Wildfire Golf Club, Phoenix, AZ

Nice course. Lots and lots of bunkers. Bunkers galore.

The Faldo course at Wildfire is not overly difficult. There are 4 sets of tees ranging from 6,800 yards from the tips down to 5,200 yards from the ladies tees. The blue tees measure 6,600 yards and the whites measure 6,100 yards. This course is known for its bunkers - there are over 100 bunkers on the course. But the landing area for tee shots on most holes is generous so you should be able to get around the course with minimal bunker play if you are hitting the ball straight. If you happen to spray a drive, you probably will end up in waste land areas and cactii, but at least they are marked as lateral hazards so you will not have to take a lost ball penalty if you cannot locate your ball. A couple of the shorter par 4s have more strategically placed bunkers that you may need to clear with second shots, but most of the bunkers are off to the sides. The greens were a bit slow - they just finished overseeding the course - but they were true and easy to get used to.

The course is not cheap. Twilight rate on a Sunday afternoon was $99. The regular rate I believe is about $40 more. But the staff treats you right and the course is in nice shape, so it is certainly worth a play, especially if you are staying at the Marriott Resort. There is another course on the property - the Palmer course, that is the home to an LPGA event - but that was closed on this day due to overseeding.

In summary, the Faldo course is a very nice course, with lots of bunkers and friendly staff.