Talking Stick Golf Club
January 22, 2008
On the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community just south and a bit west of Casino Arizona and the 101 Freeway lies the Talking Stick Golf Club. Managed by Troon Golf, this 36 hole Ben Crenshaw, Bill Coore designed facility is all you could ask for in a challenging but fair test of golf in the Scottsdale desert. It has always been one of my favorite golf facilities because of the differences between the two courses. I like both the North and South courses there but I seem to score better on the South. And only because I have played it a lot more than the North Course.
When the golf courses of Talking Stick Golf Club first appeared on the eastern border of Scottsdale and the Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (my guess is 95' or thereabouts) Casino Arizona was just a big fancy tent out in the desert and I was working in sales at a N. Scottsdale resort. People are always asking, "which course should I play there?" My answer, "both of them!" As I mentioned previously, the South Course with its tree-lined fairways and raised greens, holds a slight edge with me because of the generous fairways and I seem to putt better on that golf course. Those golfers that favor links designs will enjoy the North Course.
Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore made this statement about Talking Stick, "Whichever course one chooses or prefers, it was our desire to portray golf in a traditional sense, which quietly merges with its tranquil desert surroundings." I guess that's one way of saying it but I prefer to say they are both just a pleasure to play – and for all skill levels. There is an atmosphere here that calms the spirit while bringing out the best in your golf game. The immaculate conditioning of the entire facility for which Troon Golf prides itself on is abundantly clear at Talking Stick, from the 150 yard long practice area to the 17,000 Sq Ft practice green and on the tees, greens and fairways of both courses.
The North and South Courses at Talking Stick Golf Club are unique and both offer many options for the medium and high handicapper. The North Course plays longer to a Par 71 and the South Course a bit shorter to a Par of 70 but both have 2 Par 5's and 4 Par 3's each. From the Black Tees of both courses, the North Course measures 7133 yards and the South Course comes in at 6833 yards. The North Course is a Scottish Links design with characteristics common to the links courses of Scotland, deep fairway bunkers that can have you scrambling for bogey. The fairways are generous, and their low-profile, slightly crowned greens and close-cropped approaches encourage use of the bump and run shot. The South course is a more traditional style golf course with tree lined fairways and water hazards.
There seem to be two different interpretations behind the “talking stick”. One is that an actual stick represented an ancient calendar of important events for the Pima tribe and "spoke" of those events depicted as harvests, droughts, solar eclipse's, and festivals. The other is that a stick was passed around to a person who had no fear of addressing a tribal council. I would like to think it means, "let your sticks do your talking".
If you are an admirer of awards and they have an influence on where you play here are just a few of the accolades that have been earned by the folks at Talking Stick Golf Club:
Golfweek Magazine Best Public Courses in Arizona – 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003 & 2002
Golf World Business Top 100 Golf Shops - 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001 & 2000
Golf Magazine Top 100 Best Courses You Can Play – 2003 & 2002
Golfweek Magazine Top 100 Modern Courses – 2002, 2001, 2000, & 1999
Talking Stick is also home to one of the finest practice facilities in the valley and the Tim Mahoney Golf School. What a terrific practice facility! And even Big John Daily can't crank it out of the park here at over 360 yards long! So whether you are just warming up or knocking the rust off your swing, you can get a great practice session here.
It's easy to get to Talking Stick from Indian Bend Rd and Scottsdale Rd. You just follow Indian Bend Rd east until it dead ends into the South Course at Talking Stick. I have heard whispered conversations about Golf Villas or a Golf Resort being built there someday and that would make that project the complete dream golf destination: Two Championship Crenshaw – Coore designed, 18 hole golf courses, each with it's own unique character and landscape – A state-of-the-art Casino Arizona, comfortable accommodations and all within 10 minutes of downtown Scottsdale? Wow!
