Troon North Golf Club (Monument)

Troon North Golf Club (Monument) – Played May 2018

• Rankings: Golf Magazine Public #52
• Location: 10320 East Dynamite Boulevard, Scottsdale, Arizona
• Year: 1991
• Architects: Tom Weiskopf & Jay Moorish
• Course Access: Public
• Walking Rules: Carts Available

Score Card Information:

• Black: 7,039 yards, Par 72, 72.9 Rating/145 Slope
• Gold: 6,716 yards, Par 72, 71.7 Rating/136 Slope
• Silver: 6,220 yards, Par 72, 69.4 Rating/129 Slope
• Copper: 5,821 yards, Par 72, 68.1 Rating/124 Slope (Men’s), 72.5 Rating/128 Slope (Women’s)
• Jade: 5,084 yards, Par 72, 64.6 Rating/116 Slope (Men’s), 68.2 Rating/116 Slope (Women’s)

The last day of golf in the Scottsdale area kicked off with Troon North Monument.

I didn’t find much on their website regarding the history of the course, but in the grand scheme of golf course architecture it is relatively young.  It was completed in 1991.

I will say that having played Ak-Chin Southern Dunes, another Troon property, they do a great job of conditioning golf courses.  You can tell the money is spent on the playing surfaces.

Let’s get into the course tour. 

I was playing with three other singles.  The consensus was to play the copper tees so all distances will be from there.

Below is a look at the large practice putting green just outside the clubhouse.

Hole 1 – 400 yards – Par 4

The first hole plays to a wide fairway with a few bunkers on the left.  There is plenty of room to the right to swing away with driver.

The view of the green is partially obscured by rocks and sand, but the target is pretty large.

Below is the large, sloping putting green.

Hole 2 – 154 yards – Par 3

On this tee shot, you can tell exactly where not to hit it.  The bunkers on the right are quite deep and won’t give away many pars.

 

Hole 3 – 502 yards – Par 5

There is quirkiness here with the tall rock sitting on the right side of the fairway.  Other than that the landing area is large.  The hole turns to the right where the rock sits and plays straight from there to the green.

Here is a look at the second shot.  It is reachable from here.

Here’s a close up of the green.

Hole 4 – 340 yards – Par 4

You have to play over some desert off the tee, but it shouldn’t be hard to carry.  Again you have a wide fairway to hit.

On an otherwise flat hole the rocks provide some visual obstacle.  In reality the rocks shouldn’t affect most shots.

The green is very flat with the exception of some slopes on the edges.

Hole 5 – 419 yards – Par 4

This fairway sits at a slight angle to the tee.  A drive up the right side will provide the best line into the green.

The approach shot is wide open.  The primary challenge is the raised green that has multiple slopes and sections.

In the photo below you can see the runoff area and the scale of the green.

Below you can see the putting surface and the swales throughout the green.

Hole 6 – 285 yards – Par 4

If you choose to lay back here the landing area is very wide.  Going for the green may result in a birdie, but be aware of the bunker fronting the putting surface.

In the approach photo below you can see the bunker I mentioned.

Here is a look at the triangle shaped green.

Hole 7 – 172 yards – Par 3

The trouble here is on the periphery.  If you can focus on the green the hole becomes much easier.  Large bunkers guard each side, but the green is open in front.

Here is a closer look at the green.

Hole 8 – 352 yards – Par 4

You are treated to a great view of the peak here, but don’t let that distract you from the task at hand.  A desert wash is reachable from the tee, so driver may not be the best play.

The second shot plays over the wash and to a relatively flat green.  Avoid the front bunker and you should have an easy par.

 

Hole 9 – 465 yards – Par 5

Birdie time!  This shorter par five will have most players licking their chops.  The fairway is generous and encourages driver.

The second shot features fairway bunkers, but they shouldn’t be in play.

The green is also not overly complicated.  Two large bunkers and one small bunker guard the sides.  It is open in front though, perfect for running your second shot on.

