Played here on 6/8/13. I very much liked this course and the staff. I'm really glad we decided to play here on this trip. It is different from all the other area courses.
This review is a bit late ... Continue »

Played here on 6/8/13. I very much liked this course and the staff. I'm really glad we decided to play here on this trip. It is different from all the other area courses.
This review is a bit late so please look at the past two reviews. They are well written and in great detail.
Conditions were very good, minus some greens issues, primarily on the edges. it was a little while ago, but I don't remember it being all that bad, but I may be wrong.
One of the staff that I was talking to caught me on the turn and offered me the last two super discount tickets to their party suite at the D-Backs game. So we went and had a great time with a lot of their regulars. Also got two free rounds anytime before Sept 1. BTW... I'm not gonna get back there, so if you want them, message me. I'll send the certificates to you.
I very much look forward to playing here again. Real good merchandise in the pro shop as well. Cool head covers, hats and stuff. Silly as it is, the logo looks kinda bad-a$$.

Wednesday, 6/12: A lovely 108* day for golf. First time I'd returned to Raven since the ownership change (the new owners have kept the prices higher than the previous ones, and it was not until recent... Continue »

Wednesday, 6/12: A lovely 108* day for golf. First time I'd returned to Raven since the ownership change (the new owners have kept the prices higher than the previous ones, and it was not until recently that prices dropped under $30 for a round). Course is still an oasis in the middle of Phoenix, with more trees per capita than perhaps any other course in the Valley.

Facilities are still in great shape: driving range, practice greens, practice bunker and chipping area, though the practice green was a bit funky (more on that later). IIRC, practice balls used to be provided, now they are $5 for a bag of 45.

Not much has changed on the course. All tee boxes (I played from the Whites) were in great shape, nice and soft and grassy. Not a bad lie to be found anywhere in the fairways, either. I avoided all but one bunker, but they all appeared to have sufficient sand to play a shot out of without blading your ball. The fairways are still over-watered (my towels were soaked from the spray from my cart tires) and you'll definitely need to clean your ball once you get to the green and your clubs after every shot. The issue, as the previous reviewer alluded to, is the greens. Definitely in poor condition, there seems to be some type of mold/fungus in many areas (especially the edges) and it was rare when I didn't have a putt roll with at least 1,2, 3 or more bounces in it on the way to the cup. Very slow as well, certainly held every shot I hit into them, with the ball marks to show for it. Based on that, I'm guessing if they cut back on the watering schedule a bit, this might be a partial solution. With all the attention they pay to keeping the rest of the course pristine, you'd think they'd start addressing this issue and fix them to bring them up to the level of the rest of the course.

As long as the greens are in this poor shape, not worth $$$, but the layout is still definitely worth $-$$. As for POP, it is as fast as you want it to be; I played through two twosomes on the front nine, and never saw anyone else on the course.

CP

This was my last stop on my AZ trip before driving back home this afternoon. Used my OB card for a $40 rate on a 6:48 tee time. We were only the third group out as a threesome, but the first two group... Continue »

This was my last stop on my AZ trip before driving back home this afternoon. Used my OB card for a $40 rate on a 6:48 tee time. We were only the third group out as a threesome, but the first two groups were not setting any land speed records, so we finished in a little over 4 hours. Not horrible, but would hope for better that early. With the exception of the greens, this course was in excellent shape. The fairways and rough were gorgeous and lush. The tee boxes were immaculate. Sharp cuts around each individual tee boxes surrounded by the red desert rocks/sand they use throughout the course. The sand was good. Unfortunately, the greens were rough. They were soft and way more receptive than any others I played this weekend, but they were ugly and bumpy. Part of it is due to the grass transition they're going through, which is understandable. But a lot of greens looked more diseased than transitional, so it was hard to say what was going on. A lot of old ball marks, too. Hopefully once they make the full transition to the summer grass, the greens will look and play nicer. I'll be curious to see future reviews in coming months. My number rating came out a bit low, but for clarity I gave most aspects of the course a 9, but I had to give the greens a 2, so it definitely skews the score. Otherwise, the course itself was great and it turned out to be my favorite on this trip. Fair design. Not overly challenging, but not easy either. No real elevation changes or any spectacular scenery, but the abundance of desert pines throughout the course are very different than anything else in the Phoenix area. Felt more like I was in the Sierras than in the AZ desert. The landscaping here is nice and has unique feel to it. Very enjoyable course that was well worth the price I paid this morning.

