Located on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian reservation, the Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale features a pair of 36-hole golf courses (North and South) along with a world-class resort, spa and casino. The courses, designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, are known for numerous bunkers and changes in elevation.  Both courses are lined with more than 9000 trees and offer stunning mountain views. Despite being located near the heat of Scottsdale, the atmosphere is calm and tranquil.

The Talking Stick Golf Club features a 26,000 foot clubhouse. The North and South courses are consistently ranked among the top courses in Arizona. For more information, visit the Talking Stick website.

One Show Low golf course that we haven’t mentioned yet on this blog is the Juniper Ridge Golf Course.  This private 18-hole, executive-style course is part of the Juniper Ridge RV Resort.  This is a Cayman golf course, which means that if has shorter distances between holes.  It also uses a lighter golf ball (the Cayman ball) that’s easier for beginning golfers to get airborne.  Read more about Cayman golf here.

Juniper Ridge RV Resort is a gated community located in the White Mountains of Arizona at an elevation of 6100 feet.  The Resort consists of 529 privately-owned RV lots and park model homes, some of which are available for short and long-term rental.  The Resort offers a wide range of amenities and activities in addition to Cayman golf.

Jason Zuback (aks Jason Golfzilla) may not be as famous Tiger Woods or other pro golfers, but he holds the distinction of being the 5-time World Long Drive Champion. See Jason in action in this YouTube video where he breaks the world record for the fastest moving ball in sports. You can also view other amazing videos on Jason Zuback’s website.

The Show Low Farmers Market and Art Fair will be adding some excitement to the streets of Show Low every Saturday from May 15 to October 16. More than 60 booths will be offering a wide variety of locally produced food and craft items. Live entertainment makes this a fun event for the entire family.

The Show Low Farmers Market and Art Fair takes place in Downtown Show Low near the famous Cardplayers statue. Don’t miss out on this chance to meet and greet your fellow Show Lowers while sampling the excellent food and crafts of the White Mountains region. Find out more at the Show Low Farmers Market and Art Fair website.

Grayhawk Golf Club is a daily-fee golf club located near Scottsdale that offers two outstanding 18-hole golf courses.  Since their opening in 1994, the Talon and Raptor courses have hosted many high-profile events, including the PGA Tour’s Frys.com Open.   Each of the unique courses at Grayhawk is situated amidst the spectacular scenery of the Sonoran Desert.  Each of the courses also offers its own challenges and design features.   Golf Magazine and Golf Digest have rated these courses within the Top 100 in the nation.

The Club amenities include the Golf Shop & Trading Company, The Quill Café and Phil’s Grill, which is named for Grayhawk’s PGA Tour Ambassador Phil Mickelson.  You can find out more at the Grayhawk Golf Club website.

Knetgolf is the world’s leading seller of brand-name recycled golf balls. Golfers lose an estimated 1 billion golf balls annual, so it’s nice to know that someone is recycling all those balls that would otherwise go to waste. Recycled balls are perfect for practice rounds.  Knetgolf recovers balls from more than 2000 resorts in the Western U.S., refurbishes them, and then sells them for less than half price. Brands include Callaway, Nike, Titleist, Bridgestone and over 200 other leading brands.

Knetgolf has been recycling golf balls since 1995. With Father’s Day around the corner, this might be a good time to visit the Knetgolf website and help put some recycled golf balls to go use.

Starr Pass Golf Resort near Tucson offers a 27-hole Arnold Palmer signature golf facility featuring a double-loaded driving range and a 20,000 square foot clubhouse. The setting is an awe-inspiring backdrop of the Tucson mountain ranges and desert scenery. The course includes some dramatic elevation drips. The resort also features a golf shop, teaching facilities and putting and chipping greens.

Starr Pass is a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary and adheres to eco-friendly guidelines for water conservation, wildlife and habitat management and environmental planning. If you’re planning on visiting Star Pass Golf Resort while on vacation, the JW Marriott Hotel and Spa is located at the Starr Pass Golf Resort.

Rickey Barnes was the 2002 U.S. Amateur Golf Champion while attending the University of Arizona. He currently plays on the PGA Tour. At the 2009 U.S. Open, Barnes set a 36-hole record score after shooting 8-under 132 throughout the first two rounds, despite soft and rainy conditions. In the 3rd round, he became the 4th player ever in the U.S. Open to reach double digits under par. Unfortunately, he shot a 76(+6) in the final round and ended up in a tie for 2nd place, two shots behind winning golfer Lucas Glover.

See Rickey at home in Phoenix in this PGA video.

The Alpine Country Club is located near the Apache National Forest in the “Alps” region of Arizona.  With an elevation of over 8100 feet, the club’s 9-hole golf course is among the highest in the nation.  Dense groves of blue spruce, aspens and ponderosa pines border the fairway.  All types of wildlife, including elk, are a common site on the greens.  The Alpine offers some of the coolest Arizona golf in the warm summer months.  Find out more at the Alpine Golf & Country Club website.

Springtime is coming to the White Mountains near Show Low, but the snow is not gone yet. This inspirational YouTube video shows the beauty of springtime snow in the White Mountains. Where else but Arizona can you find catci covered with a blanket of snow? We’re looking forward to the thaw and getting back to Arizona golf as the warm weather returns.