Viewpoint Golf Resort -Championship

Viewpoint Golf Resort -Championship is an 18 hole resort/public course located in Mesa, Arizona. Enjoy panoramic mountain views on their "player friendly "18-hole Championship Course

The par-71, 6,374-yard Championship Course at Viewpoint opened in 1996 and features generous tree-lined traditional fairways, immaculate greens and panoramic mountain views. With more than 40 bunkers and lots of water hazards, strategic course management is a must. They offer four sets of tees to accommodate players of all ability levels.

"This is traditional golf," says their PGA Pro Frank Samprone, "it's not overwhelming for the average player, but it still provides a good degree of challenge for the better player. The pace of play is excellent. An 18 hole round rarely takes more than four hours and 15 minutes. It's also a great course to walk."

The 18-hole course puts a demand on a player's strategic shot-making. There are three lakes and a small creek which bring water into play on ten holes. On many greens, you'll want to keep your approach shot below the hole, as the slope of the greens are sometimes severe from back to front.

Your round begins on No. 1 with a hole that has lots of character and warrants strategic play. This 421-yard par-4 (351 yards from the forward tees) demands accuracy off the tee with a bit of a dogleg to the left and Out of Bounds right. There's a bunker on the front left side of the green and a creek borders the left and back part of the green. An approach shot going left and long could easily find its way into the water.

The 3rd hole, a par 3 with craggy views of dusky rust-colored mountains in the background, plays 174 yards from the back tees and 114 from the front. On the tee, you're hitting toward an unintimidating green with a subtle lake greenside left. Don't bail out too far right or you'll find our native shrubs and bushes will make for a difficult recovery.

Another intriguing hole often discussed over beverages in the clubhouse is No. 8, a 364 yard par 4 - a great layup hole. As you stand on the tee, you'll see a saucer-like fairway bunker to the right of the landing area and a lake lurks just beyond the landing area to the left. You'll have to be precise on your approach to this green. It's only 15 yards deep and split in the middle by a large hump. "You'd better be on the correct side of this green or a 3 putt is almost guaranteed," says Samprone.

The front nine finishes with a par 3 over a lake with our picturesque clubhouse and the Superstition Mountains as your backdrop. Measuring 180 yards from the back tees and 132 from the front, the tee shot must carry the water and reach a 2 tiered green surrounded by bunkers, boulders, and cacti.

No. 13 is a short par-4 that measures 340 yards from the back tees and 277 from the front. "It frequently plays downwind so long hitters are often teased into trying to drive the green. A large lake borders the hole 200 yards out from the back tees and hugs the fairway all the way up to the green. Anything hit long and left off the tee will probably be wet. A lay-up to the right side of the fairway is the smart shot here," Samprone says. The green is guarded by a bulkheaded bunker and a crescent-shaped green which could complicate your putting. "Depending on the pin placement," Samprone says. "you may not have a direct line to the hole."

Your finishing hole, No. 18, is a short par-5 that only measures 481 yards from the back tees. The green can be reached in two shots by many adventurous long hitters. The fairway on this hole is generous and wide but it tightens up as you approach the green. Water protects the front, left, and back sides of the green so if you take a risk with a long approach shot you'll be rewarded if you keep it on the green.

Distances and ratings/slopes for Viewpoint's 18-hole course:

6,324 yards (68.8/116)

5,660 yards (66.1/110)

5,269 yards (64.3/103)

4,774 yards (66.8/109)