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When you think of Scottsdale, Arizona, golf is usually the first thing
that comes to mind. When you think of Desert Highlands golf, many think Jack
Nicklaus. The course was designed by the Golden Bear in 1983 and it has been
claimed that Desert Highlands has been designed around Nicklaus' own playing
style. That wouldn't be surprising given the fact that Jack spent two years and
twenty visits to the site before completion. |
| Early on, as the Arizona Golf Journal
reported, "It was decided to throw away the working drawings that had been made
and Nicklaus began to prowl the land, measuring and looking and gathering a
feel that would come only to a master of the game in search of the ultimate
challenge. With complete license to do what he would, the man many call the
greatest golfer ever, made his statement among the rocks and
cacti." |
| The course itself is a par 72, 7099 yards and nestled under Pinnacle
Peak, at about 2400 feet above sea level. Significantly, the elevation of
downtown Phoenix is more than a thousand feet lower than that of Desert
Highlands. |
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And here's a pleasant surprise : whereas the world-famous Camelback
Mountain tops out at 2700 feet, Pinnacle Peak rises to 3170. As veteran desert
dwellers appreciate, a little elevation can make a big difference in climate.
Also, the moods of the desert modulate with season and moisture. |
Around the tees and greens, we have utilized craggy mounds with
Pinnacle Peak and the McDowell Mountains serving as a backdrop. These mounds
mimic the mountain shapes behind them...
Unusual also - each hole on the
big tournament course provides four to seven sets of tees to accommodate varying
levels of skills. |
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| If anything, Desert Highlands symbolizes something of
a throwback to the Scottish philosophy of allowing a course to meander through
natural landscape around existing obstacles. By concentrating grooming to
anticipated landing areas, only eighty acres of Desert Highlands requires
precious irrigation, as compared with more than a hundred twenty-five acres of
cultivated landscape for a typical golf course. Desert Highlands uses only
about one-half the water of a more traditional, temperate region
course. |
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It is the unique qualities of Desert Highlands that played a big role
in its hosting of two Skins Games. Not surprisingly, the course has been
heavily awarded and lauded in golf circles. Bill Huffman, the golf writer for
The Arizona Republic, has rated Desert Highlands in the top 25 for Arizona's
private golf clubs |
| Another interesting side note is the fact that Desert Highlands has
the only eighteen-hole putting course in the Western Hemisphere. Inspired by
the celebrated but much shorter original at St. Andrews, Scotland, the putting
course at Desert Highlands extends as long as three football fields, counting
the end zones! |
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| Desert Highland Golf Course today represents the most
advanced and imaginative melding of "the humbling game" with the "land of
little water." This is a golf course which surrenders nothing of the game while
subordinating to the ecological discipline of the desert. |
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Desert Highlands real estate stands out among Scottsdale, Arizona homes and properties as a premier location for golf course community living. This unique 850-acre community is located at the base of Arizona's renowned Pinnacle Peak. When looking for Scottsdale, Arizona homes with a championship golf course and a variety of amenities, Desert Highlands has become the first choice for many. A 33,000 square foot clubhouse provides the central hub of the community with a southwestern style that blends seamlessly into the surrounding landscape.
Scottsdale, Arizona Homes: Desert Highlands Amenities
While the Jack Nicklaus designed golf course is an attraction for many, the various conveniences and amenities offered throughout Desert Highlands are also unique. Those interested in tennis will find 13 premier courts to choose from. No matter what your skill level, four clay and four grass courts, two Nova Pro Bounce courts and three hard surface LayKold courts provide the chance to perfect your game. In 2000, the tennis center won the Outstanding Tennis Facility Award, presented by the U.S. Tennis and Track Builders Association. The professional staff and services are second to none, and feature:
- Three full-time staff members
- One senior instructor, available for individual coaching
- Seasonal tennis clinics
- Ball machines for practice
Scottsdale, Arizona homes in Desert Highlands are conveniently located near the 7,000 square foot Fitness Center. Residents can take advantage of a fully carpeted and equipped health destination offering more that 30 workout stations that include: stepmasters, treadmills, stationary bicycles, as well as a wide variety of Cybex machines and free weights. Five nationally certified personal trainers are available to help with your health needs. Other features of the Fitness Center include:
- Three 42-inch plasma flat screen TVs with FM transmitters and complementary headphones
- Clinical nutrition assessments
- Monthly hiking club
- Luxurious men's and ladies' locker rooms with showers and steam rooms
- All of these Fitness Center services and more are available to members 7 days a week, 5am to 9pm
Desert Highlands Real Estate: Convenient Access to All of Life's Needs
Residents of these fine Scottsdale, Arizona homes will find quick, easy access to many of the area's services. Desert Highlands real estate is located less than four miles from the Loop 101 Freeway that connects the entire Phoenix/Scottsdale region. Within three miles, residents will find police, fire and emergency services as well as a major hospital (Mayo) within five miles. Within a four mile radius, residents also have access to: five major shopping centers, four supermarkets, three drug stores, fifteen restaurants, six banks and much more. With the added advantage of their close proximity to both the Scottsdale and Phoenix airports, these homes offer a serene location that's not far out of the way from the everyday conveniences you need.
Desert Highlands is a 100% walled and gated community, featuring more than nine miles of walls surrounding the Club. The gate is manned 24-hours a day and is backed up by a camera-monitored, transponder-accessed sub-gate. Desert Highlands individually recruits and employs its 16 security personnel, each of whom is trained in CPR and are AED-certified with EMT training. The community is monitored for your safety by 14 security cameras and three monitors, as well as three patrol vehicles - one of which is a mini-fire truck. Desert Highlands real estate also features around the clock security patrols as well as fully monitored visitor/vendor access.
Preserving the Natural Beauty that Surrounds
The Desert Highlands community is limited to 575 total homesites, preserving more than half of the community's 850 acres in its natural state. The entire site has been developed using guidelines that are partially based on a master plan created by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Desert Highlands real estate has achieved property values that are among the highest in the Valley through strict adherence to guidelines for home positioning, aesthetic conformity and provision of unblocked views. Integrated throughout these Scottsdale, Arizona homes is a wide range of natural vegetation and wildlife.
The entirety of the Desert Highlands community is dominated by the natural vegetation of the Sonoran Desert. Each homesite features this unique vegetation as an integral part of the landscape. The common areas located throughout the community are enhanced by more than 500 transplanted Palo Verde and Ironwood trees. The entire natural landscape has been further enhanced by over 1000 Saguaro cacti. Some of these spectacular cacti are more than 200 years old and range in height from 13 to 45 feet. The wildlife population consists of: bobcats, javalinas, coyotes, owls, rabbits, hawks, quail and a variety of other native birds.
Scottsdale, Arizona Homes from an Experienced Local Agent
Information deemed accurate, but not guaranteed. Golf membership cost and prices and availability of real estate subject to change with market conditions.
For more information on homes at Desert Highlands, please
fill out the online
information request form. |
