Overlooked Golf Courses: Gold Canyon and others you may not know
By Bill Felber
Gold Canyon, Gold Canyon, Az., 6,653 yards, par 71
A memorable golf course requires a memorable setting, and Gold Canyon gets an A+ in that regard. Situated about 10 minutes east of Apache Junction on the fringes of the Valley of the Sun, the layout was carved out of the desert foothills of the Superstition Mountain, one of the iconic sites of the southwestern United States.
Indeed, probably the facility’s most memorable hole, the 522 yard third on the Dinosaur Mountain layout, requires a drive into the side of Dinosaur Mountain, a foothill of the Superstition.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to hit a golf ball off a 45-degree landscape – the ball perched a solid foot above our stance – just leave your drive there too far out to the right.
Gold Canyon is actually 36 holes – expanded by architects Ken Kavanaugh and Greg Nash from the original 18 in 1997. The Sidewinder course is probably the less intimidating side. But both holes feature an abundant number of holes cut closely into the Sonoran desert. That means the hazards include not merely lakes and sand traps but desert canyons, cactus, and critters of numerous shapes, modes of locomotion and temperament.
The 15th at Dinosaur Mountain, which would also be the 15th on a composite course, is a split fairway par 4 measuring a tempting 385 yards straight downhill. But tread lightly, a miss in any direction and your landing spot will be either an unplayable wash or an unpayable desert.
Experienced desert players often pack a 2-iron. They don’t hit a ball with it; they use it to ward off snakes when in pursuit of a shot that has strayed off the intended path.
Gold Canyon is short. The original course, probably the best composite course in the event a major tournament ever did come to Gold Canyon, stretches out less than 6,400 yards with a par of 71. But Gold Canyon is tight enough – and the off-fairway areas penal enough – to defend itself even at that modest length.
What truly prevents its consideration as a major tournament site is the absence of any place to put such spectator amenities as grandstands. This is true desert golf, meaning that every step off the playing area is a step onto an alien environment.