We_Ko_Pa Golf Club (Saguaro)

Golf Course Review We-Ko-Pa Golf Club SAGUARO COURSE Fort McDowell Arizona

Reviewed by: roarksown1, Playa del Rey

Day two of our Phoenix swing landed us at the Coore-Crenshaw designed We-Ko-Pa Saguaro course. There was another crazy frost delay that pushed back our start time, but once we got rolling, it turned into a gorgeous, somewhat brisk winter day in the northeast of Phoenix.

All the tough hallmarks of the CC-design team are on full display here. Almost every single hole has hidden dangers and requires precision off the tee. There are plenty of blind tee shots over large desert waste areas, and fairways can be very tight with plenty of tall cacti near the tee boxes showing ball damage from those that failed to find the target. If you’re not confident off the tee, you’re going to struggle here.

But of course they also throw in a fair number of shorter par 4s to give you hope, while most of the par 3s are very manageable with the exception of the very tough long and downhill 15th. And if you want to see one of the toughest closers around, 18 on Saguaro will most certainly do the trick.

The Review

Great conditions from tee to green as well. Greens were super fast, glassy and rolled very true. Certainly plenty of tough angles to manage, but nothing too gimmicky or crazy in terms of slopes. Green-side bunkers are brutal though so avoid at all costs. But the sand is good, as are the very green and inviting fairways. Rough is a pleasure to hit from, but there’s just not a lot of it to go around. Rough tends to be somewhat dormant where it exists, but if you’re off the fairway here, you’re basically in the desert. Tee boxes are great.

Cart service was phenomenal and frequent throughout the day as well, and POP was pretty well managed despite the frost delay chaos earlier in the day. We waited on a few of the holes on the back nine, but generally moved pretty well all day, even passing the group in front of us on the back nine when they stopped to eat. We were all business.

Final Word

Great practice facility as well to help you warm up. Top-notch course in every facet. Make it happen if you get the chance.