Point me in the right direction

Thinking about going to winstar in Oklahoma with a buddy.
Number one reason is golf. Have any of you golfed there? Is the casino descent? Are there comps to be had?
Is it a viable destination for me who is coming from Los Angeles or is there tons of other places you would advise me to go to? Remember, priorities are golf, casino, rooms, food, ambience and service.
Where should I go?

 

Never been there, but I do have a friend in golf management who just moved to OK and he might know.

Here is Golfweek's 2015 list of casino courses. Winstar is near the bottom but take it as you will. On a quick glance I've played it looks like half, maybe a few more than that, of these courses, and for those I know I generally -- generally -- agree with the hierarchy, though there are a few I'd move up or down. I can't help you with casinos in those locals as I don't gamble outside Nevada.

 

As always you have helped immensely. Casino would be nice but I wouldn't give them anywhere near the action I give vegas. Casino would be more to pass time. Maybe one hour a day. You see ken im lucky enough to work from wherever I plant myself and would like to see the country a little. Only place I have played golf in Arizona was Vantana in Tucson. More thinking of Arizona brfore it gets too cold. Would really like to go to midwest, down south or even up north to Oregon..

 

Love Ventana. If you've not done it, the play in AZ is a double at We-Ko-Pa. Hell, between the Valley of the Sun and Tucson, that's one helluva golf destination overall.

You know my feelings about Oregon. And while it was a little more convoluted than most might want to take on, my recent OR-WA-ID golfathon was epic, and I even blew off playing in Bend on the way back. The Boyz have already settled on Bend for next year's junket and I'm going to drive up and piddle ass my so I can hit a few other great spots like Yoche or Tokatee or Running Y, maybe swing around PDX to see family and hit Pumpkin Ridge. I'm also trying to coerce my top golf bud to do a spontaneous hit and run on Bandon when the usual February sunfest appears.

Dang, I'm so PNW addled right now I'm not even thinking about Hawaii. Wow.

 

I played We-Ko-Pa in the summer, when rates were low, and it was amazing.

 

Come on down to Louisiana. Plenty of swamp tours and haunted plantations. Plus lots of casinos.

 

And a nice little golf "trail" down that way. I played Carter Plantation, Atchafalaya, Audubon Park, TPC (uck) and one other that presently escapes me.

 

Only heads up I can give is that the place is HUGE!!!!! lots and lots and lots of slots. great selection on table games but you get your workout in walking from one end of the place to the next. I get a few offers from them, but nothing great.

 

I suppose I should throw in my homer pick here. I live a few hours from The Donald Ross Course at French Lick. It's a fantastic course and is always well-kept. It was home to this year's Senior PGA Championship. There is a casino at the resort, it's not great but passable if you want to get in a little action. Also part of the resort is the historic West Baden Springs Hotel (my parents were actually married here). It offers stunning architecture and a very nice resort experience. Just a thought if you're looking for something other than the typical golf destinations.

 

Up the road a ways in Tulsa is the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. The casino is large and the rooms are very nice. They have Cherokee Hills GC there. There are comps available as well as a pretty good course for the area. As mentioned above the Winstar Casino is huge, but sorry, I don't know anything about the course.

 

Plus TPC is on the West Bank in Avondale. Nothing really worth seeing. At least with Audubon Park you're in Uptown which is lovely and you can get post golf beers or food at the dozens of bars along Magazine or St Charles. I could really go for an alligator po-boy right about now

 

I'm not really looking at the locale. If I was Carter wouldn't have been named given where it sits, but it's a stellar track. But then you hop in a car and can get whatever else you want. Just talking about golf courses to a golfer.

 

Ok all, thank you for all the suggestions. Appreciate it. Since this trip will be in 3 weeks we have decided to do Arizona. I went over the list of Arizona golf courses and there are too many. So I'm coming to you all. I think I want to stay around Scottsdale. Where should I play, stay and low on the list gambol? Been to Tucson and played several he's there so thought Scottsdale might be nice? I like courses like cascata, shadow, southern highlands, Riviera, pebble, spyglass, bali, bears best, courses in primm, pyute ciurses to mange a few that all of you would know. Resorts are good. Money is no object within reason.
Thank you for your help.

 

Well I liked We-Ko-Pa which is on the Fort Mcdowell Casino.

https://www.wekopa.com/stay-and-play/

This is near Fountain Hills, AZ which is close to Scottsdale. They have 2 courses I played Cholla.

