Whirlwind GC, Chandler. Cattail course by Gary Panks, 2002.

The Whirlwind courses get a lot of benefit simply by being on tribal land—surround these courses with homes and for the most part the architecture isn’t any more noteworthy than most of what you find around Phoenix. But not being hemmed in by homes is a real benefit. These courses are also in consistently good shape, if maybe a bit too wet in pursuit of green. Cattail is the flashier course, with water in play on six holes. There are strategic options in some places and several interesting greens, but really nothing you haven’t seen anywhere else. But what this course lacks in singularity it makes up for in consistency—it’s a good challenge, but not hard, with a nice and unencumbered location, and the greens roll true.  I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it as a destination itself, but I think anyone would enjoy a game here.

Arizona 3rd Decile [2017]

Whirlwind GC. Devil’s Claw course by Gary Panks, 2000.

This course features less water than the Cattail course but isn’t really any more of a desert course in style. It too tends toward good conditioning and a solid but fair challenge, but apart from a front nine par 3 featuring a waterfall and the 9th hole with a split fairway (where both options seem flawed), this course isn’t quite as memorable as its younger sibling.

Arizona 3rd Decile [2006]