Two Gems on One Piece of Land: The Difference Between Talking Stick North and South
When one thinks of Arizona Golf or even Scottsdale Golf, golfers imagine the great and wide selection of golf courses to choose to play. Courses like ASU Karsten, Camelback Resort, and Grayhawk’s Talon and Raptor jumped to mind when conjuring Scottsdale golf.
Although many of the courses are excellent choices, there is one golf facility that ranks at the top of many golfers’ favorite list, Talking Stick Golf Club.
Located on the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian community, Talking Stick Golf Club is 36 holes of excellent Arizona Golf that will surely make a lasting impression on anyone’s mind.
Comprised of two 18-hole layouts, the North and South courses are polar opposites and offer golfers variety while they play.
Besides the occasional decision to lay it up or go for the green, the hardest choice a golfer will have at Talking Stick is what course to play.
The North and South courses are contrasting styles of play and knowing what type of golf you prefer will be a big help in deciding.
**Additional Information: Photo Gallery | North Course Layout | South Course Layout**
Both courses where designed by the dynamic duo of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw who wanted to create two different masterpieces on the same property.
The North course is considered a Scottish-style links course while the South resembles a more traditional style course.
Talking Stick North is a nice blend of Scottish-style links golf with a desert atmosphere.
One will still find the same distinct features of a links course but add on top of that desert features. Just imagine your favorite ice cream flavor and then add sundae toppings on top of it and it will give you an idea of the enjoyment you will receive from playing the North course.
At a long distance of 7133 yards, the North plays longer than the South course. There are no trees on the North nor will you find water. It has numerous strategic bunkering that will challenge a golfer to have accuracy off the tees.
The course is flat and has wide-open fairways and greens. The North also has more holes that have angular layouts than does the South course. The North has a 125 slope and a rating of 73.8 at the tips.
On the other hand, the South course offers golfers a completely different set-up than the North.
The South is comprised of a traditional course mixed with desert characteristics. The blend of traditional and desert style golf is similar to other great mixtures such as cereal and milk, or peanut butter and jelly.
The South course measures up a little shorter to the North by 300 yards at a distance of 6833. A big difference between the two courses lays in the fact that the South has subtle elevation changes while the North is flat.
You will also find water on the South course as it comes into play on 4 holes.
Another key difference between the two courses is that a golfer will have to contend with the trees on the South. The trees also add to the difficulty of the South course because golfers will now have to decide to hit back into the fairway or pull a magical shot out of their hat. One final characteristic difference is in the way the South is played.
While the North has more of an angular approach to the greens, the South plays more straightforward. From the tips, the South has a 129 slope and a rating of 72.7.
Although deciding on what course to play will be hard, you can be reassured that there is no wrong decision.
Both courses would be a great round to play whether you are with your friends or family. They exemplify what Arizona Golf and Scottsdale Golf should be like.
Book tee times for the North or South Course at this website or by calling 1-877-669-4653. If you are interested in Arizona Golf or a Scottsdale Golf vacation please call 1-877-669-4653 and one of our Arizona Golf representatives will be glad to get one together for you.
Additional Information: Photo Gallery | North Course Layout | South Course Layout |
