Twenty years after serving as a member of Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish’s original design team at TPC Scottsdale – home to the FBR Open, Randy Heckenkemper has returned to once again put his mark on this premier golf destination by designing the Club’s new Champions Course. Scheduled to open on Thursday, Nov.15, this stunning desert layout rivals its famous sister, the Stadium Course, in both playability and beauty, offering everyday golfers an exceptional TOUR-quality golf experience.
Built on the former site of TPC Scottsdale’s Desert Course, Heckenkemper pairs his intimate knowledge of the topography with a reverence for nature to create a completely new layout that fits seamlessly into the natural desert terrain. As challenging as it is picturesque, the par-71, 7,124-yard Champions Course features undulating Bermuda fairways, the only Emerald Green greens and tee boxes in the State of Arizona, and a variety of strategically placed bunkers to test the mettle of both scratch golfers and novices alike – all set against the backdrop of the majestic McDowell Mountains. Mature mesquite and Palo Verde trees dot the landscape, with desert washes, grassy hollows and swales framing many of the holes and water coming into play on three holes. Crafted to offer a variety of playing strategies, the course includes five par-3’s and a diverse array of par-4’s, ranging from the 480-yard 5th hole with a split fairway to the 15th, a short 310 yards if golfers choose to go directly for the green. The course finishes par-3, par-5 and par-4, creating a dramatic ending to this outstanding new layout.
“This is not your typical resort course,” said Heckenkemper of the Champions Course. “Consistent with the quality of the TPC brand, our vision was to provide public golfers with a TOUR-caliber course that balances strategy with design, so as not to favor any one type of player. Golfers must execute a variety of shots throughout the course, and each hole can be played a multitude of ways – providing golfers of all skill levels with a challenging golf experience that can be significantly different each time they play, depending on how much risk/reward they choose to undertake.”
While hazards are plentiful, a repositioning of tees and greens up the embankment on which the course is situated helped Heckenkemper create greater elevation changes, offering dramatic downhill vistas with undisturbed views of the challenges ahead. Translation: What you see is what you get.
Heckenkemper’s goal of crafting a strategically diverse and aesthetically pleasing layout was equaled only by his desire to preserve and protect natural wildlife habitats and conserve natural resources. Desert “transition” areas that buffer undisturbed washes which serve as home to coyote, bobcats and other native species were integrated into the course design, as were existing trees and other vegetation – minimizing the impact on the natural desert terrain and creating a beautiful backdrop.
Additionally, plants salvaged from other Federally owned land projects were used to increase the density of native plant material. Meanwhile, the course utilizes injection wells to recharge ground water, along with a unique computerized irrigation system that measures evaporation levels and enables the course to use only the amount of water needed, with sprinkler heads spaced 55 feet apart throughout the course.
Heckenkemper is no stranger to exceptional design – or to successful collaborations. Known for his impeccable attention to detail, hands-on approach and environmental stewardship, Heckenkemper has designed and remodeled more than 40 golf courses across the United States, including Forest Ridge Golf Club in his native Oklahoma and Stonebridge Meadows Golf Club in Arkansas, which were honored by Golf Digest as the No. 4 and No. 10 rated golf courses in their respective states; Sanctuary at Westworld, the first golf course in Arizona and the 17th in the world to earn the coveted Audubon Signature Status; and The Territory Golf Club in Duncan, Okla., recognized by Golfweek as the No. 10 best golf course in the U.S. opened since 2004 and by Golf Digest as one of the top 10 golf courses in Oklahoma.
A graduate of Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in landscape design, Heckenkemper formed Heckenkemper Golf Course Design in 1985 after establishing himself with Jack Nicklaus and Associates and the partnership of Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish. Two years later, he assisted Weiskopf and Morrish once again to help build TPC Scottsdale, the city’s first golf course and the state’s first TPC, in a collaborative effort between the PGA TOUR, the City of Scottsdale and the Bureau of Reclamation. The result is one of the West’s most remarkable golf destinations – a distinction that is sure to multiply exponentially as TPC Scottsdale welcomes its second TOUR-quality championship layout on Nov. 15 next door to its Stadium Course.
TPC Scottsdale is located at 17020 North Hayden Road in Scottsdale. For reservations on the Stadium Course or for more information on the new Randy Heckenkemper designed Champions Course, call 480-585-4334 or visit www.tpc.com/scottsdale.
