"Maule Driver" wrote in message
. com...
Golf courses can be a bit tougher than they appear. I don't play but
after
considering a few from the air, I mentally flew a couple of approaches on
some. They tend to be hilly, they tend to be surrounded by trees (maybe
not
in Phoenix), the good spots tend to curve around, there are lots of people
on them when the soaring was good.


One problem you might encounter with golf courses in the Phoenix area is
with a desert design concept known as "target golf."

The course will not have turf all the way from tee to green. In fact, many
courses intentionally put "waste" areas full of kitty litter-esque gravel in
areas meant to be carried through the air with a shot and penalize players
who want to roll the ball onto the green. Makes the course harder but saves
water since you don't have as much thirsty grass.

Feeling good about getting on the ground just past the tee box would turn to
a "GULP" when you find that you are on a par 5 where the designer decided to
put washes or "barancas" across the fairway between the landing areas for
the second or third shots.

Jay Beckman
PP-ASEL
Chandler, AZ