Allan Henry
Grass Clippings, a Phoenix-based modern golf brand celebrating greenskeepers founded in 2018, announced its plans to usher in a new era of golf in the Phoenix area, as it officially assumed operations of Tempe’s Rolling Hills Golf Course on Saturday, July 1. The company will soon begin a $15 million renovation and revitalization project as Rolling Hills Golf Course has become “Grass Clippings at Rolling Hills,” the flagship location for Grass Clippings’ vision.
In March 2023, Grass Clippings agreed to a 30-year partnership with the City of Tempe to operate the city-owned golf course, which is located two miles from Arizona State University’s Tempe campus. Grass Clippings’ property lease began on July 1. The company has engaged Scottsdale-based Troon to help execute the renovation and manage the golf and hospitality operations at the new Grass Clippings at Rolling Hills.
Over the next 17 months, Grass Clippings and Troon will work together to transform the property, adding full-course lighting for night play, a lighted practice range, an activity lawn and video display, a hilltop bar, a patio bar and clubhouse, and an entertainment venue. To allow the property to remain open during construction, projects will be executed in phases with full completion targeted for fall 2024.
Initial enhancements will include installation of modern LED lighting on the 18-hole executive-length golf course and on the practice range, as well as a new irrigation system to improve turf quality. New tee boxes will also be added to allow the course to be played from various lengths and angles, including a par-3 only option. Work on the course is expected to begin in July 2023.
The new Grass Clippings at Rolling Hills will offer competitions, community, skins games, night golf, food, concert venues, weekly live music, markets and events. The Grass Clippings team will also implement junior golf programming that will extend access to a much more diverse community.
Originally designed by Milton Coggins, Rolling Hills features interesting topography, elevation change, desert landscape and cheetahs on hole 3 as the course neighbors the Phoenix Zoo. Once lighting is installed, the course will be open until midnight, allowing golfers to escape Phoenix’s intense sun and heat.
In 2019, after hosting the 1st Grass Clippings Open, Grass Clippings launched a line of golf apparel and opened its first retail shop at 39th St. and Campbell in Phoenix. The Grass Clippings Open grew rapidly and by 2022 had outgrown its venue. On March 2, 2023, the Tempe City Council approved Grass Clippings’ plan to overhaul and operate Rolling Hills Golf Course.
Scott Hebert leads the Rolling Hills maintenance team.
