Golf Tips & Quips

Golf is a game played outside and as golfers we need to know how to adjust to the ever changing conditions that Mother Nature throws at us. Lately, it has been very windy here in Phoenix, and my last round at Vistal Golf Club felt like I was back in South Florida.

Vistal Golf Club is part of a great stretch of golf courses located just off the I-10 on Baseline Rd. Arizona Grand, The Raven, and The Legacy, are all award winning courses that are must plays if you visit Phoenix. Vistal Golf Club is not as well known, but The Doctor and I found a $22.00 tee time and decided that we would check it out.

Neither of us were disappointed. For the price, it is a steal. The course was in decent condition. The only gripe I have with the course is with the condition of their bunkers. They are not maintained well at all. The dirt is rock hard. It's not hardpan, but more like clumps of hard clay, which makes it very difficult to get out. Unfortunately I found myself in the bunkers a lot during this round.

Disaster struck when I got to the par 3, 3rd hole, which measured 139 yards to the middle that day. The green is over water and guarded by a bunker front-right and a bunker back-left. Not much room for error here(picture on the right).

Normally I would hit a smooth 9-iron to this distance but the wind was into us so I took an extra club to compensate. The hole was tucked behind the front bunker so I aimed left-center to avoid the trap. As I took my swing, the wind shifted to behind us and my shot sailed over the green into the back bunker.

When I got to the ball, I discovered it was a little plugged. The flag was below me so I was facing a bunker shot to a pin that was on a downslope, with water behind it. I totally chunked my first effort and left it in the trap. Now I had an uphill lie. I ended up sculling it and the ball flew over the green and into the water. I dropped, then pitched to a reasonable distance, but 2-putted to finish with a seven. OUCH!!!

Some of the fairways have dead spots that will leave you with a hardpan lie, but other than that the course is just fine. What makes this course special and also a little tricky is that is backs up to South Mountain. The scenery is incredible, but when you have a green tucked into the side of a mountain, depth perception becomes an issue. Trusting your clubs is a must on these holes.

I finished with a 90. Pretty disappointing, knowing that I could score better. I jokingly told the Doctor that if the replay rates were $10, I would go around again. I went in to the clubhouse and what do you know...Replay rates are $10. The Doctor, being that he is a real doctor, needed to go prepare for a presentation he had the next day. I just needed to find out if my wife had any plans for us. After I got the green light, I bid The Doctor adieu, and took off for the first hole.

The first time around, I bogeyed the par 5. This time around, I hit a perfect drive, great layup to about 98 yards, and then stuck my third shot to within a foot of the cup for a tap in birdie. That's more like it.

I finished my second round in about two hours and fifteen minutes, posting an 85. I think I adjusted better this time for the wind, along with the fact that I had seen the course before. I had to skip a couple of groups who were nice enough to let me through, but other than that it was wide open. If I could play 36 holes a day, my game would definitely improve. For the price and location, Vistal Golf Club is a great value. Just remember to stay out of the bunkers. Have a great round and always hit your target.