Terravita

Terravita is an apt name for a desert golf course, as “land life” is much more common than the aquatic variety. Nonetheless, many architects will create ponds to spruce up their designs. Billy Casper and Greg Nash kept that to a bare minimum at Terravita Golf Club in Scottsdale (the pond around the green at the No. 10 par four being the only drink).

They spent the rest of the round celebrating the land (and its life). Although cacti are the most popular plant life in the region, Casper and Nash take a liking to trees; centerline trees remain a hot button issue in golf course architecture discussions but the designers have pushed the issue here, including several along the route.

One notable example is at No. 12, a par five where one sits about 100 yards out from the green. This ensures a degree of risk for all players: Those who go for the green in two will need to carry a sandy wash ahead of the green, but those who prefer to stay back will still need to negotiate the tree in order to find the best angle for a final approach shot.

Some holes are more straightforward in their challenge: No. 3 is a long and winding double dogleg, measuring 610 yards.