COVER STORY


LEHMAN’S IN


VERDE RIVER GOLF & SOCIAL CLUB GLISTENS AFTER MAJOR MAKEOVER


BY JOE PASSOV T


o say that Verde River Golf & Social Club has had a checkered history is like saying Donald Trump sports an unusual hairstyle. It’s


undeniable. More significantly, however, is that thanks to the design skills of Tom Lehman, the vision and direction of Shea Homes and a stunning location perhaps unmatched in the Northeast Valley, Verde River is poised for a starry future. Situated in the farthest reaches of


northeast Scottsdale, on the edge of Rio Verde, the course and community now called Verde River is on its third name in its 11-year existence. Conceived as a 27-hole, public-to-eventually-turn- private tract by the owners of nearby Rio Verde Country Club, its earliest 18-hole incarnation opened in 2005, under the name of Vista Verde. Bordered by the cactus-strewn Tonto National Forest, Vista Verde began collecting green fees late that year, but it had no


20 | AZ GOLF Insider | FALL 2016 TERMS


pro shop, no infrastructure, not even a direct number or website that would provide access. And there it stayed. Due to the fact that there were no


roads built from within, Vista Verde never held an official opening, which was unfortunate, because those few golfers who were able to find it and play it generally raved about the layout designed by Tucson’s Ken Kavanaugh. It achieved near-cult status, earning positive reviews and rankings for its challenging, option- laden holes, Australian sandbelt-styled bunkering, stellar mountain vistas and below-market average fees. Yet, even five years into its existence, they were still serving cold drinks and sandwiches out of a cooler and the entrance way and parking lot were dirt roads. Early in 2014, new ownership


relaunched the development and rebranded the course and community as Tegavah. It was a short ride, and 12 months later, Shea Homes took the


reins and began the transformation of this special property. Its new beginning features a new name, Verde River Golf & Social Club. As its name implies, the emphasis is on fun. To update the golf course, Shea


enlisted its go-to architects, Tom Lehman, Lehman Design Group lead designer, and his assistant, Chris Brands. They were hired to make the necessary changes, most notably, the creation of three new holes to accommodate a new clubhouse and practice range, as well as tweaks and touchups to the other 15 holes. The course closed this past April to accomplish the alterations and to initiate construction of the 30,000-square-foot clubhouse campus, designed by legendary architect Bing Hu of H&S International. As to the renovation itself, Lehman


acknowledges that he had a wonderful head start. “The golf course had great


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