Arizona Golf Course ReviewsMcDowell Mountain Golf Course ReviewScottsdale, AZ
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McDowell Mountain Golf Course Overview: Formerly the Sanctuary golf course, this track was purchased
by Phil Mickelson and re-designed to be a fairly basic, although long, desert
golf course. There are a few golf holes near
houses but the bulk of the course routes its way along fairly level ground near
a desert wash. There aren’t too many
memorable holes, but there aren’t any bad ones either, making for an enjoyable,
even if slightly mundane, experience.
The most exciting golf holes are described below:
McDowell Mountain Hole 8: Possibly the only tee shot on the course that can cause exteme anxiety to most golfers would be the daunting effort here at the 8th. Although there is room long and right, the prospect of carrying the desert for any pin placement left or short of middle is indeed challenging.
McDowell Mountain Hole 8: Possibly the only tee shot on the course that can cause exteme anxiety to most golfers would be the daunting effort here at the 8th. Although there is room long and right, the prospect of carrying the desert for any pin placement left or short of middle is indeed challenging.
McDowell Mountain Hole 9: Literally a 90 degree dogleg left, the golfer can consider flying the bunker / houses on the inside of the dogleg but it is a fairly silly idea as even if that is successful, the drive will likely find the strip of desert on the far side of the fairway. So, the best shot to go for the green in two is something just inside the bunker on the left. Otherwise, three straight shots should easily reach this green.
McDowell Mountain Hole 11: This difficult golf hole has a really wide fairway, except for the huge bunker dissecting it. The best drive is to the left of that bunker, leaving a better approach to the green, but that side is tighter and near to the hazard. The right side option is easier to hit, but is a worse angle to the green.
McDowell Mountain Hole 14: The short par three on the course is nothing much to write home about from a difficulty perspective, except for the distraction from the pop music being pumped out by the sports complex behind the green, which also blights the otherwise spectacular views of the McDowell mountains.
McDowell Mountain Hole 18: The last golf hole of the day features and angled fairway where the golfer can bite off as much of the bunker as they like to leave a shorter approach to the elevated green. However, there is OB in the form of the driving range to the right and houses left for the big pull.