Hole 10 – 375 yards – Par 4

Ignoring the surrounding trouble will serve you well here.  The hole itself is uncomplicated.  The landing area is wide, being only slightly pinched by fairway bunkers on the left.  A fade off the tee to the fairway should set up a short approach.

The second shot plays uphill, but the green is relatively unprotected aside from a bunker on the right.

Below is a look at the green.

Hole 11 – 460 yards – Par 5

The tee shot and most of the hole plays uphill.  The visual off the tee makes the landing area seem quite small.  While the fairway isn’t overly wide there is room to hit it.

Here is a view of the second shot.  The bunkers are more for intimidation than play because they do not sit close to the green.  The last one on the left is still 25 yards short of the putting surface.

In the two photos below you can see the scale and slope of the green.

 

Hole 12 – 338 yards – Par 4

I would not recommend driver here unless you can carry it to the green.  As you get farther up the fairway the desert encroaches on the right and a fairway bunker sits on the left.  A 200 yard shot even plays to a narrower bit of fairway.

Just to the right of this tee are the cacti you see below.  While cool, something seemed sad about these plants getting pelted by golf balls.  They seem to be very resilient plants though!

Sand is the primary draw on the uphill approach shot.  However, with a short club in your hand, the green should be achievable.

 

Hole 13 – 196 yards – Par 3

Water makes a rare appearance on this one-shotter, but you’d need a dreadful shot to hit it.  The green, large and wide, is guarded by three bunkers on the front and right.  This is one of the easier greens to hit.

Below you can see the expansive putting surface.

 

Hole 14 – 495 yards – Par 5

I was not particularly fond of this hole’s design.  The tee shot is fine.  It plays straightaway to a wide fairway.

As you go along the hole bends to the left.  Visually it seemed very narrow.  Now that I’ve played I have a better sense, but I didn’t enjoy the look of this at the time.  Except for the rock mountain, that thing is badass.

Below is a look at the third shot viewpoint.

Here is the putting surface from above.

Hole 15 – 275 yards – Par 4

While I didn’t like 14, I loved 15.  Options galore and plenty of difficulty packed into a tiny package.  The fairway is massively wide.  If you choose to layup just avoid the sand.

Going for the green and hitting a second shot is tricky.  If you are driving it the gap is narrow and the slope runs away from you.  For approaches the gap doesn’t matter, but the slope definitely does.

The green is one of the smallest on the course.  It fits perfectly with the character of the hole.

Hole 16 – 222 yards – Par 3

The last par three is a beauty.  You get wide mountain views and some cool rock formations.  Once you are done gazing at the scenery however, there is work to be done.  It is downhill, but the distance is still there.  You need an accurate long iron or wood to hit this green.

Below is a look at the green from the left side.

Hole 17 – 422 yards – Par 4

While the yardage may lead you to pull driver, be aware that there is a desert wash just short of the 150 marker that is about 10 yards from front to back.  If you can’t carry it to 270+ it is better to hit something about 220.

Below is the approach shot from about 175 yards.  You can see my ball in the wash below and to the right.  I was not happy!

This green is one of the more contoured on the course.  There is a runoff just in front of this pin as well as the internal slopes you can see.

Hole 18 – 348 yards – Par 4

it seems desert courses like to have water on the 18th hole.  I think it may have something to do with irrigation.  Either way, it takes a big pull/hook to get to this pond.  At this length, driver isn’t necessary.

The short approach plays to a large green.  While surrounded by bunkers it isn’t a particularly difficult shot.

Here is the green from another angle.

Some people like clubhouses and this one is a unique compared to what you normally see around the US.  The desert vibes are strong here.

 

 

Troon North Monument is a fun track.  It fits right in on resort property and shouldn’t tax most recreational players too much.  Like any desert course, I suggest using the GPS and getting a yardage book if it’s your first time around.

The course was in the typical pristine shape that Troon is known for.  They had watered it a good bit, but the greens rolled smooth and the ball was sitting up in the fairways.  My round with three strangers was a good time and a great start to my day.  On to the Pinnacle course!