From its dramatic location among the foothills of Phoenix’s Bradshaw Mountains to its first-class amenities to its striking visual appeal, Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia has discovered a way to differentiate itself, even in the hotbed of golf – which is Arizona.  Nearing a decade of operation, the course has matured into one of architect Gary Panks’ best designs; impressive considering that list includes such well-reputed facilities as Chaparral Pines, Grayhawk’s Talon Course, and Raven-Phoenix.

When you arrive at Trilogy at Vistancia, the first thing you notice is the stark contrast of the green of the fairways with the blonde of the surrounding vegetation. That’s because while many may only think of the cacti and ground cover that springs to life after a thunderstorm, there are many tall grasses indigenous to this part of the desert that flower in many colors, and offer wonderful winter yellows like the gorse of Scotland. These selections of blue gramma, sand drop and weeping love grasses mix with the cholla, ocotillo and cacti throughout your journey through the Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia.

But, Trilogy at Vistancia isn’t just another pretty face. All of the stunning visuals also play into the way you navigate the course, making course management all the more important, and daunting. That’s always been the compliment of Gary Panks’ designs – with seeming ease he is able to meld breathtaking form with challenging function.

As you progress through the round, you’ll begin to notice some of the subtle design features. In addition to the balance within individual holes, there is also a clear flow from hole-to-hole. The par-3’s each require a different club and orient different directions, there are never more than two par-4’s back to back, and the par-5’s include two which are reachable and two more that are not. 

Furthermore, if your anticipation is that desert golf is flat and of little variety, your mind will be changed by the middle holes on the outward nine. The par-4 third requires two shots over desert, a tee ball to a rolling fairway and a second over a small ravine to a green that is wide, but very shallow and surrounded by bunkers on three sides. The fourth could remind you of the finest landlocked Scottish courses you’ve seen, with the grasses rising up to frame both sides of the fairway. Then comes the double-dogleg 608-yard par-5 fifth, which features a rolling fairway with bunkers dotting both the left and right side.

As the outward nine continues, it becomes clear that the readers of Golf Digest were correct – this golf course is absolutely worthy of the 5-Star designation it received in 2008 and 2009, a distinction given to only 24 golf courses in all of North America.

While the inward nine is only a bit longer than the outward side (120 yards from the tournament tees), this additional length feels like a considerable difference, as tee shot after tee shot demands both distance and precision. It begins on the elevated 10th tee, where trouble on the right is complemented by a well-paced fairway bunker on the left.  There is no reprieve on the approach, where Panks has placed two nasty bunkers behind the green.

The challenge continues for the next few holes, with a great mix of distinct par-4’s, the receptive par-3 12th, and the reachable, risk-reward par-5 13th. Then you arrive at the tantalizingly short 15th, a hole that teases you visually to try to bomb the ball over two large bunkers in the middle of the fairway to an upper shelf that could, with favorable breezes, blow your ball onto an elevated green. The smart play is a good fairway wood and a wedge, but what’s the story to tell later in that?

The home hole showcases all of the elements that make Trilogy at Vistancia so distinctive – a beautifully-maintained fairway is framed by large mounds on both the left and right side. These mounds give way to a meandering stream which begins as a waterfall at the green and works its way all the way back the par-5 to the tee. To the left of the fairway sits more blue gramma, and just beyond play sits the dramatic 35,000 square foot Kiva Club, the stunning centerpiece to this gated golf community.

Though the golf is nearing its end at this point, it’s easy to imagine teeing it up at Trilogy again, and maybe even every day. The residential resort community – developed by Shea Homes’ Active Lifestyles Communities division – was named America’s Best Master Planned Community by Home Builder magazine, and the rave reviews continue to come in. If you’re looking for a great addition to a golf holiday, or maybe even the place to begin your perfect retirement, Trilogy at Vistancia in the northwest suburb of Peoria may just be the place for you.

For more information or tee time reservations, visit www.Trilogy GolfClub/Vistancia.com or call 623.328.5100.