Photo Courtesy of Arizona Wigwam

Does everyone remember Arizona’s 5 C’s? Copper, Cattle, Climate, Citrus and… cotton! Cotton is especially important to the town of Litchfield Park, home to the historic Wigwam Resort.

Originally, the Wigwam Resort was built to serve as a lodge for ranch suppliers. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company discovered, in 1918, that cotton was the key ingredient to maintaining the life expectancy of its tires. The company bought 16,000 acres of land in the west Valley to cotton farm. To house workers, employees and ranching suppliers, the company established the Organization House, which also served as a winter vacation spot for Goodyear executives and their families.

The Wigwam officially opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1929, as a guest ranch with rooms for 24 guests. Five years later, a golf course was built. The resort has grown over the past 80 years and a portion of the original structure remains at the center of it all.

Visitors today can experience the 331-room resort, which includes three championship golf courses, tennis courts, swimming pools, a water slide, spa and luxury dining.

http://wigwamarizona.com/arizona-resort-history.shtml

Photo Courtesy of Verrado Golf Club

It’s no secret that Arizona is home to some of the most beautiful golf courses in the world. In the West Valley town of Buckeye lies the Verrado Golf Club, 18 holes surrounded in the foothills of the picturesque White Tank Mountains.

Golfers spending time on the championship golf course will view large mountains, desert washes, box canyons and the Phoenix skyline off in the distance. The course is perfect for both amateurs and aficionados, playing to nearly 7,300 yards and offering generous landing areas.

While the summer sun can sometimes put a damper on outdoor activities, golfing in the summer is one advantage to living in AZ. Verrado has summer specials with prices that are just as sizzling as that sunshine.

http://www.verradogolfclub.com/

This golf course will make any golfer feel like they’re a professional. With its elevation ranging from 2,300 to 3,200 feet, golfers are sure to face challenges and must find ways to be creative in order to overcome them—just like the pros.

The course was developed by Jack Nicklaus. It contains 27 holes and blends naturally among the saguaros and the surrounding Tortolita Mountain Range. The Golf Club at Dove Mountain provides panoramic views with its luxurious and authentic desert experience.  Nicklaus has integrated solid strategy, variety and fair shot values that harmonize with the high desert elevation of 2,300 to 3,000 feet.

The Golf Club at Dove mountain is home of the PGA Tour’s World Golf Championships— Accenture Match Play Championship.

The 250-room Ritz-Carlton resort hotel is also located along the course, for those looking for some good R & R after a long day spent golfing!