The Golf Club at
Eagle Mountain

Souring with the Eagle
Scottsdale, Arizona
Part 2

by Anthony Scaggs
Golf Clubs, Golf Resorts, Golf Courses

He located my starting time and loaded my bag unto the appropriate cart. I noted that all the carts were labeled with times. An excellent system to determine, at a glance, the pace of play and to assist the Marshall in moving groups along.

The carts are equipped with ball and club washers and a cooler filled with water plus cups. Before going to the driving range, I studied one of the practice greens that over-looked hole number 10. It was going to be a challenging round, but what a great way to start 2002.

After signing in at the Pro Shop, getting your cart, and heading to the practice area, the ange balls are waiting for you. The staff does everything else but hit your balls and tee them up. (I am sure that could be arranged.) When its time to tee off, the starter comes to you and leads you to the first tee, no loud speakers blaring on the range.

Your only responsibility is to focus on your game and maintain the pace of play.

At the first tee box, Jim Carson hands you the score card with pin placement, and a yardage guide, invites you to take a ball repair kit and have an apple from the basket on his stand. If you ask, the Starters can always give you hints on how to play the course. Jim explained the contour of the fairways and the effect of the foothills on the ball and the speed of the greens, which was around 10. He pointed out the barber poles and emphasized that they were not yardage markers but indicators for the center of the fairways.

I could not delay any longer. It was time to hit that first drive--the dreaded first swing. It feels like the entire staff and every player on the course stops to watch you hit your drive. I addressed the ball and swung. It went long and straight exactly where I aimed. I finished balanced and picture perfect. I turned.

No one was watching.

My second shot was an 8 iron, which rolled 5 feet to the right of the green. Land your drive on the left side of the fairway. It will give one a better approach shot to the green. Hit your second shot short left of the green and the ball will release down the slope to the right towards the green. The yardage guide accurately states that this hole plays shorter than listed. A good drive and second shot will put you in position for an eagle or birdie on this hole. A great way to start your round. Hole 1 is a 515-yard par 5 from the green tees. The green is 34 yards deep and 21 yards wide.

Hole #6 is a 364-yard, par 4 from the green tees and called Arroyo Run. The dogleg left tempts one to cut the corner.

Don't do it.

I hit my drive down the right side towards the right hand bunkers, which are 303 yards from the green tees. While I have hit 300 plus yard drives, they are rare and such a drive was unlikely on this windy day. The picture clarifies the problems that you will face if the ball lands in the arroyo at Arroyo run.