And the big names aren’t just building courses – they’re playing them, too. Celebrities of the Hollywood kind have graced the greens of several Scottsdale courses. Each year, you can find the likes of Justin Timberlake, Kevin Costner and Bill Murray working on their swings at TPC Scottsdale for the annual FBR Open Silver Pro-Am. Other stars that have taken their rounds on area courses include Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and Wayne Gretzky. And then there are those who love Scottsdale so much that they decided to call the world’s finest golf destination home. PGA TOUR professional Gary McCord lives in the Valley and can be seen putting at Grayhawk Golf Club, where he and Peter Kostis teach golf skills at the learning center. Other golf pros that can be spotted around town include Andrew Magee, Gary McCord and Kirk Triplett.

InterContinental Montelucia

The InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa may not have a golf course on property but that doesn’t mean you can’t have the Ultimate Golf & Spa Getaway. Test your skills with two rounds of golf per day at some of Scottsdale’s top courses including Troon North , Talking Stick , We-Ko-Pa and Grayhawk golf clubs or pamper yourself with two 60-minute spa treatments at Joya Spa each day. Also included is a guided hike up Camelback Mountain, daily breakfast for two and a fourth night of accommodations for free. The package starts at $310 per night and is available thru Dec. 31, 2009.

The Practice to Pamper package is the perfect combination of indulging and coaching to improve your game. Women golfers enjoy luxury accommodations at the Fairmont Scottsdale, a two-hour lesson at TPC Scottsdale’s TOUR Academy followed by a relaxing 60-minute golf performance massage at Willow Stream – The Spa at Fairmont Scottsdale. The package starts at $489 per person and is available year-round.

Fairmont Scottsdale

The Suite Golf & Spa Experience at Gainey Suites Hotel showcases some of Scottsdale’s finest in golf, spa and dining with a round of golf at Starfire Golf Club, McCormick Ranch Golf Club or TPC Scottsdale; a 60-minute spa treatment at the Spa at Gainey Village; and a $50 food voucher for the Village Tavern. At the hotel, enjoy studio suite accommodations, daily breakfast, and an evening beer and wine reception. The package starts at $259 and is available thru Dec. 31, 2009.

Several Scottsdale-area restaurants were recognized by The James Beard Foundation as semifinalists across several categories:

• Outstanding Restaurateur: Sam Fox, Fox Restaurant Concepts
• Best New Restaurant: NoCA
• Outstanding Wine Service: Kazimierz World Wine Bar
• Best Chef in the Southwest: Beau MacMillan, elements at Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa

Golfweek magazine’s list of best public-access courses honored several local golf clubs:

• Troon North Golf Club’s Monument (No. 2) and Pinnacle (No. 8 )
• We-Ko-Pa Golf Club’s Saguaro (No.1) and Cholla (No.3)
• Talking Stick Golf Club’s North Course (No. 4) and South Course (No. 14)
• TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium (No. 6) and Champions (No. 20)
• Boulders Golf Club’s North Course (No. 9) and South Course (No. 15)
• Grayhawk Golf Club’s Raptor (No. 13) and Talon (No. 23)
• SunRidge Canyon Golf Club (No. 12)
• Longbow Golf Club (No. 16)

TripAdvisor’s Travelers Choice Award recognized Royal Palms Resort and Spa as No. 78 on its “Best Luxury Resorts in the World” list and as No. 7 on its “Top 10 Luxury Resorts in the United States” list.

Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch received Elite Certified Status by Elite Meetings International and also was honored with Meetings & Conventions’ 2009 Gold Tee Award and Successful Meetings’ Pinnacle Award.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport was named No.1 on Health Magazine’s “America’s Healthiest Airports” list and No. 7 on Travel + Leisure’s “Best Airports of 2008” list.

Encore Creative was recognized by Event Solutions magazine as the “2009 Event Supplier of the Year.”

InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa was honored on Travel + Leisure’s “Top 45 New Hotels of the Year” list.

Chaparral Suites Resort Scottsdale was awarded Meeting & Conventions’  Gold Key award.

Kierland Golf Club

Summer Golf, Room Rates Falling As Temperatures Heat up in Scottsdale

Golfers seeking a bargain search no more as the Millennium Resort Scottsdale McCormick Ranch is offering travelers the $100 for $100 package. For only $100, guests receive one night’s accommodations and a $100 resort credit to be used for food and beverage. This means that after a day of golf at McCormick Ranch Golf Club or any of the Scottsdale area’s 200 plus courses, guests can come back to the resort and enjoy a meal at the resort’s Piñon Grill, Diamondback Lounge, poolside cabana bar or thru room service virtually for free. Package is available May 15 – Sept. 18.

Every Monday May 18 – Sept. 13, Kierland Golf Club is offering Monday Choose-Up where golfers of all skills can experience nine holes of golf that is offered in different formats each week. Pairings are chosen randomly based on handicap, number of players and finding the best way to make it as much fun as possible. Cost is $45 per person and includes nine-hole green and cart fees plus one complimentary beverage from Edie’s Range House or on-course Johnnie Walker beverage cart. Space is limited to the first 36 players and based upon availability. And golfers also can stay at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa with room rates starting at $149 per night May 24 – Sept. 10.