In Fountain Hills, not a resort but near We-Ko-Pa

I have golfed at Sun Ridge Canyon, which I liked a lot.

http://www.sunridgegolf.com/

Stay away from Desert Canyon, though I was there at the end of summer so it may not be fair to judge the course shape but I did not like it. This is also in Fountain Hills.

There is also Eagle Mouintain I have not golfed there but heard nice things.
http://www.eaglemtn.com/

So if you stayed at We-Ko-Pa you got a casino and 2 courses on property. (Never stayed in hotel sorry, but Casino is nice but smaller) And within less than 10 minutes 3 other courses, 1 (sun ridge) I highly recommend. Also decent dining in Fountain, Hills, but if you wanted to get better restaurants in Scottsdale you are only 20 or so minutes away.

I am not sure if they fit into what you like, they are all Desert Style courses. The 12 hole at Sun Ridge is the best hole I ever played (I do not play as much as you nor at the places you do so you may not be impressed) but the Tee is Elevated, you hit down into a canyon it is a Par 3. 169 from tips.

Also I like the scenery around Fountain hills and it adds more character to the courses IMO.

 

LOVE me some Valley of the Sun. Been going there for 25, 30 years and have played 'em all, it feels like.

The BIG 3 (a.k.a. You Gotta Play These Three):

We-Ko-Pa Saguaro
We-Ko-Pa Cholla
Troon North Pinnacle

I've always preferred Grayhawk Talon to Fazio's Raptor because Raptor looks like, well, Fazio. It's a good play, but ... it's soooo Fazio. However, 15-17 were just rerouted so I'm looking forward to seeing that next time I'm over. Anyway, me, the mates and Dan Haren once scored some nice swag and a COOL trophy during one of the Phoenix Open events on Talon so there's that.

Talking Stick North
The Boulders -- six of one which of the two you choose
TPC Stadium -- you play this for the tourney affiliation not because it's golf perfection incarnate
Eagle Mountain
SunRidge Canyon ... I'd check to see if the tweaks are concluded
Rancho Mañana -- short, different, bit off the grid; fun stuff
Gold Canyon Dinosaur Mountain -- but a ways out there; a thrill ride but inquire in advance as to conditioning
Southern Dunes -- also a drive and I don't give it all the love so many others do

If you have any friends/contacts/incriminating photos, get yourself to any of these private playpens: Whisper Rock, Scottsdale National Golf Club, Blackstone Country Club.

That's a start.

 

I always wanted to play Troon, it was in a golf video game we had at the Arcade I cut my teeth at.

 

Great stuff guys. By the way, love desert golf. Jen, I will look them up and know most of those courses but are they near or in Scottsdale? Thank you.

 

Here is Scottsdale Airport to We-Ko-Pa

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Scottsdale+Airport+Operations+Center,+North+Airport+Drive,+Scottsdale,+AZ/We-Ko-Pa+Golf+Club,+East+Toh+Vee+Circle,+Fort+McDowell,+AZ/@33.5501663,-111.8759142,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x872b7447e218ce13:0x6441c55dfeb0976e!2m2!1d-111.9160978!2d33.6213564!1m5!1m1!1s0x872ba2c0eca5ba85:0xaab4d5034c62688d!2m2!1d-111.6891661!2d33.5852026

 

I've always loved Troon North and when x years back they restored the routings to the original intent, it might've cost Monument a few points but it enhanced Pinnacle even more.

Packer, you can see I noted which courses involve what I'd consider a drive -- 50-60 minutes depending on traffic and where you are staying. The rest are in or arrayed around Scottsdale. However, as you might know, Scottsdale is a good 20+ miles north to south and though on a map Fountain Hill and the reservation look just over the McDowells, you can burn up to a good 25-30 minutes getting from the north Scottsdale "centerpoint" (Fairmont/TPC/Grayhawk/airport) out to We-Ko-Pa or up to Cave Creek. I suggest google maps.

(Blackstone is out west a long ways.)

 

Well boys..... Tried to book AZ golf. Only problem is WeKoPa is cart path only (No Caddies) and greens aren't back in great shape yet. Same with Grayhawk.. Troon is in good shape and will let a old man like me use the 90 degree rule. Should I shine AZ? Should I play troon and the TPC course? Don't want to play stadium just because it is on tv.. What say you? TY

Going Nov 13-16

Quintero?

Kierland?

Phoenician?