As the summer heat continues to turn cement into a frying pan throughout the Valley, who hasn’t tried cooking an egg on the sidewalk? The Arizona Golfer course review team was braving the heat and rediscovering a hidden gem in the West Valley. Palm Valley Golf Club is a terrific Arthur Hills layout and it has gotten even better in the last few years. The golf course, along with the Fairway Grille, has undergone some changes that make it more welcoming and more playable for the golfers of all skill levels.

The front and back nines have been switched, allowing the golfer to finish on a dramatic par 5 instead of a challenging uphill par 4. Aside from switching the nines, they also removed much of the vegetation in the transition areas, allowing golfers to play their balls even after a miss-struck shot.

The desert isn’t the only thing that is more welcoming to the golfer. As soon as you walk into the Fairway Grille in the clubhouse you can tell that there have been changes. For example, if you want to catch the game after you finish your round, you won’t have a problem finding a seat with a great view of a TV. They have surrounded the golfers with big screens on every wall insuring a great view no matter where you sit. And, the menu offers an excellent assortment along with all the libations needed to go along with the viewing. The clubhouse pro shop is well appointed and full of Callaway products (it’s a Michelson property).

Palm Valley offers an excellent practice facility with driving range, large chipping and bunkering areas, along with a large putting area. And, yes, of course, the pros are there to help you with any lessons you might decide you need to improve your game.

Hole 3: This hole is the first of 4 challenging par 3’s on the Palms Course. This 195 yard hole plays to a green that is guarded by rocks in the front. Make sure you hit enough club to carry the rocks, otherwise your golf ball will be playing plinko as it ricochets back and forth between the boulders.

Hole 9: This 445 yard par 4 is a challenging hole from tee to green. Playing uphill to a slightly elevated fairway makes this hole play even longer than the yardage on the card. After the course renovation, the vegetation to the right of the fairway has been removed and even though it isn’t optimal it is at least playable from right of the fairway. The best angle into this hole is from the left side of the fairway, but be careful as you play your second shot into the green, a steep bank to the right is waiting to carry your ball away from the hole and ruin your chance to make par.

Hole 12: This tee shot has also been made more player friendly after the remodel with the vegetation being removed from the hill guarding the right side of the fairway. The tee shot is perfectly framed with the Estrella Mountains in the distance. After you hit your tee shot, the approach into the green is a challenging one with a gaping bunker guarding the front and a large ridge that runs through the green. Accuracy and distance control are a must to conquer this 430 yard, par 4.

Hole 18: This is a great finishing hole playing back towards the clubhouse with the Estrella and White Tank Mountains surrounding the green in the background. At 545 yards this hole will give you an opportunity to make birdie, but the water lurking left can catch a wayward golf shot. After avoiding the water, the golfer is still faced with an approach shot to a multi-tiered green making distance control a must if you want a makeable putt for birdie.

With many changes occurring since the Mickelson group has taken over the golf course, it is apparent that quality and playability were at the top of their list. However, Palm Valley isn’t just an 18 hole facility. Part of the M Club vision is to bring more families to the game and the adjacent Lakes course is the perfect place for that. This 18 hole executive course offers plenty of challenge, as well as a great opportunity to turn a beginner loose and introduce them to the game of golf. The Hale Irwin designed course has a nice mixture of par 3’s and 4’s that will test your game. Length is only one obstacle that an architect can use. Irwin uses water, ‘Lakes Course’ makes sense, and the natural desert surroundings to create challenges for the new and experienced golfer alike. So, if you are new to the game or a seasoned golfer looking to play golf in the West Valley, Palm Valley has something for everyone.

Palm Valley is managed by Scottsdale-based, OB Sports Golf Management. A diversified, golf-oriented company with a long history of success.