Vista Verde Golf Course
If you're looking for a splendid new Arizona desert-style golf course, put this one high on your list. Vista Verde meanders through the Verde Valley complete with spectacular views of the Superstition Mountains, the Tonto National Forest, Weaver's Needle, and Four Peaks. Vista Verde, almost adjacent to the well-established and highly regarded Tonto Verde 36-hole facility, which is itself adjacent to the private Rio Verde Country Club, another 36 holes of great Scottsdale golf, is pure desert golf all the way. Architect Ken Kavanaugh's design was intended to create a course that would be enjoyable to play for all skill levels. He has succeeded magnificently. The course starts with a beautiful par 4, gently sweeping from right to left, a fairway bunker looming on the left side. A drive over the sand trap rewards the golfer with a shorter hole and access directly to the green. The cautious player will find a wider alternate path to the right of the trap. The landing areas are huge, creating multiple paths to the destinations. An aggressive approach, though playable, will demand precision, length, and mental stamina to take on the cross bunkers, desert wasteland areas and discreet contours that guard the holes.