I had a great time playing here at the GK Plays Luaghlin. I'm glad they were able to bring an event here because Laughlin is on the cusp of being a g... » More

I had a great time playing here at the GK Plays Luaghlin. I'm glad they were able to bring an event here because Laughlin is on the cusp of being a great golf destination with a little help.

I love this course. It's spectacular, challening, while always being fair. The views and elevation changes, and unique holes are second to none. I did get a little spoiled as the conditions were immaculate last time I played.

It wasn't necessarily the courses fault but I can't help and admit I left unsatisfied because the course was a near miss to being close to perfect again.

Due to being unable to mow after the monsoon the greens were awfully slow. Even my hacker playing partners were leaving putts significantly short. They were in good condition just painfully slow.

Also a lot of the bunkers were under repair or maybe being let go to make the course a little more playable. It was odd to look at but makes sense to do this during the summer heat.
Also extensive rocks in the bunkers need to be raked.

Great course, staff, conditions, but the slow greens took a lot of the excitement out of the round. Can't wait to come back and play it when the greens are fast.
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Played here Saturday morning with the Greenskeeper OG's. JohnnyGK live and direct, Kevbig, and mpisarski01. Big shout out to Kev for hooking up the ... » More

Played here Saturday morning with the Greenskeeper OG's. JohnnyGK live and direct, Kevbig, and mpisarski01. Big shout out to Kev for hooking up the hometown discount, and Johnny for making the drive much appreciated.

I don't need to rehash all that was said below as they are spot on. It's a beautiful course. Great views and water elements, as well as forced carries over ravines. Every hole was different and it felt like many different types of courses blended into one with a wide variety of holes. The views of the reflection along the water are one of a kind.

It was a shame it was so unbearably humid at the end because it took a lot of the enjoyment away but the course is one of a kind. Only minor nitpicking was the shaggy greens but you can't win them all.

Course' layout isn't too difficult but I rarely had a flat approach which led to the difficultly and emphasis on shot making and ball striking here.

Great time with good people and a great course.
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Played here Thursday afternoon following the monsoon. They sent me on the front 9 north front 9 south rotation. I really enjoyed this rotation as t... » More

Played here Thursday afternoon following the monsoon. They sent me on the front 9 north front 9 south rotation. I really enjoyed this rotation as the south front 9 is the signature 9 and the north 9 is better than the south back 9.

The course drained well. Fairways were much lusher. Still brown patches and yellow areas but grass was much softer due to the rains. Greens were great. Softer and lush. Rolling medium. I believe these are some of the best greens to be had in the city currently.

Bunkers were wet and hard to be expected.

The humidity made it hot towards the end but a great round. Always love playing here.
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I played here this morning (Sunday) at 9 AM. (Saguaro side)

I have to say I was even more let down here than when I played Grayhawk. (Grayhawk... » More

I played here this morning (Sunday) at 9 AM. (Saguaro side)

I have to say I was even more let down here than when I played Grayhawk. (Grayhawk was in bad shape but has an awesome layout) I don't want to sound jaded or a snooty Scottsdale golfer but this course was just meh to me. **Asterisk the greens were bumpy and I drove the ball terribly so I know that has a large impact on your enjoyment of a course** Golfweek has this course rated as the highest in the Phoenix area and I had really high hopes but it fell flat to me.

The course was just odd to me. It's a Coore Crenshaw course so it's a Scottish links style course in the desert but it just didn't do it for me at all. I can only remember 1 hole. The split level par 5 on the back nine was cool but nothing too unique. Otherwise the course was very straightforward. I'm a bunker guy and maybe that is where the disconnect was. There are almost no bunkers on this course except the par 3's And the bunkers that are here are tiny little links style pot bunkers with no lips or sides. They have very little sand and were hard packed like CA bunkers. There were a lot of drivable par 4's (4 maybe) but there were no large bunkers protecting them so it was odd. The par 4's were just straight away, few fairway bunkers, minor doglegs. The views were okay but you are far from the mountains so there are no dramatic cliff faces. The greens did not have much undulation for a desert course and were large and kind of boring.

I will give them a little leeway because today is the last day this course is open before aerification, but the greens were trash. They were a little shaggy medium speed, and there were lots of dead spots which are fine. But because they weren't mowed short the ball hopped and took weird angles off the recessed dead spots. Putting was not enjoyable. Almost none of the greens were raised so you couldn't see where your ball landed on an approach. The fairways were in better shape than most out here and there was actually rough which is unique for the desert. Maybe this design was a miss for me and other like it, but this course was bland and didn't do it for me at all. There was no artistic element to any of the holes or sight lines from the tees.

To each their own but a minimalist semi narrow desert links course with tiny bunkers just didn't do it for me.
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Played here Saturday at 3:15. POP 3 hours.

I was looking for a course in better shape as most are going through their transition.

The F... » More

Played here Saturday at 3:15. POP 3 hours.

I was looking for a course in better shape as most are going through their transition.

The Faldo side is in the best shape of any course I've played in the last 2 weeks. I love Faldo courses. They usually aren't the most scenic but are a blast to play. He also has a flare to his bunker lips which adds extra challenge, and the Wildfire did not disappoint in this regard. This course is similar to Shadow Ridge in Palm Springs but is much more scenic, less resorty and fits in more with the native desert features.

The fairways are good. There are yellow/brown patches but on the light side. Good coverage for the most part. The greens are a little dried out but are in great shape and rolled very well. I was banging putts all over the green. Bunkers are in great shape, great soft sand quality. Tee boxes are good. Very level a little thin but not bad divot damage. Green side turf was very good giving plenty of grass to get the ball up vs hard packed lies found elsewhere.

The course is straight forward. What you see is what you get and not very tough if you avoid the bunkers (The course' main defense) I avoided all bunkers on the front and shot 1 under while hit damn near every one on the back for a 9 over. This is the Marriot course and it is a little resorty with wider fairways and holes lining up against each other but it is not a bad resorty feel with bumper fairway edges like Kierland. Avoid the bunkers and it is pleasant driver wedge golf. Get in the bunkers are you have to be adept at getting the ball up high as there are some serious hacker devouring lips. The greens are good sized and not very undulating so scoring and birdies are to be had here.

Its a pleasant playable course, in good shape with bunkers galore. I enjoyed the links desert feel the numerous bunkers provided and this is a great course to have a few drinks and play with friends.
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