I added
Orange Tree Golf Resort to my list of courses played in Arizona. There are over 200 golf courses in the Phoenix area alone, and the plan is to play every one. I have the opportunity to play a different course every time out for a while, without having to travel more than 50 miles from my house.
Orange Tree is part of the
Shell Vacations Hospitality group of 25 unique resorts which they boast will "provide you with just the right place to experience the vacation of a lifetime." From what
I experienced, on the golf course alone, the rest of the resort could prove to be an unforgettable getaway.
I played with
Bryce,
Patrick, and
The Doctor. Orange Tree has a great practice facility. They have a putting and separate chipping green. A practice bunker is available as well, which I think is huge, as many courses neglect to have one available. The driving range is in great condition, with many targets at which to shoot at.
I didn't score as well as I wanted to. Shot a 91. What I will take from the round is that I hit some really great shots. I was able to birdie the fourth hole, which for me, as of right now, is a rarity . It was a par 3 that played to 155 yards that day. That would be an 8-iron for me, but there are two deep bunkers that guard the front of the green. Because of this, I took my 7-iron and hit a nice shot just over the pin.
I was left with a slippery downhill, right to lefter. I picked a spot where I thought the putt would break and just focused on that spot. If I hit it too hard it could roll forever and I would be left with a 25 footer coming back up the slope. I took two practice strokes and made a nice sweeping motion(
thanks Mike), and the ball took the break and fell in for a two.
The rest of the round was just kind of blah. I couldn't put an entire hole together. Either I would have a great tee shot and then a bad approach, or I would hit terrible tee shots, leaving myself with no look at the green. Again, most of my misses were short right. I'm waiting to get out for my next round so that I can film my swing so Mike can take a look and make some much needed suggestions.
Well that's another course checked off the list. I highly recommend playing this course if you visit the Scottsdale area. Stay tuned for my upcoming course reviews. It's getting hotter in Phoenix which means the prices are going down. Which means, more golf for less money. Have a great round and always hit your target.
| Birdies: | 1 |
| Pars: | 1 |
| Bogeys: | 12 |
| Doubles: | 4 |
|
| Par 3 Avg: | 3.8 |
| Par 4 Avg: | 5.3 |
| Par 5 Avg: | 5.8 |
|
| FIR: | 9 / 14 |
| GIR: | 3 / 18 |
| Putts: | 33 |
| Putts per GIR: | 2.3 |
|
| Scrambling: | 1 / 15 |
| Bounce Backs: | 2 / 15 |
|
Posts
You're welcome, Dex. Just remember: It may have been 80 years since his time, but Bobby Jones is still worth listening to. ;-)
Definitely, and easier to understand than some of the modern day instructors. For me, it goes along with what you teach about being a feel player. Jones emphasizes how a shot should feel more so than what positions you should be in at different points in the swing. Much easier to replicate a "feeling" I think.