Cholla Course @ We-Ko-Pa in Scottsdale, Arizona

This is a review of the par 72 Cholla course at We-Ko-Pa Golf Club in Fountain Hills, Arizona.  Fountain Hills is a neighboring city of Scottsdale, Arizona.

What they say
We-Ko-Pa Golf Club is a daily fee golf facility that consists of the original 18 holes, the Cholla course, designed by Scott Miller and a second 18 holes, the Saguaro course, designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, which opened Saturday, December 16, 2006.  In addition to the two 18-hole courses, there is a large practice facility and a full service clubhouse.  We-Ko-Pa Golf Club has been developed and is owned by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and is operated by EF Golf and OB Sports Golf Management.

Located just east of Scottsdale and Fountain Hills, the course is located on land that will never be used for residential or commercial development, yielding dramatic views of the Sonoran desert and the surrounding mountains. 

What we say
What they don’t mention is that the course is absolutely amazing.  The course uses the landscape terrifically allowing the players to truly choose between risk and reward golf shots.   For Arizona residents, you are allowed to book 5 days in advance and reap the benefits of a significantly discounted greens fee.  Make sure you bring your best game to the course as it will challenge your accuracy as nearly every green is elevated and there is danger lurking near every landing spot.  Short and long hitters will be challenged by elevated tees and contoured fairways.  The course is immaculate, and the staff is superb.  This course is one to put on your to-do lists.

Course Vitals
Tournament: 7225 yards, 73/136
Back: 6740 yards, 70.7/131
Composite: 6436 yards,  69.6/128
Middle: 6114 yards, 67.5/121
Forward: 5289 yards, 69.1/119

Address
18200 East Toh Vee Circle
Fort McDowell, Arizona  85264
Phone: 480.836.9000
URL: http://www.wekopa.com

Hole by hole analysis
Hole #1 is a short dogleg left par 4 with an elevated tee box.
You can challenge the green from the tee box on this hole, however if you hit short, you will be in desert land.  Alternatively, you can select just how much desert you want to bite off, and aim accordingly.  There are traps if you go long however depending on your club selection off the tee you should be able to effectively put them out of the equation. 

Hole #2 is a long double kinked par 5 with a well protected green.
Be accurate my friend.  The largest hitters cannot make it past the desert divide so this will be a true par five.  Place your tee shot in the middle of this fairway with a long to mid iron.  Your second shot should favor the right hand side, there is desert both left and right with traps deep, so club selection is key.  The green is in a sunken area however the putting surface is elevated, therefore, shots that are near the edges will trickle down off the green.

Hole #3 is a mid length par 3 sloping down from the tee.
This green is well protected by a hill on the left hand side and a trap to the right.  Leaving your ball short will lead to needing to re-tee because the desert short is actually some sort of pea gravel that is impossible to hit from.  Be long, if not dead on.

Hole #4 is a medium to long par 4 that gradually slopes down to an elevated green. 
Ensure you carry the desert and stay just left of the large fairway tree.  There is some room, but an errant shot off the tee could end up costing strokes.  Left off tee is desert, and there is no chance of finding a lost ball.

Hole #5 is a medium to long par 3 with trouble all around.
The only bail-out area here is pin high, but left.  Short is a desert wash.  Left, long, and short right will also leave you with a pot bunker lie.  The green slopes back to front, so club selection here is key.

Hole #6 is a medium length par 4 with a slightly elevated green.
The move here is to fly the traps on the right.  A tee shot that stays left, but over the sand bunkers will provide easy access to this mildly elevated green.

Hole #7 is a short par 4 that slopes upwards to an elevated green.
Big hitters can pull out their driver here.  A well placed tee shot could land close, if not on, the green.  Deep pot bunkers protect the left side of the green so the best placed shots should be aimed to the right.  Shorter hitters should aim right for easy access to this elevated green.

Hole #8 is a long par 5 that doglegs right approaching the hole.
This is by far one of the toughest holes on the course.  Even the biggest hitters cannot put themselves in position to make the green in two; your eagle shot will have to be made from about 145 yards out, at best.  Before the hole shoots down hill there are two bunkers that end the fairway.  A well placed shot right of them will allow the best access to the hole.  At the green, missing left will cause huge problems so miss right.

Hole #9 is a mid to long par 4 with a slightly elevated green.
There is plenty of room on this one, so position yourself away from the traps and swing away.  A well struck tee shot will give good access to this slightly elevated green.

Hole #10 is a medium length par 5 that doglegs left with a slightly elevated green.
For the best access to the green a tee shot should be on the right hand side.  For big hitters, a well struck left to right shot over the center desert section will provide the best of all possible landings as well as staying away from any nasty lies.  The hole is relatively flat, so don’t penalize yourself for errant shots. 

Hole #11 is a long par 3 that goes straight off the tee to an elevated green.
This elevated green will let shots trickle down all sides.  Deep bunkers protect the left side while trees and desert protect the right.  Club selection is key here, and the green is larger in the back than front.  Just aim for the center, and swing away.

Hole #12 is a medium length par 4 that doglegs right and eventually slopes down to an elevated green.
This up then down hole has a wide fairway landing zone to set you up to a critical green approach.  Bunkers protect the front of the green so make sure you’ve gauged the club selection correctly.

Hole #13 is a medium length par 4 with a slight dogleg right.
Stay left of the large fairway tree and it will setup your approach perfectly.  There is plenty of room on all sides of this green.

Hole #14 is a short par 3 with a highly elevated tee box.
Chose 1 club less than the distance reads, but ensure you don’t miss short.  Short is desert, and short left is even more treacherous.  Keep right and pin high, and you should be fine.

Hole #15 is a short par 4 that moves slightly left off the tee to a massive elevated green.
Another risk and reward hole, the 15th allows hitters to target this green in 1.  A shot that moves too far left will be lost in desert, so stay right.  There is also plenty of room if you go long off the tee in attempts to hit the green.

Hole #16 is a long par 4 that doglegs left to a elevated green.
From the tee it appears that the hole is wide open.   The fairway ends quite abruptly into desert and shots struck right at the pin will end up in a wash or desert area.  From the tee it isn’t possible to clear this wash area, so set yourself up for a longer iron shot into this green.  From a good lie in the fairway, the green should be accessible and surrounded with only little problems.

Hole #17 is a medium length par 5 that doglegs right and slopes downhill.
A well placed tee shot will be put over or near the bunker on the left.  Big hitters can make this green in two as long as the second shot is well placed.  Slightly errant shots at the green only receive minimal penalties however missed shots can end up in the deep desert to the right.

Hole #18 is a shot to medium length par 4 that slopes downhill and fades right.
It is possible to fly the trap on the left however the water comes into play quite rapidly.  The best shot will be just before the water on the left hand side to give easy access to the green.  To the right of the green there is a large sand bunker and a desert hill protects on the left.