Verrado Golf Club - Founder's Course is an upscale desert layout designed by John Fought and Tom Lehman that opened for public play in January 2004. John Fought and Tom Lehman collaborated on the course at Verrado Golf Club, a voluptuous design that meanders through the old Caterpillar bulldozer proving grounds.
John Fought and Tom Lehman collaborated on the course at Verrado Golf Club, a voluptuous design that meanders through the old Caterpillar bulldozer proving grounds. It is up and down for 18 holes, but that does not mean pitch and putt. The course is a good test with chances to score and a handful of memorable and scenic holes.
Where the Verrado golf course will eat you alive is in its bunkers: Some bunkers are hard to carry, while others collect wayward shots. But the fairways are wide enough to avoid trouble, and what appears to be the safe shot off the tee will often bring greenside bunkers more into play. So pick your poison.
While the back nine is far superior to the front, going out still has its fair share of memorable holes. A huge boulder 30-feet tall on the par-4 eighth juts out from the left side around which the fairway shapes itself. A perfect line from the tee box is to take the ball five yards right off its edge, but hitting the boulder is certain death by desert. The boulder was scheduled to crumble via dynamite, but stood up to the TNT and was deemed an immoveable object. Open and playable for all skill levels, the Verrado Golf Club is a sublime experience.
by Bob Short on April 23rd, 2013 10:01We played Raven right after arriving at the Phoenix airport just because it was so close to the airport. Had heard a lot of good things about the course and it lived up to most of what I had heard. Didn't expect to need to pay for practice balls at a course that rates itself as upscale--never had to pay for practice balls at all the rest of the courses we played that week. The course was in good shape except for some of the greens which had a lot of brown areas which they told us about before we teed off and said was the new summer grass coming in---hmmmm. No exceptional holes that I can remember but it was a pleasant opening round to start off our week of golf in Phoenix. Probably wouldn't play it again when I return but would rather play Legacy which is right next door and much more interesting and fun course for less money and better continioned--.
by Max Power on September 20th, 2012 19:19Nice, upscale place at the edge of the West Valley. Tee boxes were excellent, fairways were good...the rough was ROUGH! Balls sink well below the cut making it hard to locate your ball. Greens were in good shape too. You WILL lose a few balls out into the desert...but you'll probably find others making it a wash. I lost some cheapie Nike Mojo's only to find a few Callaways and Titleist Pro V1's! SCORE! I also ate at the Grille and the burgers are awesome!
by Frank Buzzelli on March 09th, 2011 10:33Great track with wonderful views .Visit each summer I come to Phoenix. Staff is top notch and a nice 19th hole and restaurant. Gotta love those guava towels.