Played this course as a single on Thursday, June 25th around 10:10am (last tee time on Tuesdays and Thursdays are 10:30am) for $45. Prepaid online to avoid social interaction, a result of COVID-19 and... Continue »

Played this course as a single on Thursday, June 25th around 10:10am (last tee time on Tuesdays and Thursdays are 10:30am) for $45. Prepaid online to avoid social interaction, a result of COVID-19 and was greeted by the starter/bag drop guy. Range balls are included in the tee time so I made my way over to the practice tee. Upon arriving, you'll notice this course is tucked inside of a gated community and the course is situated along a large, looming clubhouse for residents and I believe there was even a waterpark/pool area next to the on course grille. Once you're at the practice range you'll also notice there's a members only section which I accidentally stumbled upon and then next to it there's the guest section. Fully stocked range, good amount of grass to hit from into grass greens and bunkers even to aim at. The backdrop of the range, and really the course, sets the day up for some amazing day dreaming.

Onto the course, this Kavanaugh design with Lehman Design group's redesign in 2016 led to some of the holes being re-routed. This doesn't seem to impact the conditions which were very, very pure. The temps recently in the valley have been easing into the 110s and the tee boxes, to the manicured fairways, always looming lush rough up to the greens were....green. Deep green. Not too much in the way of burn spots though it's summer and if you go after reading this I'm sure you may find a FEW. The greens were rolling quick and pure, a tough combo when the undulations on this course play games with 3 footers for par. The bunkers were soft green side and texturized perfectly in the fairways. The rough was lush with it growing to 3-5 inches in some spots but the main lateral hazards to avoid will be the desert landscaping which was maintained. The tee boxes were phenomenal.

This course definitely has the Lehman thumbprint on it design wise, off the tee box you often are presented with a bunker that poses a threat until you realize it's green side or a dogleg that's bound by a large hill/mound that can extend your drive's distance if you're lucky. Strategy wise this course was a blast absolutely. Nothing ridiculous in distance if you place yourself correctly and from the tips the 7200 doesn't actually feel THAT long (except for the 600+ yard par 5 16th). The greens are undulating and well protected when they are short holes, open and accepting of an array of shots when long and varying enough that you're never bored when putting. The fairways here are extremely forgiving and open (I only missed two fairways all day) which is a much needed breath of fresh air. And lastly, the views are amazing. Sure there are houses and communities popping up with construction noise audible all day long but the mountain vistas of nearby Four Peaks, McDowell Mountain , Superstition Mountain visible, I mean it was just photoshoot after photoshoot for new iPhone Wallpapers.

This course (according to my sources I talked to at the course) is attempting to go private however they are nowhere near the numbers to do so at present moment. As long as this course is available for public daily fees, I'd say the conditions it's in and views in comparison to the price is definitely worth it. Not to mention, it's within a short drive of some of the finest private courses in Scottsdale and from people I talked to who've played both, this course holds its own.

Played here at 6:40 on the 4th of July. Been wanting to play here but its a tad further away so I figured the 4th would be a good treat. I was pleasantly surprised by this course. I would say it's ... Continue »

Played here at 6:40 on the 4th of July. Been wanting to play here but its a tad further away so I figured the 4th would be a good treat. I was pleasantly surprised by this course. I would say it's a step up desert resort course in great shape. They must water the heck out of this course but it is a deeper lusher green than most in the area. It's a nice fun wide course. Big greens. Big bunkers. Greens were medium speed. Cut low but not dried out rock. Very consistent bunkers and flat tee boxes. It does stand true to a desert course as the edges are very penal with many desert elements to navigate. But with 60 yard wide fairways you have room to maneuver. A mix of large elevated greens, and small heavily protected greens add the challenge. I would rate this as a great weekend round with friends or vacationing average golfers where you can bomb and spray it more than usual. Really fun course in excellent shape.

This course, in its current form, continues to be one of my favorite tracks in Phoenix. The course was in absolutely pristine shape. Lush fairways and first cut of rough. The greens were smooth, qu... Continue »

This course, in its current form, continues to be one of my favorite tracks in Phoenix. The course was in absolutely pristine shape. Lush fairways and first cut of rough. The greens were smooth, quick and fair, with tons of undulations.

