Boulders (North) - Arizona - USA

The Boulders is a marvelous facility that truly showcases the magnificence of the Arizona desert with a plethora of amenities at the resort including 36-holes of golf. The North is a quality layout, however, given the sheer number of other courses that have entered the Scottsdale scene in the last 20-25 years the course is now more of bystander than headliner.

There's sufficient challenge but actual architecture is about providing immediate entertainment rather than lasting memorability.

Having quality turf presentation really provides an eye-opening contrasts with the desert area that engulfs the property.

The nines have flipped over the years. When I originally played the North the 10th served as the opener and wow did that hole grab your attention with a fairway that necked down considerably the further you attempted to drive the ball. In flipping the nines the course provides a more gentle sequence of holes. In fact, the outward nine today is akin to wading into a swimming pool from the shallow end.

When you finally reach the 10th the nature of the challenge goes up considerably. The inward nine is the better of the two sides without question.

The ambiance of The Boulders still resonates today as a comprehensive resort. Golf is still on the menu but it's not the primary headliner.

M. James Ward