The Ranch Course will host the match-play portion of the 94th Arizona Amateur Championship at Tonto Verde Golf Club.
you’ve got a couple of par 5s on the back that are ‘barely gettable.’ ” Ostlund is right down the
middle of the fairway with that assessment, as starting at No. 13, a 576-yard brute par 5 usually into the wind, the Ranch gets rolling. The 14th hole is a driveable par 4; the 15th a very tough par 3 where the wind swirls Augusta-like; the 16th a par 4 that also plays much longer than 430 yards; and the 17th, a tough par 5 that plays 531 yards straight up the hill. If the championship comes down to the final hole, the 18th is a 437-yard par 4 with a new bunker placed smack dab in the middle of the fairway. “It takes 295 to clear
it, which is quite a poke,” Ostlund noted. “Most of the field will end up go- ing left, right or short (of the bunker), so that’s a big advantage for big hitters.” Someone, say, like Wilcox, whose friends call him “Diva” because of his behemoth drives. Certainly it will take some low numbers and a lot of match-play savvy to prevail for the week. Since doing the renova-
tions, the course record on the Peaks Course is 64, which was shot by Alex Gaugert, an assistant pro at Tonto Verde. The course record on the Ranch is a
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62, which was carded by
Web.com Tour player Don Constable, who like a lot of members at Tonto Verde, hails from Minnesota. Prior to the renovations, the record was 61 on both courses. Ostlund said he looks for
a fun week, and added that his members are eager to show the AGA just what Tonto Verde Golf Club has got. “We had an LPGA benefit
out here recently and hosted 42 former and current LPGA players,” Ostlund said of Betsy King’s Golf Fore Africa event in mid-March that raised over $350,000. “The players just raved about it, especially the greens,” Ostlund reported. “Unfortunately, Betsy didn’t get to play that day (because of an injury), but she can still putt!” Ostlund’s reference was to
Tonto Verde’s 18-hole, cham- pionship putting course that was designed by Arizona Golf Hall of Famer Gary Panks, who also did the Ranch Course and co-designed the Peaks Course with former player David Graham. “The putting course is a
kick to play, very challeng- ing and a good tune-up for your round,” Ostlund noted. “I’m sure (the field) for the 94th Arizona Amateur Championship will enjoy playing that course, too.” n
SPRING-SUMMER 2018 | AZ GOLF Insider | 31
TONTO VERDE GOLF CLUB
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