Michael Poellot

Scottsdale, AZ

Gainey Ranch Golf Club occupies a stretch of the Sonoran Desert in Scottsdale, with the McDowell Mountains as a backdrop. Michael Poellot and Bradford Benz designed the 27 holes, which opened in the mid-1980s and are arranged as three distinct nines: the Lakes, with waterways and a waterfall at its ninth hole; the Dunes, a tighter desert test; and the Arroyo, the longest of the three, ending at a well-bunkered peninsula green. The club is private, with golf access limited to members and registered guests of the adjoining Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort. Combined nine-hole pairings play to a par of 72, with yardages ranging from roughly 6,100 to 6,800 yards depending on the combination and tees selected.