TPC Scottsdale Heat’s Up Your Game package offers golf and accommodations at unbeatable prices this summer. Enjoy one night of accommodations at the Fairmont Scottsdale and a round of golf on the Stadium Course, home of the PGA TOUR’s FBR Open, the “Greatest Show on Grass,” all summer long. And during July, golf will be placed on the recently renovated Champions Course. Prices start at just $99.50 per person, and the package is available June 1 – Sept. 4.

Unique Spin on Golf Puts Players on the Green After Dark

Tee it up under the desert sky with night golf at Continental Golf Club. Luminaries light the greens for a peaceful evening of golf suitable for both novice and pro players. The club offers nine holes of moonlit scramble-format golf, which is less intimidating to new players yet challenging for seasoned participants. The Saturday night sessions cost $35 per adult and $25 per child and include course contests with prizes for teams and individuals. Dinner, glow ball equipment and golf carts also are included in the price.

Scottsdale’s Only All-Suite Resort Caters to a Golfer’s Every Need

In October, Marcus Hotels and Resorts re-launched Resort Suites Scottsdale as the new Xona Resort Suites after a comprehensive, multi-million-dollar renovation of the property. The hotel boasts a new lobby and porte cochere, re-designed and updated guest suites, the new Asada Desert Grille restaurant specializing in regional cuisine, the new Orange Iguana indoor/outdoor lounge, and renovated pool areas. The hotel caters to golfers with a specialty on-site golf concierge who assist guests in planning their golfing excursions with preferred tee times, direct billing with select golf courses, and insider knowledge of the region’s finest fairways and greens. The all-suite property also partnered with Golf Experiences, LLC to offer guests a true insider’s perspective of the PGA TOUR scene with time at the TOUR Academy at TPC Scottsdale . The state-of-the-art golf game improvement facility features a private practice area, putting and chipping green, practice bunkers and the finest diagnostic technologies in addition to a comprehensive club fitting program.

Play Four of Scottsdale’s Finest With the Boulders Resort’s New Offering

The new Fore for Four package at The Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa gives golfers a whole lot more of what they love – more golf, more great courses to choose from, more extras and more for their money! The package features play at The Boulders Golf Club plus a choice of eight top rated golf courses in Scottsdale. Golfers receive four nights of accommodations; 72 holes of golf with one round on The Boulders’ North and South courses plus one round at two additional courses with choice of Grayhawk Golf Club, TPC Scottsdale, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club or two other hidden gems designed by Rees Jones and Jim Engh; complimentary cart rental; and a 20 percent discount at the resort’s golf, spa and tennis shops as well as services at the Golden Door Spa. The package starts at $1,379 thru May 26 and $899 from May 27 thru Sept. 3.

Conquering the Game at Phoenician Golf Club

The Phoenician gives golf addicts of all levels the tools for victory with its signature Masters Getaway package. Available year-round, the offer includes one night’s accommodations, breakfast for two, unlimited time on the course, and full use of golf carts and practice facilities. Phoenician Golf Club boasts 27,000 square feet of practice facilities offering a variety of resources for improving your game, including a full-service driving range, chipping green and oversized putting green. Rates vary by season but start at $245 per night.

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Hotel Valley Ho’s Executive Chef Charles Wiley was named “Outstanding Manager of the Year for 2008” by the Arizona Hotel & Lodging Association.

GolfWorld Magazine recognized several Scottsdale golf courses on its lists of “Top 50 Public Courses” and “Top 50 Resort Courses” in the country:

• Public Courses: Grayhawk Golf Club (No. 21), SunRidge Canyon Golf Course (No. 26) and Eagle Mountain Golf Club (No. 43)
• Resort Courses: We-Ko-Pa Golf Club (No. 31), Boulders Golf Club (No. 40) and Ocotillo Golf Resort (No. 49)

Golfweek magazine honored local golf courses on its best resort and casino courses list:

• Resort Courses: We-Ko-Pa Golf Club’s Saguaro Course (No. 16) and Cholla (No. 38), Boulders Golf Club’s North Course (No. 54) and South Course (No. 80) and Longbow Golf Club (No. 89)
• Casino Course: We-Ko-Pa Golf Club’s Saguaro (No. 3) and Cholla (No. 8)

The 2009 Mobil Five-Star Awards were recently announced and several Scottsdale businesses were recognized:

• The Phoenician and Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North both received four-star ratings for the resorts category.
• Talavera at the Four Seasons was honored with the four-star designation in the restaurants category.
• In the spas category, Fairmont Scottsdale, Four Seasons, The Phoenician, Royal Palms Resort and Spa, and Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain all were honored with four-star ratings.

Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch was honored by Smart Meetings magazine with the “2008 Platinum Choice Award”, and with MeetingNews’ “2008 Planners’ Choice Award.” The resort also was named one of the best resorts for family trips in the Southwest region by Travel + Leisure Golf.

Hotel Valley Ho was honored with Spa Week’s Luxe Award for “Best $50 Treatment” for its hot shells massage treatment.

Related posts:

1. Experience Scottsdale Like a Pro