Host of several annual PGA Tour events, including the Phoenix Open, TPC Scottsdale offers two legendary championship courses: the Champions Course and the Stadium Course. The Stadium is ranked as one of the top golf courses in a state full of great golf courses.

Both courses are open for public use and each includes a fully functional clubhouse with casual and formal dining facilities.

Each year more than 500,000 fans attend the Waste Management Phoenix Open, and Condé Nast Traveler has named TPC as one of the Top 50 Golf Resort Destinations in the World. Find out more about this world-class golf center on the TPC Scottsdale website.

Located in the Sonoran Desert at the base of the magnificent Superstition Mountains, Gold Canyon Golf Resort is home to two 18-hole championship golf courses. Dinosaur Mountain and Sidewinder each feature native wildlife and plants of the high desert environment.

Dinosaur Mountain, opened in 1997, features dramatic elevation changes and tiered greens. The course is consistently ranked as one of top courses in Arizona. Sidewinder, opened in 1982, runs through desert arroyos and dry creek beds.

Gold Canyon Resort offers visitor 85 rooms with full amenities as well as swimming pools, spa services, hiking, biking, jeep tours, a fitness center and much more.

Visit the official website to find out more about Gold Canyon Golf Resort.

What promises to be a valuable lesson from pro golfer Ian Poulter about how to shoot your way out of a tricky situation takes a turn for the worse in this YouTube video, prooving that even the best golfers sometimes have  shots that go wrong!

Poulter is an English golfer who’s part of the PGA and European tours. He’s as well known for his unique fashion style and golf clothing line as he is for his swing.

Some of the best golf courses in Arizona were paid for by the sale of surrounding homes. Playing golf near homes is a “necessary evil,” making a golf on a course that’s free of homes all the sweeter. Some of the best courses in Arizona are home-free, including the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain in Marana, Arizona. Dove Mountain has recently been in the news as the site of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship. Instead of homes, the Dove Mountain courses are surrounded by the striking scenery of the Sonoran Desert and the Tortolita Mountains.

Read more about home-free golf courses in Arizona in at WorldGolf.com.

We’ve all heard of hail the size of golf balls, but it was raining actual golf balls in Scottsdale this week when a helicopter dropped 3,000 balls at the Camelback Inn Golf Club. It was all done in the name of charity. Each ball represented a $20 donation to Arizona USMC Wounded Warriors, an organization that assists Arizona Marines and their families. Another recipient was Wounded Wear, which donates clothing to those who have been wounded while serving. Donors had an added incentive for donating to the cause. Each ball was numbered and the ball that ended up in or closest to a designated hole, won its donor a free trip to Hawaii. The Camelback Inn sponsored the event and provided the incentive prize.

Located in beautiful Scottsdale, Camelback Golf Club features two-18 hole championship courses. The Padre Course is known for its bunkering, landforms and surrounding trees. Its 18th hole was been called Arizona’s best water hole by Arizona Golf Magazine. The Indian Bend course features a backdrop of magnificent mountains, eucalyptus and palm trees. Camelback also includes a practice facility with a driving range and putting greens.

Find out more at the Camelback Golf Club website.

Ever since 1905, when an English engineer named William Taylor patented a golf ball with a dimpled design, golf balls have been manufactured with a dimpled surface that increases aerodynamics.  Since then, a variety of dimple patterns have been tried to maximize aerodynamic forces.

To see an awesome graphic representation of golf ball dynamics, check out this YouTube video, a joint project from the University of Arizona and the University of Maryland.

One of the best ways to get in shape, stay fit and improve your golf game is by creating a home gym. Whether you have an entire room at your disposal or a corner of the garage or basement, dedicating a place to work out will jumpstart your fitness program. Choose an area with plenty of light and good ventilation. Painting the walls with a color that inspires you and hanging some golf posters will help motivate you.

Cardio equipment like a treadmill and elliptical machine are great additions to a home gym, but you can also stock your gym with less expensive equipment like a balance ball, resistance bands and a free weights.

For more tips, see this article on creating a home gym, see this article on 5 Tips for Creating a Home Gym.

Besides golf, Show Low is well known winter sports.  It’s ski season again in Show Low and one of the best places to enjoy downhill skiing and snowboarding is at the Sunrise Park Ski Area.  This ski resort is located on the White Mountain Apache Reservation and includes three mountains with 65 trails.  There are trails geared for every level, from beginner to pro.  Over 10,000 skiiers per hour can be transported on Sunrise Park’s rope tows and double, triple and quad chair lifts.  If the snow holds up, the ski season at Sunrise Park is expected to continue until early April.

Year-round accommodations are available at the 100-room Sunrise Park Lodge.  You’ll find more information on the Sunrise Ski Park website.

White Mountain Country Club is a private member-owned club located just south of Show Low in Pinetop, Arizona.  Founded in 1954, the club strives to provide a family atmosphere and an active program for youth members.

The club and golf course operates on a seasonal basis from May through October.  It features a lush 18-hole course that stretches out over 6500 yards.  The spectacular scenery surrounding the course includes rolling hills, Ponderosa pine forest and rugged outcroppings of volcanic rock. 

Membership in the White Mountain Country Club is by invitation only.  Visit the White Mountain Country Club website for more information.