Join the Tradition

After 26 Years of pros, coeds and weekend warriors, ASU Karsten is still the ‘Home of Champions’

A view of the green from the fairway at the par-4, 420-yard 4th Hole.
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For more than two decades ASU Karsten Golf Course has been hosting a wide variety of golfers ranging from the typically bogey golfer to the world’s best. Indeed, names like Phil Mickelson, Paul Casey and Anna Nordqvist are good examples of alumni who made the cut in the golf world. Most recently, Sun Devil, Jon Rahm, showed that he’s willing and able to pick up the torch and carry it forward.

As an amateur, Rahm already showed he could hang with the world’s best at the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open by posting a T5 finish. It was the best performance by a current Sun Devil at the Open, supplanting Mickelson who finished T32 in 1991. And this November, Rahm recorded his second-career top-10 finish on the PGA TOUR at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba.

Rahm and his cohorts didn’t get there by accident. Each spent countless hours playing and practicing under the watchful eye of their coaches and instructors. Although it’s not likely that you’ll have the kind of time on your hands, or money in your pocket, to mirror their efforts, you can certainly find a path to success at the same facility where they launched their careers – ASU Karsten Golf Course.

It all starts at the famed PING Learning Center. Headlined by two of the best teachers in the business, Matt Trimble and Scott Watkins, the instruction side of the equation is in good hands. They sport 50 years of experience between them, not to mention playing the game at the highest levels. And, they have all the tools at their disposal to transform your game.

As Trimble explains, they take a methodical approach. “It’s all about the fundamentals. We show you what good players do. Then, we show you what you do through eye-opening video analysis. From there, we put together a practice routine designed to help you transition to a more productive set of mechanics,” said Trimble. “I want my students to not only know what and how to practice, but more importantly, why good players do what they do.”

Watkins and Trimble offer a multitude of instructional programs such as private lessons, group clinics, comprehensive schools, corporate events and golf instruction vacations. Customized programs can also be crafted to accommodate friends, important clients and business associates.

Okay, now that the swing is looking good, it’s time to tee it up on ASU Karsten’s spectacular Pete Dye-designed golf course. With several cost-effective programs, it’s easier than ever. For the wee ones, ASU Karsten developed the Future Champions Program. Juniors may walk up to 9 holes or play until sunset for only $1 when accompanied by an adult golfer. The adult pays $1 per hole to walk, with an additional charge to ride. Who said golf was expensive?

For big kids, the Champions Club Card provides them, and their guests, with unlimited rounds at preferred rates, among a host of other benefits such as a free round of golf, complimentary cardholder event, discounts in the golf shop and preferred rates at other clubs such as Eagle Mountain, Papago and Sedona Golf Resort and others. Currently on sale for an annual fee of only $159, it’s one of the best values in the Valley.

Not big enough? Behold the Karsten Club. This annual membership comes in three flavors: Single at $3,500; double at $6,000 and Corporate (four designees) at $10,000. This annual membership offers unlimited golf and cart fees, reduced guest rates, unlimited practice balls, advanced tee time access, handicap privileges, merchandise discounts and charging privileges.

Pounding balls on the range and playing golf all day certainly works up an appetite. ASU Karsten has that covered, too. Led by a talented team of chefs, the Trophy Room Restaurant offers a culinary experience crafted from finest ingredients supplied by only the best local purveyors. Contemporary regional flavors collide with traditional clubhouse favorites resulting in mouthwatering choices ranging from the epic Boss Burger to the Karsten Cobb Salad. The Trophy Room is a great choice for anyone looking for exceptional quality in a scenic golf course setting. It’s also ideal for group gatherings with several choices of private and outdoor space to accommodate events of all shapes and sizes.

 

Optimists at heart, golfers gleefully take on the complexities of the game only to be summarily humbled. But those in pursuit of their passion don’t have to go it alone. ASU Karsten Golf Course — with its game-improvement and lifestyle amenities — continues to uphold a 26-year-old tradition of excellence that makes the game, and this golf club, one of a kind.