and has large rocky hills left. Your tee shot comes from an elevated tee 407 yards from the green. Guarding the landing area are two bunkers on separate sides of the fairway. A long player can easily take those out of play but has bunkers at the end of the fairway to deal with around 290 out. The second shot is over desert and up hill to a green with bunkers short left and right. The green slopes from back to front and is short and wide.
Links:
Troon North: http://www.troonnorthgolf.com
Future Arizona reviews soon to come inluding TPC Scottsdale, Legend Trail, and Sunridge Canyon.
Recommended:
Yes
Green Fees Paid (US$): ~250
Speed of Play (typical weekend): 4 to 5 Hours
Look Out For: Sand
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Epinions.com ID:
p1rana
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Location: Jville, FL
Reviews written: 29
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
I am a golfer, need I say more?
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