We got out to Longbow for a late morning tee time. The course was busy early but still had a good amount of play when we were playing.
COVID precautions are to the max here. No bag drop attendant an... Continue »

We got out to Longbow for a late morning tee time. The course was busy early but still had a good amount of play when we were playing.
COVID precautions are to the max here. No bag drop attendant and the guys on duty didn’t seem overly interested in providing any customer service even with the precautions. Big signs going into clubhouse say where your mask yet guys inside the store had their masks pulled down on their chin.
Driving range was in poor shape as were the range balls. Plenty of space to hit but little to no grass on any of the stations.
The course was in good shape overall. As said in the previous review, the desert makes the course feel tight. I agree also many of the holes had the same flavor to them. Most par 4s from the tees one up from the tips were in the 350-370 range. One par 4 was only 300. Some of the holes would have been more fun and challenging from the tips. Not sure why they don’t suggest a combo.
The greens were a highlight. All very receptive and putted fair throughout the round. They had some difficult pin placements today. The bunkers could use more sand but you could still be aggressive out of the bunkers.
Overall, I enjoyed the course. Not sure I’ll be back too quickly but glad I played. It’s a good choice for the right price given current conditions.

Played Longbow GC for the first time (I've eyed it for a LONG time) on Sunday June 14th for $40 off GolfNow as my usual foursome played around 9:10am. As you drive up to the Longbow complex (facilitie... Continue »

Played Longbow GC for the first time (I've eyed it for a LONG time) on Sunday June 14th for $40 off GolfNow as my usual foursome played around 9:10am. As you drive up to the Longbow complex (facilities and store plazas are becoming more and more present here) you're led down a road named after the course and the parking lot seems small but on a crowded Sunday it was packed and still had spots to park. The cart guys tended our bags at bag drop and placed our four bags on four separate, sanitized carts (COVID-19 precautions still in place) and we paid at the nearby, well equipped pro shop. The range was filled with ample grass and free slots to choose from however practice balls does not come included. The practice greens are quite indicative of the shape of the course and was a good spot to roll some putts in before our round. The cart guys gave us the keys to the carts at exactly our tee time and we were off. The course was experiencing some summer conditions for sure. The tees I played from (green, one forward of tips) were filled with bare/burnt grass however I always was able to find a pleasing spot for my tee shot. The fairways were in okay condition, some spots were soggy, some were lush and others were bare; they were a crapshoot. The fairways/greens surroundings was mostly native desert sand/rocks but the rough was semi present and provided a different lie than the ideal positions...but they weren't penal and ball hiding at all. The greens were the highlight of the round, they were running at an 11 (course had informed us of that upon pulling up with a sign showing course conditions) and were pretty true all day. The actual sand bunkers had a nice consistency near greens but fairway bunkers had some overwatering issues. Overall the conditions were good, but for a course with Longbow's self proclaimed excellence I'd say there's room for improvement. Strategy wise I'd place this amongst the tier of championship caliber. Off the tee it is challenging with doglegs and sightlines that obscure your ideal shot. You need to be able to shape your woods off the tee and miss in the correct spots around/on greens to shoot a score. It didn't feel like a long course because I hit irons off about half of the par 4s however the course does wear on you. I felt like we kept playing similar layout par 4 after par 4. I wouldn't say it was a boring round of golf at all, but it doesn't awaken a golf architect lover during any stretch of holes either. I feel the best way to describe the golf course design is that it wants to be an open, free feeling landscape but the surroundings restrict it...and I don't mean the construction buildings or plazas around the course. I mean the man made water hazards, the line of trees adjacent to some holes and desert landscaping prevents it to feel wide open like it's design intends to present it as. My final takeaway is that while the GPS/Bluetooth enabled golf cart, free water bottles in cooler upon tee time and expansive practice facilities are all notable pluses, there isn't anything on the course that makes me...remember the round or thirst for a return immediately. I will play again however here's to hoping the conditions are better shortly.

