Again in 2013, Camelback’s Ambiente Course acquired a facelift to enhance playability and flood resiliency. This is why it is advisable to go to it.
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Welcome to WM Phoenix Open week, the place even with a “chilly” forecast it’s inevitable everybody caught within the northern U.S. will get jealous of that superb Phoenix climate and begin dreaming of their subsequent warm-weather retreat.
I used to be there in December — and I’m wishing I used to be nonetheless there now — for GOLF’s High 100 Lecturers Retreat. And like every savvy golf journalist on the highway, I made certain to carry my golf equipment to sneak in a spherical after I landed. I’ve performed public headliners like Troon North and We-Ko-Pa and Papago over the previous few years, so this time I used to be searching for a brand new spot to discover. That’s once I reached out to GOLF’s resident Arizonian, Jessica Marksbury, for some insider data.
“Have you ever performed the Camelback programs?” she requested.
I had not.
“The Ambiente may be very good; I might go there first,” she mentioned.
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So at about 10:30 on a crisp Sunday morning in December, I began the engine of my rental automotive and readied to go away the Phoenix airport. I plugged in “Camelback Golf Membership” and started my trek 16 miles northeast. I had a tee time to catch — and this, I might quickly discover out, was one I’m glad I did.
Earlier than we get into the Xs and Os right here, there are a couple of vital particulars you must know. Camelback is part of the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort and Spa that’s simply 4 miles down the highway. There are two golf programs which might be part of the property: the Ambiente and the Padre. They’re fairly totally different, with the Padre performing as extra of a basic parkland structure that sticks across the clubhouse, whereas the Ambiente goes straight out and again — assume the Outdated Course routing — and is extra like a links-golf expertise, one thing that’s not simple to seek out in Phoenix. Most rankings favor the Ambiente Course, however it’s all private choice, and people two coupled collectively make for one heck of a 36-hole day.
However right here’s what I discovered within the days earlier than I teed off: It wasn’t all the time like this right here.
Josh Berhow
Again in 2013, the property’s three-decade-old Indian Bend course underwent a serious $10 million renovation through Jason Stracka of Hurdzan/Fry Environmental Golf Design to enhance each playability and flooding. Indian Bend was extraordinarily flat, which meant it was tougher to empty after massive rains. Flat programs are additionally much less enjoyable, so there was loads of work to do. About 365,000 cubic yards of fabric was faraway from the water a lot of the course butts up in opposition to and used to lift elements of the structure, enhancing not solely the enjoyable issue however the capacity to correctly drain. Additionally they eliminated timber and added extra native/desert areas. Solely 90 acres of the course is now thought-about maintained turfgrass, which additionally helps the upkeep crew (to not point out saves hundreds of thousands of gallons of water yearly). When it reopened it was renamed Ambiente, which implies “atmosphere” in Spanish.
And except you have been right here about 10 years in the past, you’d by no means know any of this occurred. The slopes and piles and bumps you’ll discover on fairways or round greens look as in the event that they’ve been there endlessly, and whereas quite a lot of it’s refined, it’s nonetheless sufficient to have an effect on your golf ball and your sport plan.
Josh Berhow
The fairways are principally broad and forgiving (although a proper miss is lethal on the holes the place water lurks). A lot of the hassle is up across the greens, however you’ll be in good condition in case you establish the right spots to overlook. The vast majority of the greens have bail-out areas the place you’ll be left with a innocent up and down in case you miss the placing floor, however the majority of the greens additionally have a diabolical bunker or two that you just completely don’t wish to discover.
As irritating as some could be to hit out of, these bunkers, with their linksy, rugged look across the edges, are vital. With broad fairways and rolling terrain that means that you can hit some monster drives, these deep, tall-faced traps are the proper protection to punish squirrelly method pictures. So are the handful of strategically positioned bunkers some 30 to 50 yards in entrance of greens, which, at first look, make you’re feeling like they may come into play (simply as they’re presupposed to).
Josh Berhow
As for notable holes, let’s begin from the start. You’ll love the par-5 third, the place a principally open inexperienced will will let you swing arduous and attempt to get there in two. Or the brief par-4 fifth, the place you completely can’t miss proper however an enormous drive can get you down close to the inexperienced, which is surrounded by bunkers left, again and proper. Ten is one other brief par-4 that doglegs to the left — simply ensure that to execute your wedge in and don’t blade it like I did.
The par-3 fifteenth boasts an superior two-tiered inexperienced, the place — except there’s a bunch ready behind you! — you must undoubtedly hit putts from one degree to the opposite, simply to see its brilliance.
I performed nicely on the Ambiente Course — OK, I was taking part in nicely, till a triple-double-bogey end led to an 85 and ruined a dream probability of taking pictures within the 70s — however as an goal arbiter it’s vital I don’t let a late-round combustion have an effect on my opinion of a course. So, what’s the decision? Camelback Ambiente is a must-play for anybody visiting the Phoenix space. Its linksy structure is totally different than your typical Scottsdale expertise. It’s forgiving — so the high-handicappers in your group will respect it — however with out precision off some tees and into many greens it’s going to chew again. Simply know the course you see isn’t what was there a decade in the past. It’s significantly better now, and a cease you shouldn’t go up.
