AZ Golf Guides

GREATER PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE & CENTRAL AZ

Rancho Mañana Golf Club

CAVE CREEK

In a vintage Southwest setting, mañana has to do with the moment at hand. Mañana says stop worrying about deadlines, what's the rush, all in due time, relax, enjoy—an attitude check that permeates the laidback atmosphere surrounding Rancho Mañana Golf Resort & Spa.

Tucked in the desert hills and ravines of Cave Creek, this is the Southwest the world imagines—contemporary comfort and convenience with a Territorial flavor. Here, with original structures carried over from the property's former role as a 1940s dude ranch, the rustic nuances are genuine.

The golf course plays to par 70 over an imaginative routing along Cave Creek Wash and through the Sonoran Desert topography. Shady cottonwoods counter the stands of saguaros, and well maintained fairways thick with sod provide safe passage through the rocks and crags.

From three sets of tees, the overall challenge lies not in length, but placement and direction on more than a few tight hillside fairways. Tee shots on two par 3s on the front side lead to greens set in the creek bed below.

The relaxed 150-yard par 3 17th down Cave Creek, which offers the respite, while the sloping two-tier green poses the challenge. At the end of 18 holes, the mix is balanced. The fairway is tight, and if the right-angle dogleg at Number 4 proves an unexpected poser, the long bending fairway and green setting make 16 a quintessential par 5. Proper maintenance and conditioning plus new tiff dwarf greens have put Rancho Mañana on a level to match the dramatic desert terrain, as well as the understated elegance of the shaded resort grounds.

The celebrated Tonto Bar and Grill, with its expansive patio dining, pairs perfectly with the golf experience. There's no reason to put off going until tomorrow. Thanks to the unique challenges, peaceful setting, and quality comfort enjoyed at the resort, the only rush is to get here.

DAVID HUBBARD