This course requires that you think about what part of the green you are aiming at. Hit the wrong part and you are going to have some large breaks to deal with.

Although houses are now springing up all over the course with new development, there are still several panoramic views from the course. The course now has a nice pro shop and bar area.

I'd rate this course a must play when I come to Phoenix/Scottsdale. It is an excellent value with a sub-$100 late December green fee.

Overview: Verde River Golf and Social Club is located in the Shea Home Master Planned Community of Trilogy at Verde River. The course has formerly been known as Vista Verde and Tegavah. Tom Lehman ... Continue »

Overview: Verde River Golf and Social Club is located in the Shea Home Master Planned Community of Trilogy at Verde River. The course has formerly been known as Vista Verde and Tegavah. Tom Lehman completed a renovation of the course at the end of 2016. I formerly played the course when it was known as Tegavah and in some ways has improved, but in other ways it has regressed.

Clubhouse and Practice Area: Temporary clubhouse until the permanent clubhouse is completed in late 2017. The staff were fantastic and the new clubhouse should be amazing when it opens up. The practice area was closed due to mowing, but the practice area looked in very good shape.

Course: I am not a big fan of the new 1st hole. The old 1st hole was very nice and Mr Lehman's brand new 1st hole was very boring and I feel that it does not fit in with the flow of the golf course ... IMO. The rest of the front nine was very good with the greens being in great shape. Fairways were almost perfect and the rough was not very penal. Course conditions were just as good on the back nine. What I really enjoyed about the course was that the native areas were really cleaned up and and were much more defined. New landscaping was put in around the holes and it gave the course a more cleaner look. Really disappointed in the changes on the last 2 holes. The 18th hole use to be a nice dogleg par 4 with water to the right of the green and three bunkers to the left of a narrow but deep green. Unfortunately, this is now the 17th hole and they have taken all three bunkers that were left of the green and replaced them with grass. The 18th hole is now a boring 380 yard straight away par 4 that will lead right back to the clubhouse.

Final Thought: They have made some nice changes to the course and the playing conditions were definitely raised to the next level. The only problem that I have is the changes in 1, 17 and 18. There is also a lot of home construction going on right now, and it will take away some of the beautiful views of the surrounding mountains.

Out in AZ for my annual News Years weekend golf trip. Buddies from the area recommended that we play the newly redesigned course.
It was taken into work by Tom Lehman course designs. The setting is... Continue »

Out in AZ for my annual News Years weekend golf trip. Buddies from the area recommended that we play the newly redesigned course.
It was taken into work by Tom Lehman course designs. The setting is serene,with terrific views of nearby mountains, and several deer and possibly I guess a few wild deer.

The course is still raw and in developement, but the outcome of the hopeful design is shown through photos on various holes. Fairways on most holes are in great condition, a few may need more attention. The long term plan here is to go private, and considering the high aspirations of the course I can see that happening. There isn't a boring hole on the course. Many provide great angles to approach the green, with strategically placed washes that force concentration in every shot. Shorter hitters can comfortably get around the course, and longer hitters can keep the driver in the bag if they choose this approach. Th greens are in great shape, with challengs pres noted by shelving, and undulations that make every putt interesting. Bunkering is fabulous both in the fairways and especially near the green, several requiring high soft shots to exit.
Practice area is well removed from the playing area so range balls in or near the fairways does not exist. I say practice area because it is one of the nicest I've seen. Staff is extremely friendly and top notch. The club house is still under construction so your currently looking basically at a small apartment in size. Furture designs show a Marvolous 30,000 square foot gem.
It's well worth the drive and price, at 80.00 dollars on this day. North and East of Scottsdale, but an easy drive.

The redesign by Tom Lehman has not improved the course at all. 6 should have been redesigned and now there is a big ditch across #7 that isn't only ugly but is just at the distance that you second sh... Continue »

The redesign by Tom Lehman has not improved the course at all. 6 should have been redesigned and now there is a big ditch across #7 that isn't only ugly but is just at the distance that you second shot is affected. The new #1 (old #9) is a better hole. Traps have been filled in on the back side. #17 (old #18) has been ruined in my opinion by filling in the greenside bunkers making it far more ordinary. As a result I will find other courses to play.

