Papago Golf Course in Phoenix is worthy of a
U.S. Open
By
Gary
Van Sickle
Senior Writer, Sports Illustrated
Published: December 15, 2008
PHOENIX — I don't suppose there's any chance the United
States Open could ever come to the greater Phoenix area. Not
with the average high temperature here in June hitting 103
degrees.
If not for the Arizona heat, however, the USGA could add
Papago Golf Course to its list of municipal
courses on the Open rotation. The current Open munis are
Torrey Pines, whose majesty was underscored by
Tiger Woods and an unforgettable championship last summer;
Bethpage Black, which will host its encore Open
next summer; and
Chambers Bay, a newcomer in Tacoma, Wash.,
already penciled in for the '15 Open.
It's a crazy idea, I know, but that's how much I liked
playing the renovated (or should I say the new and
improved?) Papago last week. The Course has long been a gem
known to Phoenix area residents, but it was unknown to most
of the rest of the country. I discovered it last week on the
day it reopened after closing for improvements in April.
Maybe it's a stretch to think that Papago could host an
Open, but it ranks with my favorite tracks in the golf-heavy
Scottsdale area.
The changes added 350 yards to the course, which now
stretches more than 7,300 yards. That's probably not long
enough for an Open once you factor in roll and the dry
desert air. Growing Open-length rough would be a challenge,
too, given the amount of precious water needed. Getting the
greens up to Open speeds and keeping them alive in constant
100-degree heat probably isn't realistic, either.
Like I said, it's a crazy idea as long as the Open is
married to its traditional mid-June date. I bring it up only
as a way to emphasize my enthusiasm for Papago. Owned by the
city of Phoenix, it's one of the country's great underrated
public tracks.
What's so great about it? Well, for one thing, it doesn't
feel like a desert golf course. It has grass. Acres of it.
It has lots of big trees and tree-lined fairways. So it's
green and shady (by desert standards) and smartly routed,
and you have to work pretty hard to lose a ball here
(although it can be done). If you miss a fairway at most
desert courses, your ball is usually lost or unplayable, or
both.
Picture the Torrey Pines South Course without the ocean or
the dramatic cliffs. OK, you can't. But if you could, that's
Papago. It's not a coincidence. Billy Bell, who designed
Torrey Pines and other California courses, designed Papago,
which opened in 1963. The course hosted a U.S. Public Links
Championship in '71 and has held numerous Phoenix Open
qualifiers.
It was always a strong layout, but it succumbed to a lack of
attention, which happens to most municipal courses. Having
just discovered it myself, I can't tell you how far it fell,
but I can tell you that it's an eye-opening experience now.
For starters, it's less than 10 minutes from Phoenix's Sky
Harbor Airport. It couldn't be more convenient unless the
clubhouse was at the rental car center. The renovators
cleared out the underbrush and 40 years worth of debris, so
I'm told, and that's why the course feels so airy and open.
There are great views in every direction, a smorgasbord of
mountains — the Superstitions, Camelback, South Mountain and
the Four Peaks — and eerie, weather-worn red buttes worth
gaping at. You don't expect that in the middle of town.
Mostly, though, I enjoyed the mildly rolling terrain, the
curving fairways, the oversized bunkers and big greens. It
really does have the feel of Torrey Pines, and from the back
tees, it's a manly test.
I won't bore you with hole-by-hole description, but I will
tell you that each nine begins with adjacent (almost
identical) par-5 holes that dogleg to the right, a pair of
excellent wake-up calls, and most holes are pleasantly
tree-lined. Papago is a desert course that's not a desert
course, and it's conveniently located. I don't why it took
me so long to discover it, but I know one thing — I've got a
new entry for my list of
America's best public courses. I know something
else, too. I'll be back.
