Talking Stick Golf Club

O’odham Course Review

Designed by renowned golf course architect Gary Panks, the championship course draws upon distinctive land features and a backdrop of stunning Arizona scenery.

Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia

Website: www.trilogygolfclub.com/vistancia 

Phone: 623.328.5100

Address:  12575 W. Golf Club Drive
Peoria, Arizona  85383

General Manager:  Scott Mattiello, PGA
Course Designer/Architect:  Gary Panks
Head Golf Professional:  Bran Howard, PGA
Head of Instruction & Player Development:  Scott Foster
Food & Beverage General Manager:  Mark Nelson
Superintendent:  Curt Walloch

About This Course:
18 Holes of Championship Golf
Managed by BlueStar Resort & Golf
Par 72 – 7,291 yards from the tips
Rating/Slope:  73.6/135; 72.1/128; 70.6/124; 69.6/122; 68.8/120; 75.2/137; 66.6/113; 71.9/127

Course Review
By Nancy Howard, Editor/Publisher Arizona Golfer

One of the most exceptionally enjoyable, as well as challenging golf destinations in the Valley of the Sun, Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia, is always one our team plans on spending a full day at when golfing. Due to the beautiful sunsets, surroundings, peacefulness and outstanding dining options at the newly remodeled V’s Taproom with patio seating, why not? Great golf course, great practice areas, great breakfasts, lunch, and dinner offerings, great service and great value makes for one marvelous golf experience in Arizona. 

Tucked in the residential resort community of Trilogy at Vistancia is Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia, the only golf facility in Arizona to earn Golf Digest's Coveted 5-Star designation. Others judged to be of the same caliber include Bethpage Black, Pebble Beach, Bandon Dunes, TPC Sawgrass, and Spyglass Hill.

Designed by renowned golf course architect Gary Panks, the championship course draws upon distinctive land features and a backdrop of stunning Arizona scenery, with more than 70 pronounced and transitional bunkers, lush fairways surrounded by indigenous trees, cacti and a wide variety of native grasses and flowering plants, plus water features throughout.

The Club offers a large practice facility with driving range, putting and chipping areas as well as an outstanding clubhouse hosting the well-appointed pro shop and the newly remodeled V’s Taproom.

Hole #6 – par 4, 373 yards from the tips: Blind shot from the tee box and plenty of trouble for a go for it shot towards the dogleg right. Best results with a straightaway shot short of the bunkers on the left. That makes your second shot straightaway to a small and narrow elevated green protected by bunkers on left and right as well as bunker on back right. Don’t let yardage fool you, this is a challenging hole to think through…before your tee shot.

Hole #18 – par 5, 560 yards from the tips: One of the best finishing holes in the state! Tee shot needs to stay left center as the fairway rolls toward the rushing stream on the right that runs the length of the fairway. Protected by deep bunkers in front and back, the green can surprise you since it is narrow, if your approach shot is long, due to unseen water in the back. It’s just an excellent challenging finish to your round and a beautiful hole to behold.

Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia offers a variety of options for the avid golfer. Opportunities include Unlimited Play packages, Flex Pass options and special pricing on daily-fee tee times for Arizona residents. And, for Singles, great tee times are often challenging to attain, but single players can now play with a reserved time.

Introducing V's Taproom, Vistancia's Neighborhood Hang! Shea Homes completed construction featuring a new design, new furniture, new menu, additional large flatscreen TV’s, more than double the number of beers on tap, and a management team focused on creating a unique and exciting way to relax, dine and just hang out.

V's Taproom offers a new, all-day menu with items covering a broad price range. Food is prepared using more locally-sourced and organic ingredients, and includes favorites like burgers, salads and pizzas complemented by signature drinks and starters. AZG Editor’s note: Be sure to try the Millionaire Burger (outstanding!) and the best Rueben we’ve ever had the pleasure to present to our palettes!! The menu is full of delicious surprises that will delight everyone’s taste buds. 

Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia is located in Peoria, Arizona, and is proud to be among the network of Shea Homes-owned golf facilities throughout the American West. Operated by BlueStar Resort and Golf, the Club offers guests an exceptional golf experience each and every day. 

If you’re looking for the best value in the state, as well as an exceptional round of golf with a country club atmosphere, Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia will definitely deliver. It truly earns its 5-Star destination status and is on Arizona Golfer’s “Must Play” list! 

 

 


By By Alice & Danny Scott

The Coore and Crenshaw design team carved two beautiful courses out of the reservation on the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community in 1998. Formerly referred to as the north and south courses, they’ve been renamed to honor the two Native American tribes - Pima, “Akimel O’odham” (River People) and the Maricopa “Xalychidom Piipaash” (People who live toward the water). The O’odham Course has had extensive clearing of brush to bring it back to the original design. Coore commented on the improved look to Talking Stick General Manager, Steve Leonard, and you can feel and see the difference during your round. And, it now has a new set of tee boxes, as Bill Coore returned last year to designate new forward tee positions. These are a great help on certain holes to enable more golfers to reach the greens in regulation. Tee it forward, improve the pace of play and the enjoyment of your round. 

There were tons of young ground squirrels playing on the course this month. They are so cute; they look more like pygmy prairie pups when they stand on their hind legs and beg for food. Resist the temptation to feed them, as chips are not on their healthy diet plan and the course encourages golfers to resist feeding the wildlife for their health. There are signs throughout the course noting these warnings and some are quite humorous and entertaining to read.

The McDowell and Camelback Mountains provide a serene backdrop for the gallery of desert animal life including wild horses. Book a morning tee time for the best chance of seeing them. The Sonoran surroundings are reflected by the name of each individual hole noted on the score card in both native language and English. 

Hole #3, Par 4, 450 yards – “Sand Hills” is the second longest par 4 on the course. The bunker in front of the tee box intimidates making the fairway appear very narrow. A livestock barbed wire fence guards the entire left side of the fairway. The right side has three major bunkers and a sand hill waste area to avoid. A right to left trajectory is a good strategy for this demanding tee shot to miss all the bunkers. 

Hole #4, Par 4, 443 yards – “Carry the Desert” Following the previous challenge, you must conquer the number one handicap on the O’odham Course. A massive waste area and bunkers cover the right side. Mounding creates a blind tee shot. The fairway runs diagonally toward the green and looks diminutive. It is actually generous if you target the right side. Make a par or birdie and you may want a talking stick to record it.

Hole #11, Par 3, 261 yards – “The Big Battle” requires the right weapon to reach this long par 3. The fairway allows for a bailout on the left side, with adequate space for mishits. The sheer length requires a driver, three wood or a brassie (the hole’s original name). The battle is in your mind. 

Hole #12, Par 4, 392 yards – “Red Mountain” is the backdrop but the foreground has a monstrous waste area confronting the player which narrows into a ditch that runs all the way to the green. The right side is wide and the obvious choice for most players not wanting to challenge the ditch. The left side is very narrow with little room for great shots. Out of bounds border the left side tee to green. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. A great drive to the left will leave you with a short iron into the green. What kind of gambler are you? Remember, the house usually wins. Here and along the next fairway is the best opportunity to spot the wild horses. 

The Wildhorse Grille and Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch or late lunch inside or on the patio with a grand golf view of the O’odham Course number 9, “Quail Run” and is a perfect spot to enjoy before or after your round. The clubhouse is well equipped with the latest in merchandise and Native American décor, with a very friendly and accommodating staff . Talking Stick Golf Club’s large practice area is bustling with warm ups and instruction including Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson’s Vision 54 Golf Academy where pros like Christie Kerr, Kevin Streelman and the Jutanugam sisters hone their skills. So can you. 

Talking Stick Golf Club reminds one of what golf should be: Being at one with nature while trying to get that ball into the hole.