Troon North (Monument) in Scottsdale, AZ

The Stats

Tee Time: August 21, 2011, 13:45, 106 F, breezy

Designer: Tom Weiskopf, 1991

Playing Partners: Sean Cohan

Tees: Gold, Par 72 (71.6 rating/137 slope/6,716 yards)

Course Handicap: 10 (8.5 index)

Stats: 94 (48-46); 35 putts; 9/14 fairways; 5/18 greens; 12 penalty strokes

The Course

Troon North Golf Club’s Monument Course in Scottsdale, AZ is well deserving of its spot at #45 on Golf Digest’s 2010 Top Courses You Can Play list. Due to budgetary reasons, I booked this tee time for the middle of August, during the hottest time of the year in one of the hottest deserts on the planet. Still, even though the sweating started before the clubs were on the cart I enjoyed every second on this course. The practice areas were top tier; the putting green rolled so smooth I came away thinking it would be an easy day after draining a few 20-footers. I came prepared. A solid pre-round meal, plenty of SPF-50, new Adidas clima-cool shirt, comfy Dri-Fit socks and over 120 fluid ounces of Gatorade and water meant the heat would not be as daunting as the triple-digits appeared. Then I teed off. Continue reading Troon North Golf Club – Monument Course →