Gallagher's Canyon

Bill Robinson laid out the 18-hole course at Gallagher’s Canyon Golf & Country Club at the end of the 1970s. A decade or so later, a decision was made to extend the golf complex and so a Les Furber-designed 9-hole circuit made its debut in 1996.

The Robinson course lies within a residential estate next to the gaping expanse of Gallagher's Canyon with fairways routed uphill, downhill and side-hill throughout the layout – an uphill tee shot will follow a downhill drive, or a doglegged hole will come after one that runs perfectly straight; a real mixed bag of great variety.

A quartet of par three holes typifies the assortment of holes on the course: The 150-yard 3rd lies on level ground, playing to a green protected by a wetland area to the left of the pin. The short 8th plays uphill to an infinity green where it appears anything long will end up in Gallagher's Canyon. The one-shotter at the 13th is even tougher; a blind uphill shot to a three-tiered green – good luck with getting a three here. As respite, however, the tee shot to the 200-yard, downhill 16th is aimed at a large, receptive putting surface.

A number of other holes stand out on the property, none more so than the par five 6th and par four 7th: The 6th hole is unusual because the raised green lies behind a swale of wispy grass straddling the fairway – only the very biggest of hitters will attempt to get close in two shots here. It’s immediately followed by the 7th hole, a downhill, gently doglegging par four with magnificent views from the tee of Gallagher's Canyon and beyond to Black Mountain and Layer Cake Mountain.