Tom Lehman hard at work with two Valley projects

Taken in whole, the changes at Verde River Golf & Social Club will be both evolutionary and revolutionary.
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Tom Lehman’s reputation as a golf course designer has grown steadily over the past several years. Just in the local market, Lehman and Lehman Design Group have completed renovation projects at Phoenix Country Club and DC Ranch, as well as new builds at Encanterra Country Club and Verrado Golf Club, both of which earned national design awards. This summer his plate is once again full as he oversees the completion of construction of the new Victory golf course at Verrado as well as a dramatic re-design of the former Tegavah/Vista Verde golf course in the northeast Valley.

The Tegavah/Vista Verde project is particularly interesting. After 10 years and nearly as many name changes, it has found its footing as Verde River Golf & Social Club, the newest Shea Homes Trilogy® master-planned resort community. The course is on an outstanding piece of property, near such stalwarts as Troon North, Troon Country Club and Scottsdale National, and by all accounts the original design was excellent. However, it suffered from inconsistent ownership and management. With Shea Homes’ involvement and Lehman’s deft touch, it seems likely Verde River will be staking its claim among the Valley’s top places to play come this fall.

To ensure this happens, Verde River closed its golf course this past April to allow Lehman Design Group the time and freedom necessary to transform the golf course.

“The golf course has great bones and has been one of the best-kept secrets in Arizona golf for a decade now,” said Lehman. “Its popularity is a testament to the excellent work Ken Kavanaugh did on the original design. With Shea’s commitment to the property, we are taking a fresh look at the golf course, and helping to enhance the playing experience even further. I’m thrilled with the work we’ve completed so far, and I’m really looking forward to unveiling the new Verde River Golf & Social Club this fall.”

A makeover of this magnitude is familiar territory for Lehman who successfully renovated The Wigwam’s beloved Gold Course this past fall.

Among the most dramatic changes underway is the “turning of the clock,” according to Lehman. This process will alter the routing of the golf course so that the previous hole No. 9 becomes the opening hole. The previous hole 1 then becomes hole 2, and so forth throughout the first nine. Likewise, on the back nine, the previous hole 11 becomes hole 10. The previous 12th hole becomes No. 11 and so on. The former hole 10 will be completely redesigned and will serve as the golf course’s finishing hole. “Turning the clock” in this way will better accommodate the new clubhouse location, enhance access to the club, and the result will be a compelling new start and finish.

Other strategic changes will help the Verde River golf course better adapt to the preferences of modern players with varying skill levels. Lehman and his team will reconfigure the championship tees to further challenge strong amateur and professional players. However, the standard and forward tees will be repositioned in many cases to reduce forced carries and create better angles to fairways and greens.

Throughout the course, other substantial renovations will be made to bunkers and green complexes. Sightlines will be cleared to maximize the beauty of Verde River’s exceptional natural surroundings, and drainage corridors will be repaired to handle swollen desert washes during monsoon season.   

Finally, the award-winning architect Bing Hu of H&S International will begin crafting the club’s 30,000-square-foot clubhouse campus, which will form the core of the Verde River private-club experience. It will feature striking 270-degree views from Weaver’s Needle to the Mazatzals as well as amenities that include tennis and pickle ball courts, resort-style swimming pool, poolside dining, outfitter facilities, a community Market, and more. The clubhouse will open in phases over the next several years with the first phase coming online in time for the re-opening of the golf course. Additional elements are expected to open in the spring of 2017.

The clubhouse will be the centerpiece for the Trilogy® at Verde River community, which opened for sales October 2015.  

The all-new golf experience at Verde River Golf & Social Club is expected to re-open this fall. It eventually will transition to a private club, however until then, public play is welcome. So mark your calendar, and give Verde River a go. To learn more about Verde River Golf & Social Club, visit www.verderivergolf.com, or call 480.471.3232.