TROON NORTH TRANSFORMATION NEARS COMPLETION
Scottsdale, Ariz. – Troon North® Golf Club, known for nearly 20 years as the crown jewel of desert golf, is near completion of a multi-step renovation project. Tom Weiskopf, original designer of the Pinnacle course and co-designer of the Monument course, is leading the two-year project, which transcends typical course renovations and will create an entirely new playing experience. Under Weiskopf’s direction, the 36-hole facility is being reconfigured by blending the two courses together and changing the sequence in which the holes are played. When the courses reopen on October 4, 2007, players will experience two new layouts with improved playability. Both courses will feature shorter distances between the front and back nines, as well as shorter distances between greens and tees for a more walkable Pinnacle course. To create a consistent overall design, new Pennlinks Creeping Bentgrass putting surfaces have been added to every green and bunkers have been reconfigured or removed on the Monument and Pinnacle courses.
In addition to Troon North, Tom Weiskopf has designed more than 55 acclaimed golf courses around the world. Over his 20-year career in golf course design, Weiskopf has become one of the most notable designers in the U.S. His traditional-style golf courses are carefully crafted to blend into their natural surroundings and have earned several rankings on Golf Digest’s list of “America’s 100 Greatest Courses.”
“The course reconfiguration we have undertaken is something we contemplated in 1996 when we built the second course, the Pinnacle,” Weiskopf said. “When work is complete, both courses will be played exactly as the land dictates, the way Mother Nature intended.”
The “New” Monument course will feature a modified 17th hole that has been shortened by 20 yards and changed from a par five to a 495-yard par four. The original Monument course opened in 1990 with a vision to offer a world-class golf experience in the high desert of North Scottsdale. The Tom Weiskopf/Jay Morrish design has since received a myriad of accolades, including recognition as a Top 100 course by Golf Digest,Golf Magazine, Golfweek and Condé Nast Traveler. Leading the way as Arizona’s “No. 1 Daily-Fee Course” named by Golf Digest and Golf Magazine, the Monument has paved the way for upscale golf in Scottsdale, Ariz.
The enhanced layout will change the “New” Pinnacle course from a par 72 to par 71. It will be transformed into a more links-style feel, with a continuous layout that doesn’t return to the clubhouse until the 18th hole. Built six years after the Monument course, the original Pinnacle course, named after a towering peak seen from miles away, has been the Monument’s closest rival. Designed solely by Tom Weiskopf, the Pinnacle has been recognized as Arizona’s “No. 2 Daily-Fee Course” by both Golf Digest and Golf Magazine. The course stretches through natural ravines and foothills that provide a visual sensation, unique to the Sonoran Desert.
With over 25 years of industry experience developing and operating golf facilities worldwide, Dana Garmany, Chairman and CEO of Troon Golf, founded the company following the success of Troon North and the philosophy of treating guests like a “member for the day.”
“Making changes of this magnitude to two of the game’s most highly acclaimed courses was something we extensively studied and took very seriously,” Garmany stated. “In the end, both Tom Weiskopf and I are confident we have improved both golf courses and enhanced the player experience significantly.”
Troon North Golf Club serves as the birthplace and flagship property of Troon Golf®, headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz. Troon Golf is the world’s largest golf management company, overseeing operations at more than 185 courses located in 31 states and 26 countries. There are currently 35 Troon Golf managed facilities that enjoy a Top 100 ranking by national or international publications. In addition to Troon North Golf Club, Troon Golf properties include Talking Stick Golf Club, Scottsdale, Ariz.; The Westin Turnberry Resort, Ayrshire, Scotland; Classic Club, Palm Desert, Calif.; Haig Point, Daufuskie Island, S.C.; Cap Cana, Juanillo Beach, Dominican Republic; Playa Mujeres Golf Club, Cancun, Mexico; The Dunes at Dubai Sports City, Dubai, UAE; and The Grove, London, England.