The Golf Club at
Eagle Mountain

Souring with the Eagle
Scottsdale, Arizona
Part 4

by Anthony Scaggs
Golf Clubs, Golf Resorts, Golf Courses

I stood on the 14th tee visually absorbing the extreme contrasts between the verdant color of the course and the muted tones of the desert.

I was admiring how Scott Miller, the golf course designer, integrated the natural desert surroundings with the course design. It provided a myriad of colors and textures that stimulates one's optical cortex but does not deluge the senses. The contrast of the tiered tee boxes of hole 13 with the 14th fairway is but one example.

Each hole is cleverly named to hint of things to come. Hole 14 is named "The Chasm". From the green tees, it is a 353-yard par 4 dogleg right. Cutting the corner looks so easy. This picture illustrates what awaits the errant ball and the intimidating canyon that separates the green from the fairway. What club would you select for your second shot?

DO NOT hit a short second shot.

The "Soft Touch", NOT! hole 15 is a 110-yard par 3 with a tricky, multi-tiered green, huge right hand bunker and Socorro cactus acting like linemen blocking a pass. I was thankful for my bogie and headed for the next hole.

"Temptation", aptly named hole 17. It is a short 306-yard, par 4 that plays on the golfer's weakness. The little red caboose said, "I think I can. I think I can." The long hitters and the wannabes stand in the tee box looking at the green saying "I think, I can. I think, I can."

As a delusional wannabe long hitter, I went for the green.

Like a true amateur, I was in the middle of my down swing when my mind suggested that I swing harder. My hips spun out. I came outside in and hit a fade, which lost distance and headed for the right side. An incredible chip and putt helped save par.

The signature hole is #18. It is beautiful. I think that they should change the name from "That's Golf" to "At the Beach". I fully expected to see beach umbrellas and sunbathers. When you stand on the 18th tee, you will see what I mean. If you can ignore the miles of sand and the Pacific Ocean that guards the right side of the fairway and green, it looks like a simple hole.