Played Saturday 8/5. 8:08a tee time. $42 included small bucket I played with some guys who play in Longbow's mens club. It's pure desert golf, forced carries to landing areas. Lots of sand traps.... Continue »

Played Saturday 8/5. 8:08a tee time. $42 included small bucket I played with some guys who play in Longbow's mens club. It's pure desert golf, forced carries to landing areas. Lots of sand traps. Greens are large and tiered with a nice amount of slope. The course is right next to an airport, so you will get some plane noise.

Conditions were soft and damp but generally good. Fairways were nice with minimal dead or burned spots. The rough was similar to the fairway. It was cut short and was easy to play from. Some of the rough around the greens had some bare spots, but not to bad for the summer. Stray off the course and you may have a shot, but there are some areas thick with desert plants. Greens were soft and on the slow side. They firmed up and got faster as we played. The sand was inconsistent. I was in 2 traps that were OK, but my playing partners complained about many sand traps being packed down and wet. Tee boxes were fair. A few were not level.

Outside service was attentive. Pretty good practice facility. Bev cart came by 4 times. POP was 4hrs 20 mins. It has been a few years since I played this course. The greens used to be hard as a rock. They are much better now. Go give Longbow a try.

Played 6/19/2016, course in excellent summer condition given the above average temps recently. Greens fast and putt very true, fairways almost impeccable and tee boxes very good. The only knock on co... Continue »

Played 6/19/2016, course in excellent summer condition given the above average temps recently. Greens fast and putt very true, fairways almost impeccable and tee boxes very good. The only knock on conditions here is the bunkers, they have virtually no sand and are hard and gravelly. This is a really good layout, no development on the course to speak of, good layout to walk. I would also point out there is very little shade on this course, it is more a desert links course with native vegetation, and little drinking water. I recall only one water location on each side.

Played Longbow today with fellow GK members molebio, jpeairs85 and bapr5092. Course was a refreshing upgrade condition-wise from yesterday's round at We-Ko-Pa. In spite of the fact they were also near... Continue »

Played Longbow today with fellow GK members molebio, jpeairs85 and bapr5092. Course was a refreshing upgrade condition-wise from yesterday's round at We-Ko-Pa. In spite of the fact they were also near their annual overseeding time, the course was greener in every way, played truer and made for a far more enjoyable round. Tee-boxes: offered level lies throughout and had a nice variation of tee options for all skill levels. Fairways: green!!! It's amazing what green fairways offer. True lies, good roll, and visually pleasing to the eye. Glad to see that this close to major course maintenance and even in stifling heat this year, they didn't allow the grass to die. Bunkers: nothing special condition-wise. The sand here like many courses in AZ has more of a dirt feel to it which is a shock when you are used to fluffy white sand in CA. Rakes seemed to be lacking considering the amount of bunkers on this course. Rough: the little rough that does exist was not thick but rather fairway grass left uncut. The natural desert landscape is far more of a "rough" than any thick grass. Greens: yellow and dying but at least putts rolled through, even if it was at a speed that seemed almost unfair. On some greens it was as if you were putting on glass. ETC: good and friendly staff. Made every effort to make for an enjoyable round. HIGHLY disappointed they had no water on the course (other than a few fountains). Good practice facilities. Overall an enjoyable round and course is recommended during peak season.

Played Longbow Golf Club on 3/22/14. Perfect conditions low 80s and no wind.
Upon arrival you are greeted by friendly bag boy who slowly removes your bag and places it in the cart, I say slowly beca... Continue »

Played Longbow Golf Club on 3/22/14. Perfect conditions low 80s and no wind.
Upon arrival you are greeted by friendly bag boy who slowly removes your bag and places it in the cart, I say slowly because this poor young man was in the fight for his life trying to handle two bags at one time. Club house looks impressive, but once inside you find that it is just barely sufficient for your needs. Poorly stocked and lacking many of your normal club house items.
After check-in you are directed to the cart boy outside who will fill you in on the course and its policy. This course has a strict policy of when and how early one may obtain a cart key, in this case it is just 10 minutes before tee-off. This does not create a problem, it does however lead to one in a big way, it arises when you realize the distance you must walk to reach the practice range, then another long stroll to the practice green and chipping areas, and finally back to your cart where we waited another 25 minutes for a key. Unless you know the course you also realize that your only chance at refreshment was back about another 20 yards past the practice area so bring plenty of water and a cooler as the one provided on the cart can only hold two bottles, with a small amount of ice.
Course conditions, tee-boxes level and well maintained with only minor divot damage,
fairways are well maintained and vertically cut, providing a nice target line off the tee, rough is full and thick with most balls sitting down into a heavy bed of thick 2-4 inches of grass. This is not however the courses main defense, it comes from huge fairway and green side bunkers placed right into your hitting zones. Another problem here is that the sand quality is poor to fair with bunkers containing plenty of small rocks made 3/8 to 1/2 inch so if you value your sand wedge watch your lie closely. Greens are quite large with undulating putting surfaces, speed was med to fast and held shots reasonably well. Overall the course is a fair challenge to your skills and worth a play if your out in the far end of Mesa.