I played Vista Verde 8/23 at 1130. When I arrived 40 minutes before my tee time I was told the range was closed and to hurry up and get out before a foursome teed off. If I had known the range was c... Continue »

I played Vista Verde 8/23 at 1130. When I arrived 40 minutes before my tee time I was told the range was closed and to hurry up and get out before a foursome teed off. If I had known the range was closed I most likely wouldn't have chosen to play there. I made the tee time on the course's website and no mention was made. The course now has a clubhouse with a small "restaurant" and lounge area. Not many houses exist out here and it is fairly secluded. More is being built and in a couple of years I think it will be completely built around it. Scenery is great with views of the Superstitions and Four Peaks. The setting really couldn't be better.
This was my first time playing the course and thankfully a yardage guide was given to help around the course. The golf course appears tight but isn't what it appears. You have a decent amount of room off the tee and the desert doesn't encroach too much. When playing the appropriate tees the course requires you to think your way around it. Some shorter par 4's and one of the par 5's are difficult and require two or three good shots. Bunkers and hazards are all reachable when playing appropriately.
The greens were slow and I couldn't seem to get the ball to the hole all day. They had some serious divot damage. Most of them looked somewhat repaired but the divots still affected putts. Tee boxes were all in great shape and easy to get a tee into too. The condition of the fairways were what is expected this time of year. With all the rain the area has received in the last couple of weeks the course looked very good. The only negative of the course were the sand traps. It is understandable given the rain but the green side bunkers were rock hard and more like a desert area.
The customer service at the course was very good. The staff acted very thankful for people coming out to play the course. They are doing a lot of renovation around the practice area and trying to put in some permanent cart paths to replace the dirt paths they currently have. I'm not sure if I would choose VV again but it was nice to see and experience the course.

5-19-13 Played for the 1st time and enjoyed this course quite a bit. The course was in excellent shape with the greens like many in the valley, firm but true. Fairways were very fairly wide open wit... Continue »

5-19-13 Played for the 1st time and enjoyed this course quite a bit. The course was in excellent shape with the greens like many in the valley, firm but true. Fairways were very fairly wide open with plenty of grass in the landing areas if you have good course management. There are some shorter holes that you can try and go for it but you could end up in trouble which helps make it fun as well. Played the silver tees as I'm a 20 hdcp. A lot of sand and only one water hole. There is no clubhouse at the cart area and the bathrooms are port-a-johns.

This is one of my favorite, underrated desert tracks in the Phoenix/Scottsdale Area. Located in Rio Verde, it is a bit of a drive, even from Scottsdale. It took us about 45 minutes from our hotel at... Continue »

This is one of my favorite, underrated desert tracks in the Phoenix/Scottsdale Area. Located in Rio Verde, it is a bit of a drive, even from Scottsdale. It took us about 45 minutes from our hotel at I-17 and Greenway.

As others have posted, they have a temporary pro shop/check in building setup at the entrance of the course. While it does detract from the feel of an otherwise beautiful golf course, it gets the job done. We booked the "March Twilight Special," which was $49 for a 2PM tee time including a sleeve of golf balls (Precept Laddies-Ugh!)

After checking in, we took the two minute drive to the practice area near the first tee. The range was large and nice enough for our needs. The starter came and got us about 10 minutes before our time and escorted us to the first tee.

The course itself is very beautiful in a natural desert setting. With no houses anywhere in sight on the course, you have wonderful panoramic desert and mountain views. We found the fairways to be in great shape and comparable to other resort courses we played in the area. Bunkers had plenty of soft sand and were well raked. The rough was fairly short, allowing for recovery shots if you stayed out of the desert. The greens were very firm, but rolled fast and very true.

We saw the beverage cart only three times during our round. Thankfully it wasn't that hot the day we played.

Overall, I love the golf course as offers wonderful views and you feel like you are in a nature area. This will change soon as it was recently purchased by a major area home builder so there will be houses popping up soon.

I would play the course soon before they start building houses.

Golf Rating: A
Pro Shop Rating: C-
Beverage Service: C
Scenery: A+
Overall: B

If you are coming just for the game of golf, I highly recommend it. If you want a resort experience, you may want to pass. For me the golf junkie, it is still a must-play when I come to the PHX area.