Private 18 Holes of Jack Nicklaus Signature Championship Golf
By by Nancy Howard
Nestled high above the Valley of the Sun, sits an unprecedented and exquisite golf community appropriately named, Desert Mountain. Upon entering the private and gated community, your drive takes you through spectacular lush desert landscaping with dramatic mountain vistas prior to entering the Cochise/Geronimo Clubhouse area. You’ll be awe inspired even before your round of golf when seeing this spectacular clubhouse which the Cochise and Geronimo courses share. You automatically know you are in for one outstanding golfing experience the moment you arrive at the bag drop.
Described by Jack Nicklaus as “the strong looking course,” Geronimo is perhaps the most visually intimidating of the six courses at Desert Mountain. At 7,260 yards from the tips, it winds its way through dramatic boulders, deep washes, ravines and lush desert showcasing large elevation changes balanced by stunning plateaus.
Geronimo is definitely an avid golfers dream from the beginning. The first hole is a par 5 with elevation drops, dogleg left with desert hazards to the left center and then an elevated green protected by deep bunkering.
With generous fairways, vast vistas of mountain ranges, and undulating Bent Grass greens, this is mountain golf that you must “Think” your way through. Our round was shortly after overseeding with cart path only, however Pro Andy Smith was kind enough to join us and lead the way to successfully attempt to meet the challenge. He certainly had his work cut out for him and he made for an excellent example of where to hit, how to avoid most of the hazards and read those mean slick greens. He was a pleasure to play a round with and put our team at ease for experiencing our first round of this magnificent course.
The visuals from each tee box boggles the mind and you have to get past these, trust the yardage and your swing to meet the challenge, especially on the 18th hole, par 3 which isn’t very forgiving if you are under or over the yardage. Yet, you can par this hole…however remember one club up helps you accomplish this since it is on the fly the entire length.
The Cochise/Geronimo Clubhouse is magnificent, stretching across and above the 18th Hole with panoramic views of the mountain vistas. The elongated clubhouse is a marvelous design with patios all along the back for libations or dining. The Clubhouse offers a well-appointed Pro Shop, Men and Ladies’ Locker Rooms, Restaurant and bar, special event space with dining and an intimate lounge. It’s a pure pleasure to explore this Clubhouse that fits perfectly within its environment .
Hole #10, par 4, 424 yards from the tips – What a mind boggling vision from the tee box as well as very mean looking hole to start off the back nine! Which, as it turns out, is only preparing you for the entire nine. Nicklaus spared no loss of inspiration on this course or its greens. 2nd shot is over a deep ravine to an elevated green with three almost continuous bunkers protecting it. If you score on this hole, it feels miraculous.
The entire golf round has an ambience of serenity with mountain range vistas throughout, plenty of wildlife and the healthiest Sagauros in the Valley. It’s so peaceful and quiet that you can almost hear the grass growing.
In addition to the six courses, Desert Mountain offers the most extensive golf practice facility in Arizona including multiple pitching, chipping, putting and bunker areas, and four separate practice ranges with target greens. The newest golf amenity is a $1.6 million Golf Performance Center featuring the most advanced technology in the industry today all in one place, making it the only facility of its kind in the country. Instructors are PGA-certified and Titleist Performance Institute-certified. Director of Instruction Dale Abraham also is certified in C.H.E.K. Institute holistic training to aid in the performance and well-being of the golfer.
Recently, the club introduced new, market-based membership opportunities that do not require the purchase of property. These include: An Equity Golf Membership with a $65,000 starting price for an initial contribution; an Equity Club Membership-Lifestyle for a $10,000 initial contribution; and an Equity Golf Membership-Junior for a $5,000 initial contribution. For information, contact Membership Relations Director Nicole Forbes at nforbes@desertmt.com or at 480.595.4318, or visit the website at www.desertmountain.com.
For the avid golfer, Desert Mountain is the ultimate destination with its six Jack Nicklaus Signature Championship Courses to offer you the best variety of any private golf community in the world. It easily could become the experience of ‘your’ lifetime.