‘TOP’ RULES, TROON CLASSICS
And what does a golf-addict do in his down-time when he’s not hacking his way to another mid-80s round? Eat, drink and make merry at TopGolf at Riverwalk in Scottsdale, the midway point between a Las Vegas casino and a lighted pitch-and-putt course. Part athletic endeavor and part social gathering, TopGolf is a good way to take the game far less seriously than one does when playing a real round. In fact, you want to score higher here – the more points the better – which suits many a game perfectly.
If you like desert golf to begin with – and if you’re in Scottsdale, you probably do – you must visit the veritable epicenter of the genre, Troon North.
Their 1989 Tom Weiskopf “Monument” design is both an eyeful and a handful; it wends its way through rugged desert terrain, criss-crossed by arroyos and washes, towering saguaros, and dramatic rock formations. Beware the behemoth of a boulder on the par 5 Monument Hole, where you must choose which way to avoid the unavoidable hunk of rock in the middle of the fairway. Brains over brawn is a good approach to the hole. Pick a safe spot and club down (p.s., consider buying a 2020 Arizona Troon Card to save a few shekels at any of their incomparable tracks).