Played it twice this trip, Feb. 15th and 19th. Course is in very good condition, pace of play both days was excellent. Customer service outstanding, and has been since the current GM took over a whi... Continue »

Played it twice this trip, Feb. 15th and 19th. Course is in very good condition, pace of play both days was excellent. Customer service outstanding, and has been since the current GM took over a while ago-maybe since OB Sports took over mgm't of it. Greens fairly large, fairly fast, will hold a shot. Lots of well placed traps throughout course. Their own website has the best deals, their own City Card is best deal, OB travel or Ahwatukee Gold card next best tee time deals. I ALWAYS make time for this course.

The course is in fair shape. If you miss the greens, you just might have a poor lie. The turf conditions around the greens are not very good. I guess they're changing the grass from Bent to Bermuda an... Continue »

The course is in fair shape. If you miss the greens, you just might have a poor lie. The turf conditions around the greens are not very good. I guess they're changing the grass from Bent to Bermuda and it's not going very well for them (around the greens that is). Anyways, if you can get passed that, it's a fun course.

Raven Golf Club Phoenix Course Review
Phoenix Arizona Golf Course Reviews

Loved it! Lots of pines (for Phoenix anyways) line the fairways. Great condition! Will be back.

Raven Golf Club Phoenix Course Review
Phoenix Arizona Golf Course Reviews

Loved it! Lots of pines (for Phoenix anyways) line the fairways. Great condition! Will be back.

Raven Golf Club Phoenix Course Review
Phoenix Arizona Golf Course Reviews

have played this course a lot. New management group, OB Sports have brought this course back to the way it once was. It is in fabulous condition, best it has been in a while, and they continue to ma... Continue »

have played this course a lot. New management group, OB Sports have brought this course back to the way it once was. It is in fabulous condition, best it has been in a while, and they continue to make improvements. Customer service is great, all of the staff are friendly and welcoming. Play it!

Raven Golf Club Phoenix Course Review
Phoenix Arizona Golf Course Reviews

New name...Raven Golf Club Phoenix, and new management OB Sports. OB sports has to be the largest course management company now in the area. The course was in superb condition, I would say the best ... Continue »

New name...Raven Golf Club Phoenix, and new management OB Sports. OB sports has to be the largest course management company now in the area. The course was in superb condition, I would say the best in several years. Greens were excellent, firm, but would hold most well struck shots. The greens were medium fast to fast, the pins today were difficult, a few of our shots that we thought were very good, rolled off as many greens have some deceptive "run off areas" well maybe all the greens do. Fairways were lush, no bare spots and very little divot damage. Sand was excellent, I think they have redone all the bunkers, ie. adding sand, grooming, no new bunkers, but in much better shape, downside was the someone in a group ahead of us, refused to rake the bunkers-idiots. The service was very good, the Marshall in fact cleaned the clubs when he stopped, once when we were waiting to tee off on a par 3, and one other time on a par 5 when we were on the green, nice touch. As I said earlier, you have to watch where the pins are, as there are run off areas. The course is well bunkered, both fairway and green-side. The rack rate is a bit high, but there are deals to be had.

Raven Golf Club Phoenix Course Review
Phoenix Arizona Golf Course Reviews

I played 14 holes today. Incredible!
Apparently, the course was done over. IMMACULATE!
I can wait until I come back next year.

Raven Golf Club at South Mountain Golf Course Review
Phoenix Golf C... Continue »

I played 14 holes today. Incredible!
Apparently, the course was done over. IMMACULATE!
I can wait until I come back next year.

Raven Golf Club at South Mountain Golf Course Review
Phoenix Golf Course Reviews