The Adobe Course's Classic Design

Arizona Biltmore Golf Club:

Decades of Great Golf in North Phoenix.

Posted by: Rick Parnham

The 1928 unveiling of the opulent Arizona Biltmore Hotel in the shadows of the Phoenix Mountains Preserve was a remarkable feat and one that brought celebrity and prestige to the desert valley. Built by chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr. in the geometrical style of Frank Lloyd Wright, the hotel quickly became an iconic destination for luxury and pampering in Phoenix. To add to the amenities and overall experience, Wrigley embarked on a plan to develop a golf course for his guests. He hired renowned architect William Bell, of Rivera and Bel-Air fame, to craft a worthy routing to compliment the stay. The result was the Adobe Course, a terrific parkland beauty gently laid on the landscape and hosting golfers since its 1929 opening.

Much of the layout can be seen from the quaint clubhouse patio, steps from the grand hotel. With a backdrop of the mountains to the north and south, the compact layout is dotted with subtle mounding, tree-lined fairways with old school greens, raised, with fronting bunkers. The course is a perfect example of “what you see is what you get” as there are no hidden tricks and very little elevation change around the layout. The fairways are relatively straight away, with a few gently swaying doglegs providing a different feel. Remarkably playable and walkable, this classic design is a fine test of golf the way it used to be played.  

Course Stats: Adobe

Bill Johnson was hired to add an additional course to the facility and completed the Links Course in 1978. A very different playing experience to The Adobe, The Links presents two distinctly different nines, looping over considerably varied landscapes. The front nine  encircles the Adobe Course looping back to the clubhouse. Relatively flat, the character of the front side is found in the creative use of a series of lakes on the opening holes. Framed by beautiful homes and mature trees, these holes are set back from the water's edge, however  not too far back to become home to  extremely errant shots. The claustrophobia-inducing par 3 fifth is a dainty shot that must contend with a tight opening around a jutting back yard and home. Relatively flat, the front-nine plays considerably shorter than the back side and provides you opportunity to score early in the round, for the turn leads you to a stern test.

Beautiful Mountain Vistas

The back nine changes character with the dramatic climb up and around the hills that frame the beautiful hotel property. Bookended by a pair of par 5 holes, the first climbs steeply with the finale playing as a great risk / reward opportunity for a birdie finish.  The true test of shot -making is the  stretch of holes 14-16. Beginning with a short dogleg right par 4, don't let the yardage fool you. A very steep climb with your approach is your reward should you clear the trees at the corner of the dogleg and avoid the OB through the fairway. The gorgeous par 3 15th plays dramatically downhill to a relative flat green surrounded by trees, bunkers and framed by the stunning view of the Phoenix Mountains Preserve in the background.   Hole 16 is another steep uphill dogleg, this time playing to the left. The kidney-shaped green is fronted by a deep bunker and OB lies close to the left edge of the putting surface.

Course Stats: Links

Adjacent to one of the state's most historic hotel properties,  the Arizona Biltmore Golf Club provides a wonderfully varied 36 hole facility for both public play and those combining golf with a luxurious stay at the Biltmore Hotel. Whether you are looking for an extremely walkable, traditional parkland-style round on the Adobe Course, or a shot-makers delight with plenty of elevation change and superb views on the Links Course, there is definitely a memorable round or two to be enjoyed here.

The Historic Arizona Biltmore

Drive Times: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 15 mins

Contact:

Arizona Biltmore Golf Club

2400 E. Missouri Ave.
Phoenix, AZ

85016

(602) 955-9656

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