Golf is a wonderful sport, practiced by many presidents of companies and countries, as well as everyday people. On golf courses, relationships are developed and deals are made. No wonder our current (and previous) U.S. President enjoy the game so much.
For non-players, golf can be confusing. Is a golf club what you use to play golf? Or is a golf club where you go to play golf? Well, the terminology can be a bit bewildering to beginner golfers (birdies, par, fairway, divot, etc.), but once you “get” it, then golf can become an obsession. Let’s learn more!
Growth of Golf
In the United States, there are 15,014 golf facilities, with about 14,000 of those being open 18-hole courses, according to the National Golf Foundation. Over the last 30 years, the popularity of pro golfers like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Tom Watson and others helped spur golf forward, with more than 4,000 new golf facilities started between 1986 and 2005. About 25 million golfers play regularly around the USA.
Golf in Arizona
Arizona enjoys a sizeable share of golf’s popularity. Our bountiful land, scenic vistas and abundant sunshine gives golf courses a good name here. Thousands of golfers come to play golf in Arizona every year. Major PGA and LPGA tournaments are held in Arizona here every year, including the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Golf Digest just released its annual rankings for “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses,” and two AZ golf courses made the list for the upcoming 2017-2018 season. The Quintero Golf Club in Peoria and the We-Ko-Pa Golf Club at Fort McDowell ranked at no 86 and no. 98.
These two courses are also on Golf Digest’s rankings for Best Golf Courses in Arizona, which also includes top courses like The Estancia Club (Scottsdale), Desert Highlands (Scottsdale), Desert Forest (Carefree) and Forest Highlands (Flagstaff).
Summer Deals
Of course, when our outdoor temperatures reach up to 120 degrees in the summer months, it can be difficult to fill those courses with young golfers. That’s why many local golf courses offer daily discounts, evening golf deals and other inducements to play a round or three during the slower summer months.
For instance, Playing the Arizona Biltmore course in January might run you $150 a round, but you can get a summer tee time with friends for just $30 a player. Or you can play the Boulders in Carefree, AZ this summer. Normally, a round of golf in the winter tourist season might cost up to $250 a round, but in the summer months, you can play for between $50-$100. It’s money well spent!
To find a course near you, and available summer deals and tee times, click over to Golf Arizona.