MioKontic:
DirtyDuffer:
Phoenix Open for my choice. Spent my first 25 years in Scottsdale. Used to go when it was actually played in Phoenix too. I’ve played TPC Scottsdale twice with my friends, back then it was affordable in the summer, had to tee off really early in order to beat the heat. We never scored well, even with mulligans, but had some fun.
I don't know whether you knew, but Andyson was from Scottsdale too. He showed me his house on Google Maps street view once when we were skyping, but I can't remember where it was.
I've played a few courses around Scottsdale in pro-ams, including TPC Scottsdale (I think I was +4 after 12 holes, then had a few bad mistakes, but I think I still managed to finish +6 for 18 playing off 8 handicap - very pleased with that), Greyhawk (both courses), McCormick Ranch (in the World Ping Pro-Am, twice), and a few others that I can't remember, but my favourite was Troon North. This was in 1997 (my first visit to the World Ping Pro-Am), I had just picked up my new set of ISI-K irons (1-iron thru to lob wedge, fitted at the Ping factory), arrived at Troon North, took the bubble wrap off the clubs, took my old irons out of the bag and put the 1i & 3i-SW in... and promptly played to +6. I still use the same irons today!
I meant to reach out to you about this while I was working on this weeks One & Done. I am going to Scottsdale in the summer and have been looking at courses to play for our group while we are down there. Obviously, TPC is awesome to see on TV every year and of course my favorite player wins there so it feels like a bit of fate that we have to play there, but you saying Troon North is your favorite definitely has me wondering what to do. We are going to We-Ko-Pa one of the days (their summer rates are insane) and then the plan was TPC or Troon the other day. I would say our games are very similar, but most of the group is probably going to shoot around 90 or 100. Wanted to see if you thought Troon was so much better than TPC or if they are pretty close in quality (I think TPC would be more fun for the worse players, but I haven't played any courses in Scottsdale and know that desert golf is sometimes more intimidating than actually difficult).
-WGTJudgeSmails