Played nine days prior to closing for overseeding, so we expected hard and dry conditions and that's what we got. Some tee boxes were nearly impossible to get a tee in the ground. Greens were quite fi... Continue »

Played nine days prior to closing for overseeding, so we expected hard and dry conditions and that's what we got. Some tee boxes were nearly impossible to get a tee in the ground. Greens were quite firm, very smooth and quick.

Only knock on the layout is that it's very flat. Otherwise it's a great challenge and a good course. I look forward to playing it when it's green and lush someday.

On Saturday afternoon, I played here with Itslikeimsayin and his dad. We had a 2:08 time, but got there a little early in the hopes we might get off sooner to ensure finishing before dark. The plan wo... Continue »

On Saturday afternoon, I played here with Itslikeimsayin and his dad. We had a 2:08 time, but got there a little early in the hopes we might get off sooner to ensure finishing before dark. The plan worked out as the course wasn't too busy. The price was $40 through GN (plus about $3 AZ tax). We let one single play through us, but otherwise enjoyed our own pace and finished with a little bit of light to spare.

We knew the course was getting set to close for fall overseeding on 10/14, so we were not expecting super lush conditions. We did call and they let us know that they planned to stop watering the course this week and that the course was in good playable condition. Unfortunately, it was dry as a bone out there. Everything extra firm and fast, which took some adjusting. Fairways pretty dried out with a lot of roll, but I mostly had good lies in the tight dormant grass. The rough areas were shaved down to nothing, so most shots that rolled off a fairway would roll through the rough and into the desert bushes. The greens were very firm and very fast, as well. The one bunker I was in had good soft sand.

I was tempted not to rate this course because the low number will obviously reflect these dormant pre-overseed conditions, so keep that in mind if you are considering this course later in the year when it's back to normal. Given the current conditions, $40 for a late afternoon round was too much. As for layout, I actually enjoyed Longbow. It's a desert links style course with some nice contours and bunkering to help make up for the lack of any elevation changes. The wide open flat landscape offers some great panoramic views of all the local mountain ranges in the distance. This is another one I'd like to have a rematch with when it's back in normal condition.

Played Longbow 8/18/13. Started around 2:30 on a day that got to 109°, but my buddy and I play in the heat plenty and know how to deal with it, so that wasn't an issue. The temp probably kept a lot ... Continue »

Played Longbow 8/18/13. Started around 2:30 on a day that got to 109°, but my buddy and I play in the heat plenty and know how to deal with it, so that wasn't an issue. The temp probably kept a lot of people away. We passed a foursome on #5 and didn't come up on anyone after that. Got around in 3:10.

I don't often play Longbow; mainly because it isn't often the best deal that I can find. It would help if they included practice balls in the green fee or offered a small bag of warm up balls instead of just offering a large bag. The course has been in good shape when I've played it, albeit the greens are usually firmer than most.

For this round I'd rate the grass conditions to be as good or better than any local course I've played in the past couple of months, which includes some very nice courses. The greens were firm, but played well. The fairways had a lot fewer bare areas than most these days. I was in two traps that had somewhat thin and crusty sand. I got out of them fine with my 60-8 wedge.

I enjoyed the layout more than I remembered. Maybe I had some luck with where my shots went. There isn't a hole there that doesn't have some movement or interest factor. It's nice not to have houses on the course. The plane traffic is a bit of an issue, but not all that bad.

Overall, a very nice afternoon on the course.