“You’ve got to play the Quintero Golf Club, it’s amazing” we hear on this visit to Arizona. Far away from other courses or civilization, it’s eighteen miles west of the Interstate and sculpted from rugged desert landscape. We found a challenging course exquisitely manicured with tour quality greens and dramatic panoramas.
A large rusted looking metal sign with the letter Q cutout announces the turn into the golf course. It’s easy to drive by it. We arrive to a tiny building housing a small restaurant and pro-shop. It’s a small journey to the Quintero Golf Club practice range near the first hole set a mile and one half away. Suddenly, a perfectly manicured range and practice green appear foretelling the start of a great round.
The drama starts at the first hole with an elevated tee and panoramic views. Sometimes courses with many elevations have some crazy holes. Quintero Golf Club is a Rees Jones design, and he has carefully sculpted holes in High Sonora Desert. It doesn’t feel gimmicky. Landing areas are generous. Although molded into the natural vegetation of the desert he leaves six to ten feet of rough for your errant shots off the fairway. Then it’s the lush Arizona desert – rocks, gravel, cacti and scrub brush.
Most Rees Jones greens have back and sides that run off down a slope. Quintero Golf Club is no exception. These are some of the finest bentgrass greens you’ll ever find. Large, hard and fast, shots will often roll off down the greenside slopes. Substantial yet subtle breaks are will perplex you to no end.
In the summer heat of Phoenix, perennial rye is overseeded with Bermuda.
On the ninth, players make a steep climb for the par 3 shot and view of the day. On this 188-yard hole players must carry water and a rock wall to a large sloping green. Views of the pinnacles in all directions make it difficult to concentrate.
Another favorite is the fourteenth (my second birdie). A 541-yard par 5, your tee shot to a generous fairway is framed by twin peaks in the background and pristine desert in the foreground.
Fact filled crystal clear hi-resolution screens on the carts enhance the experience. And rarely yardage books include practice range numbers as they do here. At Quintero Golf Club you’ll remember sharp peaks, outstanding conditioning, elevated vistas, exceptional greens and excellent service. “You’ve got to play the Quintero Golf Club, it’s amazing”, is excellent advice.
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