Wickenburg Ranch might be the best residential golf complex in the country. It’s a big statement, we know. But a recent return by the Golf Package Pros team (many years after the Big Wick 18-hole course originally opened) reveals a property where every detail is perfectly thought-out — from a practice facility with tree-lined shaded cart parking; to a putting green at the center of the cart staging, Sports Shop and “Hideaway” Snack Spot; to the 9-hole Li’l Wick par-3 course built along small bluffs and around The Watering Hole hang spot.
The 18-hole Big Wick course is known for intriguing design (from the unheralded Wendell Picket and Bill Brownlee), views of Vulture Peak and Prescott National Forest and outstanding conditions (they pull off the feat of year-round bentgrass greens). It winds its way through the residential community without allowing the houses to intrude on the golf experience — and many holes demand memorable shots that leave golfers wanting more.
The stretch of the par-13 13th with elevated tee shot to a semi-island green and the long par-5 14th with stream down the left side bring water playfully into the mix for a challenge that tests even the best golfers.
Back at the Clubhouse, Jake’s Spoon indoor-outdoor restaurant and the Jake’s Sip bar are as good as golf food-and-beverage gets. Our recent Golf Package Pros visit sampled everything from Wings and BBQ Pork Pizza to Asiago-Stuffed Gnocchi with Bison Meatballs, Heirloom Tomato and Asparagus — which ranks near the top of the best dishes out world-traveling Darin Bunch has tasted. Add in desserts like a Cast-Iron Chocolate Chip Cookies or Vanilla Gelato Root Beer Float and your culinary experience is complete.
Wickenburg Ranch is in the process of going private, but you can book limited tee times through golfscottsdalearizona.com — as part of the Golf Package Pros network. Request your quote today.