The quiet, unassuming desert retreat in the West Valley may not attract the golf heavy hitters like some of the Scottsdale resorts do, but the Wigwam Resort’s Gold Course has been called one of the best in the country. After an intense bunker renovation and course overhaul project, the course is now ready for golfers to hits the greens again.
The Wigwam Resort’s Gold Course renovation was led by course guru and architect Tom Lehman, as well as a team from Key Golf Management. The Lehman Design Group is responsible for such course stunners as Washington National, WA; TPC of the Twin Cities, MN; The Raven at Verrado, AZ; Encanterra, AZ, and the new Rio Verde Country Club northeast of Scottsdale, to name a few. By the way, Tom Lehman is also a PGA Champions Tour player and a resident of Scottsdale.
Lehman’s focus on this project was to introduce new fairway lines, reposition a few bunkers, and remove other bunkers.
“The Gold Course at one time was known as one of the best courses in the country,” commented Lehman.
“Golf has passed it by a little technology-wise and maybe design-wise.”
Lehman’s goal was to bring back the original course feel, but update the look and insert a little more variety.
After the renovation, only 38 of the 89 original bunkers remain and they were revamped with the new Linebacker liner. Fairway lines were also re-shaped to give less of a “bowling alley” appearance. Although greenside bunkers changed, the greens themselves stayed untouched. Lehman calls the Gold Course greens “the number one defense this course has,” so he strived to simply enhance the areas around them rather than change them.
While only one of three 18-hole championship courses at the Wigwam Resort, the Gold Course is the “crown jewel.” The course was originally designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. in 1965 and was an immediate success. The resort itself was established in the 1930s and refers to itself and its golf offerings as being “among the Southwest’s last remaining golf resorts built for a pure golf experience,” complete with lakes, streams, canals and parkland trees.
The new and improved Gold Course will be put to the test at the end of the year. The annual Patriot All-America Tournament kicked off competition on the course December 29-31, 2015. If you’re itching to try the new Gold Course golf experience for yourself, reservations can now be made online and memberships are available.
Interested in living near an Arizona golf community like the Wigwam Resort? The Matheson Team are experts in Arizona golf homes across the Valley, from the west to the east and everything in between. We’ll help you search through Arizona golf course communities to find your perfect home on the greens!
Don Matheson
Realtor | Founder
The Matheson Team – RE/MAX Fine Properties
21000 N. Pima Rd., #100, Scottsdale, AZ 85255
480-405-4228
[email protected]
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