FAIRWAY LIFE
The Rim Club near Payson (both photos) offers a ranch-style clubhouse and the ultimate in comfort and luxury. It also boasts the last Tom Weiskopf-Jay Morrish golf course ever built.
course, a collaboration of former U.S. open and PGA champion David Graham and Scottsdale-based architect Gary Panks, is an 18-hole, par 72 layout that was recognized shortly after it opened in 1997 as one of Golf Digest’s “Top 10 New Private Golf Courses in the U.S.” It also frequently makes the magazine’s list of the “Top 10 Private Golf Courses” in Arizona. The 5,200 to 7,000 yard course can be more challenging than its sister course at The Rim Golf Club, which makes The Rim’s reciprocal membership truly enticing.
SEVEN CANYONS, SEDONA Ever dream of getting away from it all in a Tuscan-style villa, one with Old World- inspired touches like ceiling beams and floors made from reclaimed wood and picturesque, paver-clad patios that beckon with views of Sedona’s majestic Red Rock Country? What about all that plus a gourmet kitchen, a fireplace in the master suite, a private outdoor spa and a Tom Weiskopf-designed 18-hole, par-70 golf course? It could all be yours at
the city’s Seven Canyons private residence club, which offers buyers fractional or whole ownership options, said Dave Bisbee, golf operations and membership director.
Even the bathrooms of the 30 identical, three-bedroom, 2,600 square-feet villas are opulent, he added. “They have heated floors,
heated towel-warming drawers and the master bathroom has an outdoor shower,” he said. But that’s not all the
residence opportunities at Seven Canyons. A few choice, estate-size lots are available inside the club’s gated, exclusive enclave of Solitude, and there are other undeveloped parcels on the property that may be available in 2016, he noted. Add to all this Seven
Canyons’ extraordinary golf course, which ranges from 5,300 to just under 6,800 yards, Bisbee said. It hugs the land and challenges players with its complexity, thanks to plenty of slopes and a grade that challenges one’s depth perception. “Weiskopf did a great
job of tricking your eye and making you think the ball will go one way,” he said. “The greens have little run-off areas, and you have the opportunity to putt off some of the fringes. This is a tactician’s course, really; a shot maker’s kind of course.” The course is private,
with the exception that guests at the renowned Enchantment Resort are granted playing privileges,
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he said. Seven Canyons members, in addition, enjoy access to resort amenities, including the world-class Mii amo Spa. Membership at Seven Canyons is by invitation only and is offered at several levels, including family, corporate and social options. Members can also look forward to a new clubhouse opening soon.
TALKING ROCK RANCH, PRESCOTT Less than a half-hour’s drive from downtown Prescott is a peaceful neighborhood with so many amenities that you may just want to hunker down all weekend and never leave the 24-hour, guard-gated community. “Talking Rock Ranch
has everything you need,” said Jim Jones, director of sales for the development’s real estate division. The community’s
offerings are indeed plentiful and include: sport courts and a pool at the Barn Fitness Center; a dog park; nine miles of walking trails; a community garden, a private, walkable 18-hole golf course; COOP’s Coffee Shop, which also serves as the community’s general store and lending library; and indoor and outdoor dining options at the Ranch House. Homebuyers can choose to build their own home on a lot
with a golf course, mountain or valley view, purchase a resale home, or opt for the move-in ready convenience of a Ranch Cottage or Cooper Ranch home. The cottages offer a “wonderful lock-and- leave feel,” Jones said, as all landscaping is maintained by the community. Floorplans range from 1,960 to 2,555 square feet and new builds start in the low $400s, although resale listings start in the high $300s. Cooper Ranch is a newer line of smaller, single- family detached residences that sit on half- to one-acre custom lots and may offer an optional casita. They start in the mid-$500s, he said. One of the best places
to mosey around while at Talking Rock is the Jay Morrish-designed golf course, which is not to be missed. Ranked 11th in Arizona by Golf Digest in 2012, the course ranges from 5,105 to 7,350 yards and was built with an environmentally sensitive approach. “It was constructed
with minimal earth movement,” Jones said, “so it really blends with the natural environment. It’s a wonderful course for all levels of players.” Talking Rock property
owners must purchase a Ranch membership, which offers access to all amenities besides golf. Two other memberships, each with golf privileges, are also available.
FOREST HIGHLANDS, FLAGSTAFF Nicknamed a “paradise in the pines,” Forest Highlands in Flagstaff offers its residents double the fun, thanks to two championship courses with their own separate pro shops and practice facilities as well as two clubhouses and heated swimming pools.
www.azgolf.org
COURTESY RIM CLUB
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