Likening it to Dubai, Fred Couples said he was impressed with the changes at the Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club, which officially re-opened Thursday.
He said the last time he and his brother played the course he helped create, the greens were rock-hard and there were few trees of any size. That was seven or eight years ago. There have been changes.
“These trees are like on steroids,” Couples said after sending out scores of invitees for a day of golf. Couples was the guest of honor for the mid-morning ceremony. The winner of the 1992 Masters Tournament, Couples was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame last year.
"There's something about golf. It's a disaster waiting to happen," Couples said.
After the opening ceremony and Ak-Chin blessing, Couples offered a golf clinic and a glimpse of a day in the life of a golfer.
"I don't know how you can play this game without saying a bad word," he said.
Sitting directly west of Maricopa on land that was the original Ak-Chin reservation, Southern Dunes opened in 2002. Designed by the architect team of Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley (Schmidt-Curley Design, Inc.) coupled with Couples, it was quickly noted for its compelling links and great desert views.
The recent renovation of the course was intended to challenge the pros while keeping the weekend duffers coming back.
Though drawing golfers from all over the Valley of the Sun, Southern Dunes went through some tough years and a couple of changes in ownership.
Four years ago, the Ak-Chin Indian Community purchased the course, which is managed by Troon Golf. Southern Dunes’ major renovation included a new practice facility and the short course #miniDunes. It is listed as one of the top five courses in the state by Golf Magazine.
Tees were added, bunkers removed, native vegetation supplemented and No. 17 was almost completly redesigned. Perhaps most important, and a big deal in Couples’ eyes, was the greens' maintenance.
General Manager Brady Wilson said Southern Dunes now has the best-maintained greens around, and golfers will drive long distances to play them.
