Going OB in AZ and Beyond

OB Sports helps connect more than just the 300 dots on Arizona’s golf landscape.

Taska Campbell

Even for Colorado golfers accustomed to the geological spectacles at Arrowhead and Redlands Mesa, the 10th hole at Sedona Golf Resort  proves uniquely transcendent. Directly behind the green of the 210-yard par 3 looms the magnificence of Cathedral Rock, its rippling, variegated spires climbing ever heavenward. Tee shots fly directly towards them, hovering in midair against the inspiring sandstone; putts drop in the shadow of the Cathedral’s imposing presence.

The hole ranks among the most photographed in the Southwest, and the impeccable 6,646-yard Gary Panks design one of the most enjoyable in a state filled with more than 300 spectacular courses.

OB’S ARIZONA ZONE

Nineteen of those courses, including Sedona, comprise the Arizona portfolio of OB Sports, the 42-year-old Scottsdale-based company that operates 48 public, private and resort courses in 16 states.

In Arizona, OB’s daily-fee facilities include the Pete- Dye masterpiece at ASU Karsten in Tempe; the exclusive atmosphere of Eagle Mountain in Fountain Hills; Ken Kavanaugh’s celebrated Longbow in Mesa; the Phil Mickelson-owned McDowell Mountain in Scottsdale; 36 holes at Palm Valley in Goodyear; the uniquely pinelined Raven in Phoenix; the hidden treasures of Verde River Golf & Social Club (formerly Tegavah) in Rio Verde; the five fun City of Tucson courses; and the superb Arizona National in Tucson.

Pictured above: ASU Karsten

Pictured above: Longbow Golf Club

Pictured above: Verde River Golf & Social Club (formerly Tegavah Golf Club)

The company also manages—and can arrange rounds at—the private clubs at Tatum Ranch (in Cave Creek), Chaparral Pines and The Rim (Payson), Talking Rock (Prescott) and Pinewood (Munds Park, near Flagstaff ).

CARD PLAYERS

OB runs four Colorado courses: On the public side, Colorado National Golf Club in Erie and Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club in Aurora; on the private, Fox Hill Country Club in Longmont and Pueblo Country Club in Pueblo.

Card-carrying players from any of these clubs receive deep discounts (from 40 to 60 percent) at all OBmanaged public and resort courses—including Monarch Beach and Tijeras Creek in Orange County, Calif.; Sandia in Albuquerque (pictured below); and five Las Vegas courses—as well as at select private ones.

Pictured: Sandia Golf Club, New Mexico

Non-members of OB facilities can also purchase a rewards card ($109-$169, depending on the club) at a select courses to receive similar discounts. Those discounts also apply to preferred car rental rates, dining offers and more.

BEYOND OB

Even with its vast network, OB Sports doesn’t confine its services only to courses it manages.

OB Sports Vacations provides a one-stop shop for planning a trip that can include courses like We-Ko-Pa (pictured below), Troon North, McCormick Ranch, Dove Mountain and dozens of other Arizona standouts—as well as hundreds of courses across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Europe and the United Kingdom. From Pebble to Pinehurst to Prestwick, OB Sports Vacations packages discounted lodging, car rental and activities to create definitive experiences at prices you’d be hard-pressed to beat.

Pictured: We-Ko-Pa Golf Club

A recent stay-and-play at Pebble Beach was “too low to advertise,” according to the website, but publicized deals have included three nights and three rounds on Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Trail for $209 per person per night; three nights at the Ritz- Carlton and three rounds of golf at Georgia’s Reynolds Plantation for $370 per person per day; four nights at Mesquite’s Casablanca Resort and rounds at Wolf Creek, Conestoga, Coyote Springs and Coral Canyon for $209 per person per day; and $2,129 per person for six nights lodging, rental car and five rounds (at courses like Royal Troon, Prestwick and Turnberry) in Ayrshire and Western Scotland.

In Arizona, $219 per day can get you a luxury suite at the Marriott at McDowell Mountains, plus rounds at TPC-Scottsdale’s Stadium Course, Legend Trail, SunRidge Canyon and The Raven-Phoenix.

OB Sports Vacations also lets you customize an itinerary. In Tucson, for example, this can include rounds at The Gallery, Starr Pass, Ventana Canyon (pictured below), Vistoso and Dove Mountain.

Pictured: Ventana Canyon, Tucson

IN-NETWORK

OB’s best deals naturally come at properties it manages. How does $159 per person per day sound for four nights at the Scottsdale Resort and Conference Center and four rounds of golf at Eagle Mountain (pictured below), The Raven- Phoenix, Tegavah and Longbow? If you bring a group of eight or more, OB throws in a one-hour Swedish massage for the group leader.

Pictured: Eagle Mountain Golf Club

You can also get one at the Hilton Sedona Golf Resort & Spa as part of a two-night, two-round package. The spectacular, rugged scenery invites not only golf, but also hiking, biking and other forms of physical activity that lead to the massage table.

And for those indulging in all that OB Sports has to offer, these kneads might be your only needs.

RELATED LINKS

Is Scottsdale America's Hottest Golf Destination?

OB, Oh My! 8 Courses You Need to Play

7 Properties That Define Corporate Retreat Excellence

Colorado AvidGolfer is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it. It publishes eight issues annually and proudly delivers daily content via www.coloradoavidgolfer.com. Jon Rizzi is the founding editor and co-owner of this regional golf-related media company producing magazines, web content, tournaments, events and the Golf Passport.